Forget drive-ins and dives, we could use some diners

You can thank Linda Masters for the inspiration for today’s column. A few of us from here at Sixth and Hickory went to lunch together and, naturally, the topic of places to eat became a topic of conversation.

To be honest, finding good or new places to eat around Mountain Home quite often becomes a topic of conversation whether here at Sixth and Hickory, or at home, or while visiting friends or while on Facebook. Everyone has their own ideas of what we need here, not that we don’t already have several good eating establishments in the Twin Lakes Area. It’s just the idea of having some place new or different to dine, a bit more variety, would be nice.

Let me say up front, there are many places around here that Kim and I frequent regularly. We have our favorites, locally owned and unchained spots mostly. I was running through our usual haunts in my mind and realized that, yes, for the most part the restaurants we go to are independent, family places. Not that we don’t occasionally enjoy visiting a fast-food place or a chain restaurant. (Anyone who’s kept up with me on Facebook knows when the weather warms up I’m a regular for tea time at Sonic’s happy hour.)

We just enjoy the food at the mom-and-pop eateries, whether it’s catfish, Mexican, Asian, barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, or just home-style meals. But, the area is somewhat lacking in that last one, especially after 2 p.m. That’s when a lot of places close after their breakfast and lunch service. Oh, there are plenty of others open, although the later it gets in the evening the fewer there are open.

Plus, sometimes you just aren’t hungry for catfish, Mexican, Asian, barbecue, burgers or sandwiches for supper, and you don’t want something fancy (that’s for special occasions), and you really don’t want to go home and cook. Then, what? Even with all the variety of styles, when I was running through the list in my head I realized the choice still is pretty limited.

Everybody has their own suggestions for what they’d like to have here, the two most mentioned being Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Then, there are places such as Golden Corral, Ryan’s, IHOP, Denny’s, Shoney’s and Outback that have been mentioned, along with one guy who suggested a Hooters. (I checked the franchise requirements for Hooters, and we don’t have enough population to qualify for even a Hoot.)

That’s fine, and it would be nice if one of the big chains opened a restaurant here. But, personally, I’d be happier with a locally owned spot that’s open for supper — maybe even until about 11 at night, at least on weekends — that has a home-style menu. When I first moved here, there were a few places like that here, but, alas, they’ve gone the way of the $2.99 blue plate special, (One of my favorites was Simple Simon’s, where Town East Centre now stands. It had good home cooking for breakfast, lunch and supper with lots of specials.)

I think with the right offerings a mom-and-pop place focusing on home-style food, or comfort food, at reasonable prices and that’s open after the sun goes down (even during Daylight Saving Time in the summer) could do well. Or, maybe one that offers lunch and supper instead of breakfast; there’s a lot more places to get breakfast than supper. It wouldn’t have to be fancy food, just comfort food that’s home-cooked without having to go home to cook it. Maybe a diner like they feature on Food Network.

A diner that’s open late at night, maybe even all night — especially during tourist season — would be good to have here, too. For me, a Waffle House would be great, although it would dampen my fun of eating at one when traveling. You’d be surprised at how many people say they want a good, sit-down cafe that’s open at least until midnight, or maybe 1 in the morning. There have been times when I surely would have enjoyed having one here.

I realize that the restaurant business has the highest casualty rate among businesses, so folks tend to be a bit wary going into it. Still, there seems to a demand for certain types and certain hours in Mountain Home, so there appears to be a niche that could be filled. Maybe there’s some enterprising entrepreneur/restaurateur out there looking for the right idea, or right opportunity, or right customer base, so here’s hoping this starts them thinking, and hopefully gets them to venture into our hungry part of the world.