Bob’s Restaurant in Hudson, New York

What you don’t know, gentle readers, is that in almost every restaurant post I write, at some point, I compare the restaurant to Bob’s. I save these posts in drafts, and before publishing, I delete the comparison to Bob’s. It’s not fair to the other restaurants.

Many of us newcomers, otherwise known as “city folk” (or affectionately-nicknamed “cidiots”) are from (believe it or not) working class/blue collar backgrounds and appreciate a good, diner breakfast.

About fifteen ago, when I started eating at Bob’s, I went to avoid people. I knew no one there. Over the years, I started bringing friends to Bob’s. One person told me they would not eat there because FOX News was playing in the background (nowadays, I think they mix it up). I told them I would have it no other way – FOX News added to the immersive experience.

What is it about Bob’s?

The staff is always friendly. The food is consistent classic diner food. The french toast is perfection. I have tried and failed to make pancakes as good. I can order a customized veggie egg-white omelette with cheese (ketchup on the side) and not worry that I’m offending the chef’s sensibility.

Your coffee cup is never empty, nor is your coffee ever cold. Servers hover around the tables with coffee pots ready to “warm up” your cup of Joe, which is exactly what you want on a Sunday morning.

I strayed from Bob’s, but I came back.

I went to a different place for Sunday brunch once, and they asked me if I wanted more $4 coffee. My cup was not empty, but they took it away from me, and brought it into a back room. I waited for what seemed like an eternity. “Are they picking the beans?” I asked my friend aloud. After a while, I wanted the status of my coffee. You do not take someone’s cup of coffee away from them on a Sunday morning. Where is your compassion? I never went back. I returned to Bob’s, and like the Prodigal Son, was treated as if I had never left.

What is missing from the typical Hudson Valley Foodie Experience article – the information you will NOT find in some Lah-Di-Dah Chic magazine – is that almost any meal can be a wonderful experience, depending on the company you keep.

The friends I meet at Bob’s are real friends. There is no pretension. No one is trying to impress the other. No one talks about the décor or the James Beard awards or the signature cocktails. You meet an old friend, sit in a booth, and soon there’s no room on the table because you’ve ordered too much food on too many dishes. You talk about anything and everything and nothing.

The bill comes, and it’s less than you expected, and much less than a therapy session.

For the former city dwellers, there was always an open-all-night diner nearby like The Waverly or Veselka‘s or any one of the dozens of diners with unmemorable names. At 2am you could order a burger and fries or a plate of pierogies with applesauce and sour cream. NYC is quiet(er) in those wee hours. You might be able to hear yourself think.

It is those lost late night/early morning diner experiences that us former city folks miss, and Bob’s (although not open all night) helps us relive them.

But, do not tell this to anyone.

If the locals and the newcomers find out they have something in common, well, where’s the drama in that?