Sunday, January 9, 2011

Testing the Gag reflex in Goshen


South Side Diner
1122 South Main Street
Goshen, Indiana 46526


Suit OchoCinco is nostalgic.

Really nostalgic.

This suit does a lot of business.

And normally it is doused in attorneys, riddled with contracts and a cold sterile experience.

Suit Ochocinco thinks that sucks. Yeah. Sucks.

What happened to a handshake being stronger than a contract?
What happened to your word being your bond?

I’m sure you will agree it’s the simple things that matter.
Having a real true friend.
Hugs from your children.
When your significant other squeezes your hand a lil tighter when you’re holding hers.

Suit OchoCinco prefers simple things, nostalgic things.

That’s why when I saw the South Side Soda Shop and Diner in Goshen, Indiana I had to stop.

Now, up until this point I had to control my gag reflex continually as I drove past union shop after union shop in this otherwise beautiful state.

There was no doubt, Big Labor’s henchmen were sucking these communities dry and had been for many years.

I walked in there with preconceived notions. I wanted it to be . . . actually I needed it to be a step back in time. I was starving, overworked and tired. I needed comfort. Comfort food. Comfortable atmosphere and comfortable people.

I. Was. Not. Disappointed.

I swear opening the door to the place was like a vacuum. I felt the hustle and bustle of the world disappear instantly.

I was greeted with a huge smile and a hello by one of the hustling servers and I immediately belled up to the old style counter. (Which was soon to double as a trough very shortly)

To my left were fresh out of the oven HOMEMADE pies. To my right the owner . . . YES . . . OWNER was sweating on the flat top grill slingin homemade delicacies to his the Goshen locals.
I asked the cheerful server for her recommendations.

She said I needed a “phosphate” (I had no idea what that was -- A soda fountain drink made by blending carbonated water with flavored syrup.) It was so so good.

Moving on . . . I had heard they were famous for their Chili and I being that Suit OchoCinco is famous for eating chili I was quick to partake. And it was pure yummy goodness.

It was time for the main course.

And I had my eyes set on their house classic. Liverwurst sandwich. Yup people actually eat that stuff and it just so happens this place was famous for theirs.

I can tell you that this sandwich is made with heaping chunks of liverwurst, crispy bacon, yummy goodness, grilled onions and I believe a type of mustard all on FRESHmade bread because get this . . . this diner makes all their bread from scratch. (you had me at hello)


Every bite of this culinary masterpiece had me begging for more . . . it was truly a work of sandwich art.

Finally it was time. Time for the fireworks, the grand finale if you will. The freakin pie.

The ooey gooey beautiful pie.

Now different than the other items I had consumed. This pie only had one ingredient.
1. Awesome.



Overall this lil diner encompassed everything I described at the beginning.

It was a slice of a better, quieter, cooler time. It was “nostalgia.” And I loved every minute of it.

RATING: BOUGHT THE SHIRT

6 comments:

  1. Damn TSA found the pie you hid in your underwear huh?? Because I know you cannot eat a pie that delicious and not try to bring it back with you. (So I can have some! :) )

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  2. We drive over an hour each way to eat at the South Side Soda Shop. Nick (owner) goes out of his way to make every morsel of food an experience. Be sure to check out some of the specials on Fridays, you will not be disappointed. I was amazed to have Nick come to our table one Friday night to tell me how he had gone out to an Amish farm the night before to pick up the ingredients for our salads and the corn on the cob. He truly knows how to put amazing food on the table.

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  3. It's truly one of those great places off the beaten path but between the Food Network and the review above, you're making it even harder for the locals to get a seat in there. Just kidding, come back anytime - there's lots of great stuff you haven't even seen yet...

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  4. I can echo Anonymous and DZ's sentiments above. An edible gem. And, by golly, a five minute walk from campus.

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  5. Next time you go to the Soda Shop, ask Charity (Nick's wife) about what her dad has done in Goshen. Another awesome story there!

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