The Truck Stops Here
Goody’s ships out diner food hearty enough for a Big Mack
By: Matt Tapia
No matter. For hearty, noteworthy diner/truck stop eats, Goody’s is, well, damn good and satisfying.
The Goody’s menu covers a lot of ground. First, note that they serve breakfast until 2 p.m. every day here—cuz truckers don’t believe in that whole no-breakfast-after-11 a.m. nonsense. There are omelets, “From the Griddle” delights (French toast and Belgian waffles, for example) and something called a “Country Breakfast” that includes the staple of every stick-to-your-ribs morning repast: biscuits & gravy.
In case you thought concepts like counting calories and portion control weren’t in fashion here, guess again. There’s a “Lo-Cal Section” that sports items like sirloin steak and grilled chicken breast that come with fruit, cottage cheese or Jell-O on the side. What—truckers’ can’t watch their weight?
But for this particular lunch outing, let’s focus on something a little more South Beach-unfriendly, shall we? My lunch companion ordered the famed Goody’s Favorites Sandwich, a hefty gustatory creation with a stellar cast of sliced roast beef, Swiss cheese and mushrooms all throwing a party on parmesan bread. The textures of the beef and sautéed mushrooms mingled freely and beautifully and the sandwich made for a filling munchapalooza. So filling we could only finish half of it. Call it a lunch so good, you’ve just gotta take it home with you.
For my own dining pleasures, I hedged my bets on the Bar-B-Q Beef Sandwich, a big meaty contender that counts sauce dripping down the sides as a gastronomical virtue. Yes, the menu describes the beef as “tender” and, by Jove, it is. The slow-roasted goodness and super-savory BBQ sauce both combine together like Voltron for a meal that puts the carbs and proteins back in any big rig operator. And the French roll that’s recruited to contain all the meat and sauce—it’s toasted and crispy and provides an aesthetically pleasing package for a sandwich right before your teeth dive in and deliver the coup de grâce.
To round out the menu options, Goody’s also showcases Mexican Favorites, a “Fresh From the Garden Section” and Goody’s Handmade Hamburgers. And you’ll see why this place pumps up its chest with the motto “Home of the Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice” as there is a juicing machine visible behind the counter. Cuz nothing says trucker eats like getting a little pith in your OJ.
So while most of us aren’t entrusted with getting an 18-wheeler to Poughkeepsie by Sunday—sampling Goody’s transportation-friendly chow might prompt some yearnings for the open road. But get your own trucker hat.
Goody’s Family Restaurant, 551 S. Hunts Ln., Colton, (909) 370-1063. AE, D, MC, V.
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