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A FAVORITE STOP ON THE NBA TOUR

Everything coming out of the cramped, hot kitchen at Johnson's Diner must pass the test.

Earlean Taylor personally checks the seasoning on every heaping plate of macaroni and cheese or center cut pork chops before it is ever placed on one of the small eatery's nine tables.

It has been that way since the beginning, when Taylor's mother, Lillie Johnson, first ladled up her first batch of collard greens in 1983. The owner and founder, Johnson is temporarily out of the kitchen recovering from a recent surgery. She still comes in occasionally to make sure things are running smoothly. But, as its diners know, Taylor maintains her mother's high standards for the down-home food that has made 692 W. Robinson St. a frequent stop on the NBA tour.

The Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs have fueled up on Southern specialties like meat loaf and fried chicken when in town to face the Magic. The Sacramento Kings once ordered 25 meals to go on their way to the airport. Taylor says Magic player Darrell Armstrong "buys his stew beef by the double order." All, she says, "are very good tippers."

Most of Johnson's regular customers are local residents or workers from Downtown, Taylor says.

They don't come because the place is fancy. It is a blush-colored stucco building with a large, hand-hewn sign on the front door proclaiming the daily specials. The sturdy clank of pots and pans mingles with the mighty chug of two wall air conditioners.

The place maintains its steady parade of clients because of the food.

The hand-written menu changes daily, with the prices low and the portions generous. The most expensive entree, two center cut pork chops, is $6.50. A stew beef dinner, with two vegetable side orders and a starch is $5.75. A hearty breakfast of salmon and grits is yours for $3.99. The breakfast specials are usually $2.99. The desserts range from bread pudding to peach cobbler to moist slabs of chocolate cake.

Ask if there is a house specialty and Taylor just laughs. They pay special attention to every plate, she says, "so there isn't one thing that I can say is better than the other."

You can call ahead for pickup orders, (407) 841-0717. Johnson's is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.