New Jersey - the Diner State

[rozrapp]

Elysee: Appearently the "Claremont Diner', burned down, as someone emailed me the information. Morris Baum, also owned and operated until it's demise Newark's. " Wecquawic" [spelling?] Diner'.

elyse Posted: Aug 30 2003, 09:43 PM

And it was where?

Actually, the Weequahic Diner in Newark came first. When Baum relocated to Verona, it was called the Claremont Diner.

Many years ago, my mother-in-law gave me the recipe for the famous Claremont Diner Health Salad which, I understand, was always on the table there. (I never ate there.) I think she got it from one of her sisters who lived in Verona. It's an absolutely delicious salad!

[elyse]

Any particular reason I'm having such a difficult time finding out where this diner was?

[wesza]

Since i'm now located in Seattle, i'll attempt to help, but not sure of Strret names. The Claremont was located on Bloomfield Avenue in Verona. The cross street, had a sign indicating it was the road going to Oakland and Pompton Lakes. We used to get lots of customers and staff from a Resort type hotel located in that direction. Hope this helps, as I don't have a New Jersey map. I do have the Health Salad recipe, as we served it for years at the "Lindy's Restaurant" in Hong Kong, could be they still do. Morris Baum owned and operated the Claremont Diner, started with the "Weequalic Diner" that he operated until he lost the lease, had to close. The place was such a institution i'm surprised that more people aren't familiar with it. Irwin

[elyse]

I'll look out for the sign. Thanks.

[NJ2FLA]

I'm wondering how many posters remember the busiest and most successfull "Diner", in New Jersey, or in fact anywhere. Morris Baums, "Claremont Diner", on Bloomfield Avenue in "Verona, NJ". There was parking for 800 cars, the original dinner seated 110 but expanded to where it sat over 400. There was a full service Bakery, plus Take out foods. On weekends you'd get on a list and return to your car until you were called inside to wait inline for your table. There was a pastry dessert display, that made your mouth water while waiting for your table. All the waitress drove new Cadillac's. They sold in excess of 5000 pounds of shrimp each weekend. On a busy Saturday or Sunday it wasn't unusual to serve 3000 covers. They were open 24 hours and seemed always busy. They had crews of 11 dishwashers working. Now that was a dinner.

Being from Verona.. my parents tell me about this diner and how Morris used to stand by the door of the kitchen and watch the plates being brought out and if he was not happy with what he saw, they would be returned back to the kitchen. I am 33 and never went there but do recall when they rebuilt what currently is Montclair Acura and did try to open it as a diner for a short while. It also was Harolds Pub and a Bobby Rubino's as well. I do miss the White Castle on the corner.

[wesza]

I'm wondering how many posters remember the busiest and most successfull "Diner", in New Jersey, or in fact anywhere. Morris Baums, "Claremont Diner", on Bloomfield Avenue in "Verona, NJ". There was parking for 800 cars, the original dinner seated 110 but expanded to where it sat over 400. There was a full service Bakery, plus Take out foods. On weekends you'd get on a list and return to your car until you were called inside to wait inline for your table. There was a pastry dessert display, that made your mouth water while waiting for your table. All the waitress drove new Cadillac's. They sold in excess of 5000 pounds of shrimp each weekend. On a busy Saturday or Sunday it wasn't unusual to serve 3000 covers. They were open 24 hours and seemed always busy. They had crews of 11 dishwashers working. Now that was a dinner.

Being from Verona.. my parents tell me about this diner and how Morris used to stand by the door of the kitchen and watch the plates being brought out and if he was not happy with what he saw, they would be returned back to the kitchen. I am 33 and never went there but do recall when they rebuilt what currently is Montclair Acura and did try to open it as a diner for a short while. It also was Harolds Pub and a Bobby Rubino's as well. I do miss the White Castle on the corner.

Morris Baum standards reflected in what has to be the "Quinsiential"[spelling] New Jersey Diner. Everything that was served there had only one criteria. " that it should be better then anywhere else". The time that I spent working there was the most important learning experience of my life. This was a forerunner of todays best restaurants. Every employee was paid considerably higher then anywhere else in the foodservice world. Dishwashers at the "Claremont" earned almost as much as Chef's elsewhere. When you worked at the Claremont for longer then a year, your resume earned respect. The employes who managed to handle the pressure, became loyal and reflected management's expectations. The only other restaurant I ever worked in that had a similar daily volume was the "Original Mama Leones", but that was only for dinner, and the seating was almost 4 times the Claremont's. One thing they both had in common was that each used 2000 pounds of Shrimp or more weekly. The Claremont also had a very busy retail bakery. The BOH utilized 2/24 Pan Middelby-Marshall Rotary Ovens on a 24 hour basis. After my experience there everywhere else was less. But in terms of noterity the "Others" are deamed World Class", but hopefully the Claremont will be remembered. Irwin

[Oceangroveguy]

Can we get the recipe for the famous Health Salad?

