CHIKIN 'N WAFFLES

We've got a new cafe in town called Goodnight Diner.  It went into the place at Poco Rio where Hillsedge Grill used to be, which replaced a seafood place, which replaced...you get the idea.  It's one of those jinxed locations where nothing seems to last.  In my opinion, it's because they were all charging way too much for mediocre food -- which you can get away with if you have an endless supply of tourists, but this spot is just a little too out of the way for that, so they really need to attract the locals.  I have a feeling this new place just might do it.

It's a tiny little place, with a tiny little menu.  They limit themselves to what they do best -- southern comfort food -- and charge reasonable prices.  Don't go here if you are looking for "lite" or anything else.  We tried it first during their soft opening, before they even had their sign up.  John tried the burger and I ordered the chicken fried steak.  Instead of serving a monster slab of gristly meat that no one could or should consume in one sitting, my cfs was a smaller portion of better meat, served atop mounds of bacon-cooked greens and real mashed potatoes, and drizzled over with better than average gravy.  I found it to be quite tasty, and even with it's moderate size, I could easily have shared it with someone and been quite satisfied.

We decided to give the place another try last night, now that it's had time to get its opening kinks ironed out.  John tried their frito-chili pie, which he loved since it was made with a Wick Fowler style of chili, his favorite kind.  He ordered a side of cornbread, and thought it was pretty good too.  I tried something I've been hearing about for years, but never quite had the nerve to try - Chicken and Waffles.  I'm pretty sure I still wouldn't want it first thing in the morning, but for dinner?  Well, wow!  I worried when I saw that the chicken was marinated in an Asian chili sauce, but it was really quite mild -- barely discernible.   I don't know why the combination works, but it does.  Maybe it's the way the different flavors and textures play off of one another.  All I know is, you really ought to try it sometime.  Trust me.