KAT & TRAV

EVERLY

Main Dish

Mustang Panini
Beef Gyro Platter

I love a good panini. What’s not to like, really? Typically, Allwood makes a fantastic one but tonight, I wasn’t wowed. The Mustang panini consists of grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, and melted mozzarella. I really thought it came with balsamic on it, but I just double checked the menu and it apparently does not. So now I feel like an idiot, because I always ask for it “with pesto instead of balsamic.” I might as well have been asking for pesto instead of sauerkraut. Oh well, this is neither here nor there. The sandwich is HUGE. The bread is probably my favorite part…more like a soft, fluffy pita which is grilled and then soaks up the pesto. If you are looking for a crispy panini, this is not it. I would describe it as delightfully mushy, much like my belly after having two children. While the cheese and roasted red pepper were good, the chicken, two large breasts (ay oh!), was just “eh.” One of the pieces was chewy, which isn’t the diner’s fault, but was unpleasant nonetheless.

Trav’s Beef Gyro Platter was a disappointment. The meat and tzatziki were good, as was the salad that came with it, but it was served dry on a pita. Usually there is lettuce (and I think onion), but there was none this time. Trav’s meal DID come with soup, so that was a bonus. He chose onion which is simple and yummy, and was promptly devoured by Everly as she legitimately said “Mmmm good” like an old time soup commercial for a CERTAIN brand.

Main Dish

Kids’ Chicken Fingers and French Fries

So Everly loves Allwood. She usually orders the kids’ spaghetti (which is literally like an entire box of pasta), but today she asked for the chicken fingers and French fries. As her mother, I was immediately disappointed when I opened the dish at home. Three chicken fingers??? For the price they charged (we will get into that later), they have some nerve. But whatever, all that mattered was she liked them. EXCEPT SHE DIDN’T. She took one bite and declared, “It’s too crispy.” Thus began a battle to get her to eat any of it. In her defense, they did look completely overcooked.

Fries

I substituted the regular fries with curly fries. They are usually nice and crispy, but obviously by taking them out of the restaurant, they weren’t. The flavor was good, more like a seasoned fry, which I love. Trav substituted his fries with onion rings. Overall, we both thought they were bland, although delightfully crisp.

Fries

Everly’s first bite was a French fry. She wouldn’t even care if they burnt the roof of her mouth off; the kid loves French fries. I eagerly asked her what she thought and she replied “Good, good, good” while shoveling more down her gullet. She proceeded to steal some of my curly fries, and declared she liked them better, but actually, I would have preferred hers! It was a gift of the Magi type of scenario.

Dessert

Oreo Cheesecake
Birthday Cake
Oreo Truffle

Dessert is the best time of my day. I mean, seeing my children wake up and lovingly smile at me each morning is also wonderful, but DESSERT. Amiright, guys? The best part about Allwood’s desserts is they are all made in house, and I’ve had great experiences with pretty much everything I’ve tried. The choices rotate, but there are always a few cheesecake options. Everly and I picked out three desserts when we picked up the food, and Trav somehow abstained. The birthday cake was Everly’s choice, and it was really nothing special. Yellow cake with whipped cream frosting and sprinkles, and it tastes like your typical grocery store cake. The Oreo cheesecake is my go-to. It’s layered chocolate sponge cake and creamy cheesecake mixed with Oreo pieces and faintly Oreo flavored. It has just enough tang mixed with the chocolate, and the whole thing is topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Delicious! The Oreo Truffle was new to me. The host warned us it was chocolatey and, boy, was he right! It was quite literally a huge fudgy truffle, covered in a shell of chocolate. It was so rich and indulgent and is the kind of thing I would like to eat with the fridge door open when I’m having a tough day. I could only eat a few bites, and I usually lick a plate clean. But, it was delicious, and I would have LOVED to eat it all, it just wasn’t physically possible without vomiting in front of my family.

Dessert

Oreo Cheesecake
Birthday Cake
Oreo Truffle

Everly requested a sampling of all three desserts, and declared she liked them all the best. However, she did hand me a half-chewed piece of Oreo truffle, so I think it was a little too rich for her. Amateur.

Service

The staff here is TOP NOTCH. They treat their frequent customers like family, whether you are dining in or taking out, but are also welcoming to newcomers. They always remember us and shake our hands, asking how we’ve been. It’s definitely the kind of diner where people become regulars. On my birthday, they gave me free cheesecake. When I was huge and pregnant, they had no problem adding extra French toast to my order at a minimal charge. The waiters are attentive without being overbearing, and the food always comes out super fast, which is really helpful when dining with kids.

Service

When I asked Everly about her many times eating at Allwood, she said that the employees are always really nice to her. They bring her crayons and a fun kids’ menu to color. She said they are “never grumpy.” She also loves how they bring her chocolate milk in a cup with a lid and a special straw. (Why she is drinking chocolate milk with her usual order of spaghetti…I really don’t want to know).

Value

Ugh, this is where I have an issue. Let’s start with the good. The desserts are a fantastic value! The Oreo cheesecake is only $4.75 a slice, which is an absolute steal for a very generous piece. The truffle was a little more and the birthday cake was a little less, all fairly priced. But our entrees, woof. The Gyro Platter was $15.20 which is ABSOLUTELY insane. There is a $2.00 upcharge for the onion rings, but the base price must have increased also because when I checked the online menu, it was listed as $12.95. My panini and fries were $11.25 (including a $1.25 upcharge for curly fries), which is a little fairer given the sheer size of it, but it still seems pricey.

Value

Everly doesn’t pay for anything. She is really quite the mooch, and is constantly demanding more food and toys. The $7.20 her food cost meant nothing to her, but to go back to what I stated before, $7.20 for THREE OVERCOOKED CHICKEN FINGERS AND FRIES? I could buy a whole tray of Perdue Chicken Nuggets and a bag of Ore Ida fries for near that. Sheesh.

Ambience

Allwood Diner hasn’t been around nearly as long as some other reviewed diners (when we were in high school, it was a totally different diner). The decor is modern and sleek. Their signature is decorating for every holiday and season, complete with fun painted windows. The diner is relatively small, so I advise arriving early if you have a large party.

Ambience

When I asked her what she thought of how the diner looked, Everly said “It’s beautiful with a knife, spoon, and fork.” You’ve heard it here, folks.

OVERALL

Was this our best experience with Allwood? No, but we always know it’s not going to be as good when we take out. Will we eat their again? Yes. The variety is great for our family, and our son will soon be old enough to be entertained long enough to eat at a restaurant.

OVERALL

Even though Everly didn’t like her chicken, she will be back again. She can’t drive yet, and we still call most of the shots. She did find their pickles too sour and didn’t like the onions in the onion soup, but the desserts definitely won her over.