This week’s group included Brittany Lyons, Chris Plack, Travis McConnell, Shari Benyousky, Paul Finley and Jeff Owens.

By Shari Benyousky
Guest Columnist

Column Note: This is the fourth column in the Dives and Diners series in which a small group of Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club members and their guests explore the diners and dives of Kosciusko and the surrounding area.

WARSAW — I parked across the road from Taqueria El Comal, 828 E. Winona Ave., Warsaw and marveled that I had somehow passed the blazing orange restaurant a thousand times without paying attention to it. I found the right door (not the front one), and entered a bustling restaurant. Clearly, lots of people loved this place because the tables were more than half full already at 11:30 a.m. The crowd laughed and joked, dressed in casual clothes. It was a pleasant place to pause in the middle of a workday.

The first thing you notice upon entering is the line of colorful gumball machines. I hadn’t used one of those in years, so I dug around in my pocket to find a quarter. The second thing you notice are all the colorful pictures of menu items on the walls. Otherwise, it felt like a regular restaurant and not a lunch counter like our last visit. I found a table in the corner with a few others from my group who arrived early.

Candy machines inside the door.

“This isn’t really a dive,” announced Funeral Planner Brittany Lyons, peeling off her winter jacket. This was a familiar theme, and she was right. We had drinks, chips, and menus in our hands in minutes as we rehashed the long-running argument about whether or not a restaurant qualifies as a dive.

Wild Card (a guest) Travis McConnell pulled out his phone to quote a Webster’s Dictionary definition including the word “disreputable.” While we munched through three baskets of chips and salsa, we all agreed this is not how we were using the word. We also agreed to disqualify the internet as a method of solving the argument.

At this point, Remax Realtor Jeff Owens entered and didn’t notice those of the group already in the corner. He found a table and perused the menu. “Did he not see us?” asked First Source Banker Paul Finley. “Or is he ignoring us?” Jeff looked around the busy restaurant again. I took a picture of the back of his head and texted it to him. We all watched as he pulled out his phone, frowned, and looked around again. We waved. “I guess we fit in pretty well here then,” Banker Paul chuckled. We scooted over for Remax Jeff and 24-7 Car Guy Chris Plack who arrived late.

A waitress arrived to give us menu advice. Clearly, we needed it. “No, no lengua today,” she shook her head and her gold earrings gleamed. I admired her put-together look. She shrugged. “Get the steak. Steak is extra good today.”

“So, how do you want to be referred to in this article McConnell?” I asked from the corner after the waitress had gone to the kitchen. “Like Coffeehouse owner? Attorney? Small Business owner? Local Liberal Agitator?”

“How about Candidate Travis?” tossed in First Source Banker Paul Finley. He lifted his orange Jarritos soda for a cheers.

“Better yet, Failed Candidate Travis!” Chuckled 24-7 Car Guy Chris Plack. “Wait, I’m a failed candidate too. Common Council 2.” He raised his own Orange Jarritos back.

“Me too!” I scribbled notes. “2018 Wayne Township Trustee.”

“And me actually!” adds Finley. “I lost a County Council race in 2017.”

Wall menu

We looked at each other in surprise. What are the chances? Then we looked at Owens and Lyons who shook their heads in unison. “Not us! Not running!”

But 24-7 Car Dude Plack wasn’t done. He rubbed the back of his head with a grin as he does when he’s thinking. “But McConnell lost two candidacies, so he still wins. We could call him Failed-Multiple-Times-Candidate, Attorney, and Coffeehouse-Owner McConnell, right?”

McConnell doesn’t let our ribbing drag him down. He grins his famous face-splitting grin. “Clearly I won anyway,” he says, punctuating the words with a handful of chips. “With such nice friends and all.”

The topic changes when our food arrives arranged in green baskets nestled in black and white checked paper and we all dive in. Perhaps that’s our real definition of “dive” — a welcome place with comfortable and affordable food. Food that makes us want to dive in. Taqueria El Comal suits that definition to a big giant delicious T. So, get the tacos, or the quesadillas, or the burritos, or the guacamole. Whatever you get, you’ll win too.

El Comal Tips — El Comal is not a bar, so you won’t find a margarita here, but you can choose from many good sodas made with real cane sugar in glass bottles. Also, use the door on the east side of the building.

BONUS TIP – El Comal translated means griddle.