[aunthoney]

Elysee: Appearently the "Claremont Diner', burned down, as someone emailed me the information. Morris Baum, also owned and operated until it's demise Newark's. " Wecquawic" [spelling?] Diner'.

elyse Posted: Aug 30 2003, 09:43 PM

And it was where?

Actually, the Weequahic Diner in Newark came first. When Baum relocated to Verona, it was called the Claremont Diner.

Many years ago, my mother-in-law gave me the recipe for the famous Claremont Diner Health Salad which, I understand, was always on the table there. (I never ate there.) I think she got it from one of her sisters who lived in Verona. It's an absolutely delicious salad!

Am I correct that you have the original recipe for the Claremont Diner Health Salad?

I have been searching for it for years!

If possible, please send it to me????

Also, I can supply you with much more info about the Claremont and the Weequahic Diners, and Morris and Leo Bauman who were the owners. My parents grew up eating at both these places.

So did I.

[Rosie]

Check the eGullet recipes for Health Salad.

[legendarystarbolt]

Anyone know anything about Willie's Diner off Bloomfield on...  ummm, can't remember the name of the street.  In Bloomfield across the street from Sacred Heart church.  Blessed Sacrement?

I believe the cross street is State St. I've eaten there a few times, they have good breakfast. I prefer the Nevada on Broad St. for any type of dinner though, I had a burger at Willie's once and it wasn't bad but it wasn't that good either.

[Arpad]

Re: The Americana Diner on rte 130 near Hightstown . The pancakes are also exceptional .

As an aside don't bother going to Mastoris' Diner in Bordentown - large portions of mediocre food .

[Rosie]

Welcome to eGullet Arpad. Where else do you like to dine?

[Craig]

NJ Diners are the best! My family owned and oerated one in Point Pleasant Beach for nearly thirty years. We served standard Boardwalk food our highest priced item was Taylor Ham & Cheese for $4.75 in 1991 dollars. Made my family a fortune and sent three kids to college. When my folks retired they had more money than the family as a whole could ever spend in a lifetime.

[tommy]

NJ Diners are the best! My family owned and oerated one in Point Pleasant Beach for nearly thirty years. We served standard Boardwalk food our highest priced item was Taylor Ham & Cheese for $4.75 in 1991 dollars. Made my family a fortune and sent three kids to college. When my folks retired they had more money than the family as a whole could ever spend in a lifetime.

which one?

[fitz]

Boy, what about the long-defunct Claremont Diner? Used to love the sturgeon sandwiches and cheesecake there...

And not that I could say anything good about the food, but for a nice David Lynch sort of atmopshere, there was nothing like hunkering down behind a cup of coffee at the Miss America in Jersey City on a Saturday morning (used to live right down the block, so it was an easy wake-up ritual).

Wish I could remember the name of the one diner in Metuchen so I could warn everyone away from it. Tried the place a couple times and it was consistently hostile and horrible.

[Arpad]

I think the Metuchen diner you mean is the Duchess . Never was very good .

[tommy]

what's with the Short Stop in Bloomfield?

looks like something i'd be interested in. here. that website says: 315 Franklin Street, Bloomfield, NJ, 201-429-1591

Edited October 4, 2003 by tommy (log)

[NJ2FLA]

Tommy, they have been closed for several years now. I don't know what's in the cards for the place. I know the dealership across the street uses it as a parking lot. The building remains.

They used to have great burgers.

[tommy]

They used to have great burgers.

yeah yeah, rub it in.

[harriet1954]

Speaking of diners, I am not too familiar with the South Jersey ilk.  I often pass Olga's in Marlton, and it looks very large.  Any reports on Olga's and/or other diners in this area?  There is also a brand new one opposite the Cherry Hill Mall on Rte 38.

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.

Edited October 11, 2003 by harriet1954 (log)

[MichelleW]

Favorite diner from my college days had to be the Broadway diner in Summit.

I am another Broadway diner fan; that place was magical, or at least it seemed magical in the middle of the night when you were hungry and the vending machines in the dorms were empty.

I live in the DC area now and we have one or two NJ-style diners around here, but not on every corner -- it requires actual effort to find a real diner.