Michele Tymann
Assistant News Editor
Food Network’s show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” filmed an episode at Bridgeport’s Merritt Canteen on Sept. 7. The diner is a local hotspot for Sacred Heart University students.
“Merritt Canteen has a great social atmosphere for college students,” said senior Chris Daly. “Every time I go there, I always see somebody I know.”
Merritt Canteen first opened as a hot dog stand in 1942 by Lorraine Kohn. In 1980 Jehu Rodriguez Sr. took over, and in 2001 his son Jehu (Jay) Rodriguez Jr. became the owner when his father retired.
The menu has changed a lot since the original hot dog stand and now offers a variety of items, including New England clam chowder, chili-dogs, onion rings, and the owner’s favorite, bison burgers.
“I like the bison burger. I brought it on and everyone criticized me for it, but it really took off,” said Rodriguez. “It has since evolved to a bacon and egg bison burger.”
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives is an hour-long show in which the host, Guy Fieri, visits classic “greasy spoon” locations, ranging from roadside shacks to Las Vegas sports bars, according to the Food Network Web site. Each episode usually consists of 3 to 5 stops, and a plethora of food.
Some Sacred Heart students find an appeal to the variety of cuisines featured on the show.
“I like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives because I enjoy seeing unique and funky foods that restaurants come up with to bring customers in,” said senior Kevin Bussell. “Most notable to me is the Elvis Sandwich which consists of peanut butter, jelly, a grilled banana, and American cheese on Texas toast.”
The mouth-watering dishes aren’t the only appeal to the show.
“Many diners and drive-ins are within the area,” said Bussell. “I’ve seen many episodes and since I have been at Sacred Heart I’ve gone to two diners that have appeared on the show, Super Duper Weenie and Black Duck Café.”
The diner was given six weeks notice before the show came to film, but Merritt Canteen has been on the shows radar since 2008, according to Rodriguez. The show has received thousands of e-mails requesting that the diner be featured on the show.
“It fits the show because it holds history from when it was a drive-in diner in the 1960s to now,” said senior Jackie Comandini. “Merritt Canteen is a local, one-of-a-kind landmark that is a unique landmark of Bridgeport.
Chris Bogannam, a local resident from Trumbull, Conn. took part in getting Merritt Canteen on the radar.
“My girlfriend and I watch the show and go to Merritt Canteen all the time,” said Bogannam. “So I took the time to figure out how to get it on the show and started a Facebook fan page to get support.”
Many Sacred Heart students visit the hangout for various reasons.
“I like going to the Merritt Canteen due to the fact that it is a pig-out spot,” said Bussell.
Other students have been longtime visitors to the diner.
“I grew up down the street from the Merritt and always loved their food and friendly atmosphere,” said Comandini.
Though their reasons for being loyal customers may vary, many students continue to visit the local diner.
“Merritt is just one of those places you’d rather go to instead of fast food places like Burger King or McDonalds,” said Daly.
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