Del Monte Express has fed so many people so many burgers for so long that it has become an institution.

I believe that humans need familiarity. The regular repetition of familiar activities somehow comforts the restlessness and insecurity that bubbles just below the surface in most people. Because of this, certain things become institutions: baseball, soap operas and sitcoms, Thanksgiving dinner, driving cars, marriage... you know what I mean. Del Monte Express probably qualifies as an institution.

For the past dozen or so years, Joe Ferreira, who spent much of his earlier life involved in restaurants and banking, has been the locomotive pulling Del Monte Express. Along the journey, the Express has fed so many trainloads of locals so many burgers, specialty sandwiches and breakfasts that life without the restaurant seems unthinkable. And it''s not just a favorite place for locals. Repeat visitors to the Monterey Peninsula who have learned about local favorite spots have become regulars at Del Monte Express as well. One of my friends told me about an acquaintance of his from Chicago who visits Monterey every year. Without fail, his first order of business after checking into his hotel is a visit to Del Monte Express for a hamburger. That''s an institution.

Ferreira, busy with his latest venture, Anthony''s Steak & Seafood House next to the Travelodge on Fremont in North Monterey, spoke to me about his credo of good food, good customer service, consistency and a nice atmosphere. He says that the buzz about Del Monte Express has found its way around the world. The Naval Postgraduate School transferees and tourists who stop in tell their friends about it and the circle grows.

On our last visit, we brought the Ryczinskis, who were visiting from Los Angeles, with us for a blow-out-the-back-room lunch extravaganza. There were eight of us total, including two pre-teens and one pre-walking infant, plus one grandmother. This was not an easy group to handle in a restaurant. Each member of the Ryczinski family has a powerful personality and requests slight variations in the standard offerings at every restaurant they visit. Often this creates consternation for already-burdened service personnel (that''s putting it diplomatically). As we were being led to our table I was relieved to see that we would be in the back room alone, safely isolated from the rest of the clientele.

Naturally, my instincts were whispering "bloody Mary" in my mind''s ear (there is a full bar in the back). I opted instead for chocolate milk. Our waitress, a lovely woman named Oaksoon, who obviously had a club car full of experience under her belt, took command of our table with her friendly, down-to-Earth, motherly personality. The menu here is extensive and wordy. Each item has a railroad-related name and a lengthy description beneath, so it takes some time and focus to get through it. Oaksoon sat down next to one of the girls and patiently wrote, suggested, explained and guided us through the ordering process. Throughout the experience she exhibited all the wonderful qualities that make a server great: knowledge of the product, patience, character, sense of humor, strong self-esteem and, most importantly, love.

We ordered a good portion of the menu and sat chatting, coloring and kibitzing while the kitchen folks busily did their kitchen things. Before long, trays of sodas, lemonades, water, coffee and chocolate milk were lugged in by Oaksoon and merrily delivered. For the food delivery, she was assisted by other staff members; there is a strong sense of teamwork present here.

Suddenly, the table was overrun with food. Great mounds of French fries spilled over onto juicy burgers, chicken sandwiches and veggie burgers (they actually have five different veggie burgers on the menu). The girls plunged into their Express Little Puffer Belly burgers, the name for the junior-sized ones. They come with alphabet fries if you prefer--and the girls preferred. The alphabets actually were a bigger hit with the adults--they reminded everyone of Tater Tots, so lots of potato switching was happening.

Grandma Ryczinski went with the Golden State Limited, which is a version of chef''s salad. She was impressed with the freshness and flavor, remarking that often the ingredients in those types of salads are tired. Not so here. With the volume of business in this joint, the only thing that can get tired is the help. Mama Ryczinski had the Magpie, two garden veggie patties topped with celery, green onions, bell peppers, tomato, spinach and cheese. It was very tasty and much more interesting than most veggie burgers. Papa Ryczinski went with The Admiral, a burger topped with melted Swiss and sautéed mushrooms. While his head was turned, I forked a couple of the mushrooms into my mouth. They were just what they ought to be. Baby Ryczinski decided to stay with the breast milk, which he ate (drank?) almost continually... he''s a big one.

Sweet Thing also went with one of the veggie burgers: the Big Boy. Again, they give you two veggie patties topped with zucchini, grilled onions (the grilled onions here are nice), mushrooms, green pepper, avocado and sour cream. She was impressed with the quality of the veggie burger and the interesting accompaniments. I tried one of the many chicken sandwiches, the West Coast Special Run. In addition to the breasts, there were avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato and optional bacon. It was a fabulous sandwich, fresh tasting, smoky and flavorful, plus there was plenty of it. There is no chance of walking out of this establishment hungry.

At the end of the meal, our table looked like the aftermath of a military assault on a small village. There was rubble everywhere. Those of us who could still manage a bite or two nibbled at the remains of the few surviving bits of scattered food while we tried to reduce the mess to a more manageable form.

As we gathered up our belongings and made our way past the railroad memorabilia that decorates this bastion of casual good food, we couldn''t help but feel like we were passing through the hallowed halls of an institution.

Del Monte Express

2329 North Fremont, Monterey 655-1941

Breakfast: M-F 8-11am. Sat, Sun and Holidays 7am-noon.
Lunch and Dinner: M-Th 11am-8pm, Fri and Sat 11am-9pm, Sun noon-8pm.

Prices: What you''d expect.