Thirsty: Anthony Giglio

Daily Planet Diner

If you’re my contemporary, then you don’t remember growing up surrounded by strip malls featuring an endless succession of food chain eateries. The roadways weren’t overloaded with outposts of Applebee’s, Chipotle, Cheesecake Factory, Outback Steakhouse, Houlihan’s and Red Lobster. Instead, it was the golden age of uber diners. These establishments that commandeered every four-lane suburban turnpike, bore little relation to the original classic diners which resembled elongated Airstream trailers featuring a lineup of six booths under the windows on either side of the front door and a dozen seats along the counter. Rather, these were massive emporiums, clad in polished stainless alternating with lacquered panels in primary colors, framed in neon, seating at least 100, lit so they could be seen by John Glenn as he orbited Earth, boasting menus with nearly as many pages as a Jane Austen novel, o ering fare ranging from western omelets to matzoh ball soup, chicken chow mein, The décor used to be a cluttered, poster lled homage to Hollywood B movies of the ’40s and ’50s, awkwardly alternating with mounted vintage TV’s running clips from the early black and white days of television. The menu had guests marveling that the kitchen didn’t take up half the vast parking lot. The clientele on some nights seemed to comprise the rest of the student body who wasn’t working the oor,

moussaka, veal parmigiana and lobster thermidor. These grand diners were the goto option for breakfast, lunch, early family dinner, pre-drive-in, a er bowling league, post wedding reception where there hadn’t been enough food, après coital hunger pangs and bong induced munchies.

I remember my parents even dressed up to go to their favorite, Blue Bay Diner on Francis Lewis Boulevard in Fresh Meadows. It’s still in operation. Alas, many of them aren’t, done The diner’s clientele on most in by soaring real estate prices, dining habits elevated by more nights seemed to comprise of sophisticated options and tainted the rest of the student body from by the daunting proliferation of Poughkeepsie High School who cheap, fast food. Lucky for us, there’s one that still thrives right wasn’t already working the floor. o the Taconic Parkway on State Road 55 in LaGrangeville, NY. their families and teammates, sitting at

For nearly two decades, starting back tables of 8, 10 and 16. We were o en the when we’d head up on Friday nights as only deuce, and the only ones not dressed Hudson Valley weekenders, we’ve dined in sweatshirts and sweatpants. About half regularly at Daily Planet Diner, waited on the patrons had ordered some form of by succeeding members of the graduating breakfast for dinner. As for average portion classes at Poughkeepsie High School. size, an order of pancakes could handily

WAGNER HODGSON

HUDSON NY 518.567.1791 BURLINGTON VT 802.864.0010 WAGNERHODGSON.COM

feed a family of four and required about a quart of maple syrup. It took us years to admit that an order of skirt steak or a rack of ribs was more than enough for both of us. We originally stopped there because it was at a little more than the halfway mark of our trek. We continued to go there, not only because it was convenient and inexpensive, but because the food was really, sometimes impressively good.

Like so many other dining rooms, the pandemic clobbered Daily Planet Diner. But unlike many other Upstate eateries, it didn’t close for good. In 2021, it began seating people outside with a very limited menu. This year, a er a renovation that stripped all the kitschy retro artifacts for cleaner mid-century décor it has fully opened, and though the menu no longer requires a bookmark, it’s still extensive. The local teens have returned as servers, pleasant and apple cheeked. And the food is still pretty good. What’s so surprising is how much of the fare, particularly vegetables and sauces, doesn’t come out of a can or doesn’t taste recently thawed. Much is fresh and freshly made. You might cock an eyebrow, but I don’t hesitate to order seafood paella, a rack of barbeque ribs, matzoh ball soup, chicken pot pie, pork chops with mashed potatoes or roast chicken in olive oil and garlic with cornbread and sausage stu ng

I’ve never ordered breakfast for dinner or at any time, though the wa es, omelets and apjacks seem to be as popular and towering as ever, o en followed by a formidable ice cream sundae. Daily Planet not only has a full bar, but they make malteds, ice cream sodas, root beer oats and egg creams. Sandwiches, paninis and wraps are so full you will probably toss the bread because it’s in the way. In fact, the only item I’ve never ordered again at Planet is the burger. It’s not a great one, which one might expect. But the grilled salmon with mushroom risotto will surprise you. Now, can the latter come close to Daniel Boulud’s roasted arctic char at his one Michelin starred Le Pavilion? Come on, really? But Daily Planet’s entrée is $23 while Boulud’s char is the main attraction of a $135 prix xe dinner. Even better, you can savor your salmon while wearing sweatpants. Michelin would be wise to factor in stu like that, especially for those of us who eat early and then have a long drive ahead. Even in a fog.

sundae fun day Daily Planet Diner in Lagrangeville, NY is known wide and far for its formidable ice cream sundaes.

DAILY PLANET DINER

1202 NY-55, Lagrangeville, NY 12540 845.452.0110 DailyPlanetDiner.com

289 MAIN STREET GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 413-528-0021