There’s something about our city’s wealth of authentic diners – padded swivel stools at the counter, packaged cups of creamer on every table, bathrooms in the storeroom closet – that makes me especially proud to be a St. Louisan. And while I usually prefer my diners to be a bit desolate and dingy, I’ve made an exception with a little joint in Olivette. Neighboring a PetCo and a Quizno’s in an unassuming strip mall, Olivette Diner is identified only by a sign that says “Diner.” It’s cozy and clean, but it’s a place where the waitresses call you “hon,” the milkshakes are too big for your car’s cupholders, and yep, you guessed it, there are swivel stools at the counter. On the wood-paneled walls above each comfy booth are photos of people eating the diner’s food, which is all quite delicious.
The menu is quite sizable and includes all the essentials: slinger, hotcakes, waffles and omelets. But it’s also got some surprises, like the bagel and lox; the eggs Benedict; and the tomato, Brie and spinach scramble. This is not your typical greasy spoon; this is a place with options.
Typically, diner decisions should be easier to make once the waitress tells you her favorite items on the menu, but when given those options at Olivette Diner, choosing gets a little more difficult. “The pecan waffle is excellent!” she said. “So are the hotcakes … and everyone loves the breakfast burrito and the Hot Hash & Holly.”
She’s right on the money about the latter. Hot Hash & Holly is a serving of potatoes O’Brien (crispy hash browns mixed with onions, green peppers and diced ham) topped with melted Cheddar and two eggs your way. All that is smothered in a delicious house-made hollandaise sauce that gives the dish its “Holly.” All the elements are cooked well and aren’t doused with salt, allowing the smooth and buttery sauce to do its job. But if you disagree, there are at least three kinds of hot sauce on each table to satisfy your taste buds.
Another interesting choice on the menu is that scramble – tomato, Brie and spinach mixed up with some scrambled eggs and served with hash browns and toast that’s not drowned in butter. It’s a good dish, but there’s nothing more to it than what is listed. And you really have to like spinach to find this palatable. As with the Hot Hash & Holly, there isn’t a lot of salt, so it can be a bit bland.
The thick-cut French toast, available by the slice, isn’t too sweet and is unique in its dominant cinnamon and nutmeg flavor that offsets the small creamy scoop of butter on top. Along the same lines, but a bit sweeter, is the Bananas Foster waffle, described on the menu as being “unbelievable.” It tastes as decadent as it sounds: a large waffle topped with house-made banana-brown sugar-cinnamon sauce and vanilla ice cream. Yum. The milkshakes are also a sight to behold. Try the off-the-menu chocolate-banana, made with real bananas.
The hotcakes, accompanied by shot glasses of warm syrup, aren’t spectacular but they are as pancakes should be – not dry, rubbery or flimsy. And they are, of course, served under a scoop of butter. Also consistently delicious but not outstanding is the fried egg sandwich, offered with your choice of bread, cheese and meat. The sausage I had with mine was nicely spiced, the American cheese wasn’t too gooey, and the wheat bread didn’t fall apart with each bite. It’s a sturdy sandwich that could stand a little more flavor from one of those hot sauces.
The Olivette Diner has been in that same location, albeit under different ownership, for several decades. When it was known as the Rite-Way Diner in the mid-1970s, the classic rock band Head East shot a record cover at the counter. The title of the album? Flat as a Pancake.
In short, trust anything that uses the hollandaise sauce, anything that is denoted on the menu with picture of a spatula (like the multipound breakfast burrito), and anything recommended to you by the older waiter who dresses in cowboy boots, Harley shirts and trucker hats.
If you don’t go for its quirky history, the small-town atmosphere or the wide array of customers, go for the good, quick and cheap eats. You definitely will not be disappointed.
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2009.