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From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

I have no nostalgia for DINER COFFEE, but for Diners. Growing up in Long Island I feel a kinship with New Jersians. They were everywhere and none of them had good coffee. It was that one place you could rely on no matter what time of day or night.

An aside:

I find that most people order the same thing when they're at a Diner.

From Talk

Any kid-friendly restaurant suggestions around Lincoln Center?

Burger Joint!
118 W 57th St
New York, NY 10019-3318
(212) 708-7414

Took my little cousin there and he loved it, although the juxtaposition, high class and dive, went over his head.

From A Hamburger Today

Burger Mobile from the Westport Flea Market Bar and Grill in Kansas City

ZOMG I saw this thing on a truck in Queens the other day!! I have pics!!

From Talk

Anyone know what's in the Green Sauce at Pio Pio Rikko?

I make a similar sauce with this big jar o goodness "Coriander Chutney" from Patal Brothers. Mix it with Greek yogurt and you're done.

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From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

I have no nostalgia for DINER COFFEE, but for Diners. Growing up in Long Island I feel a kinship with New Jersians. They were everywhere and none of them had good coffee. It was that one place you could rely on no matter what time of day or night.

An aside:

I find that most people order the same thing when they're at a Diner.

From Talk

Any kid-friendly restaurant suggestions around Lincoln Center?

Burger Joint!
118 W 57th St
New York, NY 10019-3318
(212) 708-7414

Took my little cousin there and he loved it, although the juxtaposition, high class and dive, went over his head.

From A Hamburger Today

Burger Mobile from the Westport Flea Market Bar and Grill in Kansas City

ZOMG I saw this thing on a truck in Queens the other day!! I have pics!!

From Talk

Anyone know what's in the Green Sauce at Pio Pio Rikko?

I make a similar sauce with this big jar o goodness "Coriander Chutney" from Patal Brothers. Mix it with Greek yogurt and you're done.

From A Hamburger Today

What Do You Think of Dijon on Burgers?

I have ignored this ridiculous republican-inspired Dijon gate fiasco and will just add that Dijon mustard and bloody beef make a wonderful pair.

From A Hamburger Today

The Whole Wheat Big Mac

IMHO whole wheat bread usually has more flavor than white, but if its from Mcdonalds who knows.

From A Hamburger Today

'Burger in the Boardroom' Video with Josh Ozersky

Mr. Cutlets great, but yes I agree that 'enriched white bun' is silly.

From A Hamburger Today

Sloppy, Overcooked Burgers at The General Greene

I've had the burger twice, both times rare and I have to say, other than a bit too much salt, that it was delicious. Considering your before and after burger descriptions someone wasn't pleased with your reorder.

I don't think I ever send anything back at a restaurant and its hard to say that I ever will, mostly because I don't think its worth the aggravation or the wasted food. And because I'm a wimp.

From A Hamburger Today

Gigantic Burger Joint Coming to New Hotel on West 26th Street

I've been to the Lexington ave location twice, both times I remember being very pleased.

Great taste and cooked perfectly at medium rare. I believe they have truffle oil fries which are delicious.

From A Hamburger Today

Frank Bruni on Corner Bistro and Shake Shack

@Kenji How can we compare Shake Shack with Bistro? Aren't we talking about pub vs. cali style? (I hope I dont get carpet-bombed after this)

From A Hamburger Today

Frank Bruni on Corner Bistro and Shake Shack

I want to make clear that I'm not arguing that Bistro has the 'best' burger. I just love the experience when I go there. The cozy back room, the large cheap eats, and of course the alcohol. I've had plenty of tasty burgers that came with lousy dining experiences. If all I wanted was a delicious burger I'd stay home and give myself a meat facial.

Anyway its hard to give that best burger answer. If I was tortured in a guillotine I'd have to say I really loved Resto's burger though haven't had it in a while [ I've got to head to Irving Mill soon ].

From A Hamburger Today

'Hamburgers are the Hummers of Food'

I know I contribute my fair share of greenhouse gases after a good burger.

From Talk

Le Creuset—already stained

my enameled cast iron did stain pretty early on [ i have one Calphalon and one Lodge]. I don't feel like the finish is damaged in any way though and i love using them for stews, bread, soup, frying, almost anything. I'm sure the Le Creuset is much better quality but i don't need it. Sure the outside chips but i dont cook with the outside of the pot. spent maybe 60 on the Calphalon and 45 on the Lodge on amazon. Well worth the savings since i won't need another one for a long time.

From A Hamburger Today

Frank Bruni on Corner Bistro and Shake Shack

I have seen them, as you walk to the end of the bar just look into the "kitchen".

BTW McSorelys on tap both regular and dark for $2.50 I think? That alone is worth the trip.

