Pal's Cabin

[tommy]

poster anonymouze suggests here that even a dog deserves better than Pal's cabin.

i have to disagree, if only because they have good burgers, and it's a bit of a landmark. Pal's has been family-run for what seems (and looks) like 300 years. i think some of the servers and customers date that far back. the back rooms by the bar are transporting, and even on a slow wednesday night you might find a piano player doing his thing.

i am curious about the steaks. anonymouze suggests that steak-lovers might enjoy the steaks at Pal's. this reinforces what i've heard, which is that they're serving prime beef that they're dry-aging on premises. does anyone have any firsthand experience with these steaks? sounds like they might be worth a shot. our friendly bartender tells the story of well-heeled clientele who've eaten at "top NYC steakhouses" and claim that Pal's is serving better meat at half the price.

[menton1]

Sounds like it might be worth a trip.. I assume these are char-broiled burgers?

How would this place compare with Steve's Sizzling Steaks on Rte 17 in East Rutherford? That place is a landmark as well.

[tommy]

what does "char-broiled" mean anyway? i suppose i know the flavor you're talking about, but i'm not sure how they get that.

i went to the Hearth the other day, on your seemingly endless recommendations. the patty is about 3 ounces and has that "char-broiled" flavor. but, given how quickly that thing must cook, i can't imagine the cooking process imparting much of the fabled char-broiledness to the patty. i'm thinking is some combination of a bath of salt and liquid smoke or somesuch silliness. (don't get me wrong, it was good. they should offer a double for eff's sake)

pal's burgers don't have that flavor profile. not even quite a steakhouse burger, which generally has more "char" (real char, from high very direct heat). probably cooked on a griddle. it's a shame there's so little traffic on the nj board anymore. i'd really like to hear about those steaks without making a trip all the way down there.

Edited July 27, 2005 by tommy (log)

[adegiulio]

I had the best gimlet of my life at Pal's. Come to think of it, I had four of the best gimlets I ever had. Food was forgettable though, but after 4 gimlets, who can remember anything??

[adegiulio]

what does "char-broiled" mean anyway?

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Tommy, for a foodie, you can be pretty obtuse. "Char-broiled" means it has those little lines on it. Just look at a can of Chunky "Sirloin Burger" soup. Char-broilicious!!

What NJ needs is more Mina....

[Rosie]

I have heard that the burgers are excellent but I have not been able to get to Pal's Cabin to try them! And yes...the restaurant is a mile from my house.

[ejebud]

**DONS FLAME SUIT**

C'mon!! you guys are killing me with all the bad talk about Pal's. It is what I call an "old stand by" I know that I can go to Pal's on any given day and get a FABULOUS burger, AMAZING Fried Chicken (fried anything for that matter; onion rings to die for!!), DELICIOUS Mushroom Soup,and a pretty darn good steak that falls somewhere between the Ponderosa down the block and Peter Lugers, I promise!! I know we are all foodies here with finely honed tasting skills that can detect the most miniscule of detail about any food item we allow to pass our lips and know within a half second what it is, where it came from, how it is seasoned, what cooking method was used, what the cooks name was, how many of that item they have cooked in their career, and where to get a version of the very same thing that's better than the one your having right now, but cant we all just get along? Things would get pretty boring culinarily if every meal was over the top incredible and the really great spots lost their novelty of being just that; over the top.

Please note, this comes from a guy who thinks that even a double dipped cheesburger at Rutt's hut has it's place in the vast culinary landscape that is my pallet.

Please leave my dear Pal's Cabin alone.

**JUMPS OFF SOAPBOX**

Eric EEG

[Rosie]

I will try to get there ASAP so that I have an opinion about their burgers!

[Anonymouze]

Okay, maybe (just maybe....) they were having an "off" day the day we went, they gave us crushed crackers in a basket with "ketchup stained" packets of other "munchables" and stale rolls.

I ordered a chicken item which I don't recall since it was over 2 years ago and it was so dry that I could have sanded my feet with it, the tomato slices where white not even barely pink(and I am allergic to tomato's I asked for no tomato's so that didn't bother me that they weren't nice ripe ones.) My husband ordered a burger and it was bloody raw in the middle he ordered it (likes it) well done or at the least medium well. My grandmother who is 90 had ordered a salad and the greens were dark on the edges and wilted but she said it's ok I just wanted to nibble anyhow. So maybe they had an off day? The only thing I enjoyed was my coke and my mushroom soup... the crackers should be checked before recycling them to the clients - at least pull out the packets that are crushed or have food from the previous person on them... SHEESH. The waitress had to be called back 3 times, once because my grandmother asked for a cup of coffee, and she served her ice cold coffee, obviously she didn't check to see if it was fresh made.

Yes, years ago (maybe 20?) they did have good food, lines around the corners constantly and not just on fri and weekends. But unless you want steak (or maybe a burger if you send it back if it's raw!) I still would not go there AT all. Go nearby to the Manor or anywhere in Montclair or Verona.

