KITCHY EATS

If my brother is a connoisseur of anything, it's video games and burgers. Arguments with him over which burger is best spiral out of control and can last several pedantic hours. Texture, size, bacon content: all are factors in his estimation. Recently I needed him to do me a favor, so I bribed him with his first trip to The Apple Pan. Usually dubious of any place I recommend, as they usually veer from his strict diet of burgers and pizza, he demanded to see the menu first. I pulled up the menu and he was gobsmacked. "Why haven't I been here before?"

The apple pan has a very simple menu. Two burgers: hickory and steak, both delicious and equally famous. Out of the two, the steak is more my speed: cheddar, pickles, lettuce, mayo, and their own special sauce. It's cooked a perfect medium: juicy and a little pink. The Hickory is exactly the same as the Steak burger, it just gets a slather of the BBQ sauce instead. Regardless, both are excellent in that "pile of soggy napkins when you're done" kind of way.

The fries are classic too; cut a little thicker than I'm used to seeing in a diner, these babies are crispy-crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle: the perfect ratio.

They serve their fountain drinks in nifty little cone cups, and the staff there has been working for at least twenty years. Older men with quiet, gruff demeanors, they get your order quickly and serve it up just as fast. People run in with to-go orders and shout out whatever they want, but the servers seem to just soak it in and get it all down perfectly. I whispered to my brother, "I think I'm going to get the steak burger," and the server yells out, "One steak burger, coming up!"

Other than the burgers, the Apple Pan is known for its eponymous pie.  It's apple pie is excellent, with a flaky crust, moist cinnamon-y fruit, and a scoop of ice cream on the side.  However, it's their banana cream and coconut cream pie (not pictured) that really rocks my socks.  Straight forward and tasty, it's so far my favorite diner banana cream pie, though I haven't launched an official search for the "best" yet.  The fresh bananas are mixed in a luscious custard on that buttery flaky crust with a thick layer of whipped cream.  It's very no fuss and hits the spot perfectly.  Enjoy!



Those paper cone cups.


Steak Burger!

Check out that hickory sauce.

Banana cream pie, yum!

Warm, fresh Apple Pie.