From A Hamburger Today

Frank Bruni on Corner Bistro and Shake Shack

While its true that you can get an 'old' dull tasting bistro burger, I rarely do as I prefer my bistro burger rare. I believe that to meet my demands for blood they must cook my burger from the start. So in a way I suppose everyone is right, the bistro burger is both dull and unremarkable and bold and perfect, depending on how brave you are.

From A Hamburger Today

Make Juicier Burgers with Fat from Rib Eye Steak

adding any beef fat to yur chopped meat will work wonders.

i like butter though.

From A Hamburger Today

Facebook Kills Off Burger King's Whopper Sacrifice App

My free Whopper coupon is coming in the mail soon.

No, it's not a decent burger.
No, I'm not a snob.
And yes, I know you understand.

From Talk

Where to find a heritage breed turkey in NYC?

Marlow and Sons had them for a bit, pretty sure they're all gone now!

From A Hamburger Today

Burger King's Fake Wallet Promotion

Awesome. I love the Burger King dude. Too bad their food sucks.

From A Hamburger Today

Steingarten on Hamburgers: More Than a Mouthful

Adding any subset of "bleu cheese, chopped olives, onions or mushrooms, bbq or steak sauce, or catsup, worstershire, chipotle tabasco sauce"
to ground meat results in meatloaf, not a hamburger.

From A Hamburger Today

Steingarten on Hamburgers: More Than a Mouthful

Pattyplus,
If you think adding cream to the meat results in a Stroganoff flavor, surely you've noticed that adding the strongly flavored veggies and sauces you cite (bleu cheese, chopped olives, BBQ or steak sauce, or catsup-worstershire) results in meatloaf, not a burger.

Bread labeled 'whole grain' steps on the flavor of whatever is between the bread or buns. Most supermarket 'whole grain' bakery items are not truly whole grain (as opposed to those heavy German loaves) and with only slight increases in nutritional value. But pursuing nutrition over flavor leads to a land far from the the joys of hamburgerdom.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

There's still tons of diners around here (Central NJ), at least a dozen within a 15 min. drive of my home.
The Skylark Diner on Rte. 1 in Edison is pretty good, however, I never drink diner coffee, so I can't speak to that.
Does anyone here know of Gilley's Lunch Wagon, Portsmouth, NH? An obscure reference, no doubt, but the best night owl diner of all time.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

In the eight years I've been living in New Jersey, I've been hoping to find the sort of diner that so many people pine for, but when I'm there, I just don't get it.

In any case, when I went from Edison to Princeton for some shopping this morning, I passed three diners and eight or nine Indian vegetarian places.

The diners are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

The best diner in New Jersey is the Americana in East Windsor, although it has gone sufficiently upscale that it's almost no longer a diner. Almost, but not quite. However, I cannot comment on its coffee, since I'm not a coffee drinker. My girlfriend seems to like it, however.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

Jersey diner coffee isn't that unique--I went to uni in CT, and diners had the same coffee profile.

The Inkwell by the shore is another story...

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

One of my favorite childhood food memories is when my parents would pour diner coffee over my scoop of vanilla ice cream. And I'm embarrassed to admit, my nostalgic dish to go with diner coffee is french fries and Camel Lights.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

My parents started me on coffee at 3 yrs of age. Tall glass with lots of milk and sugar. @Gastronomeg has me beat with her early entry to the world of black coffee though. (why does every one put the @ before the screen name? I've never figured out the use for that)

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

my old go-to diner in park slope served their coffee in these annoying little orange plastic half-mugs lined with paper cones. i swear they held about 3 tablespoons of coffee. gosh, i miss that place!!!!

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

@Derekh - how have I never been to Bonbonniere!?! wow.

My first experience with coffee was generally the same. Though I inched into the real stuff from International Selects. And Dunkaccinos at Dunkin Donuts. And the 7-11 "French Vanilla." Until one day, probably my first year in college, when all of a sudden, it just tasted right.

We loved Denny's in Jersey too. I was always a little afraid as to what was actually in the coffee though. But it never hurt to throw a little syrup in there from the pancakes..

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

The first time I had coffee was in a cheesy hotel room with my parents. It was instant coffee. I tried it, and it was groooooooss. Almost as gross as beer.

And yet, here we are.

Great post. I'm from Arizona and the place for under-21-year-old nightowls to socialize was Denny's. So many coffee refills. So many "Eggs Over My Hammy" platters.

Another great greasy-spoon spot for the black stuff is Bonbonniere in the West Village.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

@Allison Hemler - You're alittle far south for me. In Essex County...
Versaille Diner
Livingston Diner
Ritz Diner
Tick Tock Diner
Tiffany Diner
Land and Sea Diner (RIP)

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

Side note, here are my favorite Jersey diners.. in case anyone wants to reminisce and get a little bit more Jersey with me.

