A certain percentage of the dining population--one not predictable by income, education, or location--hews to the idea that a really seedy restaurant is more likely than a nice-looking one to serve great food. A friend of mine named this oddity of taste "Sleazy Chic." It is in strong evidence at this old, oversize diner at one of the low spots on Veterans Boulevard. It's usually busy, especially on weekends at breakfast time, with people who will swear to you that here is the best breakfast in New Orleans. Absolutely not--but it's not as bad as the place looks, which would be terrible indeed.
The Metairie Tiffin Inn is the last standing of a small chain around New Orleans and Baton Rouge. They opened in 1974 and seem to have changed almost nothing since then. For most of its history, the Tiffin Inn was a 24-hour restaurant, a fact that made it more prominent than it might otherwise have been.
The place was built in the Art Nouveau decor popular in the early 1970s, with Tiffany-style lamps. (But the name "tiffin" is a British word for a light midday meal.) The biggest change in the dining environment came when smoking--in which an unusually large number of the patrons indulged--was banned by law. Maybe it's my imagination, but the air inside still has a lingering odor to me. On the other hand, the place doesn't register as dirty, just very well worn. Representatives of the sheriff's office always seem to occupy a booth or two.
The pancakes are actually very good, and made better by an assortment of syrups and other garnishes. The rest of the menu is unappealing, although every so often I hear about great daily specials that I have never found myself. (The fried chicken is a particularly elusive specialty.)
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| Environment | 0 |
| Hipness | 0 |
| Local Color | 1 |
| Service | 0 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 0 |
