Bridge-Way Diner (Old Bridge)

November 17, 2018 By Hollie in Diners Tags: chicken, Diner, food, greek, new jersey, restaurant, review 1 Comment

Recently I went to the Bridge-Way Diner and restaurant in Old Bridge, NJ. I was in the area and wanted to miss the traffic, so I begged, Jess, to meet up with me. After a confusing few turns, I made it into the parking lot.

Atmosphere: B
The atmosphere of the Bridge-Way diner is typical of many NJ diners. The outside is a typical building with a giant metallic sign. Something comical to me is there is no “Bridge-Way” sign on the front of the building. I feel like most restaurants have that.

Anyway, the inside has a full bar and plenty of booths and tables. What I do appreciate is you walk next to the dessert case, and there is a full salad bar. Not many diners have either!

Coffee: A
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh, and the waitress refilled it often. She also included an overflowing amount of whipped cream, which in my book is A++.

Food: A
It took both us a long time to order because we had no idea what we wanted. There were so many options. I knew I wanted the salad bar so I decided to order off the specials menu. I haven’t ordered a lot of chicken specials at diners, so I opted for the greek chicken that came with 3 chicken breasts topped with olives, feta, and spinach. It also came with the salad bar, soup, potatoes, a side, and dessert. Oh. My. Word.

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This special was very large but also very delicious. . Great date and avoiding traffic home with @jessrunshappy at NJ diner 218.

A post shared by Hollie (@fueledbylolz) on Oct 26, 2018 at 5:51pm PDT

For my soup, I chose the seafood bisque. It was good and had a slight kick to it. It was one of the better seafood bisques I’ve had, and there was plenty of crab.

The salad bar was my favorite because they had a well-stocked salad bar with dressed salad, three bean salad, beets, grape leaves, and even bread. As far as restaurants go, it’s one of the better salad bars I’ve been too.

My chicken was delicious, and I’ve never had a Greek chicken special, so I don’t have anything to compare it too. The chicken was cooked well, and there was plenty of olives, feta, and spinach.

I chose the mixed vegetables and homefries for my sides which were both excellent. By that point, I was pretty much full.

Service: A
The waitress was kind and refilled our beverages often. I always appreciate waitresses and waiters that show their personality and she definitely did.

Dessert: A
Since my meal came with dessert and I’m a cake fiend I decided to get the Bridge-Way cake. It was a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. It was definitely good and not too dry.

Jess got the seven layer cake which was extremely good. I think next time I go, I’ll get the 7 layer cake. Each layer was filled with mouse frosting. As a frosting fiend, that’s my type of cake.

Price: $
For my entire meal and coffee, it was $17. For the average person that would be 2-3 meals.

Overall Summary/Would I Come Back?
I really liked the Bridge-Way Diner, and it’s definitely one of my more favorite diners in the area. I would come back if I’m in town!

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: A
Food: A
Service: A
Dessert: A
Price: $10-20
Overall: A
You can see all 218 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:

What is your favorite type of cake?
Do you usually order off the specials?

Brooks Ghost 11 Shoe Review

November 14, 2018 By Hollie in Running, Running Reads Tags: fitness, review, running, running shoe, shoe, sports, workout 1 Comment

The Brooks Ghost 11 is one of the most common and traditional shoes out there. Anyone working in run specialty will tell you it’s one, if not the most sold neutral trainers. It feels comfortable when you try it on and has a full toe box. Plus, it’s made in wide too.

I’ve worn the Ghost before, and one of my favorite pairs was the Ghost 9. I had hoped to get a pair of Ghost 11s in the New York City color, but I wasn’t able to order them through running specialty. (I guess they sent too many to bloggers?).

Each year, the Brooks Ghost is a consistent and reliable neutral shoe. There is plenty of cushion, but it’s still light.

Upper:

Since the Ghost 10, the look and design have been changed the most. It aesthetically looks better than previous years (What is better anymore in the running world?

As mentioned, the major update comes in the upper. It uses new materials but maintains the breathability. Like most of Brooks shoes, there is a double layer of mesh, which keeps air filtering through but also keeps dirt out.

Fit wise, the Brooks Ghost has always been close to size. I wear anything from a women’s 10-11 wide, and I’ve found the 10 wide to fit the best year after year. A few people have complained the toebox is slightly more narrow in the Ghost 11, but that hasn’t been an issue for me.

