Charlies - Madison Heights, Michigan

Yup. It’s a diner. Kinda like a National Coney Island, but so much more. My folks talked about Charlie’s for quite a while before I finally agreed to tag along one morning. I pictured it as the same old boring breakfast, Greek salads and pita sandwiches. Well, was I in for a very pleasant and delicious surprise. There are more reasons to go to Charlie’s than the fact that it’s two blocks away from my ma and pa’s house. It’s also delicious and unique in its genre, with large portions and fresh ingredients. With nice wait staff and owners to boot. So here’s the dish: We got a grilled chicken pita, Reuben sandwich, and Garden Crepes. Sandwiches = GIGANTIC! Tender meat, buttery grilled bread and fresh condiments. All this without being too greasy. And then there’s the garden crepe. A unique dish, consisting of scrambled eggs, tomatoes, asparagus and cheese wrapped in a crepe with hollandaise sauce poured on top. As this was my order, I was more than pleased- and so was my sister, who asked for one bite that turned into ten bites. (I was inwardly annoyed because I wanted to take it home to extend my joy to the next morning for leftovers). Moral of the story: Don’t judge a strip mall diner by it’s cover. You’ll feel the warmth when you step in and be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. I’ve been back since, and when I don’t get the crepes the lamb gyro is pretty great too.