Over the past few years, a hipper, flashier, and more streamlined version of breakfast diners and lunch cafes has taken hold over the Oklahoma City Metro proper, providing farm-fresh ingredients, healthier choices, and, more than anything, a clean, stable atmosphere to enjoy them.
They are perfectly fine…I guess.
But for my money, time, and, of course, taste (or lack thereof), I will always prefer the dank, dirty, and disorderly pancake houses and other greasy spoons that dot this semi-great land in middle America—places like Perry’s Restaurant, 7432 S. May Ave.
An old-time diner where embittered old men drink coffee in the morning, and, conversely, young Goths drink coffee until the morning, Perry's serves caffeinated beverages with piles of processed potatoes and pork products, steeping the greasy refuse onto customer's overburdened plates.
In other words, Perry’s is my place.
Walking into the ancient restaurant, I noticed the faded carpet on the floor and the booths’ vinyl upholstery, now spiderwebbed.
As my girlfriend and I took off our coats in the warmish air, the scruffy clientele kept to themselves at the counter, only saying a few words to the veteran waitress.
I quickly took a cup of their coffee and, you know, it was damn good. We then looked over the menu, with harsh fingerprints of jelly—well, I hope it’s jelly—splotching the panels.
With so many breakfast and lunch options on the menu, it was hard to choose our order, but we eventually got them in. Our waitress sat down some no-name ketchup packets and Smucker’s individually sized jams, and with a coffee refill, our food was ready to scarf down in no time.
My girlfriend was all about breakfast, with the A-3 ($10.99) special featuring two large hot cakes, two strips of bacon, two large fresh eggs—scrambled, please!—and instead of the non-maple sausages, she had a bit of the hot hashbrowns. It was a stereotypical American breakfast!
Even more, it was completely delicious!
While the eggs and bacon sidled up her plate in harsh judgment, the hashbrowns, smothered in ketchup, were a total knockout. But, by the time Perry’s pancakes were ready to go, she had one bite and had to have them boxed up—it was too much food!
I was more into the lunch scene that day and chose the Reuben Sandwich ($10.99). I've always had a thing for the diner-style var-rye-ity, and from what I hear, Perry’s sandwich is actually pretty darn good: thin-sliced corned beef on grilled rye with melted Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, with a little side of 1000 Island dressing.
You know, a Reuben.
I chose to have the the 1000 Island as a dipping sauce instead of a sandwich lubricant, and it was the perfect balance of low-price and high-quality. Even though the side baked potato was pretty ghastly—dry, cracked, and overbaked – and the ingredients weren’t “farm fresh,” the Rueb was a splendid work of art, with the zingy corned beef and the pungent sauerkraut working overtime in the hefty sandwich.
As I was stacking our empty plates and the waitress poured me another cup of coffee, I asked what cake or pie should be our dessert. Without a moment of doubt, she recommended the Carrot Cake ($3.99).
What can you say – it was purely glorious—as much as a semi-fresh carrot cake can be!
As we stepped back into the light of day, smelling like the greasy vapors that saturated Perry's cracked booths, I paused to reflect on my meal, and further appreciate these classic, unpretentious diners that provide a hearty and authentic escape from the sterile, farm-fresh world.
Cómpralo ya!
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Follow Louis on Twitter at @LouisFowler and Instagram at @louisfowler78.
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