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Tag Archives: salad

Metuchen Diner

October 14, 2018 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments
Metuchen Diner

If you must know, it’s taken me a very long time, and many spell checks, to be able to spell the town of Metuchen. It’s taken me equally as long to be able to say it. Anyway, not that it’s relevant to the diner, but I met my good friend Christine at the Metuchen Diner a couple of weeks ago.

It’s only about an hour north of me, and it was an easy drive on the turnpike.

Atmosphere: B
There is nothing unique or exciting about the Metuchen Duner. It’s a stereotypical NJ diner.  The inside has plenty of booths, tables, and a full-length bar. It’s cleanly and there is plenty of space but nothing too exciting.

metuchen diner

Coffee: A
The coffee was great.  The waitress kept it refilled all of the time, and I have no complaints.

Metuchen Diner

Food: B
The Metuchen Diner has everything a diner wants or needs.  There are plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. I was feeling “somewhat” healthy and decided to order the grilled portobello salad. The salad came with grilled portobello; I added salmon.

Metuchen Diner

The salad was good, but I wish it were a little larger.

It also came with soup, and I decided to choose Matzah Ball soup. I haven’t had it in a while.  It was nice because it came with two actual Matzah balls which you rarely see.

Metuchen Diner

Dessert: A
We both decided to order dessert.  I chose the bread pudding, and I will say, it was one of the best bread puddings I’ve had in a while.  There were huge pieces of bread, as well as raisins which I really enjoyed. I would go back just for the bread pudding.

Metuchen Diner

Service: A
The waitress was one of the best waitresses I’ve had.  She was friendly, refilled everything, and our food came out quickly.

Cost: $
For my coffee, meal, and bread pudding it was $20.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back?
I really enjoyed the Metchuen Diner, and I would go back if the opportunity presented itself.

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: A
Food: B
Dessert: A
Service: A
Cost: $8-15
Overall: A

You Can See All 214 Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
What is your favorite type of soup?
What is one town or city in your state you struggle saying?

 

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Golden Pigeon Diner (Bridgeton)

October 6, 2018 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments
Golden Pigeon Diner (Bridgeton)

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.

Golden Pigeon Diner Bridgeton NJ

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). Golden Pigeon Diner Bridgeton NJ

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.

Golden Pigeon Diner Bridgeton NJ

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. Golden Pigeon Diner Bridgeton NJ

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.

Golden Pigeon Diner Bridgeton NJ

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?

Silverton Diner (Toms River)

September 22, 2018 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , 2 Comments
Silverton Diner (Toms River)

A couple weeks ago, I met Cyd from New Jersey Isn’t Boring at the Silverton Diner right outside of Toms River. It’s one of the last diners we both hadn’t been too in the greater Toms River area.  Cyd and I have been to no less than 30 NJ diners together!

Atmosphere: B
The diner has a huge sign that can’t be missed. It’s located in a shopping mall.

silverton diner toms river

The interior has several booths, tables, and a bar. It’s a big space but nothing special or unique.  The one thing I couldn’t help but notice was the “Psychic Night”.  I would be curious to come back and see what it is all about.

Silverton Diner Toms river nj

Coffee: A
The coffee was brewed hot and fresh with plenty of refills.  It was good coffee.

Silverton Diner Toms river nj

Food: B
The Silverton Diner has plenty of options. There are several breakfast, lunch, and dinner specials. I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I had a migraine, and I wasn’t that hungry.

I decided to order the pebble peaches salad with chicken. It was a small salad with greens, canned peaches, nuts, and chicken, crunchy noodles. It was topped with balsamic glaze was tasty.

Silverton Diner Toms river nj

It was a good salad for what I wanted for the day, but it wasn’t my favorite ever. If I had been more hungry, I know I would have been more disappointed.

Service: C
Even though the diner wasn’t that crowded, the waiter took a while to come back. He seemed disconnected from the table and his day. He was nice, but it seemed like he didn’t want to be there and forget Cyds soup and brought out the wrong dressing.

Cost: $
For the salad and coffee, it was $15.

Overall Thoughts/Would I come back?
It wasn’t a bad diner, but it wasn’t my favorite. It was right in the middle as far as diners go.

Afterward, we stopped next door at the local donut shop which was excellent.

