O'Rourke's Diner featured on Food Network

We'd known about it for months and had been patiently waiting for the episode to air. Finally, it has!

Middletown favorite O'Rourke's Diner has been featured on The Food Network, on its show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Called "Places You Sent Me," the episode has about eight minutes devoted to the food and history of O'Rourke's, including Brian's unique hash and the local tradition, the steamed cheeseburger.

The show originally aired Dec. 1, but it'll be shown again on Dec. 21 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time.

Do not watch this video if you are hungry or do not want to be hungry. Your mouth will be watering for the entire 7 minutes and 49 seconds! Or, well, all right... maybe not for the first 20 seconds or so of the guy in red talking at the beginning. Is that some kind of '90s pop revival?

Thanks to Ed McKeon at The Middletown Eye.

O'Rourke's hours of operation

From Katrina Smith-Mannschott '08:

I went by O'Rourke's this evening and found it closed (well, closing, Brian was still there). Brian asked if, since they are still having trouble getting internet going there (and thus are having trouble editing their webpage), the hours could be posted somewhere for students until he finished getting the site up and running.

So without further ado, O'Rourke's hours of operation:

Monday: 5:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday: 5:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday: 5:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday: 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday: 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday: 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday: 5:00 AM - 3:00 PM

My mouth is watering as I write this.

EDIT: On the days that they're open until 9, O'Rourke's stop seating people from 3-4:30 for a "sanity break." Also, if you want to get the "Breakfast with Brian" special, where he just cooks you whatever he feels like and it's delicious, you have to get there when he's the one cooking. I was told the best time for that is around 8 or 9am. --Matt

O'Rourke's Update (And How You Can Visit Mocon/Davenport Reincarnated)

Those of you who have been around Wesleyan long enough to remember and love O'Rourke's Diner: fear not. Although previous information proclaimed that the beloved diner would reopen February 4 (also known as this past Monday), sources on O'Rourke's official website forum are now citing next Monday (February 11) as the opening day.

In related news, there was a significant piece in the New Haven Register this past Saturday regarding the story of the diner's rebuilding. It includes several interesting anecdotes. For one, as it turns out, those students who are feeling nostalgic for last year's dining will be able to go to O'Rourke's once it opens and feel a little bit closer to the twin legacies of Mocon and Davenport. The article explains:

"Wesleyan donated booths from the Davenport Student Center and about $30,000 in kitchen equipment from a dining hall being renovated, said Jeff Bianco, the architect who designed the rebuilt interior."

And in the context of Middletown nightlife, the article also notes,

"O’Rourke has big plans for the new O’Rourke’s that include opening for dinner three nights a week, late nights on Fridays and Saturdays and adding live Irish music sessions on Monday nights."

For the rest of the piece, go to http://www.nhregister.com and search for "O'Rourke's Diner." Or to get your news straight from the source, hit up www.orourkesdiner.com

In the Middle: Prepare your stomachs!

On my run over the bridge this morning, I went past O'Rourke's, and to my surprise and delight, what did I see, but no more plywood over the windows! I caught Brian O'Rourke outside in his trademark white apron and congratulated him on the rebuilding.

But the best part? Brian says O'Rourke's Diner will be open in about two weeks! Prepare your stomachs, everyone! And check the O'Rourke's Diner website for more information.

Freshmen and sophomores who may never have experienced the palate-pleasing joy that is O'Rourke's: don't pass up the opportunity to have a delicious breakfast when this gem reopens!

EDIT: Posted by drexmo on the O'Rourke's Diner forums:

Brian tells us that the anticipated date to reopen is Monday, February 4th!! He also hopes to have extended hours into the evenings, ie dinner, on Thursdays thru Sundays! Spread the word!! Donations still very much welcome!!

Photo from roadfood.com. Check out their site for reviews and many mouth-watering photos of Brian's dishes.

O'Rourke's Breakfast: Every day but Monday.

Saturday's Breakfasts with Brian at Weswings just aren't enough? Well, you're in luck. The Coppertop Grill (344 Main Street) is serving O'Rourke's breakfast every Tuesday-Friday from 7am-11am, and on Sundays with slightly later hours. This was covered a while ago in the Argus, but I was told to spread the word!

