Category : Stories

Sub Category : Horror

The Greatest                                               American Diner 

The neon sign in the diner’s window glowed intermittently and the name was flickering between variations never fully revealing its name. In downtown Milwaukee the diner was well regarded for having some of the best burgers in town and even on a week night the establishment was busy, the kitchen was a hive of frantic activity as the chefs and kitchen helpers worked to ensure that the food was served in good time, nothing worse when eating out than waiting ages for your order.

The burgers that the diner was so revered for were as usual going fast, the general consensus was that the meat was so tasty and tender that no matter what the many other diners, burger joints did nothing could match the burgers at Jeffrey’s The recipe was a closely guarded secret and only one man knew the ingredients and the way to prepare it, one of the chefs had tried for ages to replicate the mixture but had not even came close.

The meat was always freshly delivered and always came ready minced. Every Monday a delivery van would arrive and the meat would be unloaded and placed in the kitchens ageing freezer, whatever hadn’t been used by the following Sunday was discarded and a new batch would be delivered Monday, this is how it had been from since the Diner opened five years ago. 
This week was going to be one of the most important in the Diners history, a local food critic was rumoured to be visiting local establishments in the run up to a contest ran by the local paper to find Milwaukee’s best eateries. No one had any idea when or even if the mystery diner would drop in but the owner of the diner had made sure everyone who worked there was ready for anything and that the food must be as good as it could be, no mistakes, no mess ups everyone had to be on top form.
In anticipation of the visit a new meat had been delivered on Monday, slightly darker with a hint of oriental spice, it was if the meat had absorbed the flavours completely like the animal it had been butchered from had fed on the spice itself. As well as the usual minced delivery one box of specially prepared steaks had been delivered, it was rumoured that the critic was a steak aficionado and had destroyed other restaurants reputations with his cutting words especially when detailing the failings of any steak he took a disliking too.
As the dining area filled up the manager noticed a man sitting all alone at a corner table, not unusual in itself but this customer was quietly whispering into a hand held tape recorder, the manager couldn’t hear what he was saying but his suspicion was aroused, was this the food critic, was this the test they had been waiting for. He hurried into the kitchen to inform the chef and his team that this could be their moment, the chef’s face was a picture but underneath the fear was a confidence because he knew the ingredients he had were the best in town. At that precise moment the man’s order was received.
One steak rare with a side order of Homestyle fries.
The chef immediately grabbed one of the new style steaks, the meat was dark like it had been stained with a rub or marinated in something, the actual texture was pork like but the colour wasn’t right for pork, as he heated the griddle pan with oil he noticed very little fat was present on the flesh. The meat sizzled angrily as it hit the oil sealing in the juices and natural spices present in the meat, the aroma that filled the kitchen was intense and a quick turn of the steak revealed a beautiful seal on the steak, The fries were prepared and in a flash the steak was done, heat rose from the still cooking meat and the smell was incredible. Chef hoped the critic would look kindly upon his work.
The plate was placed in front of the diner and his eyes lit up at the steak before him, perfectly presented with a wonderful colour to it, he took his knife and sliced through it with ease the flesh was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of resistance to his knife. The meat melted in his mouth and the spices it contained danced on his tongue and as hard as he tried he couldn’t identify them.

The staff watched intently from the open kitchen as the man slowly retrieved the mini recorder from his suit pocket and started to talk slowly into it, pausing only briefly to savour more of the delicious steak.
Having finished the steak he wiped his mouth and beckoned over the manager. The manager arrived readily a little nervous as to what he was being called over for but he needn’t have worried.

“That is quite simply the best steak I have ever tasted” said the critic

“Thank you “replied the manager “I’ll be sure to let the chef and the owner what you said they will be delighted I’m sure” he continued.

My pleasure continued the man, the taste of the steaks heavenly juices still fresh in his mouth. “Can I have the owners name if you don’t mind I’d like to mention it in my review I’m a food critic you see”

“Oh wow “replied the manager in a suitably shocked way which hid his previous suspicions.
“Certainly he’s a great man and sources all our meat locally his name is Jeffrey, Jeffrey Dahmer”
D-A-H-M-E-R………