Pat's Diner

First thing you notice about Pat's Diner is that it's super small, especially because the back room (by the tiny bar) was closed. The prep station is right in the middle of the room so you can see your waitress make/pour coffee, toast your bread, and scoop your pudding. Not only can you keep tabs on your waitress (I'm sure the purpose was to do the opposite) but you can also see everyone else which could be awkward if you're looking for a more private dining experience.

Our waitress, who I'll call Tiana (from Princess and the Frog), was super professional, and had a sweet, hardworking demeanor. She was accommodating not only to us but to a difficult table next to us with three rowdy children who all DEMANDED dessert that they couldn't share.

Soup and Salad

 Let me just say- $8.25 goes a long way at Pat's Diner. I don't think I'll ever not appreciate how cheap NJ Diner's are, and how much you can get for your money. I ordered the fish and chips, because I wanted something hearty but not saucy. I was given an extensive choice of sides (multiple ways of doing potato, rice, veggies,etc.) and I chose broccoli because I was a little apprehensive. Not only was there that, but it came with soup AND salad. Most places give you the option of one or the other, so I was totally taken aback by this generosity.

Fish and Delicious Chips

My soup, lima bean, was surprisingly tasty and flavorful. It was more than just salty or brothy, and I appreciated the effort that was put into it. It was a bit watery, but I liked that the beans themselves were big and full. My salad, was basic as I expected, but clearly fresh and colorful with big, even slices of tomato which I appreciated. It wasn't drowning in water like previous diner salads that I've had, and was generally pleasant to pick at (even without dressing).

My main entree did not disappoint me either, although it was a little strange. Fish and chips has a very distinctive look to it, slightly thicker filet cuts of white fish, battered and then fried. You know the drill. These came out more like wide pieces of fish sticks. Granted, they were tastier than the ones you'd expect from the grade school cafeteria...I felt like un tres chic 4th grader. Nevertheless, the breading was decent, it wasn't that oily, and it stayed crispy throughout the duration of the meal. My 'chips' were amazing. Who'd a thunk that this little diner hidden in a nook of a not-so-great looking part of Trenton, NJ would make delicious, delicious, French fries that were hot, crispy, well-salted and never got that weird hollow density that happens when they get cold.

The Best Side of Broccoli I Have Ever Seen

Places like Pat's Diner is why I love this blog. I had never heard of this place, didn't know exactly where it was, and was completely unfamiliar with the area. As we drove through Trenton I admit I was getting a little nervous since some of the other shops and stores on the block seemed dirty and not well kept. But, then we saw the small building on the corner and I parked the car in a smaller lot around the back. Pat's certainly does not boast lavishness; the walls were not plated with chrome, but the place was clean.

Chicken Salad Sandwich Done Right

We were seated in a corner of the main dining room and were handed an extensive menu. I thumbed through the pages until I found the sandwich section. Pat's diner has a great list of double-decker sandwiches and they're all priced around six dollars. Like Chi said earlier, a little money goes a long way. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich and it was huge, which was great since I had a long night of lessons ahead of me. The chicken salad itself was refreshing and loaded with white meat. They throw in celery for the nice crunchy texture as you bite your way through the four triangles. The mayo was definitely present, but not overwhelming. Also, if you look closely, those are thick-cut bacon strips thrown in above the tomatoes, awesome. I think my favorite part of the meal, though, was the fries. The sandwich was good, but the fries pulled everything together. Each one was crispy on the outside and filled with soft, steamy, potato-y goodness. And, every once in a while I could take a little bite of tasty, non-soupy, coleslaw. I'm excited to visit Pat's again and maybe try their Reuben, or maybe their pastrami. Here's to looking forward.

Broad Street Diner

Sunday morning breakfast is traditionally one of the most delicious meals of the week. Second perhaps only to the Sunday night dinner.

It was a quick breakfast. Here are the quick facts:

The place smelled delicious when we walked in. Some diners smell damp or just greasy, but this one smelled like sugar and spice and everything nice.

This diner is CHEAP! If you're looking for a bargain meal and you are in the Central Jersey area, you have got to stop by. Omelette breakfasts (made from three eggs, with toast and home fries) started at just $4.50! The rest of menu was similarly reasonably priced with the expected diner breakfast selections. The only thing more exciting than normal was the appearance of blintzes, which I have yet to try. Also, only two choices for your toast- white or wheat. Sorry, fans of rye.

Our waitress was fast and friendly, taking our order without a pen or pad and able to repeat it back to us. If that wasn't cool enough, less than five minutes later, barely after our first sip of coffee, our food was out to us!

The Good (the food):
Solid diner food (at least during breakfast) from a well-oiled machine (restaurant). The best part was the home fries that came out as a combo of crispy, slightly burnt on the ends, and creamy in the middle without me asking for my usual "well done, please". Mmh starch at its best.

My omelette was cooked/presented in a different way than others I have had. It was more like a fritatta, laid out very, very thin and then folded over several times to create its shape.Mushrooms were sliced so that cooking it that way was possible. I wonder what would have happened if there were bulkier ingredients. Perhaps this is why the Broad Street Diner doesn't offer a multi-vegetable breakfast.

The Eh:
The toast. Very forgettable with inconsistent buttering.
The decor/atmosphere. Everything was clean where we were sat (a step up from the last diner) but overall it was very loud which I wouldn't mind if it was because of the patrons, but I do mind when it's attributed to the staff. There were waitresses indulging the nearby booths about the details of the personal life drama.

The Bad:
The attentive, intelligent waitress turned negligent and somewhat snappish. As the meal went on, there was less personal attention and then a check that was thrown onto our table with a dismissive "Thanks guys" after we had asked for it twice. It took us only 10-15 minutes to have coffee and food, but about 20 minutes waiting and tapping our foot.

