Diner Tour 2009

5/9/09
Skylark Fine Diner & Lounge
Edison, NJ

I was in New Jersey this particular weekend for a bridal shower. I stayed with one of my friends from grad school and she knew about my diner tour. So, she and her boyfriend took me to one of their favorite (or possibly their favorite) diner around their apartment. Onto the ratings!

Decor: As you can see, the Skylark is a very cool looking place..very modern. One of the first things I said when I walked in was "whoa, I feel like I should be seeing one of the Jetson's soon". It is a pretty remarkable looking place, both inside and out. On the walls, you see clocks that tell the time from different parts of the world. There is a counter (didn't get to check out the seats though), the lighting was interesting and the booths were very roomy. Unfortunately, for me, I tend to enjoy the typical diners. I missed the 50s feel and the old booths that fall apart at the seams. Although it was not set in a diner car, I need to give it some good pointage for the coolness factor.

Staff: The server we had was very polite. Not your typical old lady waitress at all. Actually, we had a male server who looked about my age (that's 24 for you people who don't know). It felt like we were in a nicer restaurant because all the servers had a uniform and they all seemed "business" minded. No huns, no Reike's, no make up. BUT, he was good at his craft.

Menu Options: This place has it all. You can get breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast meals all sounded tasty. I chose banana walnut waffles. Doesn't that just make your mouth water? The price was a bit high, but the quality of the food seemed to match. I was a bit surprised they didn't have a various tea menu...but they have some nice coffees, espressos, cappuccinos, etc. I am not a coffee drinker, but at this place, I wanted to be.

Taste of Food: My tea was a nice black tea...pretty standard. Keith's (my friend's bf) espresso or whatever it was looked amazing. He even got some rock candy on a stick as his stirrer. Pretty fancy eh? Each table gets some complimentary breads which were fantastic. As for my main course, it was pretty tasty, but I was hoping that I would be the one to pour the syrup on the waffles. They completely covered mine in syrup, so some bites were way too sweet. Also, someone in the kitchen must have accidentally placed some garlic or some sort of herbal seasoning on my plate. That made the taste very interesting. Other than that, my meal was good. The home fries were very very good and give Kelly's some competition. Keith got French Toast and it was nice and thick (thank God). Brianna got some eggs and it looked pretty tasty.

Overall Gut Feeling: The Skylark is a great place to take people who like modern looking places. I enjoyed myself at this diner and was very glad that my friends took me, but I did miss the typical diner car feeling along with the home-y-ness. Don't get me wrong though, I wouldn't turn down a meal here. I gave this diner a 3.7/5.0.


5/9/09
Chick's Diner
Scranton, PA

Yes, you read it right. I went to two diners in one day! I realized, as I was in NJ, that home was only 2.5 hours away. So I took the trip to go home and see my dad's band play at a bar. I totally surprised my mom, dad and brother. Plus, I got to hang out with my two uncles. When we were finished crashing my brother's workplace, my uncles felt the diner hunger (at 2am). So my uncle Harry suggested Chick's Diner.

Decor: Beautiful! The Chick's Diner car is exactly what I look for in a diner. Set in a diner car, you can't go wrong. You walk inside, and I believe that there is a cigarette vending machine. I will have to confirm this though. Even at 2am, this place was hoppin'. We got a seat at the counter and we had a grand ole time. There aren't too many posters hanging on the walls, but it definitely has that diner feel to it. This place is also open 24 hours. A rarity as compared to Boston diners.

Staff: I can't remember specifics, but the staff at Chick's was also, exactly what I look for in a diner. We had a younger waitress, but the other waitresses definitely fit the diner theme. I was not called hun or sweetie, but I felt taken care of.

Menu Options: Chick;s has your typical menu. The price was excellent. You can't go wrong. It was like we were in Worcester again! I didn't get anything to eat because it was so late, but both my uncles got what they were craving for. They also made Harry's eggs from egg beaters, just like he asked. You could probably get anything you want here.

Taste of Food: I really can't speak about the taste myself, but from what my uncle's said, they were pleased. My uncle Gerard got a hamburger and he said that it tasted homemade. We asked our waitress if it was homemade and she confirmed it. That impressed him. My other uncle Harry was also pleased with his egg beaters and toast. I got myself a tea. It was satisfying for me. I need to go back to this place though to test the food out myself. I am going home near the end of May. A trip to Chick's might be in order.

Overall Gut Feeling: I loved this place. You feel at home at Chick's. It was 2am, and still very busy. It was even hard for us to get a seat! They served us well, we were all satisfied, and we spent less than 10 bucks for three people. Amazing. I gave this diner a 4.1. i need to go back though to check out the food. This rating will most likely change.

PS.
The song that I chose is called Bittersweet by Sick of Sarah. I saw them live and was blown away. I don't usually like chick bands, but they impressed me. (It also helps that one of the band members is the sister of one of my friends). Check them out!