harriet1954

Rich, it was a pleasure to meet you this year! I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, and so did we (except for the chanting of my name, but that's not for this thread). It's funny, but both Brian and I also voted Dee's our favorite of the day, for a few reasons. Manny's Texas Weiners was for the overall experience and atmosphere, but Dee's was our favorite dog of the day. I enjoyed Jimmy Buff's more last year than this year, but it's not for me to nitpick when he's been so generous to us. We did not eat anything but those fantastic fries at Bubba's, and did not have anything at Galloping Hill. I didn't find out until the first trip report about the free food there that day! Nobody said a word about it...it's OK, though. I still have yet to eat a hot dog there. I enjoyed the WindMill's hot dog; Brian did not like the casing. Please email me for the links to my two flickr photo sets from the Tour if you wish to see them. Take care!

Holly, we ate at the new one here in Voorhees (NJ...sorry; I forgot I was in another regional forum), and while the burger absolutely satisfied a craving, I wished the fries were just a tiny bit less well-done. In addition, my boyfriend is very sorry he ordered the Cajun fries. I tasted one and was gagging, and his stomach was upset later on from them. Had to be the spicing. I would go back, though (until I find something that appalls me). Here's how his looked:

If I use 73 to go to or from work, I always pass Olga's. Yesterday I could not help but notice HUGE signs almost all the way out in the road, screaming, "WE ARE OPEN!" Yes, it's a shame, but even last time I went inside, which was a few years ago, it just wasn't any good. Such a location, and I think that the Marlton Diner must've taken all their customers when they started to go downhill. I wish something good and profitable would happen for Olga's before there's nothing left but the sign.

Olga's is indeed huge. Monstrous in fact, but really good. About an 8 or 10 page menu too. I don't think there's anything you can't get in there! Good salad bar too. The shiny new diner (Silver City Diner, I think?) across from the mall is just OK. Too new and not "real" enough for my ingrained sense of what a diner "experience" should be like. More like a cross between a real diner and a Nifty Fifties. A very fake retro vibe going on in there. I'm a fan of Ponzio's, on Route 70. Great baked goods. And real diner waitresses. And all that it implies...hon. I've heard really good things about the Penn Queen Diner on 130 South in Pennsauken, but have no personal experience with it. Will have to check it out sometime. I'm actually pretty fond of the South Street Diner at Front & South. It's open all the time, the food is good, and it's stumbling distance from my front door. All good qualities to recommend it for. i think olga's is crap personally. but i only had one experience there, and was offended by the service. actually more the lack thereof. silver diner is decent. penn queen diner used to be very good, about a decade ago. i believe them to be just decent now. ponzio's is pretty good. i've always liked crystal lake diner, on cuthbert boulevard in haddon township. So weird. I had to double check and make sure I hadn't posted that reply originally, because the sentiments about Olga's & Penn Queen pretty match mine exactly. I've been living in South Jersey since 1987, but *used* to go to Olga's when I was a kid. Tried a few times as an adult & was not impressed with the food - and I found the waitstaff SURLY! Why would a woman in her golden years be so MEAN to customers? *shakes head*. I live about 7 minutes from Olga's and wouldn't go in there again if you paid me. I refer to it as a landmark for anyone needing directions, and that's it. A directional landmark. Not a place to stop at anymore, in my opinion. Silver Diner isn't new by any means - I remember taking my daughter there when she was small. She's 15 now. We went back about 2 months ago and I've never seen so many gnats inside and outside an eating establishment. And the food was just OK. It's a contrived "diner". I miss going to the Crystal Lake Diner. I have a funny memory of that place from January 1993, but you don't want to hear it. I lived in Pennsauken for 5 years, also when my daughter was small, and used to go to the Penn Queen on Brownie night sometimes. I was never really satisfied with the food there, although plenty of people like it, and I never had anything to complain about. Now, though...nah. I stopped going to Ponzio's on Route 70 when I heard that they kick you out if you sit at the counter or booth and drink coffee and read the paper. They don't like that. It's not something I do, but I just won't go back because of the stories of that type that I heard. Ponzio's Brooklawn on Route 130, on the other hand, is much more laid back and I've eaten there and always liked it. The only diners I like in this area are the Pallas (formerly Palace) at the Berlin Circle (open 24 hours), and the White Horse Diner, which is actually my number one favorite and the only one I eat at regularly, on the White Horse Pike near Cross Keys Road, also in Berlin. You will get lots of good food for a ridiculously low price, and everybody's really nice in there.

I live 'round the corner from the Bobby Chez in Voorhees. I pass it all the time on the way to Shop Rite, if I go down that road (561). And I always thought it wasn't open -- I NEVER see cars outside! I'll have to pick up some crabcakes (I don't really eat them) for my BF and daughter and report back vicariously.

Cherry Hill, huh? I'm wondering where...it's such a big township, and I'm one street light from the Eastern border of it. They'll certainly cater to the Cherry Hillers who may be getting ready to move on from Zagara's/Trader Joe's/Whole Foods to the next popular thing.

