Dan's Papers - August 3, 2007

Right off the LIE, at 690 Commack Road in Commack, sits the perfect mid-way stop from the Hamptons to the city for breakfast lunch and dinner. The Premier Diner opened two years ago as a "comfortable middle ground away from home and away from work, where we can come together with our friends and family over food and gossip, jokes and conversation," as their menu states. When I went in for lunch, the diner proved to be just that.

Although it may look like any other run of the mill diner, the Premier Diner boasts ample floor space with comfortable booths around the perimeter and large tables in the center. Although it was the middle of the day when I visited, the restaurant was very clean, as if it had just opened. With very few of the normal diner trappings, the Premier Diner is able to stay true to their diner roots, but have added a more updated, warm look and feel for its customers.

Upon walking into the restaurant, I was greeted by the owners who promptly sat me at a table on the edge of the dining room. After seeing their gigantic menu, my party and I agreed to let the owners bring us a sampling of their most popular and favorite dishes. Our waiter then came by to bring us small dishes of coleslaw and pickles. He remarked, "I hope you're hungry," and he couldn't have been more right. Within minutes our table was full of plates.

First we tried the shrimp salad on a croissant served with fruit salad. Without too many ingredients, this salad sandwiched between a flakey croissant was delicious. The fruit salad, made from fresh fruit, proved a great alternative to the side of French fries normally served at diners.

Next, we sampled the chicken salad also served on a croissant. Not your ordinary chicken salad, the Premier Diner's had chopped apple, cranberry, celery and walnuts. I thought it was a little too fruity, but another member of my party thought it was delightful. The croissant was a great alternative to bread and I was happy to find out that a baker on the premises makes all of the diner's baked goods daily.

We tried the huge Greek salad next, served with the diner's very own salad dressing on the side. Served in a large bowl with what seemed to be never ending depths, it looked like any other Greek salad, but the homemade dressing and perfectly seasoned chicken took this ordinary dish over the top.

I then tried the panini that waited unassumingly at my right. Sandwiched between two pieces of toasted pita sat a lightly breaded golden brown piece of fried chicken. Oozing out of the sides was perfectly melted mozzarella cheese along with pieces of spinach. For a sandwich that is served with big golden brown potato fries, this may seem a little extravagant. However, the chicken was so light that I didn't feel so bad devouring my half. This was by far my favorite meal of the afternoon.

Just as I had taken the last bite of my pannini one of the owners appeared with a small piece of stuffed flounder as a sampling from their dinner menu. I took one little bite and the fish melted in my mouth, the flavors of the flounder and the crabmeat blending exquisitely. The fish tasted so fresh I had to ask where it was from. The owner said that all of their fish is delivered fresh daily from the Fulton fish market in the city. I started to regret coming in for lunch now that I knew there were so many fresh delicious items on the dinner menu. To end the meal, my guests and I split a piece of cheesecake covered in a strawberry sauce. As I sipped the last of my coffee I felt satisfied beyond belief. With huge portions and hearty meals the Premier Diner proved that their goal is to make customers happy by filling their bellies and supplying them with a great place to come with friends and family.