Valentine Diner Fare . . . as featured in KANSAS! magazine

 In a nod to by-gone days and a tribute to the owners who are currently operating Valentine diners, I wrote an article titled “Space Age Diners” for the vol. 80, issue 5 2024 issue of KANSAS! magazine (pp 50-57). It was easy to get caught up in the history of those diners that were manufactured in Wichita  I discovered that ValentineManufacturing Company constructed portable, self-contained, prefabricated metal units in Wichita from the late 1930s into the mid-1970s. It has been estimated that 2,200 Valentines were built and shipped across the country; over 90 of those remained in Kansas. 

While over 90 Valentine structures have been documented in Kansas, I discovered just 17 that are either still serving food or have plans to open in the near or distant future (see list that follows the recipes). 

 After many years of wear and tear, they are showing their age and are in various states of repair but on our trek across Kansas, Barry and I ate some fantastic food. We didn’t make it to all but we have hopes of sampling more diner food in the future. 

As always, recipes were included with the Taste feature . . .  

SWEET TREATS — Behind the front counter in the LoMar Diner in Eureka is a vintage Taylor Soft-Serve Ice Cream machine that is used to crank out all kinds of sweet treats—cones, cups of ice cream, hand-blended milkshakes and malts made with real malt powder. A diner reviewer from Texas called their chocolate milkshake “the best from here to the west coast.” Owners and operators Daniel & Desiree’ McVey tout other ice cream favorites that include Tornados (soft-serve ice cream mixed with a large choice of candies), Peach Milkshake (a LorMar original milkshake made with real peaches and the same secret ingredient used by the original owners Loy and Mary Browning), and The Marshmallow Nut Cup. Specialties such as these were just one of the reasons this iconic diner represented Kansas as “The Best Drive-In Restaurant in Every State” in the May 2023 online edition of Mash.

 

LoMar Drive In MARSHMALLOW NUT CUP

Yield:  1 serving

Total preparation time: About 2 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 (9-ounce) clear plastic PET cup or any clear cup/glass

4-ounces (1/2 cup) marshmallow crème 

4-ounces coarsely chopped roasted and salted peanuts

6-ounces (3/4 cup) soft-serve ice cream, vanilla, chocolate or twist ice cream

 

DIRECTIONS

1.   Drizzle 2 ounces of gooey marshmallow crème around the sides of the cup. 

2.   Sprinkle 2 ounces of the peanuts around the sides of the cup, allowing it to stick to the marshmallow crème. 

3.   Fill cup with 4 ounces of soft-serve ice cream (most popular is vanilla). 

4.   Pat the cup 2 to 3 times lightly on a hard surface in order to shift the ice cream into the cup more evenly and push out any air pockets. Fill the cup with the remaining ice cream, allowing a gap around the inside rim of the cup, forming a peak in the middle. 

5.   Drizzle the remaining 2 ounces of marshmallow crème over the peak, allowing it to drip into the open gap. 

6.   Top with the remaining peanuts. 

7.   Add a spoon and serve immediately!

 

The Grinder Man Tuna Salad Sub is based on a sandwich that Paul Donyon’s Italian grandmother made for him back in Rhode Island. It features simple ingredients punched up with the addition of chili sauce and crunchy celery. Like all their subs, it is served on locally baked white or wheat Italian rolls.

THE GRINDER MAN TUNA SUB

Yield: 4 to 6 serving 

INGREDIENTS 

3 small (5 –ounce) cans water-packed tuna, drained  

10  ounces (1 ¼ cups) mayonnaise

2 ½ ounces (heaping ¼ cup) chili sauce

2 ribs of celery, finely chopped

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     Combine all ingredients and lightly mix. 

2.     Serve on Italian sub rolls with lettuce. 

 

Travel guide to vintage Valentine Diners that still serve food or are in the process of renovation. (Details about each are included in the article.)   

1.     Dighton — Frigid Creme, 433 E. Long St., (620) 397-5512. 

2.     Eureka — LoMar Drive In, 916 East River, (620) 583-7810. 

3.     Galena — Hotrod Hangout, Speed Shop & Diner, 201 S Main, (785) 577-9752.  Opening later in 2024.

4.     Grandview Plaza (near Junction City) — Stacy's Restaurant, 118 W Flint Hills Boulevard, (785) 238-3039. 

5.     Hugoton — Acosta’s & Nieto’s Café, 110 W 4th St, (620) 544-4004. T 

6.     Meade — Bob's Drive-In, 801 Carthage St, (620) 873-2862. 

7.     Ness City — Frigid Cream, 501 E. Sycamore St., (785) 798-2424. 

8.     Mission — The Snack Shack on Johnson Drive, 6018 Johnson Drive, (913) 381-3200. N 

9.     Parsons  — Big Sky Bistro, 1500 Main St. Undergoing major remodeling and renovation, this Valentine Burger Bar model is set to reopen in 2024.   

10.  Overland Park— Grandstand Burgers, 4942 Merriam Dr. (913) 362-0111.

11.  Pleasanton — Cookee's Drive-In, 102 E 12th St, (913) 352-8789. 

12.  Smith Center — Pete’s, 114 E. Hwy 36, (785) 686-3223. 

13.  St. John  — The Diner, 106 N. Main. In the process of a major renovation. 

14.  Wichita — Chicken Chicken, 2419 E 13th St, (316) 295-3848.

15.  Wichita — Grinder Man, 510 E Pawnee, (316) 264-3462. Cash only. 

16.  Wichita —Mr. Taco/Tacos Alex, 711 W 25^th St N., (316) 663-5019. 

17.  Wichita — Sport Burger Drive-In, 134 N Hillside, (316) 350-7679.