Mom always looks out for you – feeds you a well-balanced meal, makes sure you eat your veggies, and always fills your plate with more delicious food than you can possibly eat in one sitting. The aptly named, recently opened Mom’s Diner in Orange Village firmly adheres to these very same principles. Offering quality, home-style fare and generous portions, Mom’s takes extra special care of its customers by exclusively serving all-natural meats, fish, eggs and dairy. Dash away any thoughts of a typical greasy spoon diner because you won’t find it here! All of Mom’s dishes are freshly homemade and of the highest quality.

Brad Friedlander, the owner of Moxie in Beachwood, dreamed for years about owning a diner. He enlisted the other partners at Moxie (Rob Spira, Jonathon Benett and Peter Baughty) to create a new standard in diners. Considerable research went into the design of the traditional, yet roomy, diner car-style building. Even more thought was dedicated to the menu.

The team of partners and the executive chef, Sean McMonagle, developed a sizable menu of comfort-food dishes that have natural ingredients, but without the price tag of a high-end restaurant. Spira explains, “I am committed to the all-natural products in my own life, and I want to serve that to other people. I have four kids, and it scares me to give them meat or dairy that is filled with antibiotics and hormones. I think there are a lot of people who are just as concerned about this when they feed their own families.”

The dishes at Mom’s adhere firmly to the owners’ ideals. The front of the menu describes the food sources: Sauder’s eggs, Hartzler Family Dairy milk, Prairie Grove Farms bacon and sausage, certified natural Angus beef and Bell & Evans chicken. The reason behind this? The menu also explains: “We care about the food we’re serving, we care about the world we live in, and we care about you.” Spira notes, “I want our customers to care as much about the fact that we’re serving natural products as we do.”

Chef McMonagle adds, “This gives us a chance to educate both the customers and the people who work here about the importance of natural foods.”

The menu is bursting with dozens of breakfast, lunch and dinner options. “It’s homemade comfort food with a healthy twist,” describes Spira. In traditional diner style, breakfast is served all day and includes the dishes you would expect to find on a diner menu – eggs benedict, waffles, pancakes – and a few you might not have anticipated: a Cali omelet stuffed with avocado, onions, tomatoes and jack cheese, and French toast soaked in crème brulée custard.
I opted to order from the lunch and dinner menu but immediately found it difficult to begin narrowing down my selections from there. Fortunately, the wait staff at Mom’s is genuinely friendly and helpful with recommendations. I first tasted “Momma’s Meatloaf” which came with the choice of two sides and a salad. Made from natural Angus beef, delicious little bits of carrots, celery and onion, and a blend of spices, it was the best meatloaf I have ever eaten. The three moist and pleasingly salty slices were smothered in a thick, savory gravy that I later learned takes two days to make from scratch. The side salad was fresh and crunchy with an amazing homemade lemon vinaigrette and homemade herbed croutons. The thickly breaded onion rings that I chose to accompany the dish were crunchy and not the least bit greasy. They were served with a tasty, creamy horseradish sauce for dipping. My other side dish was fried apples. This warm, cinnamony treasure tasted like fresh apple pie filling. It was both a little tart and slightly sweet.

Next I sampled the seared organic salmon from the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. I have never seen this option on a diner menu! The healthy portion was firm, moist and prepared with only cracked pepper to highlight the fish’s natural, mouth-watering flavor. I have extremely high standards for all preparations of potatoes due to my Scottish heritage, and the mashed ones at Mom’s did not disappoint me! Fresh and creamy, they even still had a lump or two that escaped the masher. My side of tasty, tender glazed baby carrots had a hint of brown sugar, but was certainly not too sweet.

A section of the menu at Mom’s offers seven different preparations that can be applied to a natural Angus beef burger, a grilled Bell & Evans chicken breast sandwich or a garden burger. I opted to try the Angus burger with the Cajun option. The spicy blackened patty was moist, firm and not the least bit greasy. With a generous pile of sweet grilled onions, jack cheese, lettuce and tomato, it was the highlight of my meal at Mom’s. Then again, maybe it was the ice cream that stole the show.

Mom’s scrumptious ice cream was full of flavor. Unlike hard-packed commercial ice cream, their homemade dips were soft and creamy. The strawberry ice cream was just the right blend of milky and sweet; the mixed berry had delicious pieces to bite into; and the chocolate was ultra-rich and velvety. I think that on my next visit I will try a banana split or a malted milkshake.

Considering the variety on the menu, the quality of the food and the inclusion of natural ingredients, I may have to add myself to the list of regulars at Mom's Diner. Open from very early until late in the evening, Mom’s is the perfect affordable option for breakfast on the fly, a working lunch or a family dinner. Plus, they offer take out. The consistent menu will soon be supplemented with daily specials. It will always be homemade, delicious to eat and good for us… because Mom’s cares!

Mom’s Diner is located at 2819 Miles Road in Orange Village. They can be reached by calling (440) 248-6669.

Photos by Bob Perkoski, www.Perkoski.com.