Behind the Menu: Pasta Salvi still a classic at expanding Delaney's Diner
Delaney’s Diner has what most customers would expect from a friendly neighborhood joint — lots of eggs, potatoes, sandwiches and platters at reasonable prices.
Jeff and Lisa Miller continue that tradition at their second Delaney’s, which has been open a little more than two years in the Reynoldsburg area. The original store in the Westerville area is almost five years old and another is planned for Groveport.
He spent 30 years in the restaurant business before deciding to branch out.
“I just thought, maybe it’s about time to do something on our own,” he said.
The restaurants were named after the Millers’ daughter, Paige Delaney, who works at both locations.
Breakfast and lunch are served all day at the restaurant.
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Delaney’s is home of the BLT conewich ($9.99) — chopped bacon, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo stuffed into a piece of toasted white bread formed in the shape of a funnel.
“It is fun to eat,” Jeff Miller said. “I’ve seen people eat them like an ice-cream cone. I’ve seen people knife-and-fork it.”
Another variation is the breakfast conewich ($8.99), offering three scrambled eggs, grilled onions, green peppers and cheese.
“People can create their own,” he said. “People can stuff whatever they want inside it.”
All sandwiches come with a side, he said. Most opt for regular or sweet potato fries.
Breakfast food devotees might want to consider Roy Lee’s breakfast casserole ($8.49). Named after Miller’s father-in-law, the individually portioned casseroles are layered with croutons on the bottom, sausage and a mix of egg, dry mustard, cream of mushroom soup and cheese.
The Indy 500 breakfast ($12.99) features a pork tenderloin patty, pounded thin, panko-breaded and deep-fried, set on a bed of hash browns, covered in sausage gravy and served with two eggs.
The same pork tenderloin is used in the Hoosier sandwich ($12.99), traditionally garnished and served on Hawaiian sweet bread.
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Miller reached deep into his past when he worked for B.G. Salvi’s, a popular Italian restaurant that has since gone out of business.
As far as he knows, Delaney’s Diner is the only restaurant serving pasta Salvi ($4.99), rich in both flavor and tradition. Noodles and a creamy butter sauce are placed in a pan and chilled until firm. The mixture is cut into squares, and breaded and fried.
The pasta Salvi speciale, topped with marinara sauce and provolone, is $5.99.
For the traditional version, there’s $1.50 upcharge if ordered with a meal; with the speciale, it’s $2.50.
“The response is just overwhelming,” he said.
Miller also used another recipe from his Salvi days — the chicken marsala ($9.99) uses breast meet sauteed in dry Italian wine and touched off with cream. A topping of mushrooms is optional. Customers have the choice of a side.
“It’s amazing,” Miller said.
At a glance
What: Delaney’s Diner
Address: 6150 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg are
Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Contact: 614-626-2006, https://www.delaneysdiner.com/
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Delaney's Diner in Reynoldsburg offers great food at great prices
