David’s, Same as Ever

I always forget about David’s. Good ole’ David’s.

Tell me if you ever find yourself in these dire straits: You wake up; it’s the weekend. You hop on the computer, you make a pot of coffee, you sit down with the Sunday talk shows. Whatever. The details aren’t important.

The important thing is once you’ve absorbed your morning news, answered a few emails, or lost yourself in some other time-consuming weekend task, it’s 2 p.m. and you’re starving. Too hungry to cook, or – even worse – grocery shop. Time to scavenge.

It is at this point that I start going through my mental Rolodex of places to grab a good, quick meal that will a.) alleviate my hunger and b.) get me back to my weekend activities. I think of all the different places I could walk/easily drive to, looking for that ever-elusive animal: the low-impact option.

And then it dawns on me: David’s! Good ole’ David’s. And there I am, kicking myself for not having thought of it an hour earlier.

David’s is the quintessential diner: not much to look at, sure, but hefty portions, friendly no-frills service, and – of course – platefuls of greasy diner food. Green Formica-esque counters, stacks of free publications, big tables and fake plants.

My last foray into David’s was – as usual – a quick, efficient, painless meal. My waitress was just around the corner when I needed her, my sandwich (a Rachel, thank you very much) arrived immediately; it was hot, melted and with the unexpected but oddly perfect addition of gooey American cheese.

Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, and open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, you’ll have plenty of menu options. Highlights: decent veggie wraps and sandwiches, and a crab omelet that will run you about $7, believe it or not.

But – be careful. With the sunlight – and, admittedly the sounds of traffic and the smell of diesel fuel – wafting in, you might be inclined to stick around. So much for those weekend to-dos.

David’s Restaurant and Deli

3626 Falls Rd

 (410) 662-7779

Neighborhood

Hampden.

Food Type: 

American – diner food.

Damage:

Around $7. Dinner entrees will run you a bit more, but you can definitely get a decent meal for under $10.

Gripe:

I mean, it’s a little drab. Green drab…

Hat tip: 

… but who cares? The food’s dependable.

Go if: 

You need a quick and effortless meal.

Don't go if:

You like your diners with pizzazz, like Paper Moon or Café Hon. Nothing extra here – the ambiance at David’s comes from a lack of any attempts to create just that.