The Daily Treat–Where Ridgewood Meets to Eat

"Where the elite meet to eat" was the slogan for "Duffy's Tavern," a 1940s radio comedy, but it might also work for Ridgewood's The Daily Treat with a slight amendment: "Where the elite and everybody else meet to eat."

Harry Vouloukos bought a small luncheonette on Ridgewood Avenue in 1963 and renamed it The Daily Treat. He sold it to a cousin, John Skoutakis, and his partner, Gus Lainis in 1975 and they expanded in 1986, taking over the shoe store next door.

And for the last 47 years, The Daily Treat has been offering America-style breakfasts, lunches and dinners seven days a week. The only concession to the families' Greek heritage is a good Greek salad on the menu.

Skoutakis, who was born on a farm near Sparta and came to this country at 17, said his parents helped in the kitchen when he first started and his sister, Dimi, is still behind the cash register. "She does a little bit of every thing," he says.

At breakfast time on weekdays, "The Treat" is a favorite meeting spot for local politicos, and at lunch, you need to come early or you'll spend a lot of time standing in line (The Daily Treat does not take reservations).

My family has been going to "The Daily Treat" since 1974 and my partner rarely misses a Sunday-morning breakfast, but we hadn't been there for dinner in many years. So we took the whole family, four adults and three children.

The first surprise was a list of sophisticated specials, not at all what I consider "diner" food. I started with the "starburst" spinach salad which promptly drew sighs from around the table from people wishing they had ordered it. It was a generous serving of very fresh spinach, feta, strawberries and oranges. The vingarette came on the side, which Skoutakis said later is the way most of his customers like their salad dressing these days.

For the entrée, I had poached salmon in dill sauce which was truly a "treat."  Skoutakis said Chef Ulysses Salazar is responsible for the restaurant's sauces.  Unfortunately, you get a choice of potatoes and vegetables and there was no way I could pass up the French fries here. I sometimes have more will power at noon.  (Skoutakis said the secret here is good oil, changed frequently.)

Only one other person passed them up in favor of mashed potatoes, which were also good just in case there are people who don't like great fries. Other winners that night included more appetizers, shrimp and scallop scampi and a gazpacho, and an entrée of a half chicken. The only disappointment was the soft shell crabs which were on the dry side. The children, of course, had the usual chicken fingers and fries.

Green beans won the day on the vegetable selection. And the tab for seven came to $100.

Yes, the lights are diner-bright, and my partner thinks they should be lowered in the evening.  But the staff is unflappable. We brought wine and glasses were produced, albeit a bit mismatched. Nobody cared. This is a place where people go to eat and talk, not impress the neighbors.

Asked how things have changed in the last 30 years, Skoutakis said that he has a lot more fish on the menu though the old standbys, pot roast, leg of lamb and roast beef are still available.

And not only do people now want their salad dressing on the side, they are not nearly as interested in dessert as they were 30 years ago. Clovia Feldman, another cousin who as a teenager worked for the original owner, said, "We used to sell a ton of ice cream –we made our own—but today nobody wants dessert."

"We also have more pasta dishes today," Skoutakis said. "Back in 1975, 1980, nobody cared much about pasta." And he is selling a lot more salads. Breakfast fare has also changed. It's no longer about fried eggs and bacon but omelets, waffles, and pancakes.

The Daily Treat, like most popular Ridgewood restaurants, has seen a recession dip in the number of times repeat customers come in, many going from once a week to twice a month.  But Skoutakis says he still has a few that come every night for dinner and are there the next morning for breakfast. (Given the extensive menu, it wouldn't get boring.)

Clearly, for some diners, The Daily Treat has been and still is a home away from home. Feldman recalls the early days when every table had individual cream pitchers and a regular who had a noisemaker with a moo sound and played it every time people poured cream in their coffee.   

The moo sounds and the pitchers are gone but the cream is still there.

Food: Very Good
Service:  Excellent
Entrée Price Range: $8.40 - $16.00
Atmosphere: Casual
Credit Cards Accepted