On this particular day we were trying to visit a favorite haunt, Provisioners, but alas they were closed due to some technical difficulties so we wandered off to find a new place to get some good grub. That’s how we ended up at Gregg’s.
This place was weird. It had a parking lot the size of a small town and yet, only a tiny smattering of cars. As we walked in I was immediately enveloped by the smell of freshly chopped cucumbers which was odd considering the entrance had an extensive case of cakes and baked goods, not a salad bar.
Beyond this was the actual restaurant which screamed it was built in the 1970’s and never updated. I’m talking dark wood panels, a Madmen-like bar, and a radio that was blaring Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. And the patrons… let’s just say we were the only ones under the age of 70, no exagerations. It was an odd time of day so maybe this was just the early 3pm dinner crowd but I don’t think so because I was watching our waitor. He was youngish, covered in tatoos, but he spoke loudly and clearly, was attentive, and had a very specific sort of couteousness that I have only seen in people who work with the elderly. It’s not a bad thing, just telling.
The menu was a little intense. It was just pages and pages of options. I didn’t really want to like this place as it felt like the oldest and whitest establishment we’ve ever been, even beating Wright’s Chicken, but I’ll be damned if this place didn’t appear to have a fantastic choice of salads. Salads with seasonal berries, walnuts, and feta cheese. Salads that all were distinct. I don’t say this lightly as most restaurants seem to think a bowl of Iceburg lettuce with a couple cherry tomatoes is a complete salad.
I didn’t order a salad though, I ordered the apple walnut chicken wrap and it was great, especially for its modest price. Completely distracted me from all the TVs playing reruns of Friends on mute. I think this place may have had a heyday long ago, now its patrons come back because the quaility of the food never faded but once your main clientele are in their 70s and 80s… well, it’s at risk of becoming a memory. This was brought back to the forefront of my thoughts when we decided to bring a slice of cake home. I asked what the Old Hollywood Cake was, “A white cake with black frosting. A black and white cake.” Ah, yes, like the golden years of Hollywood…. when my grandmother was born…
We went with the lemon cake. I love lemons but usually dislike lemon flavored baked goods. This however was really moist, tasted like actual lemons, and was over all very pleasant. Now that I know they sell whole cakes from the case out front I’ll probably be back for birthdays and celebrations. Here’s hoping this place had a bustling dinner crowd after we left.
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