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Good Stuff Diner (New York City)

October 27, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , ,
Good Stuff Diner (New York City)

Good Stuff Diner (New York City)

While in New York City, I wanted to go to a new diner. Originally I wanted to go to Brooklyn, but the timing didn’t work out. So I made my way to the Good Stuff Diner.

Good stuff diner

Good Stuff Diner Atmosphere: A
The Good Stuff Diner has a typical diner vibe. The outside is on the main strip. Once you walk into the Good Stuff Diner, you see it’s a typical diner. Bright walls, full-length bar, and plenty of booths and tables.

Good stuff diner

Good Stuff Diner Coffee: A
The Good Stuff Diner has good coffee. There was nothing unique about it, but the waitress kept it filled.  I do wish the cups were bigger.

Good stuff diner coffee

Good Stuff Diner Food: A
The Good Stuff Diner menu has everything a typical diner has and more. Since the Good Stuff Diner is open 24-7, they serve everything at all times.

Good stuff diner burger

I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for. Since I was walking around New York City for most of the day, I decided to order the grilled vegetable salad as an appetizer. It was delicious and there were so many different vegetables from portobello mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, roasted red peppers and carrots. It was so good. If I come back, I might order it as an entree.

For my entree, I ordered the deluxe classic burger. Making the burger deluxe meant to add fries, lettuce, tomato, and coleslaw. How fancy. The burger was delicious and since I got it topped with cheddar cheese. The french fries were decent but nothing to write home about.

Good Stuff Diner Service: B
The service at the Good Stuff Diner was decent and our food came out quickly. We had a couple of different waitresses, which made it confusing when we asked for something. In all, it was good.

Good Stuff Diner Cost: $$
Like any diner in New York City, the Good Stuff Diner is expensive.  For the burger, entree, and coffee it was $35.  Technically I did get two entrees, but the salads are one of the most expensive options at the Good Stuff Diner.

Overall Thoughts/Summary of the Good Stuff Diner:
I liked the Good Stuff Diner and it was “good stuff” to stop by. Their entire menu looks good and I would love to go back.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: A
Food: A
Service: B
Cost: $15-25
Overall: A

You can see all diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
Do you like grilled vegetables?
Do you have a favorite diner in New York City? 

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JB’s 57 Diner (Manchester Township)

October 26, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , ,
JB’s 57 Diner (Manchester Township)

JB’s 57 Diner (Manchester Township, NJ)

After having a good experience at JBs Diner on 33, I knew I wanted to go to JB’s 57 Diner.

JB’s 57 Diner Atmosphere: B
JB’s Diner is located in a strip mall next to a ShopRite. From the outside of JB’s 57 Diner, you would never guess how retro diner the inside was.

JB's 57 Diner

When you step into JB’s 57 Diner, it’s like a blast from the past. There are license plates, vintage car photos, and everything you can imagine in a diner.

JB's 57 Diner

JB’s 57 Diner Coffee: A
The coffee at JB’s Diner was brewed hot and fresh and the waitress brought plenty of refills. I couldn’t have asked for better coffee.

JB's 57 Diner coffee

JB’s 57 Diner Food: A
JB’s 57 Diner menu has plenty of options from breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also have a page of specials including JBs Diner French toast waffle.

The French toast waffle spoke to me so I decided to order it. It came topped with strawberries and blueberries. The French toast waffle, was French toast, put into a waffle maker. Truthfully, it just felt like a regular waffle. It was good and the berries tasted fresh.

JB's 57 Diner

JB’s Diner Dessert: C

I decided to order a chocolate milkshake at JB’S diner and it was relatively boring. It was thinner and there was no whipped cream, or cherry. I thought that was standard with milkshakes but apparently not.

JB's 57 Diner milkshake

JB’s 57 Diner Service: A
Even though JBs Diner was packed, our waitress was attentive and friendly. Plus our food came out fast. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

JB’s Diner Cost: $
For my French toast, milkshake, and coffee, the cost was $15. Keep in mind, JBs Diner On 57 is cash only.

Overall Thoughts/Summary of JB’s 57 Diner:
I liked JBs Diner and I will be back. It’s a great stop if you’re going down the shore or if you find yourself going that way. Both JB’s Diner on 33 and JB’s 57 Diner are great stops.