Broadway Diner, Red Bank
Broadway Diner, Bayonne
Edison Diner
Crystal Diner, Lawrenceville
Mastoris Diner, Bordentown
Princess Maria Diner, Wall Township

I'm so glad to hear about all these diners in NYC that I had no idea about!

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

Yay diners!! The Waterview Diner in Howard Beach (Queens) was always my favorite, but sadly, it's no longer there.The long nights spent there after innumerable school functions are some of the most amazing memories I have. The Cross Bay Diner and the Esquire Diner (both still in HB) are pretty great, too.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

great piece..i grew up in jersey....the Edison Diner was my #1 go to then...now its the UWS so i go to the Key West..it definitely meets all the criteria

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

Another fact of diner coffee: a little puddle of coffee in the saucer below the cup from the waiter/waitress spilling it or over filling it.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

i've been a black coffee drinker since i was 6 years old.
(i had asthma & it would help stave off an attack.)
i love it in all forms-and diner coffee definitely resonates with me.
(my fave is tom's diner in the dormont section of pittsburgh.)

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

I'm a born and raised Jersey boy, so diner eating is in my blood. Even though I enjoy good coffee and regularly hit up the Grand Central Joe the Art of Coffee during the week at work, there is always a place for diner coffee. During the weekends, I tend to hit either East Side Cafe (23rd and 1st) or Cosmos (23rd and 2nd). I also like Sunflower but its too hectic in there to be comfortable. Both serve endless cups of coffee and a decent enough plate of eggs or pancakes.

BTW.. you missed a whole heap of diners around Murray Hill/Gramercy. It seems like its the highest density of diners in Manhattan.

Euro Diner; Moonstruck; Sunflower; Lyric, Cosmo; East Side; Coopertown Diner all within 10 blocks of each other.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

Over the past two years, I have regrettably morphed into a Coffee Snob. I used to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee straight from a streetcart, but now even the Van Leeewuen truck isn't good enough for me. I'm some kind of monster.

But there's something about awful diner coffee that I crave and love, @Allison, so thank you for reminding me that I'm overdue for some quality space-out time in a diner. Great post. :)

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

@gargupie @rstank: I knew you Queens folk would chime in... I have spent only about two hours in Queens in my life, and half of that at LaGuardia Airport... so I'm glad now I have some reasons to go out there. Makes sense, since most of the diners we're talking about are Greek (or Turkish) owned. Thanks!

@alastor: I agree about usually ordering the same thing, but do you ever find it varies though, depending on the time of day? while I usually am a breakfast person and eat something like a broccoli and cheese omelette, if I'm there for a weekday lunch, I'll probably eat chicken souvlaki. which still pairs excellently with diner coffee, I might add.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

I second the comment about wonderful classic diners in Queens. I live in Astoria and have my choice of several great Sunday morning diners within walking distance. The Neptune and Bel Aire are particularly great.

From A Hamburger Today

Dear AHT: Should I Make Burgers with My Elk Meat?

Yes! Elk burgers are delicious! I found a great elk burger marinade on AmericanHunter.org if anyone wants to try it out: http://americanhunter.org/ArticlePage.aspx?cid=40&id=1699

From A Hamburger Today

What Do You Think of Dijon on Burgers?

My God, from all the media coverage you would've thought he asked for a champagne bearnaise sauce to go on his burger.

Furthermore, anyone who still, in this day and age, honestly considers spicy mustard (which could have meant Gulden's) or Dijon "elitist" terrifies me with their redneck ignorance...

Lastly, who cares how he likes his burger!?!?? The man is the PRESIDENT, NOT a chef, NOT a self-important/self-proclaimed "foodie," but the PRESIDENT! Now if he asked for his burger raw and "extra heavy on the blood"...that would've been creepy and newsworthy.

From A Hamburger Today

What Do You Think of Dijon on Burgers?

@ Chanterelle - exactly! Those elitists over at McDonalds serve billions of burgers with mustard to the elite every day.

Personally, it depends on what kind of mood I am. I am more inclined to put on just a dab in addition to ketchup if I know it is a more bland burger. And if I know the burger is going to suck or is dried, then its almost definite. Not to say mustard should only be used to cover up bad burgers but it plays that role well if needed!

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About alastor

Website:

Location: Queens, NY

About: I like food.

Favorite foods: Cheeseburgers obviously. Any kind of lamb.

Last bite on earth: Le Parker Meridien burger with Demont Burger fries, and a Ronnybrook shake. Or a really big bone-in-ribeye.