Mom's Home Cooking: A Family Restaurant

On Sunday morning, I found myself in Price Hill again at the Alpine Laundry. After I put my clothes in the dryer, I decided to go across the street and have a little breakfast.

Mom's Home Cooking is on Warsaw Avenue very close to the Alpine. On the sign out front - right under their name it says "A Family Restaurant."

I don't think Price Hill residents take kindly to strangers. There were four older guys inside and they looked me up and down like I was a …..a…… well, I was a stranger, but I was hungry.

I ordered a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich on wheat from Cricket who was the waitress and the cook. She didn’t smile at me once.

While she was preparing my sandwich, I listened to the old guys there talk about their Navy days. “Fuck this,” “Fuck that,” “Fuck him” flying from their lips constantly while eyeballing me a lot. I don’t think they liked my hair. It’s a little long. While listening to their cursing, I couldn't help but think I sure wouldn't want my family in this "family" restaurant, but maybe that's just me.

Cricket brought over my sandwich. I must tell you: It was really, really good. Maybe she doesn’t know how to smile, but she knows how to make a damn fine breakfast sandwich and the price was pretty cheap.

After Cricket served me, she took out a cigarette from her pack lying on the counter and lit it with her Bic. Ashtrays were everywhere at this family restaurant and most inside were smoking. No smoking ban here! It occurred to me to light my own after eating but I had to get back to my laundry.

I tipped Cricket pretty well. She still didn’t smile.

- Larry Gross

(Photo from home.san.rr.com. No, the woman above isn’t Cricket)

 

Comments

[Matthew]

She would be an example of someone I wouldn't tip.

[Matt]

I've been in a few times and the food there is good. The "regulars" can be a bit much.

[Karen]

I love your little "slice of life" stories :)

[Debbie]

I know this place. It's a dump

[del]

interesting post. i read your pretty in pink column last week. why the hell are you hanging out in price hill?

[Julie]

I know where the Alpine is and I know where this restaurant is. I'm flat out too scared to go into either place. You're a brave man!

[Cricket]

If I had any fucking teeth, I'd fucking smile.

[Marilyn]

Customer Service (with a smile) is fast becoming a lost art.

Even if a particular restaurant has excellent and reasonably priced food, I won't patronize their business if they are rude and/or indifferent to their customers.

[Dana]

This was funny and so was your column last week. You could probably write a book on Price Hill.

[Tate]

If you can smoke in there, it's a shame they don't have a liquid license. I'd get that Cricket smiling pretty quick.

[jackula]

i went to price hill once. notice i said once.

[Ali]

Just a comment about Price Hill because I have never been to Mom's on Warsaw. Price Hill is actually a wonderful place to live, I live here, I know. We have a diverse community that actually cares about one another. In fact, right after my husband and I closed on our house the neighbors threw a big backyard barbeque so we could meet everyone. There are parts of the area where I probably wouldn't walk alone at night, but that can be said of just about anywhere. Please open your minds- what you see on television isn't always a broad or clear depiction of an area. I Love Price Hill!!!

[Edie]

I know where this restaurant is and the area is pretty scary. I wouldn't feel safe there at all - not even doing laundry.

[Donna]

Sometimes you meet people in the real world and they aren't like you and that's ok. Geez...I thought the westside was conservative!