A finer diner

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/09/2017 (3113 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The White Star Diner, once crammed into a wee corner on Albert Street, has relocated to a former Salisbury House on Kennedy Street. This new venue allows for sit-down dining, with a lot more room for patrons looking for a comfortable, homey atmosphere and refreshingly unpretentious diner fare.

Let’s just take the meatloaf sandwich, which can be ordered hot or cold. Served on a melamine plate with good rye bread and standard bright yellow mustard, this is a very straight-up dish. There are no fancy condiments or artisanal pickles. This sandwich is about big, solid slabs of meatloaf.

The meatloaf can also be ordered as a dinner, with fried onions, mushrooms and beef gravy. For the rest, the menu is basically made up of big servings of burgers, dogs, grilled cheese, pulled pork, poutine — along with various combinations thereof.

The basic cheeseburger is juicy and messy with a purposely raggedy-edged patty and a rich, eggy bun. The hefty all-beef dogs are nicely grilled, though the sampled Hot Diggety came with an overly enthusiastic application of mustard, which might have been better left to the discretion of the diner.

For sides, the fries are good and crispy. There is also a potato and carrot mash, slightly over-salted but piping hot and with a comforting kind of stodginess. The slaw, hitting a sweet spot between creamy and vinegary, is dotted with celery seeds. The retro salad is big on iceberg lettuce, and the soup, which changes daily, is served up in a thick crockery mug. A sampled cream of potato was over-thickened but tasty.

The slow-braised pulled pork on a bun comes in a pleasantly spicy-sweet but not knock-your-socks-off BBQ sauce, offset with the crunch of that good slaw.

Interestingly, while the food options are resolutely old-fashioned, the White Star gets all hip and happening with its milkshakes, offering such fashion-forward flavours as anise, Mexican vanilla cinnamon, and blackcurrant and balsamic, alongside such classics as chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

The chalkboard list of flavours advertises the shakes as “slimming and delicious,” and while the “slimming” part is a joke, of course, the “delicious” descriptor is right on. Served in tall metal cups, all frosty on the outside, these shakes are divinely ice-creamy and thick.

Desserts are limited to cookies — I tried a whacking big peanut butter and chocolate, fresh and crumbly — and of course, those terrific shakes.

A small selection of local beer, from Fort Garry, Torque and Half Pints, is available.

The decor wraps up traditional diner booths and counters in a bright, happy scheme of cherry red and pale blue, accented with references to the golden age of ocean liners. The Titanic is the big one here, but there are also pictures of less-known (and less-doomed) ships on the White Star Line.

Food is served up quickly, even during the noon-hour rush. The wait staff is obliging, outgoing and efficient. And there’s a friendly byplay between the owner, who is usually out on the floor, and the regulars, making for a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

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More good news for diner fans. The White Star’s old location at that aforementioned nook on Albert Street has been filled by Vicky’s Diner, a popular eatery in Ste. Anne that has now opened a city location.

Vicky’s has pulled off a terrific redesign of this very tight spot, with a clean, modern mix of white, grey and stainless steel. The menu offers an indie take on fast-food icons, including a good version of the quintessentially Manitoban fat-boy-type burger, crammed with chili sauce, mayo, sharp mustard and pickles. There are also hotdogs, stuffed pitas, chicken tenders and poutine.

The chicken pita is packed with strips of white meat, over-salted, but the accompanying tzatziki is garlicky and gloriously messy. Onion rings, which often trip up fry cooks, are very good, with tender onions and crisp batter. The fries are potatoey and tend to the slightly soft.

There are four stools at the counter, stretched out in the summer with two small tables on the sidewalk, so takeout probably works best during the lunch crush.

alison.gillmor@freepress.mb.ca