text: I dare you to think about The Diamond without also thinking of The Penguin. Seriously, go on, try. You can't. The situation that went down at the end of The Penguin's last life turned into that big hubbub which rolled nicely over into hype, hope and hyperbole of how The Diamond would save us all, forever - or at least for lunch and dinner. Time passed, The Diamond doors and shutters stayed frustratingly closed even though we KNEW something was going on. I think by the time they posted on their Facebook page on Valentine's Day the hint that this would, at long last, be THE week of arrival for our blue-hued savior, the line was forming from the front doors down to Elizabeth. \n\nI was lucky enough to be one of the chosen few to attend a preview night before the opening so I could go forth and spread the word of Brian & Jimmy. We were the first in the door on Wednesday night and I got that nervous feeling like I'd had too much coffee and snuck into a movie. I ordered the legendary Full Hemi and fried pickles - is there any way to start this food affair without a burger? - and I was reasonably pleased. The burger was a bit different, most noticeably that it held together. Everything else about the food was just like I remembered The Penguin. I snuck in again on Friday on the official opening day and had an experience much like I used to get midday at that legendary dive; sitting up at the bar counter and chatting aimlessly with someone from a much different walk of life from us Plaza-Midwood hipsters while I noshed on (yes, another) burger. I caught a glimpse into the kitchen in back and made eye contact with my neighbor, one of the cooks - he gave me a perfect look of exasperation and mimed pulling out his hair. Opening day (and week, and month) at the Diamond was in no way a walk in the park.\n\nI heard and read quite a few reviews of really bad service in those first few weeks. Honestly, I'm not too surprised - the place was in such a panic in the beginning there that I'm sure the staff had absolutely no clue how to keep up. That doesn't excuse the bad service, which there probably is, but I can understand being overloaded operationally. It's rough and I really do hope that they can get it under control. There's so many new things on the menu that the staff, though experienced from the bird, has to learn how to manage a whole new level of complexity in the kitchen. They will get it, eventually. The hype didn't give them much time to get up to speed before they became The New Place To Have Lunch and Dinner for everyone.\n\nI've branched out a bit on the last few visits, and I've found many things on the menu that were decent to great. The meatloaf was okay, a little crunchy for my tastes; the sides were awesome (especially a killer mac 'n cheese) and the fries were a heck of a lot better than the Penguin's bag potatoes. \n\nSee, there I go again. Talking about the Penguin. How can you not?\n\nThe real \"a-ha\" moment I had was my visit last night with Danielle - I got a Small Block with bacon & cheese (old habits die hard) and she ended up with the Po' Greek Boy platter. My burger was the best I'd had there yet (I think they're starting to get the hang of the new recipe) and the fried pickles were exactly as crisp as I hoped for. But then I took a bite of the Po' Greek Boy and it was like a switch flipped in my head. This was an awesome new flavor to me: lamb patty with tzatziki sauce and some fixins on a bun. Maybe you have had it, but I definitely never had, and my taste buds did that little happy dance you'd see in cartoons. I suddenly could not wait to try the new ideas that Brian & Jimmy mixed up for The Diamond's menu. Service is rough right now, yeah, but this is an experienced crew that took a crummy dive and turned it into a legend. I wouldn't be surprised if we see more five-star reviews months or years down the road. So as I chewed and savored the Po' Greek Boy aftertaste, I reached my thesis statement for this review, words with which I hope you will swirl around in your mind as you contemplate The Diamond:\n\nThe greatness of The Diamond lies not in the nostalgia and revival of its past; the greatness of The Diamond lies in the promise and potential of its future.\n\nSo chew on that! I'll be back.