I still stand by my first comment and I asked my husband perhaps I was too harsh his quote was "I would not feed it to the dogs, we don't need more vet bills!"

[zeman]

I have eaten there twice and sat at the counter each time. The burger was good, the grilled reuben, so-so, but the service was S.L.O.W. I mean I'm at the counter and I can see into the open kitchen, plenty of "cooks" standing around and very little activity. Not the place if you want to have a quick lunch.

[tommy]

from the little i've read i wouldn't think of ordering anything but the burger, steak, or mushroom soup. this isn't the type of place in my mind that i'd go with high expectations. my burger-at-the-bar was quite a pleasurable experience.

pal's is often mentioned in the various "best burger" roundups in the various publications. there's something to that i think. order anything else at your own risk.

rosie, go for the burger soon. it's just about up there with one of your favorites, Gaffer's. and the fries are better.

and they have a restroom attendant, so i avoid that at all costs.

zeman, good seeing you around again. i'd like to hear more from you about the various places in the paterson area. i seem to recall you making a few stops in and around that town a while back.

Edited July 28, 2005 by tommy (log)

[menton1]

what does "char-broiled" mean anyway?  i suppose i know the flavor you're talking about, but i'm not sure how they get that.

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Actually, you are quite right. "Char-broiled" is certainly an anachronistic expression... I have a gas grill myself, and would certainly never mess around with any charcoal. The flavor I refer to results from grilling over high heat, with a hard material underneath, such as ceramic "rocks" or metal bars to "sear" the meat when the juices and fat drip down through the open grates. We really do need a new term for that way of cooking.

It is disappointing to hear that the burgers are griddled here, very close to frying. I'm not a fan of burgers cooked that way. It's also a safe bet that they cook their steaks UNDER a broiler, which will never result in the flavor I look for in a steak, cook ABOVE high heat and seared.

and they have a restroom attendant, so i avoid that at all costs

This is actually a desirable feature in France, they may have a woman or a man attendant, regardlesss of the gender of the rest room, and they hand you a cloth towel at the sink and you give them some small change. Very upper crust!

Edited July 28, 2005 by menton1 (log)

[jb_973]

Here's my 2 cents: Pal's has become one of our regular places in West Orange when we're in the mood for a good burger (the other one is Gaffer's). Lots of topping choices - the only one I would steer clear of is the blue cheese, as it smothers the taste of the burger.

I have previously had a steak at Pal's, which was slightly above average. Not at the top of my list of best steaks, but certainly a good step above what you could expect from Outback et. al.

[Rosie]

My Visit To Pal's Cabin

We smelled something unpleasant when we walked into the restaurant. Lowell thought it might have been fish. The décor is dated and the place really needs new rugs and a sprucing up. Lowell liked the onion soup but I found it to be too sweet. Certainly not the best I have ever had. I can’t recommend the cream of mushroom soup either as it didn't have any mushroom flavor and tasted like Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup to me. The large crunchy onion rings were great. The half pound hamburger was served medium rare as ordered and we unanimously agreed that it was excellent. The French fries were forgettable.

[Curlz]

That was quite possibly one of your funniest posts ever, Rosie! Fwiw, it has probably been 10 years since I last went to Pal's, and I could have given you the same description of the decor. And from other posts, it sounds like they still have the same group of waitresses...

[zeman]

from the little i've read i wouldn't think of ordering anything but the burger, steak, or mushroom soup.  this isn't the type of place in my mind that i'd go with high expectations.  my burger-at-the-bar was quite a pleasurable experience. 

pal's is often mentioned in the various "best burger" roundups in the various publications.  there's something to that i think.  order anything else at your own risk.

rosie, go for the burger soon.  it's just about up there with one of your favorites, Gaffer's.  and the fries are better. 

and they have a restroom attendant, so i avoid that at all costs.

zeman, good seeing you around again.  i'd like to hear more from you about the various places in the paterson area.  i seem to recall you making a few stops in and around that town a while back.

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I stopped last week on Main Ave. Paterson just down from St. Joes Hosp & had a delicious chicken schwarma fully dressed & a diet coke for $4 total. It was a butcher/sandwich shop. Lots 'a lamb. I'll get you the name (Ali something). It was across the street from Fatalla Bakery.

[hitmanoo]

I just got back from California, and I've read all of the posts on this thread.

Some of you are out of your minds. Putting the Pal's steak in between the Ponderosa and Peter Luger's is like saying the swimming pool at the mansion you visited was sized somewhere between a kiddie pool and the Pacific Ocean. Not to mention that the Manor was suggested as an alternative...

Let's think of Pal's for what it is--a landmark institution that does the basics fairly well with some specialty areas, like steaks.

