The 50's Diner

Whenever I watch movies that are set in the 1950’s, the diners always stand out. I think the whole cheeseburger-and-a-shake, share a malt, soda-jerk atmosphere is just really “keen,” if you will.

This is why Katie and I decided to hit up a place in Dedham, Massachusetts called The 50’s Diner!

There’s a lot of construction going on around the quaint little place, located amidst various other businesses and down the road from a Costco, so right now the place may be easy to miss. Once you get inside though, you’ll notice that the place is really neat in a kitschy sort of way. The walls are adorned with various old advertisements, tour posters of 50s rockers, and drawings of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, and Humphrey Bogart. The seats have that red and teal glittery veneer on them that, regardless of if it’s an accurate portrayal of the time, are reminiscent of the 1950s. Katie and I were able to get one of the last tables in the back right away.

The menus were already at the table. At this point, it was only about 11:45, but Katie and I knew we were going there for lunch. I know, I know: by this point on our trip, we usually hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet. But, for checking out of the hotel a mere 5 minutes before check-out time, we were surprisingly early for our dining experience.

Katie said she didn’t even need to look at the menu. She knew what she was getting: a cheeseburger with fries. I decided that being in a 1950’s diner, she definitely made the best possible choice. I followed suit, only I got a Cheeseburger deluxe (I got me some coleslaw with my burger). Katie got a diet root beer, which was made by the 50’s diner themselves!

Cool!

We wanted to go classic 50’s couple and share a chocolate malt, but we were informed they were out of the necessary requirements to make malts at the moment, but that they could make chocolate fraps. We said we’d take one. We ended up each getting one but only having to pay for one. Not too shabby! It was extremely tasty too. Not too thick, not too thin.

The food came out rather quickly, and it was really tasty! The burger was a classic burger. Better than most diner burgers, I must say. The big hit for me was the coleslaw. It was really tasty, and definitely had a homemade taste to it given the chunks of cabbage that were present.

Again, there’s no point in me reviewing fries unless they’re quite exceptional. These fries wouldn’t disappoint you, but I wouldn’t go writing a review on them either.

Our meal was decently priced, I must say. We got ourselves some shirts to remember the place when we get back to Long Island. We finished, paid, got some shirts, took some pictures of the outside, then were on our way off from the last place we planned on our trip.

What a week! It’s been a wonderful ride, everyone. Thanks so much for joining us on this adventure. Go treat yourself to something tasty!

With loving tastebuds,

- Mike

Mustache Bill's?... Well, not exactly...

I guess I'll start this post with a somewhat funny, short story. Mike and I woke up this morning to eat a wonderful breakfast at Mustache Bill's in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. We drove for about an hour and a half and arrived there at 1:30 this afternoon(okay so it was more like a brunch). Well, much to our surprise and very hungry disappointment... they were closed. They're only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Ouch!

However, just because we didn't get to go there does not mean we didn't allow ourselves to enjoy a delicious breakfast! We found the nearest IHOP and order ourselves some omelettes and pancakes! I, of course, got the always delicious, "Katie favorite" chocolate chip pancakes on the side. I never pass those up for breakfast! SO, anyway, I won't go into any descriptions since I believe IHOP food is fairly self explanatory and most of you have probably dug into some eggs, french toast or pancakes of theirs at one point or another in your life. BUT, I do have something else to tell you all about...

Piccadilly Pub Restaurant! We ended up here all by accident after we arrived at our hotel in Foxboro, Massachusetts tonight. We weren't expecting anything out of the ordinary, really. It seemed like a very Applebee's-like place, which it was in some ways. In other ways, though, it was much more delicious.

First, they have a "beer of the week" thing where you can order a pint of that particular beer for $1.95! Whoa! I know, I know, hard to believe, but your eyes are not deceiving you. You've read correctly - $1.95 pints. They also serve you a bowl of popcorn as soon as you sit down reminiscent of the popcorn served at the Ground Round. If you're me, or if you like the popcorn there, that's amazing in itself. Now, the thing Mike and I were most amazed about were the Pub Pretzels. I know they don't sound all that interesting but hear me out. They serve you 3 soft pretzels with a side of spicy mustard to dip it in. The pretzels are really warm and the outside is perfectly crispy and salted while the inside is soft and chewy. They were unbelievably tasty. You have to try them to believe it because I'm sure right now they just sound like regular soft pretzels to you. Trust me, they were much more.

For entrees we decided to order 2 things but split them since we couldn't decide what we wanted. I went for a Caesar salad. Now hold on.. I got it with spicy, warm buffalo wings laid across it. They were the most tender ones I've had. The parmesan cheese was delicious and the croutons were superb. Mike's dish was a little bit more exciting, though. I'm glad we shared :). He ordered a Roasted Chicken on Focaccia sandwich. There were roasted red peppers and melted provolone cheese all topped off with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Everything complimented each other so well. It was quite fab!

