Tag: Diner

White Rose System (Roselle) taylor ham
Diners

White Rose System (Roselle)

Hollie

White Rose System (Roselle):

Recently I was in Roselle and wanted to stop at the famous White Rose System. The White Rose System is a legendary old school metallic diner.  I’ve gone to a few older diners recently and it’s like you step into a time machine.

As I mentioned last week with the White Rose Diner, many old diners in New Jersey have the name white in them; in fact, there are about 20 old diners in New Jersey that have the name.  According to Munchmobile, when diners were first starting, “white” meant cleanliness and wholesomeness

White Rose System (Roselle)

White Rose System (Roselle) Atmosphere: A
You cannot get an older diner than the White Rose System. It’s a shiny, square, metallic diner, located in the hill. The inside is bar seating only. The White Rose System fits about 20 people and everyone sits on a stool.

White Rose System (Roselle) inside

White Rose System (Roselle): Coffee: B
The coffee at the White Rose System is no-frills only. I got a small cup that held about 8 ounces. It was good and it tasted like perfect diner coffee.

White Rose System (Roselle) coffee

White Rose System (Roselle) Food: A
The White Rose System menu is on the backboard and it’s small with no frills. You aren’t going to find healthy but you will find their famous Taylor Ham Rolls. I knew I wanted a Taylor Ham Roll with cheese, ketchup, egg, and tomato.

White Rose System (Roselle) taylor ham

I don’t typically order Taylor Hams (or Pork Rolls) so it was fun to try something different. It was a great breakfast sandwich and it was exactly what I pictured an old school diner to have.

White Rose System (Roselle) taylor ham

White Rose System (Roselle) Service: B
You aren’t getting a waitress or hostess at the White Rose System.  The manager takes your order and brings it out to you a few minutes later.  After ordering my Taylor Ham, it was ready within 2 minutes.

White Rose System (Roselle) Cost: $
For my sandwich and coffee, the cost was $5.80! That might be one of the cheapest diner meals I’ve ever had.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to White Rose System (Roselle)?
I enjoyed the White Rose System and the old school atmosphere. It was the stereotypical old school New Jersey Diner. If you’re ever in Roselle, I highly recommend it.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: A
Service: B
Cost: $3-8 
Overall: B

You can see all 280 diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
What is the cheapest restaurant meal you’ve had?
Have you eaten at a cash-only spot? 

 

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Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) pork chop
Diners

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy)

Hollie

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy)

Recently Jess and I met up at Perth Amboy to catch up and eat the Superior Diner.  The Superior Diner is known as one of the better diners in the area, so we decided to stop.

We arrived around dinner time and it wasn’t too crowded.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Atmosphere: B
The Superior Diner is an older, cobblestone building. It’s not a big, shiny, metallic building, but it stands out along the road.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) inside

The inside of the Superior Diner has plenty of booths, tables, and a full-length bar.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Coffee: A
The Superior Diner coffee was brewed hot and fresh and the waitress refilled it often. Plus, she gave both Jess and I plenty of whipped cream.  We couldn’t have asked for better coffee.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) coffee

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Food: A
The Superior Diner menu is huge and there are plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner specials. In fact, the Superior Diner menu has the most specials of any diner I’ve been to in a while. I didn’t know what I wanted but then saw the pork chop special and ultimately decided that’s what I wanted. I’ve ordered diner specials a lot lately because they are cheaper and with more food!

Anyway, the pork chop special came with soup, salad, and the meal.

For my soup, I chose the lima bean soup. It was a red base with a little kick to it. I’ve never had lima bean soup and it was great.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) lima bean soup

The salad was typical of a diner salad with nothing unique or unusual about it.

The pork chops were delicious and were cooked well.  They weren’t overcooked and were tender and juicy — one of the better diner pork chops I’ve had recently.Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) pork chop

For my sides, I chose beets and they were good as well. Nothing unique or unusual, but they tasted good.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) beets

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Service: B
Our waitress at the Superior Diner was friendly and our food came out fast. She was one of the better waitresses I’ve had recently. There was another waitress who was holding loud conversations and it made it hard to hear anything. At one point, she was yelling something about her cats.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Cost:
For my pork chop special and coffee, the cost was $20.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to the Superior Diner (Perth Amboy)?
I liked the Superior Diner and it’s a stereotypical New Jersey Diner. It’s a great stop if you’re heading down the shore and I would go back.