The most common complaint from the Ghost is the lack of structure at the top. Your feet are free floating around in the top. You never want any running shoe toebox to feel tight, but for many, this isn’t comfortable or natural. Personally, I like it. There are no seams, no overlays, and my feet can just chill without worrying about rubbing or being irritated by seams (technical, I know).

Ride:

The Ghost 11 does feel slightly different. The Ghost used to have a more chunky, thick layer of DNA foam. There is now less “DNA” foam and more DNA Loft Foam.

Okay…so?

The Loft foam is softer but also more responsive under the heel. Previously, the shoe was a much softer trainer. Now it’s transitioned into a shoe that you can do a workout, or easy run. I’ve done both in the Ghost, and it responds accordingly.

Another thing to note is that the Ghost is my go to, rainy day shoe. The grip is more substantial than many trainers. It’s not a trail or rain shoe, but it has a lot more grip than many other similar shoes.

Conclusion:

The Brooks Ghost 11 is a great shoe. There is plenty of cushion, and it’s one of the cheaper traditional shoes. I’ve run about 300 miles in mine. I’ve run fast runs, slow runs, easy runs, hard runs, I’ve pretty much done everything with no issue.

Current Shoe Rotation (Keep in mind, I haven’t run since NYCM, but it’s what I left with)
Easy Runs: Brooks Glycerin 16, Brooks Ghost 11, On Cloudace, Underarmour Sonic, Hoka Cavu,
Workouts: Nike Fly, Hoka Cavu, On Cloudrush
Races: Nike Fly, Nike Pegasus Turbo, Nike Fly 4%

Questions for you:
What is your staple shoe?
Do you use a different shoe for rainy days?

Tick Tock Diner (NYC)

November 11, 2018 By Hollie in Diners Tags: breakfast, brunch, food, new york, nyc, Pancakes, restaurant, review Leave a comment

Before the New York City Marathon, I decided to go to the Tick Tock Diner. I’ve walked by the Tick Tock before, and this was a diner I wanted to go too before the marathon.

Atmosphere: A
When Tara and I arrived around lunchtime, it was crowded, but we quickly got a seat. In fact, we got the most corner booth, but it was nice to stay private.

The outside of Tick Tock is bright, shiny, and stands out. It’s directly across the street from Penn Station, and you can’t miss it.

It’s the largest diner in Manhattan. There are plenty of booties, and tables, and even a full-length bar.

Coffee: B
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh, but I could have used more refills. I also appreciated the personalized mugs.

Food: A
The Tick Tock Diner has plenty of options from breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. There are several healthy salad options and huge burgers too.

I decided to order the Tick Tock Pancake Trio which came with a banana pancake, cinnamon, and chocolate chip. Plus there was delicious cream cheese frosting too. To be honest, they were some of the best pancakes I’ve ordered!

Service: C
I was happy the food came out quickly but the waiter barely came over, and it took a long time to get the check.

Cost: $$
For my coffee and pancakes, the cost was $15.

Overall Thoughts/Would I come back?
I liked the Tick Tock Diner, and it’s one of my favorite diners in the city.

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

You can see all diners here.

Other Diners I’ve Been to in NYC: Cosmic, Ellen’s Stardust Diner

Questions for you:
What are your favorite pancakes?
Have you been to New York? What is your favorite diner in the city? I’m looking for more

Harbor Diner (Egg Harbor City)

November 10, 2018 By Hollie in Diners Tags: Diner, food, greek food, gyro, new jersey, restaurant, review Leave a comment

Recently I went to the Harbor Diner in Egg Harbor City. A quick search indicated it was close by and so I decided to stop. When I arrived on a Sunday morning, it wasn’t too crowded, and I quickly received a booth.

Atmosphere: A
The Harbor Diner is everything you hope and expect in a diner. The exterior is a big, shiny, metallic, retro building.

Inside, there is a full-length bar and plenty of booths and tables. The center has a bar shelf, and you walk by a good looking dessert case.

Coffee: B
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh, but I could have used more. Other than that, it was great, but I would have preferred a few more refills.

