The Diner -- Oradell, Bergen County

[alanz]

One strange thing about The Diner is that we found a guy with a camera asking if he could photograph our food for a web site.

Odd, don't you think? < s >

And yes, they did bring my mother's burger with the bun she didn't want, but perhaps they were acting as food stylist for Jason.

We live about 2 blocks from the former Haglers, and have been there about 10 times since its new management took over.

The chef, who is there to open the diner, prepared Toad In The Hole one day, and handed out small portions to people who happened to be in the diner for lunch... just as a taste.

Very nice people running the place, we're happy they are in town.

Edited June 24, 2003 by alanz (log)

[tommy]

welcome to egullet alanz!

and don't mind jason. he may take pictures of your food, but he'll never eat it.

[Rosie]

Do you have name and address of the new Italian restaurant?

[Rachel Perlow]

It's the same building & parking lot. Not open for a while yet, we could see through a door into it and it is still in initial construction stages. We'll let you know when it opens.

[jhlurie]

See Rosie... its a Diner on one side and an (as yet unopened) Italian restaurant on the other. Odd, yes? Even weirder, the two different sides are painted differently (the Diner is black and the Italian restaurant yellow). We wouldn't want people expecting Italian to accidentally wander into a Diner would we?

Damn it. I'm in the mood for a burger again but not going in that direction today. Rats.

[Double 0]

Went for dinner last night with the Queen (bacon cheeseburger, why do they put it on a kaiser roll?) and the young Prince (bacon cheeseburger, fries well done, loves it on a kaiser roll). They both said the burgers were much better than the usual diner "hockey pucks". I had a special of pork goulash that was more like shredded pork over egg noodles, a bit on the bland side for my taste.. The weird thing that I noticed was that the menus looked like they were from the original Haglers, they were in pretty bad shape for only being in use for a couple of months. We went at 7PM and there was only two other tables occupied.

[tommy]

Went for dinner last night with the Queen (bacon cheeseburger, why do they put it on a kaiser roll?)

did you not like the roll? i thought it was pretty decent for that burger.

[Double 0]

Went for dinner last night with the Queen (bacon cheeseburger, why do they put it on a kaiser roll?)

did you not like the roll? i thought it was pretty decent for that burger.

Not me T ( although I'm not fond of burgers on kaiser rolls either), this was the the Queen of the castle's quote.

[bpsklar]

On Wednesdays, Hagler's used to serve Baked Virginia Ham, as a sandwich or an entree platter. It was the only thing I ever went there for. Very reasonable as my dear departed friend always picked up the tab.

[dumpling]

Live in Oradell up the road from the Diner. Walked past it without going in for about 25 years. Was perhaps a little scared. Got enticed in one day by one of the older gentlemen who used to frequent the place and discovered really nice diner style breakfasts(bacon good then too, and nicely cooked eggs). Burger was a revelation- I think it was $2.50 for a nice juicy thing with just a primo bun-really worth it. Good liverwurst too again inexpensive. Heard the ham had been good.

Haven't been in the new incarnation yet.

[tommy]

had the turkey club this weekend. i think i've confirmed that it's one of the best "diners" in the area. i used to fight the lines at the Tom Sawyer in paramus, but i think i'll just pass that and go right to this place.

[Jason Perlow]

had the turkey club this weekend.  i think i've confirmed that it's one of the best "diners" in the area.  i used to fight the lines at the Tom Sawyer in paramus, but i think i'll just pass that and go right to this place.

No question, their turkey club is kickass. And for me, thats a benchmark diner dish. Along with their burgers, this place can't be beat. I havent had their breakfast yet, but given the standards of everything else in here, its gotta be good.

[tommy]

had the turkey club this weekend.  i think i've confirmed that it's one of the best "diners" in the area.  i used to fight the lines at the Tom Sawyer in paramus, but i think i'll just pass that and go right to this place.

No question, their turkey club is kickass. And for me, thats a benchmark diner dish.

yup. for me too. i should have said that, although i thought it. and a cheeseburger as well, which they do well.