I'll use the above model for my meal as well since my two eggs with sausage and home fries had its peaks and valleys as well. Firstly the eggs were done pretty darn well. I ordered them over medium, and to my delight I had no runny whites and the yolks were perfectly creamy and rich. This was made even more impressive by the speed that the kitchen must have worked at to get our food out to us. I have to agree with Chi, too. The potatoes were some of the best I've ever had. A lot of diners struggle with making home fries that are crispy on the outside and light through the rest of the potato. I suspect that the chefs cook their potatoes (until fork tender) before they slice them to be fried up.

My sausage was the "eh" part of my meal. The three jumbo link sausage were definitely good, but I suppose I wasn't suspecting them to be so different in an establishment where their pricing looked liked the 1990s. The mean was tender, juicy, and a little salty, but the casing needed more bite for some more texture. After the initial bite, everything becomes mush (delicious mush).

Same complaint as above, but to put a cherry on top, as Chi and I walked back to our car and I spotted our waitress taking a personal call behind the restaurant while smoking a cigarette. Now, I don't want to rip the woman completely, there might be some unknown circumstances. What if someone in her family is sick? I just think it was bad form to present yourself like that right next to the parking lot where every patron coming in and leaving can see you.


Note: This is the Broad Street Diner on South Broad Street in Trenton, NJ. Please do NOT confuse it with the diner that is also probably on Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Hamilton Family Diner

What a weekend! Chi and I just finished our first ballroom competition of the season (with mixed results) so, naturally, we were hungry. Guess what happened next? Yup, Chi plugged diner into the TomTom and we were off to Trenton. This gem (giving my verdict up early) is located on Nottingham Way just off of exit 63 on 295. We rolled in at around eight thirty at night and I honestly was unsure if it was open. It was a Saturday, the lights didn't seem to bright, there weren't too many cars in the parking lot, and at first I couldn't see anyone inside. The door was unlocked and we were seated at a booth near the front door.

More Chicken Salad than Anticipated

We were exhausted and I was in the need for something home made, fast, and fulfilling. I bounced between entrees for a while, "should I get the fish and chips or the chicken cordon bleu?" Then I saw that double decker sandwiches came with fries, slaw, a pickle, soup, and dessert for six bucks. Sold. They had chicken salad and I was all in. The fries were fried nicely and had a crispy exterior, and after a long day I was happy to know they had just been taken out of the fryer. The sandwich definitely stole the show on my plate. Besides the obvious chicken salad the sandwich was also packed with thick bacon and fresh crispy lettuce and tomato. For the chicken, think of a double scoop sized portion, that's how stuffed the sandwich was. I opted for rye bread without asking what my options were, but I'm sure the diner has the standard white and wheat bread as well. I was mostly impressed with the price of my meal since the chicken salad itself, although delicious, was not the best I've tasted. While the chicken taste was there, the texture of the salad was very pasty, and I'm from the school of chunky chicken salad. Because of the pastiness, I couldn't help being suspicious of how much my chicken salad was actually chicken and not filler. I'll let you go and get back to me with your opinion.

Chocolate Ice Cream, We Think

As for dessert, the selection is nothing to brag about. Just a couple of weeks ago, Chi and I were at the Club Diner on the Black Horse Pike and we had pie included on our ticket price! Pie! This time, our options were pudding, jell-o, and ice cream. Wahh Wahh Wahhhh. I went with chocolate ice cream. It was weird, there was something off about it, like it was aged ice cream with possible freezer burn. I ate half of  mine, but if it wasn't for the long weekend I'm sure I would have only given it a taste.

Sleepy Sleepy Sleepy

I know we have been to a sleepy diner before (see our Red Oak Diner and Bakery post) but this one was truly sad. Considering the fact that it was prime-time dinner time on a Saturday night when we visited, there was no one there. For the duration of our 45-minute meal nobody came. Three employees occupied the forlorn (but clean) space, checking their phones, taking multiple smoke breaks and eating food they created for themselves. The one who waited on us was friendly enough, and was kind enough to brew us fresh coffee...but I assume only because there was none already made. I always worry about the financial stability of diners, and I would be more sympathetic to the Hamilton Family Diner if it wasn't for the fact that they looked as if they couldn't care less.

Cream of Broccoli

It's a shame because the quality of their food is actually better than average, despite their appearance. Both Chris and I opted for the soup option of our meals, and we both picked cream of broccoli which seemed like the healthy option. Turns out it was pretty tasty too! Temperature wise, it was kind of complacently warm, but it was truly creamy and hearty, like a chowder should be, with a healthy amount of broccoli bits.

Somewhere Beneath the Chips is Fish

I convinced Chris to let me have the fish and chips, and I'm really thankful he did. This was the flakiest, softest fried-fish I've ever tasted. It fell apart like tongue-burning butter, almost like a halibut would as opposed to the typical cod. I waited for a chance to ask someone about it, but our waitress made herself virtually unavailable until I lost interest. I hear that this is how the West Coast does fish and chips, but I need someone to confirm this. Delicious, hot, and with a good amount on the plate, I really couldn't ask for more. The tartar sauce was strange, almost as if it had been over-dressed with extra dill, perhaps a hint of mint, and ultimately distracting to the fish rather than enhancing.


Also, note that they have a very unoriginal and limited scope on the idea of 'sides'. I was asked what sides I wanted and before I could really reply, our waitress suggested that I just get double-fries. Yummy, but you know, not what I need with a meal that already, by default, consists of half a plate of them. I later found out through evesdropping that their sides for the night were broccoli, carrots, or mixed veggies. Um, yeah...not so much.

Additional notes:
I had half of my sandwich as leftover two days later, and it was still delicious. The exterior looks like a Christmas tree. Seriously.

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