On your birthday you are supposed to be able to do what you want, with the people that you want.  Even when you are an adult.  It should be in the Constitution, or maybe the Bill of Rights.  This year I got exactly what I wanted.  Nate and Philip came up from CT.  Jack and I met everybody at Beepa’s house early in the morning, and off we went. 

Beepa has a sailboat down in Salem, and we rarely get to go on it, since we are gone all summer. But I wanted to spend the day sailing.  First, though, we needed a diner breakfast.  Part of the fun of our family diner adventure is finding new diners that we didn’t know about.  Going online we discovered the Salem Diner in Salem, MA.  It’s a very rare Sterling Streamline Diner.  In fact, most diner aficionados would say that there are only two left in New England (they would be incorrect, as Jack and I have discovered that there is a third, but that is a story for another day).  Streamline Diners were made to look like a locomotive train on the exterior.  The interiors have very few right-angles inside, and always seem a little cramped.  That said, the rear of Streamlines have much greater square footage for extra-large booths, something that Worcester Dining Cars can’t accommodate.  It’s sad how few of them exist, as they are were so beautifully designed.

The place was packed.  At the counter sat a family of tourists from Japan.  They were clearly in love with their American Diner experience.  At the booth next to us was a father with his three young kids, all speaking Spanish.  Behind us were some hung over students from Salem State College.   

We hung out by the door and waited for one of the large booths in the back.  Jack was in a great mood, and wandered up and down the isles meeting the patrons. We sat, ordered quickly, and then walked around the diner.  We made sure to look at all of the unique, cool design touches that make a Streamline a Streamline.  It did not take long to realize that the Salem is one big museum devoted to local sports hero Johnny Pesky.  Of the Pesky Pole.  Of the recently retired Red Sox #6.  Referred to in his biography as Mr. Red Sox.  Apparently, he eats there on a weekly basis, and is everyone’s favorite regular.  Another reason to love Johnny Pesky. 

And we agree with his taste in diners.  We ordered a variety of breakfasts.  Beepa had an omelet with bacon and wheat toast.  I had an omelet with mushrooms and onions, and a side of baked beans. Philip had a spicy chorizo omelet.  Jack had eggs and American cheese.  Nate got waffles.  We all shared a side order of their homemade corned-beef hash.  Beepa summed the meal up best: “I don’t quite get your love of diners, and most of the time I can’t understand why you love their food, but this place is fantastic”.  What more can I say?

The Salem Diner
326 Canal Street
Salem, MA 01588
(978) 741-7918