Atmosphere: B
Coffee: A
Food: B
Service: C
Cost: $8-14
Overall: B

You can see all diner reviews here

Questions for you:
Do you like peaches?
What is your Favorite restaurant sign ever?

OB Diner (Point Pleasant)

September 1, 2018 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments

Recently, I met Cyd of New Jersey Isn’t Boring in Point Pleasant. Initially, we were going to go to a different diner, but neither of us could find the other one.  After a quick decision, we decided upon the OB Diner.

Atmosphere: A
The OB Diner is everything you expect in a diner.  There is a big metallic sign outdoors.  It’s located on the corner and easy to find with plenty of parking.  What does OB Stand for?  Ocean Bay Diner!  I had no idea until I saw the mini sign too.

The inside is beachy, with a cool centerpiece made of driftwood.  There are plenty of booths, tables, and a full-length bar.

OB Diner Point Pleasant NJ

Coffee: C
The coffee was okay.  It wasn’t good or bad, but I could have used plenty more refills.  There were a few grounds at the bottom, but at least it was hot.  Yes, even in the summer time I drink hot coffee.

OB Diner Point Pleasant NJ

Food: A
I had no idea what I wanted to order.   I wasn’t starving and the hot weather (I think it was 95 that day) had me craving something cold.  There are plenty of options including a lot of lunch specials.  I was disappointed because the lunch specials seemed very targeted to pasta options.  If you didn’t want a heavy lunch, there weren’t smaller options.

OB Diner Point Pleasant NJ

I decided to order the first thing on the menu: “the Albuquerque Salad”.  It came with salmon on top of arugula, cucumbers, and sundried tomatoes.  The salad was huge!  I was shocked at the size of the salad.  It was one of the biggest diner or even restaurant salads I’ve had.  The quality was excellent, and I have no complaints.

Service:  C
The waitress was nice, however, the food took a long time to come out.  It wasn’t crowded and there were no more than five other parties in the restaurant. However, it took nearly 40 minutes for the food.

Price: $$
My salad and coffee was $22.  While yes, it was a big salad, I don’t think it was a $20 salad.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:

I liked the OB Diner and would go back.  The food and quality were good.  I would be hesitant during a peak time, but other than that it was a good diner.

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

You Can See all 207 Diner Reviews here.

Questions for you:
Where have you gotten the biggest portion sizes before?
Do you go to the beach during the summer?

Parthenon Diner (Branford, CT)

July 15, 2018 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , ,
Parthenon Diner (Branford, CT)

On the way home from Rhode Island last month, we decided to stop at the Parthenon Diner in Branford, CT.  It was an easy stop less than half a mile from the highway, so it made sense.  After eating out all weekend, we wanted something easy, simple, and light.  I didn’t do much of any research and saw the Parthenon Diner was right off the highway.

Atmosphere: B
When we arrived, we saw it was reviewed as one of the top diners in CT.  The atmosphere is big with plenty of space.  There is nothing out of the ordinary, but it does have plenty of room, so you never feel as though you’re sitting on top of anyone.

Coffee: B
The coffee was good, and I have no complaints.  It was definitely stereotypical diner coffee and slightly burnt.

parthenon diner branford ct

Food: B
There are plenty of options at the Parthenon Diner.  One thing, I appreciated was the number of specials. When you eat out for several days in a row, saving money at restaurants seems like a bigger deal.  I ordered the beet and goat cheese salad with steak off of the specials menu.  There were plenty of beets and goat cheese, but it could have used a few more greens.  The steak was that of normal diners.  It tasted as if it had been frozen and recooked.  It wasn’t bad though, and I would order it again.parthenon diner branford ct

Service: C
Our waitress took a while to come to our table, and we quickly realized it was because she was on her smoke break.  She was friendly but definitely smelled very strongly of cigarettes.  From what I can gather based on timing, she went on a smoke break a couple of times.

Cost: $
For my salad and coffee, the coast was $15.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:
I liked the Parthenon Diner and would go back.  It’s an easy stop right off of 95.

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

You Can See All Diner Reviews Here.

Questions for you:
Do you ever order off of the specials menu?
Do you like beets?