Food: B
The Harbor Diner has everything you want or need in a diner. There are plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. I arrived around noon and wasn’t sure what I wanted. I was between pork chops and a gyro. Different options but I decided to go with the Gyro.

The Gyro was good, but it had so much Tzcahki sauce. I like Tzatiki it had too much. I would order it again, but I would ask for the sauce on the side. It came with potato chips which were good, and I have no complaints.

Service: A
The waitress was friendly, and the food came out quickly. While I could have used more drink refills, it wasn’t the end of the world.

Cost: $
For my gyro and coffee, it was $12.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back?
I liked the Harbor Diner, and it was a cute stop on my way back home. It’s a great diner and you’ll find something for everyone.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: B
Service: A
Price: $5-12
Overall: B

You Can See all 217 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
Do you like Gyros?
What is your favorite chip?

Bridgewater Diner

November 3, 2018 By Hollie in Diners Tags: diners, food, new jersey, pork chops, restaurant, review 2 Comments

Earlier in the month, I met Danielle and Amelia up at the Bridgewater Diner in Bridgewater. I’ve actually driven by the diner several times and I always wanted to stop, but it never happened. Even though I told Danielle our friendship was strong enough to go to restaurants that weren’t diners, we ended up there.

It was more crowded than most places on a Sunday night. That’s always a good sign.

Atmosphere: B
Getting into the parking lot of the Bridgewater Diner is terrifying. It’s located in the middle of the main road so you must make a left. There is no left turn lane, so you hope cars behind you are paying attention because they have to come to a stop or go around you from over 40 mph.

The inside is that of a typical diner. There are plenty of booths, tables, and a bar. We were lucky we got a booth in the back. When we were leaving almost every table was taken.

Coffee: A
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh. The waitress brought a small kettle so I could continue to refill my own drink.

Being able to refill my own coffee was nice. The coffee itself was good.

Food: A
I wasn’t sure what I wanted which seems to be a common theme. There are plenty of options from all day breakfast, to lunch, and dinner. I decided on the pork chop special. I have been in a pork chop mood lately. It was a lot of food.

First, it came with a salad which was bigger than most side salads. The salad itself was good, but I do appreciate when the dressing is mixed in.

The pork chops came topped with a balsamic glaze and onion rings. I chose their squash special and baked potato. The pork chops were cooked perfectly, and I liked the glaze they used.

The squash was one of the best diner sides I’ve had in a while. The baked potato was a baked potato and nothing too unusual about it.

Dessert: B
The meal also came with dessert. I chose the Smores cake to go. The cake itself was a bit dry but in all not too bad. It had a lot of whipped cream, marshmallows, and chocolate. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was expecting with a smores cake, but it was decent.

Service: C
The waitress didn’t come around too much. We could have used more water refill, and napkins. She was friendly, but we only saw her a couple of times.

Cost: $
For all of my food and coffee, it was only $20.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:
I enjoyed the Bridgewater Diner, and it was definitely one of my more favorite diners in the area. I would come back.

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: A
Food: A
Dessert: B
Service: C
Cost: $8-16
Overall: B

You Can See all 216 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
What is your favorite type of cake?
Do you prefer booths or tables?

Golden Pigeon Diner (Bridgeton)

October 6, 2018 By Hollie in Diners Tags: beets, bridgeton, coffee, Diner, food, new jersey, pork chops, review, salad 2 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I finally made it to the Golden Pigeon Diner in Bridgeton, NJ. Why finally? I’ve been excited to make the Golden Pigeon work because of the name. Except for the “Time to Eat” diner, The Golden Pigeon has one of the coolest names.

Atmosphere: B
The Golden Pigeon is typical of a New Jersey Diner. The outside is a mixture of both cobblestone and metallic in the front. There is a huge sign that says “diner” and fresh baking on premises. The promise of fresh baking is enough to lure anyone in.

Coffee: C
The coffee was good. However, they were out of whipped cream! A diner with fresh baking and no whipped cream? Oh well, it’s only happened a few times. I don’t always get coffee with whipped cream, and I do prefer it.

Food: A
The Golden Pigeon has everything you can imagine in a diner. There are plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. I’ll warn you that the portions are huge. I decided to order the Pork Chop special, and it did not disappoint.

I’ve never had anything like it! It started off with the choice of salads, and I chose a Greek which came with anchovies (off to a good start).

