Food Like it Used to be: Bob & Ruth's, Naples N.Y.

    When it opened as a roadside restaurant in 1951, Bob & Ruth's must have been a real bonus for the local folk in the Naples Valley.  For those of us that travel the less frequented places in the Finger Lakes, Bob & Ruth's still tastes like the fifties.

     Let me be specific here, I've never eaten at Bob & Ruth's Vineyard Restaurant, the more formal restaurant in the rear of the building.   This posting is NOT about that portion of the business.  I don't know anything about it, other than knowing that you have to walk through it to get to the bathrooms.
    On the other hand, the "diner" side of the restaurant, on the road side of the building, is totally worth traveling to.  Most people hit up Bob & Ruth's during the Grape Festival in early September each year.  While this is a great time to go, since you're already there for something else, you really should consider taking off early some Saturday in October or early November when the leaves are on the turn and the sun still has some warmth to it.  Plan to make a day of it.  Go with no agenda except to eat, and let yourself wander.
    Before you leave, load up your Ipod with Dar William's "Western New York"  and hit then hit the ricky road.  If you pay close attention, she talks about diners "where the coffee tastes like diesel fuel" and Bob & Ruth's fits the bill.  This is not a negative commentary.  There are times in life when what you need to keep going is some Diesel Fuel Coffee, a righetous piece of pie and a Tuna Melt, all of which Bob & Ruth's offers proudly.
    However, the real reason to hit Bob & Ruth's is not necessarily lunch, although the Mac and Cheese, Chicken and Dumplings and the variety of homemade soups are always a delight to the tummy-tum.  The real reason to make the trip comes in the form of their Grill Bread.  Essentially it's a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread that they cut thick, butter up hard and then sear on the bacon-grease laden flat-top.  They serve it up hot, with an almond flavored frosting to slather over it.  I recommend ordering the Grill Bread with two eggs over-easy and a side of bacon.  Yes, this is unrepentantly old-school heart-attack breakfast, and no, I don't care.  It's something you need every once in a while, if not for your body, then definitely for your soul.
    Bob & Ruth's speaks of a time when hospitality and good food were standard.  The vinyl booths and double sections of counter seats remind those that enter through the doors, of the long-standing traditions and community feeling that places like Bob & Ruth's have engendered in small towns all across America.  So the next time you're feeling nostalgic, hop in your car, or take your favorite motor bike and head to Bob & Ruth's.

    As a side note, the folks at Bob & Ruth's are closed from late November through March or April.  If you're thinking about heading down there either in late fall or early spring, you might want to give them a call first.  And as always, the wait staff there work hard and the food is cheap.  Think about that when you're leaving a tip.

Thanks for reading...now go eat!

-E


Brass tacks: Jackson and Hamilton, please.
Address: 204 N. Main St., Naples N.Y.
Parking:  There's a big parking lot on the left side of the building, but if you can't find space there, there's another straight out back.
Website: Sadly None