The occasion of esteemed former pastry chef Sarah Jordan taking over Logan Square’s Johnny’s Grill prompted some justifiable sarcasm about whether a place serving $9 pancakes and cheeseburgers is a legitimate replacement for a greasy spoon that served its “community” by serving breakfast for under $4. We’ll see about that. For now it’s worth pointing out that traditional upscaling of the classic greasy spoon has been in effect for quite some time; cases in point include ersatz versions like Dove’s, Little Goat, and even Au Cheval, but also at even more low-budget, low-profile neighborhood spots like Danny’s Egghead Diner, where you can get a $3 cup of soup along with more specialized stuff like a $12 double turkey burger with provolone and cranberry jam.
If you’re detecting any kind of theme among these three dishes it’s the massive portioning. Here it’s on display with the curry chicken salad in sandwich form, piled between two slices of bread with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and at least half an avocado ($9.75)
