The Standard Times | June 17, 2005

It happened on a Tuesday at the Nest Diner, a gray thunder-clad night outside, but warm and friendly within.

Owner Randy St. John had dinner all prepared, featuring an inspired menu that Robert B. Parker's super sleuth Spenser would have undoubtedly approved. The meal was literally lifted from the pages of Mr. Parker's novels.

The meal started off with chilled asparagus on red leaf lettuce with green herb mayonnaise, such as the one Spenser created in "Ceremony." Next came roasted pork tenderloin with honey and rosemary, complemented by white beans and green peppers with olive oil and cilantro, all on a bed of wilted spinach, as featured in "Double Deuce." Diners then enjoyed a superb bread pudding with whisky sauce and an array of fresh berries that was taken directly from the pages of "Chance."

What's the mystery?

This menu could have been served at a top-notch, four-star restaurant. Indeed, Mr. St. John previously spent many years working in just such surroundings, including 13 years as general manager of the Agawam Club in East Providence. But this scene actually took place at Mattapoisett's own humble diner, The Nest. This is the same place most regulars frequent for more typical diner fare such as meat loaf or eggs over easy and a side of home fries, or as Tom Waits sang in "Nighthawks at the Diner," "… a burger and fries, what kind of pies, a la mode?"

Last Tuesday night from 6 to 8 p.m., on the first of three such evenings, a dozen dedicated readers turned out for "Dinner and Double Play at the Diner," to mingle, eat, and share conversations dealing with the One Book, One Mattapoisett town-wide book discussion project. Notes were compared and savored along with the food as participants scribbled ideas on a giant Post-It note.

These ideas will be presented to novelist Parker, along with notes from the Mattapoisett Senior Center's Thursday afternoon coffees (1 to 3 p.m.) and the library's own Saturday morning book talks (10:30 to 11:30 a.m.), when the author comes to Mattapoisett July 8.

Anyone interested in joining these discussion groups should phone the library at (508) 758-4171. To reserve a meal, just sign up at The Nest before 2 p.m. each Monday. The diner is open on Tuesday nights in June solely for these library-related programs.

Mr. Parker is honorary celebrity chair of the Capital Campaign Steering Committee for the Mattapoisett Free Public Library Building Project.

He attended a school reunion in Mattapoisett a few years ago, having spent several years of his youth as a student of Center School (and continuing his education to earn a Ph.D. in Boston). When Library Director Judy Wallace contacted the noted mystery writer to solicit his help for the final phase of the MFPL's "more than a million dollar" public-private fundraising campaign, Mr. Parker enthusiastically agreed to assist. "I've spent some very fine hours in the library in Mattapoisett," he wrote, adding, "I'm happy to help."

On the coming Tuesday, Mr. St. John's menu includes a bibb lettuce salad with honey, mustard and garlic dressing (featured in "Autumn"), followed by spinach fettuccini with red and green peppers, mushrooms, walnuts, olive oil, raspberry vinegar and grated jack cheese (from "The Widening Gyre") and sour cherry pie (from "Paper Doll").

For the final diner event on June 28, the menu starts with sliced tomatoes on a bed of Boston lettuce with oil and vinegar, as seen in "God Save the Child," followed by a Brunswick stew from "Walking Shadow" and finishes with a sour cherry cobbler taken from "Ceremony."

The real puzzler is how Barbara and Randy St. John are able to offer such a splendid repast for just $8.95 per person. "We love the library and are pleased to offer our support for this great program," Mrs. St. John said. "Besides, Randy is a huge fan of Robert Parker."

In addition to owning and operating The Nest Diner, the St. Johns also run a catering business called Sweet Memories. Their company will prepare refreshments on July 8 for both the $100 per person afternoon tea with Mr. Parker from 3-5 p.m. (with beer and wine provided by The Village Package Store) and the free-to-all grand finale meet the author party at Center School from 5 to 7 p.m.

Originally published online here: http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/06-05/06-17-05/b02li879.htm