You go to Pal's for a great burger or a decent sandwhich (they make a pretty good turkey club) or if you're feeling bold or particularly hungry, a steak. The mushroom soup is solid (though it's not my favorite soup.) Pal's is not a high end restaurant, nor should it be compared to a high end restaurant. I wouldn't go to order the Clams Casino, but when I'm in the mood for a solid burger, Pal's is close and reliable.

Sure the service is a tad slow and uneven. For me, it's no slower than the Ritz Diner, where I've had to go and touch up my shave while waiting for the check.

I'm just a big believer in ordering to the strength of a restaurant. My trip to Pal's would not include a dish like Tilapia, or something along those lines for which I'd have low expectations.

[ejebud]

Some of you are out of your minds.  Putting the Pal's steak in between the Ponderosa and Peter Luger's is like saying the swimming pool at the mansion you visited was sized somewhere between a kiddie pool and the Pacific Ocean.

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My steak description was "tongue in cheek" humor used to illustrate the over analyzing some of us can do to something as simple as a steak.

Eric

[hitmanoo]

My steak description was "tongue in cheek" humor used to illustrate the over analyzing some of us can do to something as simple as a steak.

Eric

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I did not mean to pick out your quote in particular. I guess we're just emphasizing the same point that there is way too much over-analyzing going on over a restaurant that is more or less in the same class as a diner.

Edited July 29, 2005 by hitmanoo (log)

[tommy]

Some of you are out of your minds.  Putting the Pal's steak in between the Ponderosa and Peter Luger's is like saying the swimming pool at the mansion you visited was sized somewhere between a kiddie pool and the Pacific Ocean.

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My steak description was "tongue in cheek" humor used to illustrate the over analyzing some of us can do to something as simple as a steak.

Eric

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something as "simple as a steak"!?!?! say it ain't so, eric. steaks range from inedible to sublime. (note: i couldn't think of another word so the ridiculous "sublime" was thrown in)

[ejebud]

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something as "simple as a steak"!?!?! say it ain't so, eric. steaks range from inedible to sublime. (note: i couldn't think of another word so the ridiculous "sublime" was thrown in)

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Yeah, I kinda got that lump in the throat that one often gets when they hit the send button too fast without thinking twice about the contents of the message. Rather than Simple, unadulterated, pure, simplisitic in it's existence would have been more spot on. Thanks for calling me on my Sh*T

[tommy]

Rather than Simple, unadulterated, pure, simplisitic in it's existence would have been more spot on. Thanks for calling me on my Sh*T

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no problem. that's why i stick around.

so what about the steaks at Pal's?? anyone? don't make me go to Flemings instead.

[Sfuffy]

All this talk of Pal's Cabin is making me wistful for the old Pal's Pancake House & the countless dinners of silver dollar pancakes & honey fried chicken of my youth.

[wfnugent]

Much to my dismay, Amazing Hot Dog has no Sunday hours. Too bad, because I cannot think of anything I would like more after a baseball game. (Eric & Matt - please reconsider - at least for the summer.)

The family spent yesterday afternoon with my son's cub scout troop at Montclair State in Yogi Berra Stadium. After the Mighty New Jersey Jackals trounced a team of hard working and well meaning Independent League visitors, we drove sadly past a closed AHD and continued south to Pal's.

Based on discussions here, bride and I stuck to the burgers and onion rings. My love, who is not a great burger fan, said and I quote "Wow, this is a really good burger...." to which I was obliged to reply "Hamburgers. The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast. mmmmmm.... this IS a tasty burger." She didn't get the pop reference. Juicy, perfectly cooked and well salted. Wished it was a Martin's bun. Good cheddar and thick bacon on mine. Onion rings which were outstanding - only her homemade are better. (Pal's fries were awful, btw)

[hitmanoo]

Much to my dismay, Amazing Hot Dog has no Sunday hours.  Too bad, because I cannot think of anything I would like more after a baseball game.  (Eric & Matt - please reconsider - at least for the summer.)

The family spent yesterday afternoon with my son's cub scout troop at Montclair State in Yogi Berra Stadium.  After the Mighty New Jersey Jackals trounced a team of hard working and well meaning Independent League visitors, we drove sadly past a closed AHD and continued south to Pal's. 

Based on discussions here, bride and I stuck to the burgers and onion rings.  My love, who is not a great burger fan, said and I quote "Wow, this is a really good burger...." to which I was obliged to reply "Hamburgers. The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast.  mmmmmm.... this IS a tasty burger."  She didn't get the pop reference.  Juicy, perfectly cooked and well salted.  Wished it was a Martin's bun.  Good cheddar and thick bacon on mine.  Onion rings which were outstanding - only her homemade are better.  (Pal's fries were awful, btw)

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I also would love to see Sunday hours at AHD. I guess that they can't be open everyday...

As for Pals, I agree. The burger is solid, the bun could be better, and the fries are just so-so.

For a quick local buger Pal's.

If I have an extra hour, Franklin Steakhouse.

If my wife isn't involved, Michael's Roscommon House.