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| - I'm a sucker for the simple diner. They're genuine. They're straightforward. They don't put on airs. I'm not sure it gets more simple and local than Eat at Joe's. This place isn't fancy. White walls. White plates. A few pictures of old boxers on the wall (people boxers, not underwear boxers). I sat down at the counter because the restaurant was at about 95% capacity. You know the food is good when a local diner is crammed. It immediately struck me how clean everything seemed. Another big positive. The middle aged gentleman behind the counter immediately greeted me with simple Cleveland friendliness. You know it if you're from there. It was like he was really glad I was there but he wasn't going to embarrass me by making a big deal about it. He got me a cup of the hottest, best diner coffee I've ever had. I only drink coffee 3-4 times a month, but I'd drink coffee every day -- EVERY DANG DAY -- if every cup of coffee was like that one. Oh my gosh. My waitress was friendly and pointed to the menu, a tiny plastic stand like the ones you see advertising drink specials on the table at chain restaurants. It had maybe a dozen breakfast items on one side and a similar number of lunch items on the other. There were also a couple specials on a board behind the cash register. I like that. Know what you can do and do it well. I got two eggs, a couple pieces of buttered rye toast, several strips of crispy bacon, and a generous portion of what might be the best hashbrowns I've ever had. They were really crisp on the outside, a beautiful golden color as well, and inside they were soft and potato-y. I mean, just... perfect. What a crunch, followed by those amazing potatoes! I scraped every last morsel off my plate. Staggeringly, the bill was like $6.25. Six dollars and twenty-five cents. Two best-ever items. Only in Cleveland. Good lord, I cannot wait to move home someday.
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