The menu had plenty of other things to offer as well. The usual pub food - burgers, fries, mozzarella sticks, nachos - can all be found on their menu and it all sounded mouth-watering! Although it is a chain restaurant, I'd still recommend hitting it up if you're in the Massachusetts area and have the time to do so. Sorry, it seems that you can only find this place in this state.

Well, I apologize for the somewhat surprise posting, but I really thought this place was worth writing about! This is Katie saying continue to keep it tasty!

Doumar's Cones and Barbecue

How many places can claim that they made the very first ice cream cone? Well...I guess a lot of places can claim it. BUT, one place really did make the first thin, flat waffle upon which ice cream was placed: Doumar's.

Doumar's is in Norfolk, Virginia, and it's a drive-in. And by drive-in, I mean a classic drive-in. Since the place has been there since 1934, I'd say it's pretty authentic.

Now, if my previous post about Sonic didn't clue you in, as a New York guy, I've no clue how to operate the whole drive-in scene. People come up to the window and you order and then they put a tray near your window? Do you tip them? Do they come back to get the tray when I'm done? All these questions just had Katie and I park the car and go in to get our food rather than once again tempt fate.

Well, I was wrong again about not tempting fate, because I wasn't sure whether or not I could just sit down in the booths like I could at, say, A Burger King, or if I had to be waited on. We finally decided to get our food and eat it in the car. So, in a way, we were our own waitress on this adventure.

Since we were hungry, we got some lunch in addition to the cones that we'd obviously be getting. Katie and I both got cheeseburgers with onions, we split a side of fries, I got a hot dog with cheese and a limeade. Then Katie got a chocolate cone and I got a vanilla one.

Food first: tasty! It's exactly what I'd imagine getting a burger from a drive-in would taste like if I were transported back to 1956. It's the kind of flavor that reminds you of an era even if you never lived in it. This is probably because they haven't changed much of anything since the place opened. It's also probably because after McDonald's opened its 45,457,520,382,392nd location, it stopped tasting original. Doumar's is keeping it real, and keeping the flavor alive.

The hot dog was interesting!

Check that out. They serve it on a hamburger bun, but split it down the middle and you eat it like a sandwich. The dog was also a good time. It tasted grilled, which pleased my pallet, I must say.

It's a shame I'm the one reviewing fries, because to me fries are just fries. In general, I'd rather the crinkle-cut variety over the thin kind that most fast-fooderies have going on.

I'll keep my drink review of the limeade short and sweet: refreshing! It was like a homemade lime slushie. When summer hits, I'll be trying to make some of these out on LI.

Now, onto the ice cream: mmmmmmmmmmmm. It was creamy as can be. If someone told me it wasn't homemade, I'd tell them they were crazy. And the waffle cones were thin, crisp, and everything a waffle cone should be. Most chain ice-cream places have thick overly-sweet cones that aren't to my liking. This one literally tasted better than most waffles I've had.

So, despite Doumar's being a bit confusing in ordering procedure, and despite the staff being a bit more friendly on Diner's, Drive-Ins, and Dives than they were in person (way more frowns on location), overall I vote that if you're in the Norfolk area, go grab some grub!

With loving tastebuds,

- Mike

The Highlander!

Happy Cinco de Mayo boys and girls! What better way to celebrate this lovely holiday than with some delicious margaritas and some even more delicious food? Well if you're thinking that the answer to that is that there is no better way, you'd be correct!

The Highlander in Atlanta (or should I say HOTlanta), GA is the perfect place to get both of these things. That's where Michael and I ended up today, day 3 of our trip, for lunch. What a lunch it was. Contrary to what its dive-bar-esque exterior may lead you to believe, the food there is fresh, there are tons of choices and you definitely won't leave there unsatisfied or feeling like you just ate the most wilted food this world has to offer.

From creamy homemade soups to flavor-filled vegetarian sandwiches, the Highlander knows how to put a dish together. Mike and I decided to start off our "luncheon" with some jalapeno poppers(yes, we ate them again), which are know at The Highlander as stuffed jalapenos. Let me just tell you, these were the best jalapeno poppers I have ever had and guess what.. Mike agreed! They weren't your standard jalapeno poppers. Instead of the regular green jalapenos you find in the usual popper, these were stuffed with red jalapenos and they were spicy! But not too spicy! They were also filled with cream cheese, which Mike usually likes less than its brother, the cheddar filled popper. However, these were quite the exception. The cream cheese was seasoned with an explosion of various flavors, making it taste more like its cheddar relative and the fried breading on the outside was mixed with green jalapenos. The poppers were served with a sweet and savory salsa to dip them in. It was the perfect pairing for the spicy Mexican food. We liked it so much we had to order some chips to finish it off. The chef brought them out himself and we didn't get charged for them, excellent.

