'I Love it Here' 2.03 - Parkway Diner
Worcester is sometimes called The Diner Capital of Massachusetts, so I think it’s important to highlight at least one. The Parkway Diner gives a new definition to the term "hole in the wall." My mom and I honestly drove past it once, and then when we found the building number we doubted that it was actually open. Once we finally got into the building, there was not much to the diner, though this is expected. In the main part, in a room no larger than a dining car on a train, are two bars to eat at. In the back is a seating area, but from the looks of it that part is not as popular as the front area. A grill and freezer also take up a good portion of the room, and the cooks prepare your orders in front of you. This is not a place for large parties.
I feel that there are two reasons why people go to diners: the food and the atmosphere. The Parkway Diner has plenty of both to go around. The portions are generous, and it is all made fresh. My mom had meatloaf, and still talked about how good it was a week later. Fresh bread is offered for every plate, a good addition to the meal, since the food can be a little greasy and the bread helps counteract that. The grease, though, is expected, embraced, and not a bad thing.
If for nothing else, go eat at this place for the atmosphere. The diner was full of "regulars," many of whom were reminiscing about when they themselves worked there as teenagers with the man who owns it now, who is also the main cook. For the hour, my mom and I just sat there and listened to all the people around us talk, and it was great. When the conversation turned to us, since we were new, they were as equally interested in what we had to say. When they found out I was a student at Holy Cross, many of them had stories about work they did on buildings or people they knew who went there, which was neat. When they asked my mom if she was also a student at Holy Cross, it absolutely made her day.
It's places like the Parkway Diner that make eating out a treat. A lot of the restaurants I go to have great food, but I always feel very detached from the restaurant itself and the people who work there. At such a cozy and hospitable place like this one, I can't help feeling like I had more than just a regular dining out experience. This is an afternoon where, even if the food was bad (which it wasn't), I'd be talking about how great the Parkway Diner is for a long time. It was a nice mother/daughter bonding experience over meatloaf and omelets.
