Roundabout Diner, Portsmouth, NH

Last Wednesday I went here with my friends Brian and Jim. Brian has been frequenting the place with his girlfriend and loves it, so he convinced me I had to go. Twist my arm why don't ya? It's a very classic looking diner with a lot of room. The menu is pretty big too, and while featuring classic diner standbys, also features some unexpected and intriguing options like Lobster Macaroni & Cheese, and a Wagyu beef burger. I was seriously tempted to get the burger. I've only had one once before, at Diamondback in Sonora, CA, and it was possibly the best tasting burger I've ever had. However, I was feeling poor and opted for the haddock sandwich (more on that in a moment). After I explained the whole Kobe/Wagyu thing to Brian his interest was sufficiently aroused and decided to order one, which made me glad that at least ONE of us was going to enjoy that piece of red meat heaven. One problem though. Anyone that knows Brian knows that he likes his burgers, as he explained to the waitress when ordering, "kind of absurdly well-done". My culinary hairs bristled at the thought of a blackened, hockey puck of a Kobe beef burger, but like a little food Buddha, I let it go. Brian did say he could taste a difference, which eased my concerns a little bit. Jim ordered the chicken pot pie, which looked quite good. My haddock sandwich was fried in panko, and was tasty, but the fillet's size rather exceeded the confines of the bun, a practice I've never been a fan of. I want everything to be snug within the embrace of mother bread for easier handling, and better bite distribution (I have one of those overbites where a third of the way through the sandwich one side of the bun is almost all eaten, and you have to take proportion management bites from the other side to catch up--overstuffed buns increase this problem, and I'm sure there's some scientific formula in there waiting to be devised) . Gripes aside, I did like it, and the place. I'd recommend it to people who like the diner style atmosphere, and fresh, homestyle food. Also, breakfast is supposedly great, and served all day. I only hope that they eventually start serving food 24 hours a day. It would be a great late night spot after leaving downtown.