Roadside food—from those homey diners, coffee shops or bastions of so-called family dining—presents a world of cookery unto itself and one that I like a lot.

Above and beyond the hoopla of haute cooking and plush dining spots (not totally endemic to Maine), I find equal pleasure in these modest food halls whose cooks are turning out the sloppy Joe fare typical of such culinary joints.

I’ve been to all of the standard citadels in Maine that appear in guide books, like the Maine Diner in Wells, the A-1 in Gardiner, Moody’s in Waldoboro, the Brunswick Diner in Brunswick, which is a worthy stop if you’re taking the coastal route, and even the lackluster Cole Farms in Gray.

Beyond diners, however, is a template of luncheonettes around the state offering some mighty good eating too. Stone’s in North Yarmouth is still my favorite. Becky’s in Portland has some interest, though I think the specialty there is in the dessert case.

Some weeks ago I was in Bar Harbor, having arrived there before lunchtime where most every restaurant was still closed for the season. We found one of those family-dining restaurants open and stopped in for lunch.

Since it was barely noontime I opted for breakfast and encountered some of the worst blueberry pancakes I’ve ever had. Besides being tasteless, the texture was gross and rubbery. Probably the side order of bacon that we got to reward our dog patiently waiting for us in the car was the best thing to have.

Fortunately I can’t remember the name of the place, so don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything.

Recently while driving up to the North Woods, we took the Skowhegan exit of I-95 rather than exiting at Newport because I knew of a coffee shop that was OK right off the highway that would be a perfect stopping point for lunch. There aren’t many choices, especially if you're not in the know; and once you're on the those endless mountain-pass roads through the woods the best you can find to eat is road kill or the contents of your cooler.

It’s on Route 201, a scant byway that skirts the fringes of Fairfield, and serves a little business strip of retail, auction galleries (Poulin’s and Julia ) and other ephemera of country commerce.

It’s called Tammy’s Family Dining and it’s well worth the detour as you’re traveling north. Downtown Newport used to have a corner restaurant, now gone, that served good home-style grub. So this is it, as far as I know. But please feel free to recommend other choices.

The place is kitsch beyond reason. The front half purports to be a gallery selling stuffed animals, dolls and other fury confections. Then there’s a counter offering homemade fudge of every description. It's an oddly compelling retail mix.

Added to that is the main dining room--a vast scene of Formica-topped tables taken by locals enjoying enormous platters of food. Our waitress was Bonnie Sue, an attractive buxom blond probably in her late 50s and dressed in short shorts and a scant black sequined tank top that didn’t leave much to the imagination. Ultimately in her breathless friendliness was the archetype of the fast-talking, smart-barbed good-hearted waitress.

Just about everything on the menu—from ribs to meatballs and spaghetti, to soups, meatloaf, hamburgers and other stars of a short-order chef—looked and sounded very appealing and all made on the premises.

I ordered the fish cakes, which were made with shrimp, haddock and scallops. With it came homemade potato salad and coleslaw. I could have had the baked beans, which were not made there but were from a can of Bush’s best quality.

Fish cakes are a much maligned staple in Maine restaurants found in either coffee shops or serious dining rooms. I think they should be simple, unadorned, wholesome and have a great bread coating. The ones I had at Tammy’s were perfect.

My traveling mate ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, which were made on the premises. This too is another dish, like meatloaf, that is best prepared simply.

The fishcakes were two big rounds cloaked in a delicious, crunchy bread coating with all fish and little filler and lots of flavor. The potato salad and slaw were also first rate, especially the potato salad, made with local potatoes and gobs of mayonnaise, onion and relish.

I tasted the pasta dish and thought it was good. The spaghetti itself probably came straight from a box of Mueller’s, but the red sauce had lots of appeal, heavily flavored with oregano. The meatballs were very firm, normal sized and extremely tasty.

There wasn’t an entrée priced over $7.95, and most everything else was $5 to $6.

I’d happily go there again when in the vicinity, and I wish we had more places like that in Portland.

Occasionally I’ll embark on the 20 minute drive to Scarborough to go expressly to another favorite of spot, the Spurwink Country Kitchen on Route 77 where time has stood still and the food is always delicious.

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