For this wondrous journey, I didn’t even need to leave my neighborhood. The Garfield District is blessed with one of those rare finds, the Welcome Diner. Tucked neatly away on the east side of Roosevelt Street, this local treat poses as a small, unassuming trailer on a patch of glorious desert grass. Standing out front of this signless place, you almost feel that you might be intruding on someone’s territory. But soon enough, the blessed, sweet smells waft their siren song to your stomach. What awaits you are nine stools that huddle so close to the grill , you know that this place will probably remember you. Also, the small shelves filled with various items, such as Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass vinyls, give a unique, hipster vibe.
I had to kindly ask a few patrons to slide down to get myself into a great position just feet from the cooking magic. I was here for one thing: a cup of sweet toast. Sounds intriguing, right? Well, the magic did take a little while. Finally, the little miniature pitcher of organic honey preceded a shiny mug overflowing with sweet toast. The fluffy, eggy, wondrous bread slices piled up high were daunting, but I was prepared. Honestly, I was better off than a recently ditched prom date with a lifetime supply of Ben & Jerry’s. Every slice was better than the first, and as I pressed onward, I realized that I could see this through. Swabbing the plate of the last of the delicious honey, I moaned the victorious moan of someone who has conquered the cup of sweet toast.
The Welcome Diner is located at 924 W. Roosevelt St. 602.495.1111