[Jason Perlow]

Had a really good chicken marsala type dish at the diner today, with lots of mushrooms and melted cheese and ham on it.

[menton1]

If this place is as good as everyone says it is, I think there might be cause for concern:

I pass the place 2-4x/day and there are usually only between 2 and 5 cars in the parking lot. This includes at 9AM, Noon, and 6PM, which should be the peak hours. So it seems that word has not gotten out, and the owner has done no promotion or advertising, either. It also seems that the much touted restaurant/bar next door is not being constructed-- work has been at a standstill for 3 months.

Hope this place lasts, but the indications are not good.

[menton1]

Nice to see a little blurb in the Sunday NY Times / New Jersey section about this place; Quite a flattering little article--

Went in today at 9AM for coffee and just one other customer in the place-- not a good indication; hard to stay open with 2 customers--also, no work being done on the proposed restaurant/bar next door.

The owner should do some advertising and promoting-- hopefully the place will stay around a long time!!!

Edited August 18, 2003 by menton1 (log)

[tommy]

that article suggested that perhaps the neon sign "had to go." but i thought i read here that they weren't allowed to remove it.

[Jason Perlow]

BTW, the restaurant in the same building that he is constructing on the other side is coming along nicely and should be ready by the end of September. I am not sure if anyone is aware, but he is going to be baking pizza in there with a WOOD FIRED brick oven, not a gas fired one. I cannot stress how important this is in making good artisinal pizza.

EDIT: Dec 10 2003: The restaurant has opened and Oradell didn't let him put in a wood fired brick oven, just a gas fired one. Nevertheless, the pizza is still very good.

Edited December 11, 2003 by Jason Perlow (log)

[Jason Perlow]

that article suggested that perhaps the neon sign "had to go."  but i thought i read here that they weren't allowed to remove it.

They can remove it, but they can't change it.

I think John (the owner) is going to be putting up a wood sign with lamp illumination soon. I beleive also some nice awnings as well, he mentioned this to me recently.

[menton1]

Yes, but sign or no sign, wood or gas oven, he will need customers to stay open....

He should look at Fink's and his success story, I know Fink does a lot of promoting and advertising....

[dumpling]

Finally got ino the Diner for dinner on Saturday. We had four people and had the turkey club, bacon cheeseburger, ravioli and meatloaf. Meatloaf(mine) was good, three big meatloafy pieces in a brown sauce with a swirled tower of mashed potatoes. Couldn't finish. Apparently turkey club and cheeseburger were good-turkey club was huge and the cheeseburger looked a pretty reasonable size too.

Chef came over to personally deliver the ravioli and then subsequently to see if it was okay.

Nice, cosy place.

For the boys(Tommy): Waitress was cute.

For the girls: Chef was plenty cute too.

Always nice to look at the scenery during dinner.

[Jason Perlow]

Felice, the Italian restaurant on the opposite side of The Diner, is now open.

[menton1]

After all the good reviews of this place, decided to try a breakfast here the other day. At 9:30, only 6 patrons in the place. Temperature was a little cool as well--

After a long wait they took my order for simple scrambled eggs. Unfortunately, they messed up everything there was to mess up; the eggs were overcooked, the home fries were cold, and the toast was "rare". They heated up the potatoes when asked, but they were also rather tasteless and uninspiring as far as home fries go. A disappointing $4.50 for 2 eggs and coffee.

A much more consistently good breakfast is always had at a little storefront about 6 blocks away called "What's Cookin'". On Main St in New Milford, the same breakfast is $3.00 and the potatoes are hot and flavorful, the eggs and toast done just right.

Maybe I should have done lunch here....

Edited January 14, 2004 by menton1 (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

Hmm, did you happen to notice if Johnny was there? I was nervous that the food at The Diner would start to slip once Felice opened. I've seen him every time I've been to Felice, so he's probably not at the diner as often.

[menton1]

Looks like the poor quality impacted on business pretty quickly.... Since Monday, there is a sign out front "Under New Management". Maybe the quality will get back to the old Haglers days.