Patrons can breathe easy at North Apollo's Yak Diner
The Yak Diner -- notice the name change -- still offers an authentic diner experience complete with homemade pies, breakfast all day and, well, all the yak you want.
This metal diner on River Road, along the Kiski River in North Apollo, offers booths or stools at a counter and a good selection of sandwiches -- or breakfast all day -- but, also, no smoke. A year ago, the diner, formerly the Yakkitty Yak Diner, went smoke-free.
Our Lunch Bunch crew noticed the lack of smoke right away and fully appreciated the change from the smoke-filled diner of the past.
We were eager to get back to the office, so we were glad our food arrived promptly.
Our Assorted Deep Fried Veggie Platter ($4.95) featured crispy breading on cauliflower florets, thinly sliced onion rings with the same crispy breading, a slice of zucchini, a smattering of breaded mushrooms and fries on top. We liked the crunchiness of the breading and were delighted that our appetizers were not at all greasy.
The Steak Salad ($5.95) offered a bed of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, green peppers and onion slices topped with thinly cut steak and hot fries that allowed the cheese to melt in and bring all the flavors together.
The Deep Fried Cod ($4.85) featured two thick, mild lengths of breaded cod that fit perfectly on a round kaiser roll, which we admit we skipped because we kept taking just one more bite of the fish with our fork. The Yak Pak makes one fine fish sandwich. A little dab of tartar, and you're set.
The Ham Club ($4.90) was stacked high with slices of ham (not lunchmeat), along with the traditional club sandwich offerings of lettuce, tomato, American cheese and crispy bacon on slices of toasted white bread. This sandwich was a nice diversion from the normal turkey club.
The Reuben ($4.75) was enjoyed by our Reuben lover. He said the grilled marbled rye was fresh and not greasy, the corned beef was lean and tender, and, combined with the Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing, the sandwich hit the spot. Slices of dill pickle were served alongside.
Although we were full and packed up our leftovers for home, we couldn't help but notice that a menu board with the specials of the day featured some tempting homemade pies. We ordered slices of cherry and peach to go. One Lunch Buncher has a very high standard for homemade pies, courtesy of an awesome mom who makes the best ever pies. Our piece of Peach Pie ($2.25) passed our test, with real peach slices in a gel and a light, short crust -- but, of course, nothing compares to Mom's, which remains first in our hearts.
The Cherry Pie ($2.25) was extremely fresh and featured a generous helping of cherry pie filling wrapped in a yummy crust.
It was a very stormy afternoon the day we visited. We pondered how risky it was to be in an all-metal authentic diner while lightning and thunder struck all around. As we readied our umbrellas on exit, we mentioned our concern to the manager, and she said six grounding poles were installed at the site as a precaution. Good to know!
Compiled by Rebecca Killian, Sis Reola and guests. Meals are paid for by the Valley News Dispatch and are unrelated to advertising.
Additional Information:
Yak Diner
Address: River Road, North Apollo
Phone: 724-478-2472
Hours: 6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Credit cards: None
Smoking: Not permitted
Handicapped accessible: Limited
Prices: Sandwiches, $1.90-$4.90; salads, $2-$6.25; dinners, $5.55-$7.40
