Phantom Gourmet: The Diner In Watertown Square

WATERTOWN - Some people like to start their day with a cup of coffee. Others need a massive stack of pancakes, or maybe you indulge with a beautiful Benedict. If you want all of that, along with a big side of sass, then you must meet Lisa at The Diner.

Her full name is Lisa-Marie Keuchkarian-McKeen, but we'll just call her Lisa. Her restaurant is officially named The Diner at 11 North Beacon, but we'll just call it The Diner. As soon as you taste the food, you'll be too busy eating to say all those words anyway.

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Located right in the heart of Watertown Square, The Diner isn't flashy, or fancy, or fussy, but with Lisa working the room, it's most definitely friendly.

"My diner is a small little place," she said. "My husband and I opened it about five years ago. We have just our favorite foods here. It's a comfy, cozy little place."

Back in the kitchen, Lisa's husband Jamie cooks up a breakfast and lunch menu that's stacked with comfort food classics, but what sets The Diner apart is their focus on freshness.

"We're not trying to reinvent the wheel here, just good quality products," Jamie said. "Put a little love into the food."

"Jamie is a very talented chef," his wife bragged. "And what he brings to the table, I think, makes The Diner what it is. I mean I can be out here talking to all my customers, but when you feel confident about what is coming out of my kitchen, because of my husband back there, I feel like I'm in a win-win situation."

The Diner serves breakfast all day, seven days a week. While most of what's on the menu may be familiar, it's all done a lot better than you're used to, like the Eggs Benedict, made with thick slices of ham, cut straight from the shank.

For a real twist on a Benedict, The Diner also offers a special stacked with homemade Potato Cakes.

"We take our red bliss potato; we incorporate that with peppers, onions, jalapeno pepper, parmesan cheese, bacon," Lisa described. "It gets fried up real quick so it's nice and crispy on the top; sits on an English Muffin with the poached eggs, hollandaise sauce; and then we garnish it with our fire roasted red pepper and fresh basil. To die for."

Steak Tips and Eggs are a great option if you're counting carbs, but if you just don't care, go for the pancakes... and bring your appetite.

"I can't put an exact diameter on the pancakes, because what comes out of the kitchen sometimes is like a flying saucer," Lisa said unapologetically.

While the fruit filled pancakes are great, the real stand outs are the Pumpkin Pancakes, a secret recipe passed down from Jamie's grandmother. What they may lack in looks, they more than make up for in taste. For those who think pumpkin is just a fall fad, Lisa has an offer you can't refuse.

"I say, 'You need to try the Pumpkin Pancakes first.' And they say, 'I don't like Pumpkin.' I don't care. Try the Pumpkin Pancake, if you don't like it, I'll buy it for you. They end up loving it."

Lunch at The Diner is all about big, beautiful sandwiches bursting with meat, like the classic Grilled Reuben.

"When the Reuben comes out, first you smell it. The corned beef, the sauerkraut, we grill it all on the grill. I mean, with the cheese and the 1,000 Island, layered up, they have to look at it before they eat it, because it's a work of art," she said.

Another winner is the super-stacked Cheeseburger Club.

"An eight ounce burger on the grill with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, three levels of just goodness on toasted scali bread," Lisa explained. "So yummy."

If Lisa's having lunch, she's probably gobbling up the Turkey Cobbler, with house roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing on toasted multigrain.

"The Turkey Cobbler is my favorite sandwich of all time. We grill the stuffing so it's nice and crispy in the sandwich. It's got every little flavor of Thanksgiving all year round."

For the best of Breakfast and Lunch all on one plate, the Monte Cristo is the way to go.

"French Toast, ham, cheese, and turkey. Come on. Douse it with syrup and just eat it, like breakfast meets lunch. It's amazing," she promised.

Obviously Lisa is a woman who loves her food, and everything else about The Diner.

"I have a blast. I shouldn't have this much fun actually," she laughed. "I love my business. I love my diner, and I love what we do. It's hard work, but I think the end result shows the fact that we love it."

You can find The Diner at 11 North Beacon Street in Watertown Square, and online at the-diner.com.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.