As much as Lauren and I like to out for dinner at a “fine dining” venue, I always enjoy discovering a diamond in the rough.  It is, I am certain, some of the vestiges of my youth when, as a family of four, we hardly went out to eat at all – we simply could not afford it.  (A roast was the Sunday Special creation by my mother, and we enjoyed variations on the theme for much of the following week…).  So usually, that rare event called “dining out” meant going to a family style restaurant where the food was almost as good as that prepared by my mother and prices were reasonable.

We are all painfully aware that “the economists” – whoever they may be – have ever so flippantly now declared that: “we are already in a recession”.  Finding that diamond that I mentioned earlier makes an evening out that much more enjoyable. 

My guess would be, judging from the number of cars in the lot on this particular night – and on most occasions on which I have driven past – that a significant portion of the local populace already knows about Harner’s Bakery and Restaurant in North Aurora.  For those of you who may be unfortunately ignorant as to its presence, allow me to share our experience at a family style restaurant that is a true gem.

First, for those in the restaurant business out there who are ordering their portions pre-cut, pre-weighed, pre-wrapped, pre-seasoned… and even partially pre-cooked and delivered daily on a big truck, please take notice: there is another way. It’s called homemade.  Hello!  Doesn’t that take a lot of work?  Well, think of the possibilities: real gravy, real mashed potatoes, farm-fresh sausage and pork chops, fresh food without the additives and preservatives.  What a concept.    

Here is a restaurant that is reminiscent of a few I have been to in rural Wisconsin, where the salad on the salad bar is fresh and the soup is homemade.  Here is a restaurant that uniquely serves dinner, lunch and breakfast anytime; the bakery is on-premise and always has the freshest of pastries, pies and desserts.  Here is a restaurant that is always busy because the food is genuinely good and the prices are insanely reasonable.  Granted, this is not the kind of place one would select for its slick ambience, white table cloths and valet parking.  Here, the lights are up and the tables are not topped with even so much as a placemat.  The servers are not dressed in black pants and starched white shirts.  But… the tables are clean, the floors are clean, the ambience comfortable; the wait-staff is friendly and the service is very good.

The menu is quite extensive.  The “breakfast anytime” portion of it has everything from Steak and Eggs (a 10-oz NY Strip; $12.95) to Biscuits and Gravy (Rich, creamy gravy made with our own homemade pork sausage; topped with two eggs: $3.75) and just about everything in between.  There is a large selection of sandwiches – including their famous BBQ Pork – and burgers.  Also available are Country Platters (Specially planned lighter dinners, served with choice of real mashed potatoes or rice blend, fresh vegetable of the day and bread basket); average price: $7.50.  There are daily specials and numerous appetizers and side dishes, as well as a full complement of dinners, including Prime Rib, T-Bone and Strip Steaks, Ham, BBQ Back Ribs, Chicken and Seafood.  “Dinners are served with a choice of real mashed potatoes, rice blend, fries or hash browns, fresh vegetable, bread basket and All You Can Eat Soup and Salad Bar.”  No dinner that I could find was more than $17.95!

Lauren chose the Broiled Jumbo Cod dinner ($12.95) and I the Beer Battered Perch ($7.95).  Mine came with slaw and fries but I added a salad bar for an additional $3.25.  Lauren’s Cod was excellent and tasted a bit like lobster.  She asked for the mashed potatoes – thick and rich; her chosen vegetable was butter squash – golden and sweet.  My perch was very tasty, albeit a bit too greasy and not as hot as I would have liked; the plates themselves however, were hot.  Given the number of dinners coming out of the kitchen, my assumption is that the fryers were working at capacity and the oil temperature had probably not been able to keep up with the load.  I simply removed the skin and enjoyed the fish.  Lauren sampled my slaw and proclaimed it carried none of the preservatives that are often present.  She would know, as she is a “taster” of such things due to her peculiar genetic coding; she generally won’t touch any food if it has those preservative chemicals.  The salad bar had fresh homemade soups (two kinds) and plenty of condiments; it only lacked my favorite addiction: Bleu Cheese dressing…  The bread basket contained some excellent homemade breads by the way!

For those of you to whom it is important, Harner’s does not have a bar.  They do however, offer several types of wine by the glass and several bottled beers as well.  And when all is said and done, the lack of a bar is certainly not a detriment; a beer or glass of wine with dinner is all that is needed to round out the meal.  Harner’s Bakery and Restaurant is a quiet but proud addition to the list of local restaurants.  Except for large parties, they do not take reservations.  If you go – and you really should go – expect a short wait, but one that is really worth it.  With well-plated dinners, great homemade flavors, service with a smile, great homemade pies and desserts and unbeatable prices, Harner’s gets a rock-solid Three-and-a-Half Zins and a recommendation to go there soon for an enjoyable evening with friends or with your family… or both.  I know that Lauren and I will be back.

Ralph Pancetta
reviews@ralphpancetta.com