"A diner at 64th and Lex where the author often stopped after gastroenterology appointments; its hum and mostly geriatric crowd felt calming amid health struggles. The chicken parm—a $17.95 plate of melty cheese over slightly dry white meat—served as a small, emotional celebration when the author was cleared to resume a normal diet, making a solo early-evening meal there a meaningful ritual tied to recovery." - ByCarey Polis