Closed in February,
2006....Dr. Thomas Strain, a respected family practitioner, might not
prescribe the quintessential Southern diet of fried chicken, fried
catfish, barbecue ribs, etc., but his South Valley restaurant has been
dishing up the aforementioned Southern staples since May, 2005. In
the tradition of diners in Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama, his
restaurant's portions are prodigious, delicious and many even nutritious
(I'll forgive any snide comments about my ill-fated attempt to mimic
Johnnie Cochran).
A gentleman in every
sense of the word, Dr. Strain is a peripatetic presence in his popular
restaurant. He has to be because this is one jumping joint with a
constant inflow of hungry diners. You might see him busing a
table, manning the cash register, taking an order or ensuring the
various victuals on the buffet are fresh and plentiful, but you will see
him.
You might describe the
restaurant's ambience as Archie and Jughead meet the Clampetts.
The walls are adorned with black-and-white prints of cinematic and rock
and roll legends while albums hang from the ceiling. The wall
leading to the kitchen is dedicated to Elvis Presley (I have a feeling
he would have loved Doc's menu). The tabletops are checkered
black-and-white and the restaurant is brightly illuminated.
The menu isn't
exclusively Southern. In fact, it's surprisingly eclectic,
featuring sandwiches, burgers and even New Mexican standards. The
big draw, however, seems to be the daily lunch buffet, a copious
cornucopia of American favorites rotated daily. Saturday's buffet
features all-you-can-eat (AYCE) hamburgers and hot dogs plus the salad
bar. Fried chicken is the featured fare on Wednesday's buffet
while Mexican food is the buffet offering on Thursdays.
Dinner specials include
AYCE seafood (chef's choice) on Fridays while Saturday's Special is
strictly Southern with barbecue ribs or chicken, fried chicken, fried
catfish, corn on the cob, black-eyed peas, collared greens and candied
yams. Sunday's Special is a bountiful brunch that includes Belgian
waffles, build your own omelet, peel and eat shrimp and even prime rib.
Evening specials are reasonably priced.
If you think an AYCE
offering of hamburgers and hot dogs would feature flaccid wieners,
desiccated hamburger patties and wilted toppings, you're in for a
surprise. The wieners are plumb and juicy with a snap to them when
you bite down. The hamburger patties are about a quarter pound of
well-seasoned meet. The condiment bar includes fresh
ingredients--even guacamole, mushrooms, two types of cheese (American
and Swiss) and New Mexico's favorite burger topping, green chile.
Everything on the
burger and hot dog buffet is not only fresh and delicious, but a bargain
at just under $6 (the menu's standard cheeseburger goes for about five
cents less). I polished off one burger and one hot dog and made
one trip to a salad bar replete with creative salad ingredients and my
favorite salad bar choice, chocolate pudding.
Breakfast is available
all day long. Homestyle desserts such as sweet potato pie and
peach or blackberry cobbler are showcased in a rotating glass display
that might have you wanting to lick the glass if you weren't so full
from the prodigious plate you just polished off.
Doc & Mz. V's Diner
is almost as far south as you can go on Isleta, an interesting street
lined with an eclectic mix of old and new architectural styles and
several Mexican restaurants that promise authenticity and in which, it
might pay to be able to speak Spanish. Amusingly, you'll also see
several wheel alignment shops along the pothole riddled street.
The drive to the restaurant is memorable, but not as memorable as a meal
at this South Valley gem.