I also got fresh cheese bread which was amazing. If you have never had cheese bread, it’s bread baked with cheese in the center.

My three pork chops came with sautéed onions and on top of hashbrowns as well as french fries. It was unique, ultra filling, and I have no complaints. I wasn’t expecting the french fries, so it was definitely a filling addition.

For my side, I chose beets.I’m happy I did because I knew it would be a lot of food and I like good beets.

Service: A
The server was nice. I think he might have also been the manager, but he was friendly, chatted often, and made sure I had plenty of refills and that my food came out quickly.

Cost: $

For my entire meal and coffee, it was $15.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back?
I enjoyed the Golden Pigeon a lot, and it’s one of my top diners in the area. I’ll be back if it works out.

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: C
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $8-20
Overall: B

You Can See all 212 Diners Here.

Questions for you:
Do you like pork chops?
What is one of your favorite restaurant names?

New Balance 1400 Shoe Review

October 3, 2018 By Hollie in Gear Review, Running Tags: fitness, health, review, run, shoe, shoes, sports 2 Comments

Despite never running in the New Balance 1400, I’m familiar with it. It’s been a favorite shoe for several of my coworkers who prefer racing marathons. It won’t be my marathon shoe (which is still undecided), but it’s been good to do long runs and workouts in.

The New Balance 1400 is a great racing flat for anything from the 5k to the marathon. It’s been around for several updates and designs as well. I’ve tried on the shoe (as I like to do with every shoe), through each version but never run in it until now.

Fit:

I wear a size 10-11 wide in running shoes, and the 10.5 womens is fine. Often times I need to just scratch women’s racing flats and go to a unisex/ men’s shoe because of my foot width. The women’s 10.5 is fine.

Other bonuses of the flat include minimal seams and overlays. Less weight, less rubbing, equals faster runner. There is only so much actual cushion you can remove from a flat, so many companies are removing as much stuff from the top as possible.

Also included in the fit is an update to the tongue. While I did not run in the previous version, but I know the tongue bothered several people. Many people said it bunched up or caused irritation.

The updated tongue is more similar to the New Balance track spikes. I suppose if Emma Coburn and other New Balance professionals like the tongue of a shoe, the common folks like us can too.

Ride:

There isn’t much to say about the ride. It’s light, responsive and reacts with the ground. The material used, is called “revlite.” It’s durable yet responsive. It’s much more responsive than fresh foam (like in my favorite New Balance trainer the 1080).

Interesting and somewhat unique of the 1400 is that is has a 10 mm drop (many flats have between 0-4). You don’t really feel the difference and to be honest, if no one told me I would never know. I have preferred it recently for long tempos and longer runs. I’ve done some short 400s too, but longer runs seem to be my favorite.

Finally, something to note is that it responds well in rain. When a racing flat is not good in weather, it can be a shock come race day and you don’t have a good shoe. (Some shoes that don’t respond well to rain include the Nike Fly and Brooks Levitate). I’ve raced A LOT of road races in the pouring rain including Shamrock, Atlantic City, and Broad Street. If I didn’t have a good racing shoe that day, I now know this is always a faithful weather backup. In fact, one of my better photos in the shoe is in bad weather.

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18 miles: 2 miles easy. 4 miles (average 7:07). 4 miles easy. 4 miles (average 7:05). 4 miles easy. . I feel like yesterday’s race woke up some muscles that have been sleeping for a while. . Despite kicking me feet to get going for awhile, I did feel good during the run. . Marathon training is hard and my body has already reminded of that.

A post shared by Hollie (@fueledbylolz) on Sep 23, 2018 at 9:31am PDT

Conclusion:

In all I like the New Balance 1400 for workouts and races. In bad/wet weather I believe I am more likely to use the shoe because it has more traction than the Nike Fly and many other flats.

Current Rotation:

Workouts/Racing: Nike Fly, New Balance 1400

Daily Runs: Brooks Glycerin, New Balance 1080, On Cloudace,

Long Runs/Faster Runs: Hoka One One Cavu, Underarmour Sonic

Questions for you:

What is your staple racing shoe?

Do you change shoes in the weather?

FueledByLOLZ

Running and Laughing through the Garden State

Tag Archives: review

Bridge-Way Diner (Old Bridge)