Atmosphere:  B
Coffee: A
Food: A
Service: B
Cost: $12-20
Overall: A

You can see all 279 Diner Reviews here.

Questions for you:
Are you a pork chop fan?
What is your favorite type of soup?

 

White Rose Diner (Linden) taylor ham
Diners

White Rose Diner (Linden)

Hollie

White Rose Diner (Linden)

Recently I was in Linden, New Jersey and I wanted to stop at the White Rose Diner.  It’s a quintessential diner and one of the top 10 in the state. It was a matter of time before I finally made it.

Many old diners in New Jersey have the name white in them: White Rose Diner, White Mana, White Manna, White Rose System, White Rose Burgers. There are about 20 old diners in New Jersey with the name White in them. According to Munchmobile, when diners were first starting, “white” meant cleanliness and wholesomeness.

White Rose Diner (Linden)

White Rose Diner (Linden) Atmosphere: A
The White Rose Diner is a small, shiny, stainless steel, metallic, square diner. It sits about 12 people. Most of the seating is bar seating, but there is a table in the back.  If you are looking for an older, more retro diner in New Jersey, it doesn’t exist.

White Rose Diner (Linden)

These old stainless steel diners now resemble fast-food takeout places. You can sit down and eat, but with your order ready in 5 minutes, I watched many people take it and go.

White Rose Diner (Linden) inside

White Rose Diner (Linden) Coffee: B
Like many of the small, old school diners in New Jersey, it was a small 10-ounce cup of coffee. They didn’t have whipped cream, but I was given a to-go cup, which was great. While there was nothing special about the coffee, I’m happy with the order.

White Rose Diner (Linden) coffee

White Rose Diner (Linden) Food:
The White Rose Diner menu is written at the top of the diner. There is no handheld menu, but you can read it behind the counter. You take your order at the register and sit down. The White Rose Diner is well known for their “Taylor Ham Rolls” (their words; I have no bias in the name.). Since the White Rose Diner won an award for their Taylor Ham Roll, I felt like it was the only option. There aren’t many healthy options and it’s your old school greasy spoon.

White Rose Diner (Linden) taylor ham

The Taylor Ham Roll is a breakfast sandwich with Taylor Ham (which is thinly sliced ham), egg, cheese, and condiments. The White Rose Diner adds potatoes which gave them their own jive.

White Rose Diner (Linden) taylor ham

It tasted great to me. It was a large and filling breakfast sandwich.

White Rose Diner (Linden) Service: A
The White Rose Diner had one of the best services of any diner I’ve been too. Two employees were working, which is all I assume they need. The owner noticed my New York City Marathon shirt and started talking to me about the marathon. He told me his son runs the Philadelphia Marathon and Broad Street 10 Miler. How neat is that? I’ve never had a diner owner know about those races.  It was clear he loved his job.

White Rose Diner (Linden) Cost: $
For my coffee and Taylor Ham Sandwich, the cost was $5.50. I think the only time I’ve had that cheap of a diner meal is at Angelo’s Glassboro Diner.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to the White Rose Diner (Linden)?

The White Rose Diner was excellent and I think anyone visiting New Jersey should go if you’re looking for the quintessential, metallic, diner experience. Plus, it’s not far from Newark Airport.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $5-10
Overall: A

You can see all 278 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
Pork Roll or Taylor Ham?
What’s the smallest restaurant you’ve been too?

Diners

Rehoboth Diner

Hollie

Rehoboth Diner (Rehoboth Beach, De)

The Rehoboth Diner was a unique experience, to say the least.  When we arrived around 11 am, it was busy and most tables were taken.

Rehoboth Diner (Rehobeth Beach, De)

Rehoboth Diner Atmosphere: B
The Rehoboth Diner sticks out on the main road. It’s not a big, shiny, metallic diner, but the “24-7” can’t be missed. The inside of the Rehoboth Diner is average size. You walk in next to a bakery.  There are several booths, tables, and a bar. We were sat at a table between booths. It’s my least favorite seating, but there are minimal choices when it’s busy.

