The Left Fork Grill is an absolute treasure

Where café meets gourmet, this salvage of the old Kramer Diner is a vision of Owner/Chef, Jeff Masten to keep the cool local Diner's afloat while bringing upscale cuisine to the layman. Jeff's vision while applaudable, falls just a bit short. This unique style, as quaint as it is, gives you that nostalgic feel of the 50's Diner; unfortunately it also feels as if it hasn't been upgraded since then either. The dine at bar is authentic just as it stood while it was Kramer's, and the seating could either be original or updated from an old closed down Dee's that needed to be condemned. You should never feel as if you are sitting on a toilet seat hole when seated in a booth. Although located in an industrial office complex, the carpets need not be a battered industrial berber. For making a fusion of upscale etiquette Jeff falls short on bring up ambiance of the Diner. Just to be a little helpful maybe Jeff should have thought more the Clinton Diner from the Movie Goodfella's and not Mel's Diner from the TV Show Alice.

Chef Masten has presented a quandary in his vision. The food has found a certain level of intelligence to the cuisine and meets the standards of his training and experience. The dilemma is in the menu is set by the genre of the restaurant and the elegance of the food is overlooked by the lack of attention to the furniture and decor. The Meatloaf Sandwich is paired wonderfully on a soft ciabatta bread bun and chili sauce. My benchmark sandwich, the Reuben, was spectacular. The corned beef was fresh and the russian dressing was a delightful pairing with the sauerkraut and swiss cheese. The service while it didn't seem unreasonable or long at all, the server felt as if it was too long and unexpectedly comped the drinks. While this may not be a standard practice, the concept of customer service is well respected in this establishment.

So don't let the location and modest exterior of this establishment scare you off and don't let the decor keep you from an unforgettable gourmet Diner meal. Surround yourself with friends order anything from the menu and if you still have room don't forget to have a slice of one of their amazing pies. – Funky - 2012.08.30