"On our way to the theatre, my 2 Dining Companions (DCs) and I needed to stop for a quick bite to eat, as the show was going to be a long one. After parking at London Victoria Station, we walked into Victoria Place Shopping Centre and perused the options available. After deciding we didn’t want ‘traditional’ fast food, we opted for Ed’s Easy Diner, which promised “American comfort food”. Ed’s has the look of a stereotypical American diner, circa 1950’s, with seating areas both inside and outside, if you fancy a spot of people watching, both offering table service. The floor was somewhat sticky to walk over in the outside area, we did not walk inside, but the tables were clean and welcoming. The menu, as promised, covers American classics along with breakfast, junior and gluten free options, all at a reasonable cost. We ordered from the mains menu, with me opting for the BBQ chicken and bacon stack (with sauces on the side), DC1 ordering a Coney Island foot long hot dog with onion rings, and DC2 a BBQ cheese and bacon dog with fries. Both DCs also ordered shakes. Our order was taken in good time, with the server being very friendly, and the drinks came out in under 5 minutes. The shakes were old school blended ice cream, milk, and flavouring affairs which were delicious, if a little too frothy. I feel like if they were left to sit for a time so you felt like you were drinking more than foam, the glasses would have been less than half full. Food was also quick to arrive, and was served on diner style trays lined with branded paper. Whilst I understand this is diner style, I’m not a fan of paper lined dishes under food that is likely to be eaten with a knife and fork as I find it gets damp and shredded up as you eat, and you end up with paper in your food. Paper aside, the meals were tasty, just as they were described in the menu, and hot. My chicken and bacon stack was set atop delicious onion rings, and served with little pots of BBQ sauce and melted cheese sauce, chips, and macaroni cheese. To be clear, this is not health food by any stretch of the imagination, when I say cheese sauce, it is essentially melted ‘plastic’ cheese, but it was suited to the food. I set the BBQ sauce aside however, as I am not a fan, but there was also mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and seasonings available on the table. The chicken is crumbed and fried (again, this is not health food), and layered with soft cooked bacon slices, and the chips are skin on, which adds to the flavour, in my opinion. The macaroni cheese was made with a different cheese sauce, and tasted homemade rather than the result of a packet mix. As is typically American for macaroni cheese, it also had chilli in it, which I enjoy. The hot dogs came in white bread buns, which were a little soft for my liking, as I like hot dog buns to have a bit more ‘chew’. The sausages themselves were nice, with an enjoyable texture and flavour. DC1 had chilli on his, which was very tasty, but needed a lift with some salt, topped with cheese sauce and jalapenos, whilst DC2’s dog was topped with chopped bacon, onion, and crispy shallots. This was tasty enough, but looked a little messy and unappetising. It would also normally come with cheese sauce and BBQ sauce over the top, which may have improved the appearance, but DC2 asked for this on the side. Thankfully, as our food had come out in good time, we didn’t have to rush through it and were able to enjoy our meals. Unfortunately, however, our server was busy reading menus when we wanted to get our bill and this held us up. I have to admit to being a little confused by this, as some plates had been cleared from our table whilst I was still eating, which I’m not a fan of, so we were clearly close to finishing. At the very least, I’d have thought she might have offered dessert menus, which would have offered us the opportunity to ask for the bill. In the end, we stood up and gathered our gear, as we thought we would just pay on our way out, and this spurred the server into action. To sum up: Atmosphere: Light and bright, pretty much what you would expect from a 50’s style American diner. Service: Fast and friendly, perfect for a casual meal. Lacked a little at the end however, but just get up and make to leave, they’ll be there in a snap! Food: Again, what you would expect from a 50’s style diner. You get what the menu suggests you will, and the food is well described as ‘comfort food’. Drinks: Tasty, but overpriced for what they are, in my opinion."
Chicken Caesar Salad
