The Nickel Diner opens in downtown L.A.

L.A.'s 5th Street, long considered the bleak heart of skid row, has been known for decades as "the nickel." Now a new diner, also called the Nickel, opened two days ago on Main Street, between 5th and 6th streets. That a trendy eatery perfectly set-dressed to resemble a pre-WWII-era diner, down to the old-school wallpaper, big red booths and scuffed floor tiles, would offer up such a tongue-in-cheek reference to this deeply troubled neighborhood is a bit disquieting.

Worse than that, however, are the glib drug references on the menu, which includes offerings such as "Smac and cheese" and 5- and 10-cent "bags" of food combinations. (Get it? Nickel and dime bags?) Also on offer are a variety of morning and afternoon pastries dubbed a.m. and p.m. "fixes."

This kind of flippant riff on the history of this area of town could be excused if that history were a distant memory and downtown was a kind of City Walk mock-up of its former self. But that's not the case. As Times columnist Steve Lopez pointed out in a series of stories about skid row, the area is still awash in desperation and filled with hopelessness in large part because of an epidemic of drug use.

The Nickel Diner is located along the stretch of Main south of the super-trendy Old Bank District; as soon as you cross 5th Street, the fedora-wearing hipsters and poncho-clad hippies give way to the homeless, drug users and beggars, one of whom sat mere feet from the diner itself when I visited, watching well-heeled professionals come and go.

Don't get me wrong: I like that downtown is getting a new lease on life and that bars and restaurants and specialty shops are opening up in record numbers, many of them, like the Nickel Diner, run by people who care about the historic integrity of the buildings they are leasing.

I even like the Nickel Diner. It's operated by the same folks who own the adorable Banquette wine bar at 4th and Main, and they seem intent on keeping the place local and reasonably priced. The staff is friendly, the baked goods and desserts decadent and the atmosphere inviting. I just don't think the time is right to poke fun, even good-natured fun, at the very real and contemporary problems of skid row.

— Jessica Gelt

Comments

[Mark Greenfield]

Please let us know about the food.

[mark]

Wow, Jessica Gelt is so far off on this article that it's ridicules. She goes on to say that it would only be OK to make a "flippant riff on the history of this area of town" only if it was a city walk mock-up of it's former self. Would that make her grilled cheese go down easier? In hard times what ever happened to a sense of humor? Should we be glum and down in our neck of the woods, because those that don't deal with these issues on a day to day basis, deem it so. It's only ok to make light of our situation, if were all living the high life, and skid row has moved somewhere else. I guess until our area completely revamps, and people can eat without thinking about what's just outside the doors, we have to be serious and glum 24-7. And Jessica did you even taste the food, or were the people outside bother you to much?

I didn't even get into how great the food is, because this lack-luster article never did either.

[flamethrower]

I wonder how patrons would feel about a restaurant outside of planned parenthood or an abortion doctor's clinic that labeled its fare on the menu as a "fetus omelet" and "placenta rice?" Hey, maybe that is what Monica is planning as the theme of her next restaurant, but I doubt it. Somehow I think the "political correctness" that other commentators here complain of would be in full fury because, of course, it would be gender "problems" being made fun of rather than those of poor addicted people. This is not to say that drug references to black communities are always wrong. Andy Warhol and Velvet Underground did masterful riffs on the life in "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting for my Man," but they were done from the point of view of those inside the life, not those whose restaurant uses addicted people's culture to commodify its food and do and nothing else. Of course, it would be too much to ask if these carpetbaggers were actually doing anything for the community, but hey, they're too busy making money and creating a "space" for those likeminded souls who have moved in and hope the joke is on the people dying in the street and not themselves. Another typical middle class white girl stunt.

[JHB]

I'm going there today and I have to say I see both sides.