O'Rourke at Coppertop

Brian O'Rourke will be cooking up breakfast at The Coppertop Bar and Grill on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. "Most people eat breakfast; people don't often have breakfast," he told The Middletown Press.

One of the dishes on the traditional Irish menu is called the "Dubliner." It is an omelet that contains corned beef hash and Irish cheddar served with Irish bacon, fingerling potatoes and O'Rourke's famous Irish soda bread. According to the menu, the omelet is one of the most popular items.

Another breakfast entrée is an apple and brie omelet topped with mango preserves and served with a scone and a potato dish called colcannon. People can also try the "Irish Gallway" dish, which is poached eggs over grilled brown bread with smoked and imported salmon, bacon and hollandaise sauce.

Tomorrow (Sunday, January 20), there will be a special family-style breakfast.

O'Rourke's is Bookin'

Middletown has been really busting its butt to get O'Rourke's up and running again:

The response to Mr. O'Rourke's plight has been heartwarming. Volunteers - many of them students from Wesleyan University - helped to demolish damaged portions of the diner's interior last fall. Others set up a website and helped to organize fundraisers (the next one is tentatively scheduled for St. Patrick's Day; check www.orourkesdiner.com for details).

Business and renovation plans are in the works. Later this month, Xavier High School will donate proceeds from a basketball game to O'Rourke's. City hall and the chamber of commerce have lent their support, too.

Donations of cash have surpassed $140,000, according to Jane McMillan, the attorney whose Middletown firm set up a trust for the diner. Ms. McMillan said the donations, from businesses, doctors' practices and about 300 individuals, are still flowing at a steady rate, pushing the campaign toward its $350,000 goal (a figure that includes the value of donated labor and materials).

Brian O'Rourke @ Weswings

One of those nights that Xue was referring to that Brian O'Rourke will be doing dinner at WesWings is tonight. The dish is "Seafood O'Rourke" which is apparently shrimp and scallops over pasta, but fancier. More info under "specials" at www.weswings.com

O'Rourke's comes to WesWings

Apparently I'm the last person in the world to know about this, but the Saturday breakfast specials at Weswings is now being cooked by Brian O'Rourke from O'Rourke's Diner. I also heard he was cooking the dinner special one night a week, but the day escapes me at the moment.

O'Rourke's to be Rebuilt

So O'Rourke's will be up again and apparently better than ever:

Friends of Brian O'Rourke say he intends to rebuild his famed diner, and Middletown architect Jeffrey Bianco said Sunday he is donating his professional services to the cause.

Bianco said the shell of the dining-car style building can be salvaged, and that damage to the art deco interior of O'Rourke's Diner isn't as bad as was originally feared. Bianco, who examined the restaurant Saturday with city Building Official John Parker, said he is optimistic that the diner can be rebuilt. (source)

It's pretty awesome how much of a cultural icon this diner is in Middletown that it can rally so many supporters around it. Peachy keen.

O'Rourke's Online

Some kind people set up a forum dedicated to O'Rourke's Diner, with sections for news, support, and people's memories of the diner. Some are downright tear-jerking. Here's an excerpt from a post by an alum that's funny and spot-on:

It's 11 PM and someone from your dorm hall at Wesleyan sees your door is open and stops by for a minute. Just talking, not about anything in particular.

It's 2 AM and you're still chatting away. Neither of you is the least bit tired, and you've already solved the problem with the price of gas, global warming, and come up with box cover art for those pudding snacks that wouldn't get you fired for sexual harassment if you showed it to your intern in a Fortune 500 company. Speaking of pudding, you're both starting to get hungry. Do you have any more Froot Loops stolen from MoCon? No? Guess the only option is to stay up until O'Rourkes opens.

It's 4 AM and now you're a band of 6. You've covered everything that's wrong with the Republican party, half of what's wrong with the Democratic party, then got distracted by what's wrong with the Libertarians. At least twice an hour the conversation topic has switched to computers or sex. Occasionally both. Someone suggests that if you leave now, you could cover Fisk Hall in construction paper polka dots and still be at O'Rourkes right when they open.

O'Rourke's

Woke up to this via Livejournal:

This morning, I am sad to tell you, O'Rourke's Diner burned down, and according to the news, the owner "does not know if he is going to rebuild."

News articles here and here.

WFSB slideshow here.

Here are one person's memories.