Remembering Restaurants of the Past

[NJ2FLA]

HOJO in Times Square closed by the board of health. Nice little notice posted on the doors.

So much for pistachio ice cream!

[Fat Guy]

I'm surprised the Board of Taste didn't get to it first.

[NJ2FLA]

Along with the board of bad service, board of overpriced eats, board of style, and most importantly the board of dirty john's.

[Fat Guy]

And the sad thing is that in days of yore it was a legitimate chain with Pierre Franey's considerable culinary muscle behind the food.

[NJ2FLA]

Weren't they marketing the Fried Clams frozen "in your grocer's freezer" at some point?

[tommy]

Hojo was one of the few places in that area that actually looked dirtier than McHale's. McHale's has now been upgraded one notch on the "digusting looking place" list. but i hear they have really good burgers, which i can say, with more than a bit of confidence, Hojo could never boast.

[Wilfrid]

McHale's was never anywhere near the top of the Most Disgusting list, even for midtown. You have to cross the street to Smith's for that. McHale's is disappointingly spick and span in comparison.

[ngatti]

Is this the HoJo's on 8th avenue about 51st street or so?

Nick

[tommy]

i was thinking of the one on b'way at 46.

[NJ2FLA]

It's the one on Broadway and I guess 46th. Down the block from the Roxy.

[Sandra Levine]

You guys are just too young to have known Times Square's Grant's Lunch -- talk about dirty!

[=Mark]

"Wanna eat some clams?" - Zappa

[Wilfrid]

I was lucky enough to have known that scruffy little hot dog parlour just around the corner from Times Square on the north side of 42nd. Looked like it hadn't been redorcated (or swept out) since about 1947. Amazing. And the fairly awful hotdogs were about 20 cents each. A time machine.

[tommy]

I was lucky enough to have known that scruffy little hot dog parlour just around the corner from Times Square on the north side of 42nd.  Looked like it hadn't been redorcated (or swept out) since about 1947.  Amazing.  And the fairly awful hotdogs were about 20 cents each.  A time machine.

i must have walked past that place 5000 times and always wanted to duck in. if recall, it was one of the last businsses to leave 42nd street. that story was featured in the NYT if i recall.

[Sandra Levine]

I was lucky enough to have known that scruffy little hot dog parlour just around the corner from Times Square on the north side of 42nd.  Looked like it hadn't been redorcated (or swept out) since about 1947.  Amazing.  And the fairly awful hotdogs were about 20 cents each.   A time machine.

i must have walked past that place 5000 times and always wanted to duck in. if recall, it was one of the last businsses to leave 42nd street. that story was featured in the NYT if i recall.

Yes, that was Grant's Lunch.

[tommy]

I was lucky enough to have known that scruffy little hot dog parlour ...Looked like it hadn't been redorcated (or swept out) since about 1947.  

i haven't heard the word "parlour" used by anyone under the age of 70 since about 1947. oddly enough.

[Wilfrid]

Thanks, Sandra, I had no idea what it was called. I was sad to see it go; you had to feel sorry for it when it was surrounded by all those big, gleaming monuments to Disney.

[NJ2FLA]

My friend told me that somewhere on 6th Avenue between 35th and 36th you can see remnants of an Automat sign. It's above a fruit stand.

I guess this was a few years back.

Fact or Fiction??

[Stephanie]

My friend told me that somewhere on 6th Avenue between 35th and 36th you can see remnants of an Automat sign.  It's above a fruit stand.

I guess this was a few years back.

Fact or Fiction??

No, it's true. It was above (or rather attached to) a deli/sandwich shop for the longest time. Unfortunately the sign is now gone, though the deli's still there.

[NJ2FLA]

So any chance of finding a Chock-Full-Of-Nuts sign? Besides E-BaY of course!

[INNOCENT]

Back in the 70s when the Paramount (the Century Paramount then) had nice rooms for around $50, I used to breakfast at this HOJO regularly. The routine was that, when I asked for a cup of coffee, the crusty old waiter behind the counter would reply--"Cough a cuppee?"

What the hell, it's an authentic NY memory...

[rich]

I was sad to see it go; you had to feel sorry for it when it was surrounded by all those big, gleaming monuments to Disney.

I miss the street walkers too! They were a lot more trustworthy than Disney. At least you were able to examine the merchandise before buying.

FG - Pierre Franey did have clout- and he wasn't a bad cook either. I believe he passed away during a cruise where he was giving lessons.

[NJ2FLA]

I thought it might be fun to make a list of places that I miss going to. Some of these are from when I was younger. I'd be curious to see what people remember fondly as places they used to like to eat at.

Ding Ho - Downtown Passaic (upstairs - ah that long flight of stairs).

The Ground Round - Passaic Avenue, Caldwell

Pu Pu Inn/Bo Bo Inn - Bloomfield & West Patterson - Chinese Buffets before the mega ones came around

Clairmont Diner - Verona

Short Stop - Bloomfield

Rascal House - Route 46 East, Totowa

Roy Rogers - All over (yeah I know they are still in rest stops and Livingston Mall)

Beefsteak Charlies - West Orange

Jade Fountain - Clifton

Hot Shoppes Cafeteria - Willow Brook Mall, Wayne - used to go with my grandparents

The Fireside - Clifton

WUV's - Fairfield (American Way Mall - fast food joint)

*Does anyone remember the name of an Italian place in Lincoln Park back in the flood zone that was there for years? I am thinking it was perhaps Sams but I could be wrong. It was like a stilt building and you had to go upstairs to go in. It was pretty large inside, I think they had a bar.

There are places that come to mind at the moment. Perhaps more will pop up later. I know none of these places are known as culinary delights, but hey I was a kid.

On the note of nostalgia, and a bit off topic - Retail R.IP. List:

Korvettes, Sterns, Newmark & Lewis, Tops, Crazy Eddie, Caldor, Bradlees, Grand Union, Two Guys, Valley Fair, Channel Lumber, Rickel, Jamesway, Woolworths, JJ Newberry, Alexanders, Gimbells, A&S, Jordan Marsh, Wards, Service Merchandise, Ohrbachs. Think of others?

[Rachel Perlow]

I agree with you about Roy Rogers, no one else seems to get it.

Farrell's at the Brunswick Square Mall. Fond memories of kiddie birthday parties.

[tommy]

the sante fe yatch club in hoboken. i used to love that place for brunch, and could spend hours there, sipping margaritas, reading magazines, and watching people wandering to and from the PATH. great steak and eggs. friendly service.