@Bert. Listen, your neighbors that come in all shades and colors will be pushed out eventually. It happens. We've all seen it here in (Silverlake/Echo Park, etc) and in NY (Williamsburg, Alphabet City, Bedstuy/Bushwick). Another thing is that you guys are taking it personally because you know these women that opened the restaurant, but the bottom line is gentrification pushes people with less money and usually more color out. Would you agree with that? You may be pioneers who aren't afraid or don't mind difference, but it always paves the way for those who will and want to get rid of people not like them. So everyone let's be real. Downtown is changing. I'm from LA county. My mom worked at the YMCA downtown for a long time. My dad works at the hospital in Chinatown. I went to USC. I went to Firecracker when it was cool back in the day. It's different and morphing into (whether you like it or not) something that is becoming trendy/cool, which is not necessarily a bad or good thing. It just is.

And yes, sometimes poking fun of history that isn't necessarily that far off is not ok. Truly. It's not nice. Snarky is not always smart or cute or even original. Maybe she always called her mac smac n cheese, but from what I'm reading, with the other drug refs, I can't totally buy that, but since I will be venturing there today, I can't comment til I see it. And you guys are missing the good things she said about the place btw. She said she likes it, but she found it a little bit offensive. Big Deal! I want to hear what people not connected to the owners have to say. Biased opinions are rarely reliable and I'm going to be one of those people very soon.

I'm eating there and I'm gonna tell you what I think; every last iota. I walked by it and never went it cause it was too crowded, but I will give a full report on food and decor and ambiance later today.

[Holly Hill]

Wow!...My family and I live and work downtown. ( two cats, a dog, a three year old and a "man-child" ) We are so thankful for the Nickle diner. For its food, for the fellowship ,and reminder that this is (despite its hardships) a neighborhood for all colors shapes and sizes of the human race. You don't have to be somebody to get a seat and where else do they bring you homemade doughnut holes when you are done with your meal!!!!!!!Thanks Nickle we are so very proud of you!!!
Holly, Gavin, Als, Giz, An and Sophie!

[Brian]

I don't know anyone involved in The Nickel(apparently unlike anyone else in this thread), but when one considers not only the history but the current state of the neighborhood, the menu and theme is offensive.

Fred 62 has had drug references on the menu for ages, but it's not smack dab on skid row. There is a context and there is a difference.

And, for the defenders, if you can't realize this, then as much as you may argue your deep involvement in the neighborhood, I would argue your "involvement" must be deeper than your understanding.

The reviewers point of view is justified, and no doubt shared by others.

[Michael May]

Having watched my sister go from the maddening job of personal chef (to such people as Harrison Ford and John Travolta) to the maddening job of running and owning a food establishment (first "Banquette", now "The Nickel"). The references on the menu to the past or current history of the neighborhood or to my niece and nephew, are made with love, satire, wit and history.
If the food is bad write about it, service bad? Write about. it. Social commentary? Go to the Op-ed page. The bottom line is "The Nickel" is a fantastic restaurant. And Monica (my sister) and Kristen have done a great job putting it all together. "The Nickel" is another piece of the jigsaw puzzle that quickly making downtown a great place to be. And with an immense amount of pride and love, I can say my sister Monica has had a large part in making the area better. Love you "Mon", congrats

[Lizzy]

Well said Burt. Talk about stereotyping. Unfortunately people who do not live downtown will never really understand. But we do, and we are the everyday patrons who get to enjoy the nickel and dime bags that are sure to be a staple of Downtown eateries as the Nickel continues to grow.

I wish the best of luck to Monica and Kristen, and everyone else at the Nickel. You are truly making downtown better, And your am and pm fixes will be missed by your former employee and her beau.

Loves

[Melina MK]

