BY CARLA WALDEMAR
Hi-Lo Diner
4020 E. Lake St.
no reservations
parking lot in rear
Move over, Mickey’s: You’ve got a shiny, new contender for Supreme Leader of the local diner universe. This classic 1957 diner traveled from a site in Pennsylvania to its new home on East Lake Street and named itself (in an eye-candy rooftop sign) Hi-Lo, in homage to its anchor status in the city’s Hiawatha and Longfellow neighborhoods.
The co-owners (two of whom operate the Blue Door pubs) kept what they could—shiny stainless steel exterior, terrazzo floor, coat racks as sentinels for its strand of booths—and refurbished other features, such as re-upholstered seating, more flattering light fixtures—and added a 50-seat, usually-filled-to-capacity, patio. Dogs and babies welcome.
Is it a success? Unquestionably, as the wait for a place at prime time will testify. And it’s open from breakfast straight through to—well, breakfast, if that’s what you crave when they finally lock the doors at 2 a.m. Talk about a public service! And the service of the affable waitstaff is just as user-friendly.
What to order? Burgers, pot pie, fish & chips and that diner essential, a hot turkey sandwich, complete with gravy and mashed potatoes. Even a pair of salads. Our hungry party shared a generous plate of greens called Brutus—et tu, if you also enjoy a heap of robustly-textured kale (certainly a diner first), embellished with crunchy fried chickpeas, sweet and juicy roasted grapes and a crown of shaved Parmesan, all gently sprinkled with a modest Caesar dressing, $9.
But the real dish to order—Hi-Lo’s signature—is a Hi-Top (eight versions, $8.50-10: some sweet, some savory). We went for the latter version—four of them—and genuinely enjoyed every single rendition. Let me explain, however, that the—I think, silly—base upon which they’re built is a huge raised doughnut, slightly sweet, which acts like screeching chalk on a blackboard when confronted with the toppings. I’d suggest a waffle instead, but never mind: The generous toppings themselves are wonderful.
The Gary Cooper featured crispy-coated buttermilk-fried strips of juicy chicken breast, piled onto that doughnut along with maple-Bourbon syrup, lovely chicken gravy and wisps of arugula. It’s more than a mouthful. So is the Kim Jong Yum, which favors fork-tender Korean short ribs consorting with perky apple-bacon slaw and micro greens touched with the nip of wasabi. Well done!
Loved the Notorious P.I.G. as well—an homage to the Bay of and Castro’s island. This one’s loaded with Cuban pulled pork in a cheery citrus glaze, attended by a black bean-sweet corn salsa, sour cream and cilantro. The whole sculpture is topped with an egg, shining its sunny-side-up yolk as a beacon. Then there’s the Maine Squeeze, a charitable gift, I’d say, of enough lobster salad to insure they don’t make a profit on this one. The sweet, juicy flesh, also glazed with citrus, is paired with lots of creamy avocado, micro arugula tendrils and a little burst of sriracha aioli.
Then there are those homemade pies. We didn’t have room, but hey! Our server recommended the fudge-bottomed banana cream number, and it was fine, if forgettable. Go for one of the adult ice-cream drinks instead. Or simply savor the remains of your cocktail (mine, a most creative use of Bourbon). Or wine or beer. Or breakfast. Can’t wait to come back.
