Saturday, Joe and I were running regular parent-type errands that had us traversing the state farther than normal. First up: picking up school uniforms for the youngest at Flynn & O’Hara in Cherry Hill, NJ. It took us 45 minutes to get there and we were in and out in less than 10 minutes. Ah well. A day in the life, right?
It took less than another 10 minutes to remember that we hadn’t yet eaten for the day and it was creeping up on 4 p.m. So before heading to Glassboro to buy books for grad school, we thought we’d try to find a diner close by. SCORE! The Silver Diner was only 5 minutes away.
Right away, we loved the look of it. Approaching the building, we even saw a spot for the car hop! In the lobby was a television showing black and white footage of singers from ’50s belting out their hits. We were greeted right away and shown to a booth.
There were jukeboxes on each table that would allow the diner to choose a song that was played throughout the restaurant in the order it was selected. (But, I didn’t have any change… boo.) We didn’t have very long to wait before our waitress came by. She introduced herself and asked if we had ever been there before. We hadn’t, so she took the time to go over the menus with us. She took our drink orders (coffee was a must) and left us to decide.
While looking over the menu, it got interesting. In a place so authentically decked out in ’50s style (even down to the staff uniforms), you’d expect regular American food: hamburgers, chicken fingers, and the ultimate American staple of greasy French fries. Not on this menu. The featured items that the waitress pointed out were the guava mint smoothie and the Tangier Cauliflower. It was described on the menu as “Grilled, cinnamon chipotle spiced, feta, sunflower seeds, pomegranate, cilantro, balsamic blood orange glaze, tahini harissa yogurt.” Lots of organic items and meat that is anti-biotic and hormone free. It was a lot healthier (and fancier) than we expected.
Joe ordered the Ribeye Philly steak. It had caramelized onions, white American cheese, mayo, scallions, on a sweet potato sub roll with a side of honey pepper relish and French fries. I ordered two buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, and the nitrate-free bacon.
I’m getting ahead of myself; let’s get back to the coffee. The mugs were HUGE. Like the kind you would have at home. Big plus! Joe also ordered a diet soda. (The Silver Diner carries Coke products.) I had a water with my coffee.
Back to the food. Great presentation! It came quickly and it was just the right temperature. (I would’ve preferred more cheese on my eggs, but I’m a nut for cheese.) We dug right in. Really tasty. The syrup had a flavor that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It wasn’t bad, just not the regular maple syrup I was expecting. I didn’t see until reviewing the menu later online that 100% maple syrup has to be ordered (and it does have an upcharge.) Joe’s sandwich was good, if a bit on the smaller side for a cheesesteak. The honey pepper relish was sweet with a little bit of heat on the back end, and was really good as a dipping sauce for the steak. The fries were crispy and delicious, and were served in a tin cup. (Not a drop of grease in sight.)
All in all, it was a really great experience. The prices were a little higher than what we’re used to near home, but not prohibitively so. (It’s important in your diner travels to know that prices will fluctuate based on your environment.) Now that we know what to expect, we’d definitely like to go back and try something more…non-dinery.
Check out their website and menu! Happy eating!
*personal photos used
Diner Nation 