Now forgive me if I'm biased, but I honestly can't help it. I am personally involved in the Nickel and it's associates and feel that this snarky blog is nothing more than a person afraid of change taking her fears out on a sucessful business person.
Of course, she could just be taking it out on Monica because, unlike my mother who has taken control of her life, Jessica is just another cog in the endless wheel.
I'll have you know, Miss Jessica, that the notorious smac-and-cheese on a menu predates the Nickel by a decade. That's a whole ten years incase your fear of time has concealed your sense of time flow. It first became popular at North, over on Sunset and Cresent Heights. And no one there seemed to have a problem with it, despite the fact that the Sunset Strip and Hollywood are also notorious for its blatant drug use. I'm pretty sure the name River Phoenix means something to someone.
However, the reason the smac-and-cheese is named as such is because my brother and I, when asked what sort of meal we wanted for much, would thus reply "Smac and cheese, please!" This is not because of the obvious drug references, but because we were seven, macaroni and cheese is delicious, and my mother always made it the best. It was, as a fellow poster said "lip smackin' good." I believe Grandma also called it that.
So in conclusion, Miss Jessica, I think that you should take your nose out of the air for five minutes, because we have enough smog in the air and plenty smug, and stop confusing a tasteful homage to bland satire.
And if you have any further comments, you are more than welcome to contact me.

[Tim]

Ditto Bert Green. Thanks Monica and Kristen. You are both on the forefront and making Downtown a better (and tastier) place!

I'll take your "hipster irony" over Jessica's political correctness any day.

[jerry33]

I ate here over the weekend and had a fantastic experienc! GREAT food and very good service

It reminded me of New York a lot. Tasty breakfast items (try the omlettes) and very interesting deserts, too. Prices are in line with other spots, and probably cheaper than Pete's, which has been the king of the neighborhood for too long.

Downtown "scores" (no pun intended) with this place.

[EatEmUp]

Gee, some pretty defensive-sounding responses to this review.

Having no personal stake in either The Nickel or the neighborhood, as I reader who's been there and come out alive on the other end, I think the menu drug references ("smac-n-cheese" I'll let you explain away, but please do your best to legitimize "nickel- and dime-bags") are an un-funny stab at snarky hipster irony.

But perhaps it's just that it's all so tough and cool and above-it-all that I wish I was with the program too...

[David Poffenberger]

Well said Bert. There's not too much I can add to that other than mentioning humor has always been one outlet our culture has used to deal with serious problems. The fact that downtowns homeless/substance abuse problems are being brought up at all in a mainstream forum such as a "trendy" restaurant is great, especially when only a few years ago the problems in downtown were worse and virtually no one knew about them. I'll take an order of the smac-n-cheese.

[Tim]

yeah Bert Green! You tell them!

[Ann]

This is more of the same:

Have you ever noticed how a reporter or media delivers a story in the tone of the person they are interviewing or covering?

A story about caucasians are peppered with well-thought out questions without inflection or direction.

A story about african americans has slang and the interviewer uses what he considers to be a black "accent" when pronouncing the words, and occasionally the questions are laced with ebonics?

We have.

[NJC]

"Poncho clad hippies"? "smac-n-cheese"? Are you serious? Just a bit of background, Monica always called her mac-n-cheese "smac-n-cheese" because it's lip smackin' good. And haven't you ever said something like "I need my morning coffee fix"? Wow.

This is the most hilarious restaurant review I've read, not because you are witty, but because it's so absurd!

[Bert Green]

It is very unfortunate that Jessica Geld has absolutely no idea who she is typecasting by referring to the people of Main Street as "the homeless, drug users and beggars, one of whom sat mere feet from the diner itself when I visited, watching well-heeled professionals come and go."

So, you come downtown, see a few people of color, and then dismiss them as junkies?

The owners of the Nickel Diner are my neighbors on Main Street. We all live there, own businesses there, and participate in this neighborhood's cultural and political life on a daily basis.

The people you saw on Main Street are our neighbors. They are the residents of the hotels along the street, they are the clients of the services of Chrysalis, Project 50, and other service organizations, and most importantly, they are also the customers of the Nickel. They are not "wallpaper" for you to dismiss, they are not pathetic unfortunates who have no stake in the changes happening downtown. They are a part of our community, and it is insulting for you to paint a picture of the "super trendy" versus the downtrodden.

To be so dependent on such inane and brainless PC drivel is your burden to bear. Please keep it to yourself. It is tiresome to hear lectures from outsiders incapable of understanding the dynamism inherent in the emerging community that is the Historic Core, which is hardly "super trendy," but rather the home of a hardy bunch of middle class pioneers who are not afraid of a multicultural, multi-income urban life which embraces the differences between people.