Good Enough to Eat

Living in New York City you wouldn’t expect to find a restaurant that makes you feel as if you’re in a small town. Located on the Upper West Side is a small restaurant lined with a white picket fence and country feel to it, Good Enough to Eat. Good Enough to Eat is a small eatery serving brunch and dinner. Although it is located in a big city, the combination of the aura and service makes it feel like a small town restaurant.
The small white picket fence lining the outside tables is hard to miss on the concrete sidewalks of Manhattan. Passing by the stainless steel tables and chairs outside you immediately feel as if you’ve walked into a barn. The dark wooden walls and small knick- knacks of cows, chickens and other farm animals line the walls, giving the restaurant a country feel. The bar and the wooden tables are separated by a white picket fence. By the bar, a larger woman with big brown curly hair, dark blue jeans and a dark t-shirt always sits watching a baseball, soccer, or football game. This woman is the hostess. As she spots you out of the corner of her eyes, she immediately warms you with a big smile. Her deep booming voice says, “Hi , How ya doin today … how many?” If you’ve ever seen Mr. Deeds, she is very similar to the character Jan, played by Conchata Ferrell. Jan is the owner of a pizzeria; she is a larger woman who cares more about her close friends and locals then her looks.
Along with a friendly hostess is the comfort food. With a menu full of different burgers, fries, turkey dinners and more, my favorite meal is the meatloaf. Meatloaf is not a meal that can be eaten everyday. However, meatloaf at Good Enough to Eat is worth ordering. Served on a blue plate with mashed potatoes, green beans, and a side of gravy, this meal is anything but simple. Pouring the dark brown gravy over the meat and potatoes gives a salty and flavorful taste to the meal. As I take the first bite, I love the taste of mixing potatoes and meatloaf. The smooth creamy potatoes soften my palette before the meat enters. The meatloaf is perfectly cooked with crisp dark brown edges. The combination of potato, gravy, and meatloaf is one that is not forgettable. The green beans are cooked perfectly and as you take a crisp bite, your mouth begins to water. Bite after bite, the meatloaf quickly disappears. As the hostess comes back to ask how your meal was, it is hard to resist her big smile when she promises you that the dessert menu is worth looking at. Boy is she right! Warm pies, cookies, brownies, and cakes, are hard to resist. A warm slice of apple pie and large glass of milk is one dessert choice you’ll never want to pass up.
Good Enough to Eat is a small town restaurant placed in a big city. The food, the service, and the atmosphere is anything but average and your first visit will not be your last.