If it’s Wednesday, it must be meatloaf.
Daily blue plate specials ($9 to $12) are a tradition at Buck’s American Cafe. Regulars plan their week around it.
Monday is Monte Cristo sandwich. Tuesday, chicken fried steak. Roasted turkey breast is the Thursday tantalizer. Friday regulars come for the slow-cooked pot roast.
Every day is a good day to order Buck’s World Famous Peanut Butter Pie ($6).
There are also nightly chalkboard specials. Dinner entrees range from fettuccine to prime rib.
The Everett cafe sits on the corner of Hewitt Avenue and Pine Street, where it has been for nearly three decades. It’s inside the 1880s Swalwell building that originally housed one of the city’s first banks and later a haberdashery, speakeasy and the original Pines Tavern.
“It’s like Cheers without yelling out ‘Norm!’?” is how one Yelp reviewer put it.
A new owner took over Buck’s this month in a seamless transition. He’s a familiar face and there haven’t been any drastic changes, but this “young gun” will gradually be putting his own stamp on some things.
As former owner Jeff Hegland wrote on the site, www.bucksamericancafe.com: “It is with very mixed emotions that I tell you that after 28 years at Buck’s, I’m deciding to back off, let the young guns take over, and relax. Don’t worry, Buck’s will be in good hands since our chef of 17 years, James Abbott, and his wife Anne are taking the reins. Our friendly, efficient crew will be here and you can always expect the great food and friendly service that have made Buck’s your go-to spot in the neighborhood.”
That crew includes new owner Abbott’s mom, Marie Mathis, a server at the diner for 18 years. She started a year before he did and they’ve worked together since.
A place where mom-and-son work together was the perfect place for me to go with my son, Quinn, to lunch. We also are co-workers.
“Where are you dragging me?” Quinn asked as we headed east on Hewitt Avenue away from the mecca of restaurants downtown.
Buck’s is near I-5 in a diverse business area that includes a reptile shop, appliance store and a few other eateries as well.
One of the first things you notice entering Buck’s is the antlered buck lording over the room.
Not surprisingly, the cafe caters to carnivores. Quinn is vegetarian.
Oh, dear. Where was I dragging him?
I’d only been to Buck’s once before, on a Thursday when I had the tantalizing turkey and the trimmings.
“You’ll love the mashed potatoes,” I assured Quinn.
Turns out he had options.
The artichoke dip served on toasted crostini, a house favorite and almost as famous as the peanut butter pie, was tempting. Instead, we started with the fried cheese raviolis appetizer ($7) filled with hot dripping cheese and dipped in tangy marinara sauce.
Quinn was pleased with his entree, a black bean burger with pepperjack cheese ($9). The patty was firm enough to stay intact while eating but still soft to the bite.
My Wednesday meatloaf ($9) came with mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed vegetables. It was, as the menu said: like mom used to make, only it tastes good.
Mom was right: Quinn loved the mashed potatoes.
But the best part of the meal was the dessert. I agree with the Yelp reviewer who put it this way: “The peanut butter pie is really freakin’ good.”
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @reporterbrown.
Buck’s American Cafe
2901 Hewitt Ave., Everett; 425-258-1351; www.bucksamericancafe.com.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday brunch and 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday dinner.
Alcohol: Beer on tap or bottle. Wine by the glass or bottle.
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