Next, we each decided to get a cup of their baked potato soup. The soup was fresh and creamy, as I stated above and it was topped with cheddar cheese and chives. It had a velvety, smooth texture and didn't have that "just outta the can" taste to it. You can tell it was freshly made. If you find that I say "fresh" often in this post it's because that's the feeling each bite of food gives you at this place.

To finish our meals, Mike ordered himself their Veggie Sandwich and I decided to go with a House salad. Mike's Veggie Sandwich consisted of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, carrots, jack and cheddar cheese served on a soft sourdough bread with ranch dressing. Don't let the name of this sandwich fool you. Mike said it filled him up quite well and it takes a lot to fill up that tummy! Of course, on the side he had to order macaroni and cheese. If you know Mike, you know he never passes that up if it's an option. I don't think I need to tell you that this was also tasty. My salad was filled with plenty of vegetables as well. Cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, carrots and green peppers were all included. Mike got to enjoy the tomatoes and mushrooms since I don't eat those, but I'm sure they were good if you like that sort of thing. Along with those, cheese and croutons were thrown in the mix. The croutons were different than any others I've tasted, but I mean that in the best way. They were soft enough to get your fork through but sturdy enough to still be considered croutons and not just mushy bread in a salad. I went with a honey dijon dressing to go on top. Very delightful.

This is Katie saying continue to keep it tasty! Go enjoy a drink!

P.S. I almost forgot to mention how ambrosial the margaritas were! I think that's all I need to say about those though.

Sonic!

As I mentioned before, I'm a guy from New York. In New York (at least on Long Island), we don't have Sonics. However, we see commercials for Sonic all the time since we get commercials for the tri-state area (that's New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York), and there's some Sonics in NJ. Needless to say, most people I know have had their mouths water and their curiosity peaked more than a few times due to this drive-in fast-food joint. So, even though it's just a fast-food chain, Katie and I are gonna review Sonic for all of you deprived New Yorkers out there!

Let me just say that when we got to Sonic, neither of us had ANY IDEA how to order. There's no drive-ins like that on Long Island. So, first we parked by the parking slots with the menus by them. Then, we thought maybe we had to order first around the corner. So, we drove around and placed an order at a normal drive-thru styled intercom. Then, instead of a window where you pick up your food, you're supposed to round the corner again and wait by a curb with a sign in front of it that says something to the effect of "take-out curb." Well, I drove past this and went into the spots with the menu on them again. After a while, we realized I was wrong again, and I reversed and went back to the "take-out curb." An employee walked out our food, and after some confusion over the amount it cost (she kept thinking she said $10 less than it actually was), I was asked if I wanted the loose-change that I would normally get back without deciding at any other fast-food place. I was confused and wondered if this meant I was supposed to tip her for bringing out her food. I decided to just say "no thanks!" and part with the loose change, then just drive away to avoid the awkward situation.

In a nearby parking lot, Katie and I opened our bag and took out our order: 2 x-tra long coney chili-cheese dogs, a side of fries, a side of onion rings, 2 orders of jalapeno poppers (4 poppers each), and 2 Sonic Blasts (one Reeses and one Oreo).

Ok, so let me just start by saying that if I could get Jalapeno Poppers from a fast-food place where I lived, I'd be about 400 pounds. Jalapeno Poppers are among my favorite food items ever! And yeah, yeah, I'm gonna sound lame if I say that a fast-food joint can make good poppers because "oh, only the finest of fine eateries can get this right!" Buuuuuut...the poppers were great!

And the x-tra long coney chili-cheese dogs?

Well, they were definitely "x-tra long"! And, I enjoyed it all. Yep, ate the whole thing, plus 5 poppers (Katie gifted me one of hers. The best gift a lady can give a gent, in my book).

The onion rings were good. They had an odd carnival flavor to them. It was a bit sweet, and the batter was reminiscent of funnel cake in some strange way. To me, fries are fries, so there's not much to say about that.

The Sonic Blasts were good! We ate them back at the hotel. I got pulled over by Tennessee Police on the way back for not moving one lane over when an emergency vehicle was in the shoulder of a highway. I was informed this is the case in most states. Much like the ordering process of a Sonic, this is something my New York background had never taught me. The officer was very nice, and told me that if there's flashing sirens in a shoulder, leave the lane nearest them open by moving to the middle.

So, no ticket for me; but you, dear reader, get a review of Sonic, AND a safe driving tip if you're ever anywhere else in the US aside from New York: the state where we don't care if we come dangerously close to people changing their tires on the shoulder of a highway.