Oh gosh, we used to eat at the one at Tyson and Bustleton! They were good and although I do drive into the Northeast from time to time, I can't remember whether the Rib Rack is still there...the one on Township Line is opposite Rolling Hill Hospital, isn't it? Or whatever it's called now? Graduate or whatever? Their ribs were really good back then, but I couldn't tell you about now, since I live "so far away I might as well be in California" as my mother used to say, in Camden County.

I'm still OMG @ Nero. I thought I was fussy...I had a "friend" who I'd call "a dinner date". We went basically just to chain restaurants in the area such as Applebee's. The embarrassing thing he did was mechanically order "plain hamburger nothing on it" and "Large Coke No Ice". He would lift the "lid" of the hamburger as if he didn't trust. Every time. Now, I remember doing that when I was just a fussy little girl. But please trust them when you ask for plain that they'll do it. Once we went to Geets' Diner in Williamstown and he ordered liver and onions and wouldn't eat it because it wasn't the type of liver his mother made. I don't eat liver, so I wouldn't know. And the onion rings had to be "a certain way". Which way, I don't know, because I don't eat them. It's embarrassing to me when they order and don't eat it. I think the weirdest is when they overtip, embarrassingly so. We had "eh" service one place and he left like a $10 tip, I'm like "for WHAT?" "She was nice", he said. She was forgetful and it was hot summer and I think I had to wait like 20 minutes for my iced tea. I'm glad my husband-to-be acts normal in public places LMAO. Oh! I forgot! He doesn't like Italian food or pizza. *shrugs* I'm on Weight Watchers anyway...

I forgot to ask if anyone in Los Angeles remembers Barney's Beanery on Little Santa Monica Blvd. I lived in the San Fernando Valley from 1980 to 1984 and we had a few interesting dining experiences out there. I remember my ex-husband and I trying to eat dinner in a booth there while someone's butt and poolstick was in my face as they bent over trying to line up a shot. I wonder if I still have one of their match covers which said, "No Fag**ts Allowed". I could not believe I was reading this on a matchbook cover, but I was. Looking back I am so horrified we even went back, for that reason alone, but HE insisted...no wonder we're divorced. The most fascinating thing about Barney's Beanery though was that they had like 115 kinds of hotdogs and 100 kinds of hamburgers.

Anyone who's ever lived or travelled through this area would agree that South Jersey is the home of the SKANKY ROADHOUSE! I dated someone for three years who was captain of two APA pool (read billiards) teams, and these were bar teams. You cannot imagine the biker bars I sat in twice weekly, getting sloshed, watching the games, and eating bar food. I was never in any danger, but my eyes would soak up less-than-ideal surroundings. And the ladies' rooms!!! LOL!!! One had a shower curtain instead of a door to the stall. I was invited into a men's room (JUST TO SEE SOMETHING, mind you) that had a waist high urinal filled with ICE - it didn't flush so they kept ICE in it instead - GOOD GOD!!! For free on-top-of-the-bar dancing by patrons and having beer thrown on you "by accident", please stop by The Pepperidge in beautiful Atco, NJ. If you want to (literally) tie your horse to a tree in the back so you don't get a DUI, may I suggest the Oak Grove Bar in Sicklerville, NJ, which was once a one-room schoolhouse. Shockingly, their ladies' room was really nicely decorated and very clean. It's the smallest bar I've ever been in. Wondering why that door is duct-taped? Step into the gloomy 2-Z's in prosperous Somerdale, NJ on the White Horse Pike and ask around. Wish that man would lift his head up off the bar? Further down the WHP is The Little Spot, where you'll feel like you're in kindergarten at nap time. And if anyone's ever heard of Ott's Greentop in Berlin, NJ...why, just let me know. We can swap stories and I'll tell you about my "old life". I could go on and on.

I'm a newbie on these boards. I'm glad they don't have a Cheesecake Factory around here (South Jersey). My boyfriend would probably drive me nuts until I caved in. Probably because I don't make (the best) cheesecake for him anymore since I've been on Weight Watchers. My days of waiting to get into anyplace are over. Remember when the Outback first opened? And people waited "173 minutes" to get seated? What a dump! I too (obviously) dislike chains. We took my daughter to PF Chang's for her 14th birthday, which was September 11, of all days. We did promise her a birthday dinner and we were able to switch gears and go to a worship service later on. Well, I wasn't overly impressed with the food and I thought the "audience" were a bunch of simpering snobs. Places like this try to be something they're not, in my opinion.

I've been peeling mushrooms with my fingers - no tools - for over 20 years. I just remove that outer skin from the curvy part to the top by sections. And to me and mine, I'm removing nothing but dirt. The bigger the mushroom, the easier it is. I usually don't use stems anyhow, so I just chop them off and discard. If you don't want to do it by hand, use a peeler. I can't be bothered with all that soaking and brushing. I wish I could peel potatoes like this LOL. You may scoff but this works and it is QUICK.