Well, except that a diner should technically be clean, and O'Rourke's isn't, very. It's located in an old chrome-covered boxcar at the south end of Main Street, in what passes in Middletown for the bad part of town. There have definitely been cockroach sightings, and the bathrooms aren't really prime destinations. The place is small, only six or seven booths, and always a little steamy.

But such deterrents only keep away the overly fastidious. What makes O'Rourke's fans keep coming back and lining up is the diner's spectacular breakfasts. The real specialty is omlettes, light and fluffy and filled with all sorts of excellent and inventive materials influenced by both the O'Rourke family's native Ireland and by the large local Italian population. There's a pesto and mozzarella omlette which is especially good, but the range includes avocado-and-salsa, salmon, and a lot of other specialty ingredients for which you'd expect to pay a heck of a lot more than the approximately $8 most of the things cost. Flavors run intense and rich; there's even more food on those plates than it seems, and you'll be hard pressed to finish it. On Sundays, the menu is extended to include lavish eggs benedict and the like.

Whatever you order, you'll also be given a little plate of homemade breads -- Irish soda bread, some sweet zucchini bread, whatever they made that day. They're delicious.

Apparently O'Rourke's also makes a killer cheeseburger, and good pancakes, but I wouldn't know. I can't imagine why anyone would want anything but one of those heavenly omlettes.

O'Rourke's is open for breakfast and lunch, closing early in the afternoon (though it'll vary when, exactly).