I’m looking forward to checking out JB’s Cousins Diner.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: A
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $5-12
Overall: A

You can see all 266 Diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
Have you ever had a French toast waffle?
What is your favorite vintage car?

New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review

October 25, 2019 By in Gear Review, Running Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments
New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review

The New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review:

The New Balance 1400 is a consistent and established racing flat for many runners. There is enough cushion to race a marathon, but it’s also light enough to race a hard mile. In my quest to find a marathon racing shoe for the New York City Marathon, I tried the New Balance 1400v6. Ultimately, I think the New Balance Fuelcell Rebel will be my marathon choice, but I like the ride of the NB 1400 too.

New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review

New Balance 1400v6 Quick Facts:

Heel to Toe Drop: 10 mm

Weight: 7.2 oz

New Balance 1400v6 Fit:

For the most part, the updates of the New Balance 1400 updates are in the upper and the fit. Like many brands and shoes, the New Balance 1400v6 now has an engineered mesh upper with no seams. The breathable mesh package helps to fit more feet (especially if your forefront is wider), but also, the New Balance 1400v6 is about an ounce lighter and a more airy feel.

New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review

A brand new update to the upper of the New Balance 1400v6 is also the internal “FantomFit support cage.”  What is that? The FantomFit support cage is designed to hold the foot securely in place. I did run in the previous version of the New Balance 1400, and I find the NB 1400v6 to hug my feet more and slip less.

Lastly, New Balance did update the tongue of the NB 1400.  A common complaint to the New Balance 1400 series is the paper-thin tongue. Many people struggled with it causing irritation or cutting the top of the foot. It’s been updated to lay flat on the foot.

New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review

New Balance 1400v6 Ride:

The NB 1400v6 has minimal changes with the ride in the 6th version. The New Balance 1400v6 continues to the New Balance foam “revlite.” What is a Revlite midsole? The Revlite midsole is a durable, lightweight foam and smooth. Since New Balance is such a large company, they have many different foams, including “fresh foam,” “Revlite,” and “Fuelcell.” I appreciate how firm the New Balance 1400v6 is and that it responds well when racing hard.

Like the previous versions of the New Balance 1400, there is a plastic shank from the midfoot to the forefoot. The shank acts as a spring, which helps for a smooth transition from midfoot to the forefront.

New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review

One thing that is unique about the NB 1400 series is the stack height. The stack height of the New Balance 1400v6 is 25 mm in the heel and 15 mm in the forefront. The 10mm drop is almost unheard of in a racing flat. (Most racing lats are anywhere between 0-4 mm). It seems to work well, especially if you are using more traditional running shoes for the bulk of your training.

One thing I can appreciate with the New Balance 1400 v6, is the amount of blown rubber and traction in the NB 1400. It consistently performs well in the rain. If New York is rainy, the New Balance 1400 will most likely be my shoe of choice. There is plenty of traction and I won’t worry about sliding down the course on race day.

New Balance 1400v6 Shoe Review

New Balance 1400v6 Conclusion:

The New Balance 1400 is a classic shoe and it’s an excellent option for 5ks to marathons. The NB 1400 is a staple racing flat that I believe will be around in the running industry for a long time. There aren’t many speed workouts this shoe can’t handle. For me, it’s the best choice in a rainy race or marathon.

Current Rotation:

Easy/Daily Runs: Hoka Bondi 6,  Brooks Ghost 12

Speed Work: New Balance FuelCell Rebel, Reebok Float Ride Run fast Pro, Hoka Rincon, Nike Pegasus Turbo 2

Long Runs: New Balance FuelCell Rebel, Mizuno R2, Hoka Cavu 2

Races: New Balance Fuelcell 5280, Nike Next%,  Reebok Run fast Pro, 

You Can See All Current Shoe Reviews Here.

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport.

Questions for you:

Have you run in the New Balance 1400v6?

What is your go-to race day shoe? 

Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst)

October 19, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment
Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst)

Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst)

The Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst) has been on my to do list for a while. I’ve attempted to go a few times but it’s never worked out. When the timing this time worked out, I knew I wanted to go.

One of the most common diner names is Colonial Diner. There is the Colonial Diner in East Brunswick, in Fords, and in Woodbury. I’m sure there are more.

