MOUNT VERNON — The staff at Allison’s Finer Diner stood ready and eager to serve customers Tuesday morning when the restaurant, formerly known as the Greenleaf Restaurant, reopened after a three-year hiatus.
Pam and Terry Allison of Pataskala purchased the building early this year for about $1 million. Before opening, they sought input from community leaders about what Knox County residents wanted served in the new restaurant.
Pam Allison said they had a kind of practice run with members of the local business community, as well as the mayor, on Monday.
Terry Allison said they still consider the menu to be a work in progress and will make changes depending on the feedback they get from the community.
“We want to hear what people want,” he said.
Terry said the restaurant is a diner with quality food and a family friendly feel, a “diner with a twist.”
Pam said they place a great emphasis on using fresh ingredients for their dishes. With about 40 employees, she said they strive to give excellent customer service.
For the time being, Allison’s Finer Diner will only be open for lunch and breakfast, but, in time, will serve dinner as well. Customers will find breakfast items such as homemade corned beef hash, a wide variety of omelets, quiche, sausage gravy; lunch items include several different kinds of sandwiches, homemade meat loaf, a quiche of the day, sirloin of the day. Pam Allison also made a point to talk about the “endless soup and salad combination,” which allows customers to select soup and salad, and get as many refills of this for one price, and can add grilled chicken, baby shrimp and chicken tenders or grilled salmon for a small additional fee.
Pam Allison said they have tried to make items on the menu reasonably priced, particularly given the poor economy. The soup and salad combination, for instance, is geared toward people who are on a tight budget. She added that they brought kitchen manager and head chef Jeremy Hamilton from their Damon’s Grill restaurant in Newark.
Leslie Boucher of Mount Vernon, who stopped in for breakfast, said the food and service were excellent. She had the Signature French Toast, which she said was “to die for.”
In other business news, Hometown Treasures opened at 16 S. Main St. this week. The store sells clothing of all age groups, as well as household goods, books and furniture.
