Nov 4, 2009 7:58 am US/Eastern
Local Diner Gets National Attention
BAYNESVILLE, Md. (WJZ) ―
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The Bel-Loc Diner has been serving up good meals for 50 years.
CBS
Baltimore is one of those towns filled with interesting people and places, sometimes in the same place.
Mike Schuh takes us to just such a spot near Towson, a landmark getting national attention again.
A full lot is the end result of 50 years of hard work.
"Sometimes people try to be something they're not, and I know I'm a diner," said owner Bill Doxanas.
It's an inspiration for a Barry Levinson movie, but not much has changed here.
"We came here in 1988 and we've come back here off and on regularly since then, so that says something about the quality," said a regular.
"That's what most of our business is, regulars," Doxanas said.
This week, the regulars saw something new: a first-place award from Southern Living Magazine.
"I agree with them. The noodle soup is the best there is," said Mary Eckhart.
"It's ranked number one. It might have been alphabetical, but we're happy with it. You're modest, you're number one," Doxanas said. "It was very nice of them."
Some regulars can't believe it but in that article, Bill hands over the recipe to a signature dish, a pudding he makes himself every day.
"I said, `You gave them the recipe for the rice pudding?'" said Rachel Fisher, a third generation waitress.
"My wife makes rice pudding, but always tries to put me on a diet so she doesn't put any sugar in it. So this is nice and sweet and I really like it, so I'd say this is the best I've ever had," said Ted Potthast.
But it takes more than the food to have five decades of success.
"What makes it good is the help you surround yourself with," Doxanas said.
"I've been here half my life. I can't believe it," said Rachel Komp.
"If I'm the QB, it's because I have great people working for me. That's what really counts," Doxanas said.
Setting such a tone draws people here for the good times and for a place to come when you need a friend.
"For me and for my heart, it was probably the worst day of my life. My wife divorced me legally today," said Tom Walsh. "I needed to treat myself."
"It makes you feel like you're something special," Fisher said.
"It's been good. No complaints," Doxanas said.
The Bel-Loc is open from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. It's located at Joppa Road and Loch Raven Blvd., east of Towson.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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