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by Jen Acacio
on Sunday, December 28, 2008 12:00 AM

What makes a good diner? All-day breakfast? Yes. Huge servings? Of course. Warm atmosphere and welcoming staff? Definitely. All these and more surely make Faith's Diner deserving of its name. While not exactly the traditional American diner with the old box car feel and unique history, its setup still creates a diner atmosphere with its black-and-white tiles, red vinyl booths, framed vintage signs and no-frills food, not to mention the fresh popcorn served upon seating.
Going over the wide-ranged menu, Faith's All-day Breakfast and Great American Burgers looked tempting, but since it was the evening we chose the Blue Plate Specials, as well as the newer items on her menu. The starters we were served - New England Clam Chowder (20RMB), Cobb Salad (50RMB) and Mexican Chicken Quesadilla (55RMB) - had such large portions that they would have been a complete lunch meal by themselves. I highly recommend the quesadillas as they were deliciously filled to bursting with chunks of chicken and gooey cheese.
We were barely finished with the appetizers when our entrees arrived. Talk about swift service! The Grilled New York Steak (90RMB) was a bit tough, although I have been told that good beef is hard to come by in Shanghai. On the other hand, the Country Spareribs (70RMB) almost made us forget about the steak as they were true to their description - barbecued to tender and juicy perfection so that the meat easily fell of the bones.
Being so full, we skipped desert altogether and just contented ourselves with our Blueberry Milkshake and Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie (35RMB each) which were served in tall tin tumblers - true diner style.
We also took up Faith's invitation to try the mulled wine at their temporary Christmas booth set up outside. It was a strange but perfect ending for our no-fuss diner meal. With so much left to try, I will surely go back.