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Emerald Diner glimmers once again
THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED. J.P. Marsh still own's the building.
By Sarah Lehr
HUBBARD
The Emerald Diner is back on track.
The Hubbard establishment, known for its railroad theme, closed in 2012 after a fire destroyed the building.
It reopened last month with an updated menu.
“We want to bring the diner to a new generation,” said owner Jorge Carreno. “Step it up a notch, so they still have the same diner feel with new flavors.”
The remodeled facility, which includes renovated restrooms, can seat 91 people. The dark-paneled walls and green neon lighting evoke the dining car of an old-fashioned train.
Fans of the original Emerald Diner will be pleased to discover there is still a Kelly green 1930s-era railroad car in the parking lot.
The building's owner J.P. Marsh bought the car, which had been sitting idle in a Connecticut cornfield, before opening the Emerald Diner in 1995.
For a time, the diner was known as “Erika’s Emerald Diner” – a tribute to Erika Saadeh, who took over the business in 2009.
General Manager Heather Moldovan said many customers are drawn to the restaurant’s history.
“We hear stories all the time from people who say they used to work here, or they used to come here when they were kids,” she said.
Alongside the diner’s familiar retro decor, there are changes in place.
The restaurant now offers Sunday brunch and has a bar, serving cocktails, craft beer and “boozy milkshakes.”
The Emerald Diner promotes it new menu items via Facebook and Instagram.
Popular offerings include the “Iron House” slider for $3.50 with smoked brisket, lettuce, tomato, horseradish cream and country potato bread.
Moldovan says the restaurant’s new look blends nostalgia with the trendiness of a hipster gastropub.
“We want to bring the big-city feel to a small town,” Moldovan said. “It’s about expanding people’s taste buds.”