Blue Plate Diner (Newport, RI)

July 8, 2018 By in Diners Tags: , , , ,
Blue Plate Diner (Newport, RI)

Last month while in Newport, RI, we decided to go to the Blue Plate Diner.  On the outside, it looked good.  Plus it was close by the base.  When we arrived on a Saturday for lunch, it wasn’t too busy.  I was actually surprised with how empty it was.

blue plate diner middletown ri

Atmosphere; A

The Blue Plate Diner looks like a diner.  On the outside, it’s big, shiny, and metallic.  It’s exactly what you picture in a diner.  The inside is similar and very picture perfect: diner.  There is a full-length bar, plenty of tables, and plenty of booths.  I enjoyed the phrases and sayings painted on top such as “tho should not worship Golden Arches.

blue plate diner middletown ri

Coffee: B

The coffee was usual diner coffee.  There wasn’t anything unique or exciting about it.

blue plate diner middletown ri

Food: C

When we arrived, I wasn’t starving, so I ordered the Greek Salad.  I was disappointed.  Even though I wasn’t hungry, the salad itself was small, and it came with an odd dressing.  Was it ranch? Was it mayo?

Although by the time I was able to switch a vingerette, the rest of my party had finished their meals. The salad itself was boring and not something I would order again.  Was it edible? Yes.  Was it great? No.

blue plate diner middletown ri

Service: C

Even though it wasn’t that busy, the service was extremely slow.  We didn’t receive many refills, and by the time the waitress came back with a new dressing my family had finished their meal.  I waited because I didn’t care to eat a dry salad.

Cost: $

For my salad and coffee, the cost was $15 which was more expensive than it was worth.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:

The Blue Plate Diner wasn’t the worst diner, I’ve been too but not the best either.  It’s an ok stop.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: C
Service: C
Cost: $$
Overall: C

You can see all diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
What is the funniest restaurant sign you’ve seen?
What is your favorite salad dressing?

Jackson Hole Diner (Englewood)

July 7, 2018 By in Diners Tags: , , , , , 3 Comments
Jackson Hole Diner (Englewood)

Last month, I found myself in Englewood around lunchtime, so I decided to stop at the Jackson Hole Diner. The Jackson Hole actually has a few locations in NYC and one in NJ.

I heard it was a good stop.   I wasn’t starving, but I didn’t want to get stuck in traffic over the George Washington Bridge and be starving.

jackson hole diner englewood nj

Atmosphere: A
The Jackson Hole is a nostalgic diner. The outside is metallic and shiny, and the inside has multiple booths, tables, and a full-length bar. It’s actually much bigger than I thought. I ended up sitting in a back room that I didn’t realize even existed.  To get to the backroom, you cut through the bar.  In the back room, you can see there is actually a downstairs which I think is just a staff room but I’m not sure.

jackson hole diner englewood nj

Coffee: C
The coffee took a long time to come out and I didn’t receive any refills. It was a decent coffee but nothing ordinary. jackson hole englewood nj

Something that did save the Jackson Hole was the orange juice actually had a lot of pulp and looked as if it was fresh squeezed.

jackson hole englewood nj

Food: B
The Jackson Hole has plenty of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I wasn’t starving and decided to default to a Greek Salad. It was cheap and filling. There was plenty of lettuce and toppings, and I have no complaints. It wasn’t massive but good for what I needed for the day. It could have used more toppings as well as pita bread, but other than that, it was good.

jackson hole englewood nj

Service: D
Our waiter disappeared for long periods of times and we never received refills. I wondered if we were forgotten about because we were in the back corner.

Cost: $$
For the salad and coffee, it was $18 which was a bit pricey for the amount of food.  It was one of the cheaper lunch and dinner options though.

Overall Thoughts/Summary:
I liked the Jackson Hole and I thought it was decent food. It was right in the middle of diners as they go. I do wonder how the New York Diners compare and I might try and go to one.  If I come back, I’ll make sure it’s when I’m more hungry and want to try something new.

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

You Can See all 195 Diners I’ve Been Here.

Questions for you:

Do you like orange juice or juice with pulp?

What is the worst traffic you’ve ever sat in?

There was once a fire on the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and they forced everyone to exit the turnpike at exit 4.  Every single person was single filed through the toll booth, and it took over 90 minutes to go 10 miles.

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