The Executive Diner:
The Perfect Post Run Hangout

It was with a mixture of happy recognition and disappointment that many in the club viewed the latest article in the NY Runner on running in the Rockefeller Preserve. While we are delighted that this “running paradise” is finally getting the acclaim it deserves, we certainly aren’t looking forward to thousands of Manhattanites migrating north to our own secret enclave, creating traffic jams on the 13 Bridges.

Thankfully the writer did not delve into the important matter of where to go for the ever-important energy replenishing experience that necessarily follows any run at Rocky. We certainly don’t need to share our favorite diner with brunching Manhattanites, who generally prefer breakfast places where you have to stand in line for over an hour to get a cramped table.

For those in the club that make the regular journey up to Rocky, a visit to the Executive Diner is an integral part of the trip. Usually by the time we cruise by the cows at the feeding troughs, we are contemplating whether we are going to have sausage or bacon on the side. By the time we have done a final lap around Swan Lake, we have resolved whether it will be a pancake or omelet day.

When we all finally get a large table to accommodate all the runners (assuming we haven’t carelessly left anyone back at the preserve), we make our orders. While we are generally a polite bunch, we usually do a good job of aggravating the friendly staff. Recently, when our mustachioed waiter got fed up with all our nitpicking orders, we couldn’t tell whether he was joking or not when he threatened to poison our food.

Bottom line: the food is the perfect antidote to a long run. You get huge servings of fresh bacon and sausage on the side. The hash browns are always nicely grilled with onions and garlic. Among the omelets, my favorite is the feta, spinach, tomato combo, which is has more feta than egg. The pancakes put Short Stop to shame. Especially good are the banana pancakes, in which the bananas are a little too ripe, giving the pancakes a nice sweetness. The endless coffee and food is always quick to come, and never leaves anyone disappointed. After our post-run pigfest at the Exec, we may have lost all the benefits of a long run at Rocky, but we have found the real paradise!

Tony Thoman, May, 2002