He ate: South Lansing’s Golden Harvest?

Posted
A print of Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks” hangs in our living room. Four people are hunkered down inside a well-lit diner. The night is poised to invade. There’s a wrenching emptiness about the scene. Three customers sit at the counter, detached and lonely. Only the server behind the counter seems to be breathing.

As I stood outside the Good Truckin’ Diner in Lansing’s REO Town, “Nighthawks” came to mind. The diner occupies a low-slung structure sandwiched between taller buildings on a dull city block — a shoe box wedged between packing crates. The place was devoid of customers. I sighed.

At this point I remind myself that first impressions are often wrong, something I have to remind myself all too often.

Yes, we were the only two customers on this blustery winter day. But that soon changed. Besides, Good Truckin’ is jam-packed with potential and darned fine eating.

Our friend and frequent dining companion, Bruce, said it best. “Diners are keepsakes. These places need to be kept around."

The odds may not favor the Good Truckin’ Diner. Before it opened last November, there were at least three previous restaurant incarnations in this spot. The last, Famous Taco, seemed to vanish before the salsa was prepped.

But here’s why I think Good Truckin’ will thrive: There’s a creative vibe about the place that begins with funky decor and far-out names for their entrees and ends with an obvious love for taking food in new and better directions.

I had a Hangover. Let me rephrase that. I ordered the Hangover. It’s a splendid riff on traditional biscuits and gravy. The Hangover ($6.99) comes with two lightly fried eggs, fresh-baked biscuits, subtly seasoned white gravy and smoked pulled pork. I asked if their pork is “homesmoked.” It is.

Judy had the Low Country ($7.99). The smoked pork made an encore bow inside a flour tortilla, mixed with scrambled eggs, green peppers and a spot of barbecue sauce. Judy praised the abundance of pork. Her one minor quibble: She wished the tortilla were crisper.

Waiting for our orders to arrive — if the place is busy, expect to wait — I soaked up the surroundings. Good Truckin’ originated as a food truck, and its new, permanent digs aren’t much bigger. There are four booths, six seats at the counter and room for a table or two. Walk five paces from your booth seat and you are standing over a hot griddle.

If you don’t care to watch the cooks prepare your food (I do), spend some time drinking in the decor. There’s the business end of a parking meter squatting on each booth table. Two arrowed signs adorn the space above the counter. The arrow pointing to the kitchen says Naughty. The one pointing toward the patrons says Nice.

I’m not sure the daily reality at Good Truckin’ involves perpetually nice customers, but I did notice on our second visit that nearly everyone knew somebody in the joint and laughter flourished.

We lunched on our second visit. We arrived at 11:30 a.m. Too late. The place was packed. At least we got to stand inside while we waited for a table; others waited outside on yet another crummy winter day.

I ordered a burger called the Old Town Tavern. While the server didn’t ask how we wanted our burgers cooked, it didn’t matter. The patties were well-cooked but still juicy. The Old Town Tavern ($8.99) comes with strips of applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, bourbon sauce and “drunken” onions, served on a pretzel roll.

The caramelized onions take the prize, their sweetness playing off the salty bacon. I also tasted a hint of garlic. This is one of Greater Lansing’s best burgers.

Judy had the West Coast ($9.49), and asked for smoked pork in place of the chicken. This avocado-inspired sandwich comes with bacon, Swiss cheese and “Awesome Sauce” that tastes like a good aioli. Personally, I would have gone with the chicken, but the West Coast is nonetheless a winner.

Bruce had the ImBoring ($6.99) which, as the name implies, is a basic burger with the usual deluxe trimmings.

Jan and I both ordered the soup du jour ($3.49 for a generous bowl), a chicken-based soup with rice and topped with crisp corn tortilla chips. There were just enough chunks of jalapeno to give it a kick. But the overall effect was too much salt. I suggest some quality control.

On Lansing’s north side is the Golden Harvest, which has an almost cult-like following where people gladly wait outside for a chance to dine in the restaurant’s claustrophobic confines.

I believe Good Truckin’ Diner has the potential to be Golden Harvest’s southside twin. It’s that good — and not a Nighthawk in sight.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here




Connect with us