Meatloaf. Mac and cheese. Matzoh-ball soup. When times get tough, we turn to food that makes us feel better.

Even glitzy Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has put its money on the comfort-food craze, revamping the menu in the past few months. When busted bettors need to soothe their psyches, they can head to the appropriately named Blue Plate, open 24/7 inside the casino.

The Hard Rock's version of the quintessential diner features such homey eats as chicken pot pie, turkey and gravy, corned-beef hash -- washed down with a root-beer float. You'll also find sweet-and-sour shrimp, lasagna, empanadas and other ethnic standards.

The open, airy restaurant, across from the Contour Spa, is a short walk from the slots and blackjack tables but far enough so you can escape the sensory overload and the smoke (though the 240-seat restaurant does have a smoking section). You don't have to be a high roller to afford a meal here; most dishes are less than $20.

The decor is a contemporary take on a 1950s diner, with sleek ceiling fans sporting one blade, huge blonde-wood booths and tabletops and columns made from stainless steel. The background music doesn't match the diner theme; it's an eclectic mix ranging from the Doors to Elton John.

Blue Plate makes a good first impression with its grilled Asian ribs, ultra tender and glistening with a sweet chili glaze, paired with cold citrus noodles -- a nice counterpoint.

We hesitantly ordered the Cajun crab cake, but it was also a hit -- the patty seared to a golden brown with a crisp shell, the blackened crab well-seasoned, paired with a perky, Creole-style rémoulade.

The light matzoh balls might not please your bubbe, but overall the chicken soup is a decent rendition with a homey stock. Salads include the staples: Cobb, Caesar, Southwestern.

After two visits, we've found that true comfort foods work best as entrees.

The blue-plate special is, fittingly, meat loaf. Big, beefy slabs are tender and tomatoey, a reminder of a childhood kitchen. The gargantuan serving, garnished with strips of battered fried onions, could easily feed two or more, though we would have preferred a little more gravy for the garlicky mashed potatoes. Forrest Gump would love this traditional medley of peas and carrots, and there's good corn on the cob, with firm, juicy kernels -- the first time I've had a restaurant rendition that wasn't soggy and tasteless.

The chicken pot pie is another crowd pleaser, with puff pastry floating above a medley of white chicken, corn, carrots and peas in a surprisingly light cream sauce.

If you like leftovers, go for the huge platter of two pan-seared chicken breasts laden with a typically thick brown gravy, sandwiching a mound of sautéed spinach, all atop a rustic polenta cake.

You get a generous fillet of pan-seared salmon in a flavorful tomato sauce with a hint of capers, but the fish was slightly overcooked for our taste. It's served atop mashed potatoes and just-firm slices of fresh zucchini and squash.

At a place called Blue Plate, you can expect such desserts as apple crumble, New York cheesecake and a decadent chocolate crunch cake. Why not go for a blast from the past -- rich milkshakes or a frothy root-beer float.

If you happen to be visiting the casino, you can at least count on the Blue Plate as a safe bet.

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