June 6, 3013 - The Coffee Shop, Sylva, NC

The Coffee Shop is a typical small town diner. It has been in existence for numerous years, and commands quite a large following. 

"A diner is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout the United States, Canada and parts of Western Europe. Some people apply the term not only to the prefabricated structures, but also to restaurants that serve cuisine similar to traditional diner cuisine even if they are located in more traditional types of buildings. Diners are characterized by offering a wide range of foods, mostly American, a casual atmosphere, a counter, and late operating hours. "Classic American Diners" are often characterized by an exterior layer of stainless steel—a feature unique to diner architecture."

The first diner was created in 1872, by a man named Walter Scott. He worked at a printing press, and decided to sell food out of a horse-pulled wagon. He sold to night workers, and patrons of men's clubs.Scott then decided that his business was successful; he then quit his job and sold food full-time. Scott's diner can be considered the first diner with “walk up” windows that were located on each side of the wagon.The first recorded diner was a horse-drawn wagon equipped to serve hot food to employees of the Providence Journal, in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1872. Walter Scott, who ran the lunch wagon, had previously supplemented his income by selling sandwiches and coffee to his fellow pressmen at the Journal from baskets he prepared at home. Commercial production of lunch wagons began in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1887, by Thomas Buckley. Buckley was very successful and became known for his "White House Cafe" wagons. Charles Palmer received the first patent (1891) for the diner. He built his "fancy night cafes" and "night lunch wagons" in the Worcester area until 1901.

GREG TRYING TO ACT BASHFUL

It's hard to get in on the weekends, or in the evenings or mornings. The Coffee Shop is popular with the locals and the packed parking lot is testament to that. On this night, we had everyone in attendance. The Coffee Shop has tables and booths, both small and large. There is a large, round table in the far corner where we sat. This gave us plenty of elbow room. There is an extensive menu at The Coffee Shop. Everything from Burgers, Sandwiches, to dinner plates with Chicken Livers, Hamburger Steak, etc. We must have been in sync tonite as we all ordered Hamburger Steak with either onions, chili, or mushrooms. The sides everyone seemed to want was either Fried Okra, or Cornbread Salad.

FRIED CHICKEN LIVERS

The Cornbread Salad is a special dish here. I  make it at home, but mine does not have as much dressing in it. In other words, it is drier. The Fried Okra is of course frozen, but is OK. We ordered the Chicken Livers as a beginner, and they were OK also. Fried done for sure. How many folks out there prefer Chicken Livers vs. Chicken Gizzards? We had a lively discussion about our preferences.  Check in with us and give us your opinion.

HAMBURGER STEAK, CORNBREAD SALAD, FRIED OKRA

FRIED FISH, CORNBREAD SALAD, FRIED OKRA

HAMBURGER STEAK WITH CHILI, SLAW, FRIES

HAMBURGER STEAK, MASHED POTATOES, BEANS

HAMBURGER STEAK, BEANS, FRIED OKRA

We had a lively discussion tonite on a variety of topics. We had lots of laughs, giggles, and snorts. We stayed a very long time, but we were having so much fun, we engaged our waitress in our discussions too. It looks like it was Hamburger Steak night with us! How many ways can you have Hamburger Steak?

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We did find out some interesting information about The Coffee Shop tonite. Apparently it's haunted. According to the cashier and the waitress, there is an apparition in the restaurant that they have seen on occasion. They feel it is a man, and suspect it is a soldier.

SPECIALS

There is a large board behind the grill that spells out the specials, specialties, and local favorites. If you can't find something to eat here, then you just need to go home.

CASHIER

CASHIERS COOL SHOES

Small town diners are becoming a novelty like Drive In Theaters, Drive Ins, or other warm mementos of growing up in a time when folks knew their neighbors, went calling on Sunday's after church, and cooked casseroles for their ailing friends. There is a film devoted to small town diners (http://chicagofilmmakers.org/cf/content/american-diner). Check it out here. If  you love all things small town, then by all means, visit The Coffee Shop. Hang out awhile, meet some locals, and soak up some flavor of Sylva. And.. be sure to eat some good basic fare, and ask about the ghost.