Sam’s Diner Welcomes Back Customers After Dussel Drive Construction
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
A friendly staff and a robust menu filled with American, Greek and Lebanese dishes kept loyal customers coming back to Sam’s Diner through two years of road construction along Dussel Drive.
Now Sam’s owners Nick Kashen and Mike Sobh welcome guests with a hearty appetite to rediscover – or enjoy for the first time – the cozy diner where they create dozens of dishes from scratch.
“We make everything fresh,” Sobh said. “Nothing comes from cans.”
“It’s the way our mamas used to cook it,” adds Kashen.
After emigrating from Lebanon 25 years ago, both men began working in the Toledo-area restaurant business as dishwashers, then as cooks. Kashen began cooking at Sam’s in 1998, and Sobh joined the restaurant in 2002. When the former Sam’s owner wanted to retire five years ago, Sobh and Kashen purchased the restaurant.
The windows are lined with dozens of photos of smiling customers enjoying a meal. That’s the goal for Kashen and Sobh: to create happy, satisfied customers.
“We welcome back our customers,” Kashen said. “It’s been two and a half years, but we made it. Now we want people to know that construction is done and we’re still here.”
Customers continue to come back for hearty helpings of favorites such as smothered chicken and smothered beef, meatloaf and broasted chicken, with favorite sides including real mashed potatoes and beer battered onion rings, to name a few.
Be prepared to spend about 10 minutes poring over the menu if new to the diner, as its pages are crammed with offerings, including Greek, Italian and Lebanese specialties. A Greek Trio features spinach pie, moussaka and gyro meat. The gyro meat is a staple in several dishes, such as the Mediterranean combo, which also includes delicious homemade hummus, stuffed grape leaves and warm pita bread.
The fattouch is a meal in itself, a salad of toasted pita chips with tomato, onion, lettuce, cucumber and parsley mixed with olive oil and lemon juice. Chicken or beef can be added.
Breakfast is served anytime – with everything from pancakes and French toast to country sausage over biscuits and a wide selection of omelets. Meat lovers will not go hungry, as the breakfast menu features roast beef hash, corned beef hash, ham, bacon, sausage and gyro meat.
For a quick, yet filling lunch, Sam’s Diner has a full sandwich and salad menu, with homemade favorites like the Reuben, tuna melts, roast beef and corned beef, as well as wraps and made-from-scratch soups.
Children’s and senior menus are also available.
Sam’s Diner is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Located at 578 W. Dussel Dr., the shopping center is easily accessed through a drive behind the Wendy’s drive-through, off Arrowhead Road. Look for the Sam’s Diner sign by the drive.
For information, call (419) 897-0284, or visit www.oursamsdiner.com for a full menu and coupons.