What’s this? Brioche stuffed with cheese? Panko-crusted fish and chips? Grilled chicken and lime pesto on jalapeno waffles? This at a diner?

That’s the way it is at Lido Diner, where, on the surface, things look unsurprising - linoleum floors, formica tables, a glass case with cakes and pies, tall, frosty glasses filled with rootbeer and ice cream. But a closer look at the menu suggests a quirky mind at play in the kitchen.

Last night, as I heard stories about buddhist traditions, monks thought to be on the take, spirits in the material world, we grazed on a fantastic artichoke, grilled and charred in spots, glazed in garlic butter, served with reduced balsamic vinegar and a dense mayonnaise-based dip.

For dinner, I ordered those jalapeno waffles, stuffed with diced red and green bell peppers, sandwiching moist grilled chicken. A piece of havarti, sun dried tomatoes, slicked artichoke hearts and chunky pesto created a pleasant chaos. But waffles are delicate and the bottom layers didn’t hold up well.

My friend, a new silver wedding band gleaming on his left hand, took in the pot roast. Ah, there’s so much promise to be found in the mahogany edges of thick sliced beef. A hearty gravy blanketed the meat while just next door stood a mound of red-skinned mashed potatoes, creamy, moist without tasting reheated. Sauteed zucchini, yellow squash and carrots were anything but wallflowers.

A fresh blackberry cobbler is served as a slab, topped with a layer of crust. Of all things, why that dessert was boring is beyond me. The apple pie, though, was all cinnamon and apples and butter and worth every bite.

Lido Diner, 3461 Via Lido, Newport Beach. 949-723-8777.

Posted in: American • Restaurants by price: $0-$14 |

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