With loving tastebuds,

- Mike

Dor-Stop Restaurant

Pittsburgh, PA: home of Heinz Field, Fort Pitt, and Dor-Stop Restaurant. Now, the first two I only know about because I went on Wikipedia and looked up famous places in Pittsburgh; but, the last one on the list I learned to love first-hand because it was the first stop on Day 2 of Katie’s and my road trip!

Dor-Stop is known for its breakfast. Katie and I got ourselves to this fine eatery at around 11:40, which was fine since Dor-Stop serves breakfast all day (well, until they close at 3). A sweet parking spot right out front really helped since it's been raining every day so far on our trip. It appears that roadside parking is all there is to offer in this part of town, so you may have to walk if it's a busy day.

We got a seat right away, and Katie ordered a cup of coffee and I got me some orange juice. The juice was par, but Katie's coffee was about a birdie, so I decided I'd order a cup too. Then we were onward to make a breakfast decision. Katie got French Toast. I went for a South of the Border Omelette: sausage, onions, peppers, tomatoes, cheese and topped with salsa. Mine came with a choice of homefries or grits. I went with grits just to switch things up.

It didn't take very long for our food to come out. Katie's French Toast was served as 3 pieces of bread, cut diagonally, and rested atop one another like this: <|<|<|<|<|<|

Hooray for ASCII art!

Her French Toast was fluffy and delicious! A lot of times people (such as myself) are skeptical of ordering such a basic pleasure at a restaurant. I know I tend to go for more extravagant items. But you know what? The basics are just that for a reason: they're the fundamentals! French Toast is delicious all by itself. And while it's also delicious stuffed and covered in random fruits and jams and other cool edibles, let's not forget that it's great "naked" too. Dor-Stop reminded us of this with its wonderful toast triangles.

My South of the Border Omelette was incredible! The sausage had a great bit of spice to it, which complimented the peppers nicely (I believe there were some chile peppers in there instead of just the basic bell). It was coated in a great deal of salsa, which was promised by the menu and delivered by the chef. My grits were tasty. I'm a guy from New York, so forgive me if I say that I like homefries more than grits. Maybe as Katie and I venture more south on our road-trip this'll change?

So, two cups of coffee, a large orange juice, a huge omelette with grits, and french toast...all for around 20 bucks? Wow! Two thumbs up for this place. We walked out satisfied, and took a little part of Dor-Stop back home...

via the two t-shirts we bought!

Good times, everyone. Definitely check it out if you're in Pittsburgh. And, definitely keep checking back for more updates on Katie's and my adventure about the US in search of deliciousness!

With loving tastebuds,

- Mike

White Manna Hamburgers!

"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." If the mini-slider-size hamburgers Wimpy was always eating in the Popeye cartoons were from White Manna, I understand his desire for this barter!

Day one of our trip has proven successful and definitely did not disappoint! I know, you're all happy for us.The appearance of White Manna Hamburgers in Hackensack, New Jersey is definitely deceiving. The small white and red White Castle-type shack on the side of the road is loaded with some BIG flavor. Please, do not take me saying "White Castle-type shack" as an indication to the burgers you will experience at this place.

The restaurant(probably measuring about the size of your living room) was loaded with people. Mike and I happened to get there just before a lunch rush, thankfully. You walk in towards the counter, which isn't more than a foot from the front door, and just wait for your turn to tell the cook your order. He takes a few at a time and just puts the burgers on the griddle lined up in order. There is only one guy cooking the burgers and it's done right in front of you. There are 2 other employees there, a guy that bags up the orders and works the register and a guy taking fry and drink orders. It's amazing what the three of them can bang out!

Let's get to the menu, shall we? Of course, Mike and I ordered some burgers and cheeseburgers. As I mentioned before, they are White Castle style, so they are pretty small. You're gonna need to order 2-3 at the least to fill you. But trust me, once you've tasted them, that won't be a problem. You can also order doubles, if that is your preference, which are just slightly bigger versions. The burgers are put on the griddle for a few seconds before the cook asks you if you want onions on it(even if you don't like onions, I'd recommend saying yes) then both sides of the bun are placed on top of the burger in order to kind of steam them! Genius! Then the cheese is placed on and once they're removed you can ask for the works(ketchup, pickles and mustard), or you can just get them as is.

Don't fret folks! The menu doesn't stop at burgers. They also offer omelettes, plain eggs, egg sandwiches, a variety of flavored milk shakes, hot chocolate, coffee and tea. Surprisingly big for such a small place, wouldn't ya say? In any case, I'd still say to get their burgers; boy oh boy were they good!

For me, one of the best parts of going to White Manna is learning how close in proximity it is to where I live. How convenient! Hey, if this got your mouth watering, invite me with when you decide to check it out!

This is Katie saying continue to keep it tastey and go eat some meat! Over and out!