The meatloaf plate, front, is classic comfort food. Banana nut pancakes, rear, topped with fresh banana slices and loads of walnuts.

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

EAST PROVIDENCE — Mel’s Diner is neither run by a man named Mel nor does it have a waitress named Flo. It’s not in an authentic dining car but a building renovated to quite closely resemble one.

With those details out of the way let’s talk food — comforting, well-prepared, delicious food sold at prices so low it would be hard to do at home.

Jack Madden opened Mel’s two years ago, replacing Bobby’s Small Town diner in the space set back at 446 North Broadway. He brought more than three decades of experience to the venture. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, he ran another diner, Class Act Catering, a breakfast and lunch spot in Woonsocket with a catering business. He also served in management posts at Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonald’s and Pizzeria Uno.

He’s back in the kitchen now and we are all glad. He and his team, including Chris, the perky server and diner diplomat who is so much better than Flo could ever be, have it all together.

They serve breakfast all day, including some of the best diner pancakes you’ll ever have. The blueberry pancakes brimmed with sweet wild blueberries, loads of them. What I loved best was that the texture of the batter held up to the berries and didn’t wilt away. Yet they were light and incredibly moist. I didn’t even use syrup, because I like the delightful taste of the buttery pancakes and sweet berries on their own. Mel’s sells them singly ($1.75) or in stacks of two ($2.75) or three ($3.50).

I just got one because I also wanted to try the banana nut pancake (same pricing applies). A few pieces of banana were mixed into the batter before grilling, which offered a lovely pairing. But on top of the pancake was probably another whole sliced banana and loads of walnuts. Some might think it a bit over the top, but I thought it was grand.

A side of bacon offered a nice helping of four slices ($1.75) nice and crisp, just as I prefer.

Mel’s also serves a bottomless cup of coffee for $1.25.

My dining companion went the lunch special route, ordering Tuesday’s weekly special of meatloaf and mashed potatoes with a few slices of bread ($4.75). It was homemade and covered in gravy.

Chris brought us a sample of the ham and beans that is on the menu. The ham is sliced off the bone and grilled and paired with baked beans in a thick brown sugar sauce.

The menu at Mel’s tempts in many ways. The breakfast selections start with two eggs and toast ($1.99) and work up to a Hungry Man Omelet with four eggs, ham, toast and home fries or hash browns (at $6.25 the most expensive thing on the menu along with luncheon specials: Thursday’s turkey dinner and Friday’s fish and chips). The lunch menu includes burgers (starting at $3.50), grilled cheese sandwich ($2.50) as well as subs and a soup of the day. But why wouldn’t you go for the daily specials of meatloaf, turkey and fish and chips as well as beef stew on Monday ($5.25) and American Chop Suey on Wednesday ($4.99).

Only breakfast is served on the weekends, but specials rule those days and they are whoppers, such as stuffed French toast or Irish Eggs Benedict with two eggs any style topped with hollandaise sauce, corned beef hash, home fries and toast. Madden also serves waffles on the weekend in varieties including granola and pecan with caramel sauce or peanut butter chip.

Dessert for breakfast is my new favorite thing, thanks to Mel’s.Bill of Fare

A lunch for two at Mel’s Diner might look like this:

2 coffees…$2.50

Two blueberry pancakes…$2.75

Side bacon…$1.75

Meatloaf special…$4.75

Total food and drink…$11.75

Tax…$.95

Tip…$2.40

Total bill…$15.10

Mel’s Diner, 446 North Broadway, East Providence, (401) 435-4041. Casual. Take-out available. Free parking lot. Cash only. Wheelchair accessible. Highchairs. Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. serving lunch and dinner; Saturday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. breakfast menu only. Breakfast, $1.99 to $6.25; lunch, $2.50 to $6.25.

gciampa@projo.com