Popular late-night spot City Diner is not only opening two fast food service restaurants this Spring in Metairie and New Orleans, but also introducing a novel application of Louisiana alcohol law.
The quirky 24-hour diner in Metairie and Harahan will unveil City Diner Express, a drive-through, fast-food style variation of its diner menu. The new concept will debut in March at 7801 Airline Dr., Metairie, with a second location planned near Tulane University.
The menu features many of its breakfast offerings in addition to po-boys, burgers and sandwiches. Moreover, The Express’s home-grown concept includes coffee served from PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans and sausages from former Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson.
Though quick-stop or drive-through daiquiri shops are common in the Greater New Orleans area: City Diner Express introduces a novel variation: McDonald’s, but with beer, mixed drinks and daiquiris -- smothered, covered and buzzed.
“The concept is you’re going to pull through the drive through, and order a value meal, except here you’re going to get a Crown and Coke with it,” said City Diner owner Jason White. “I couldn’t believe no one’s done it yet.”
After checking Louisiana alcohol law, the Express concept will follow rules similar to the area’s daiquiri shops. To accommodate these laws in a drive-thru setting, White said he is working with Giacona Container Corporation to develop a specialty sealed container.
“It’s an adult Happy Meal,” White said. “I can serve something through a window, and the coke is going to be a separate cup from the alcohol. The customer’s going to need to add the shot themselves.”
Representatives from Giacona Container Corporation declined comment by deadline as they said the cup design is not finalized.
The diner’s two locations in Metairie and Harrahan ranked two years consecutively in Gambit Weekly’s Best-of lists. Open since 2008, City Diner served traditional breakfast and late-night fare with a local flair and international touches for the element of surprise. Andouille appears as much as bacon, Cajun Cream sauce can and should appear at will.
The dishes are gleefully excessive, such as the Oyster St. John, a mish-mashed meeting of Waffle House, a fried oyster po-boy and eggs benedict: Hash browns topped with spinach, two eggs, bacon, fried oysters and hollandaise.
In the same spirit of the diner’s all-in-good-fun excess, City Diner Express’ sides stretch beyond French fries to include fried spiced green beans, fried banana peppers, jambalaya, red beans and rice, mashed potatoes and sweet potato French fries.
Said White: “In all honesty, it’s pretty much taking the stuff we’re known for at City Diner and kind of condensing it down to something that can be served in two-three minutes.”
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