Having seen a few television shows on Diners, and after
having purchased and read a book about Diners, not to
mention checking out the Diner City Website, I finally felt
ready for my first "Classical Diner" experience. The Diner
I chose was the Rainbow Diner just South of Charlestown, W.
Va along Route 340. Interestingly enough, I had driven
past this diner many times without even knowing it was a
"Diner" in the classic definition on my many voyages into
Virginia. This coupled with the fact I had planned a visit
with my brother who happens to live nearby made this Diner
the choice for my first diner experience. The Rainbow
Diner has been altered heavily with a couple of added
dining rooms plus a covered entry way. Very little of the
stainless steel exterior remains visible and to a vehicle
traveling past at 55 mph it is no wonder why I never knew
this was a classic Diner. I arrived early on a Saturday
morning around 7 a.m. so breakfast was in order. I was not
quite sure what to expect when I first arrived, so I went
in and went straight to the counter and took my place on
one of the many vintage stools. I ordered a two egg
special with toast and bacon with a large orange juice and
waited. I looked around and noticed the small
manufacturer's plate directly across from my choosen place.
It identified the "Rainbow" as a Mountain View Diner from
New Jersey. The inside showed the signs of the addition of
the dining rooms off to the left and right sides of the
diner. The ceiling and most of the walls were
covered/decorated with stickers of all sorts. It made
interesting reading while I waited for my order to arrive.
I glanced around the diner and noticed several booths taken
by a few customers enjoying coffee and were involved with
their morning papers. The diner was calm and quiet. The
jukebox along the far right wall stood regally but silent.
My order came from the kitchen and was placed before me on
the counter. The 2 eggs were accompanied by 3 strips of
crispy bacon and a helping of homefries plus 2 slices of
toast and jelly. Not a bad deal for the $3.95 price. My
large orange juice added another $1.95. My total for the
meal was $6.20. The item I liked most was the homefries.
These peeled poatoes fried in bacon drippings were
delicious. Overall good rating.
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