Colonial Diner Lyndhurst

Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst) Atmosphere: A
The Colonial Diner fits for the stereotypical diner. It’s a retro diner with plenty of boothes, tables, and a full length bar.

Colonial Diner Lyndhurst

Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst) Coffee: B
The Colonial Diner Coffee was decent. There was nothing unusual and it wasn’t as hot as I would prefer. The waitress was friendly and kept it refilled.

Colonial Diner coffee

Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst) Food: A
The Colonial Diner menu has everything you would want in a diner. There are plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Since the Colonial Diner is open 24 hours, and serves everything all day.

I wasn’t sure what I was craving so I decided to order a burger. The Colonial Diner menu special was lentil soup and I can never say no to lentil soup.

Colonial Diner Lyndhurst soup

The burger was delicious. The bun had plenty of bread and tasted homemade. The burger was tasty. It also had the most amount of mustard I’ve seen.

Colonial Diner Lyndhurst burger

Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst) Service: A
The Colonial Diner waitress was friendly and the food came out fast. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst) Cost: $
For my soup, burger, and coffee the cost was $21.

Overall Thoughts/Summary of the Colonial Diner (Lyndhurst):
I liked the Colonial Diner and it was a nice stop on the way home. It’s an easy stop if you are heading into NYC too. I won’t say it’s the best diner ever, but it’s in the top half of diners I’ve been too.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: A
Service: A
Cost: $10-20
Overall: A

You can see all 265 Diner Reviews here.

Questions for you:
What’s your favorite type of burger?
Do you like mustard?

Vincentown Diner (Revisited Again)

October 13, 2019 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , ,
Vincentown Diner (Revisited Again)

Vincentown Diner (Vincentown, NJ)

Throughout the six years of living in NJ, I’ve been to the Vincentown Diner about 30 times. I’ve reviewed here and then again here.  So this is the third time!

We used to live closeby and it was our “spot.”  Since we moved over 20 miles away, there are closer spots, so we don’t get out to the Vincentown Diner as much. For those who don’t know, the Vincentown Diner was on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

Vincentown Diner Atmosphere: A

I was excited to see what changes the Vincentown Diner made. This year, the Vincentown Diner went through the exterior makeovers that makes it look more modern and clean.

Vincentown Diner

The inside of Vincentown Diner looks like a stereotypical diner with a full-length bar, plenty of tables, and booths.  It is about the same over the past few years.

Vincentown Diner Coffee: B

The Vincentown Diner coffee was decent. I appreciate how big the mug is and the waitress added whipped cream. They do charge 75 cents for whipped cream. I don’t mind paying extra for the whipped cream, but 75 cents always seems like a lot.

Vincentown Diner coffee

Vincentown Diner Food: A

The Vincentown Diner is known for its farm to table menu. All of their ingredients are locally sourced and they even have organic eggs. The Vincentown Diner menu has all of the stereotypical diner menu options, but they are higher end. They are well known for their pancakes, mile-high meatloaf, chicken cordon blue, chicken breast, mashed potatoes, crab cakes, prime rib, and burgers. I decided to order a burger. The burger itself as delicious and the bun was one of the best I’ve had. Something to keep in mind is the portion size at the Vincentown Diner is smaller, but the quality of food is there.

Vincentown Diner burger

Vincentown Diner Dessert: A

I decided to order the carrot cake. The Vincentown Diner has a revolving menu of desserts, so they don’t always have every type of cake at all times. I do wish they served more cakes because it always seems like all they have are pies. I was delighted to see the carrot cake. It was delicious.

Vincentown Diner carrot cake

Vincentown Diner Service: C

Throughout the years, the service has always been lackluster, and this was no different. The service started off well, but when we were done with our meals, we waited an additional 20 minutes for the waitress to come back. She walked by our table several times. She was nice, but we couldn’t figure out why she began ignoring our tables.

Cost: $$

The Vincentown Diner is expensive and most meals cost between $15-20.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back?

I like the Vincentown Diner and it’s a good stop. The burgers are good, but I do wish they served different desserts and the service was better.

You can see more Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:

What is your favorite type of cake?

What is a restaurant you’ve been too multiple times? 

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