This week I traveled to a new place that just opened a month ago. The Metro Diner located at 9595 W. Tropicana Avenue is the ultimate in comfort food dining. Metro Diner’s original location is in Jacksonville, Florida but they have made their way to the desert.
A second Metro Diner is already planned for the southwest area. Metro gained fame when it was featured on the Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” TV show. I have made three different trips there and was happy with all of my meals.
On my first visit I went for breakfast with my wife, who had one of her favorite breakfast dishes – Biscuits and Sausage Gravy. The biscuits were very good and she loved the gravy. I went with eggs, bacon, hash browns and a side of their Pound Cake French Toast. It was amazing as they actually take slices of pound cake and prepare it French toast style. It’s sweet and rich but oh so good.
As I was looking over the menu I saw an item called Pittsburgh Steak Salad. As you know I’m originally from Pittsburgh so naturally this caught my eye. Back in Pittsburgh I used to get salads that were topped with grilled steak cheese and French fries. When I would describe the salad to Lori she would look at me like I was crazy but they are so good, your entire meal is right there – meat, potato and cheese.
The original owner of the Jacksonville diner was from Pittsburgh and put this salad on the menu. It was only a matter of days before I tried it to see if it was indeed as good as the ones I use to get back home. If you order it make sure you’re hungry because the portion is huge. They grill a New York steak to perfection then add French fries and cheese over your salad. They serve it with blue cheese dressing and blue cheese crumbles but you can put any dressing you like on it. This was as good as the salads I got back in Pittsburgh.
On my third visit I had to try one of the other items featured on the TV show, the MeatSloaf Plate. Nothing says American comfort food better than meat loaf. It comes with redskin mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. I substituted French fries for the mashed potatoes and got gravy over both the meatloaf and the fries. It was excellent, and just like all of my other meals, the portion was huge. I had it for lunch and needed a nap afterward.
Another item featured on Fieri’s show is the Yo Hala on the Square. This is two thick slices of challah bread stuffed with a mixture of bananas, brown sugar, cream cheese and hazelnut syrup, prepared like French toast and topped with a blueberry strawberry compote. I have asked three different waiters and waitresses what is their favorite dish on the menu and each said the same thing – the Yo Hala on the Square. Guess on my next breakfast visit I will be ordering that dish.
When I was there on my first visit poker legend Doyle Brunson came in to have breakfast as well. Word must be getting around about how good the Metro Diner is. The prices are very reasonable and the portions huge. I give Metro Diner a rating of 3.75 forks.