Rehoboth Diner (Rehobeth Beach, De)
Inside

Rehoboth Diner Coffee: B
The coffee at the Rehoboth Beach Diner was average. It wasn’t the best nor the worst, but it was decent coffee. I could have used more.

Rehoboth Diner (Rehobeth Beach, De)
Low-quality photo and I didn’t realize it until I left.


Rehoboth Diner Food: C
The Rehoboth Diner menu has most everything a regular diner has. Since we got to the Rehoboth Diner around 11 am, we were only given a breakfast menu. I’m sure I could have asked for a lunch menu but decided breakfast was fine.  I decided to order the steak and eggs.

Rehoboth Diner (Rehobeth Beach, De)
Rehoboth Diner (Rehobeth Beach, De) steak and eggs

When it came out, I was disappointed that my steak wasn’t that big (for a $16 breakfast meal). Interesting because the Rehobeth Beach Diner is known for its big portions and generous portions. The steak itself was cooked medium rare, but it was bland in flavor. I chose scrambled eggs and rye toast. Everything was good, but not great.  Next time I go, I’ll probably order something else.

Rehoboth Diner (Rehobeth Beach, De)

Rehoboth Diner Service: C
To preface, our waitress at the Rehoboth Beach Diner was great. She was friendly and working hard. The manager came by our table midmeal and asked us to move tables so another party could sit. It wasn’t a big deal, but weird.  As we were leaving, a man came storming in to talk about “how unhappy he was.”

Rehoboth Diner Price: $$
For my steak and eggs, plus coffee, it as $20. Which the meal wasn’t worth that.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to the Rehoboth Diner?
The Rehoboth Diner wasn’t the worst nor the best diner I’ve been too. I would be interested in trying something off the Rehoboth Diner lunch menu.

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: B
Food: C
Service: C
Price: $12-20
Overall Thoughts: C

You can see all the diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
Do you like steak and eggs?
Have you ever been moved midmeal?

 

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe mixed vegetables
Diners

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe (Herndon, VA)

Hollie

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe (Herndon, VA) 
While driving back to New Jersey, I decided to stop at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe in Herndon, Virginia. I’ve been to many diners in New Jersey, but not many in Washington DC.  One thing I appreciate is a diner open 24 hours a day.  There are fewer and fewer of them these days!

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe

I decided to stop at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe. We wanted to stop at a diner in that general area, and the online menu looked good.

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe Atmosphere: A
The exterior of the Amphora’s Diner Deluxe is metallic, chrome, and shiny. If you’re looking for a stereotypical diner, Amphora’s Diner Deluxe is a great stop.

You walk into the giant and well-known bakery. There are plenty of booths, tables, and a full-length bar.

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe Coffee: C
The coffee at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe was brewed fresh and was dark. The mug said Lavazza.

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe coffee

I was disappointed with the number of grounds in the bottom. A few I could deal with, but it was a sea of grounds.

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe coffee

 

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe Food: A
Amphora’s Diner Deluxe menu has plenty of options from all-day breakfast, pages of salads, lunch, and dinner specials. The menu even has a whole page of vegetarian options too.

Since I was hungry, I decided to order the grilled mixed vegetables, which came with a medley of balsamic grilled Vegetables, including portabello mushroom, yellow squash, red and green peppers, onions, eggplant, tomatoes and carrots. It was delicious and I was happy with my choice. I will say it could use bread.

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe mixed vegetables

For my entree, I decided to order the ratatouille bake. I can’t remember if I’ve ever ordered ratatouille at a diner before, but it was incredibly filling. It came with peppers, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, feta cheese and chickpeas over rice.

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe food

Amphora’s Diner Deluxe Service: A
The waiter at Amphora’s Diner Deluxe was great and friendly. He refilled my beverages, and our food came out in the blink of an eye.

Cost: $$
For my coffee, appetizer, and meal, it was $26.

Overall Thoughts/Would I come back to Amphora’s Diner Deluxe?
I liked it and next time in the Washington DC and NOVA area, I may be back.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: C
Food: A
Service: A
Price: $12-25
Overall: A

You can see all the diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
What’s the best diner near you?
What’s one thing you like to do on road trips?