January 17, 2004: Cup of beef barley, turkey burger deluxe, diet coke at the USA Diner, 1277 State Hwy No 23 Butler, NJ/ 973-283-2283 After Lucky and I had returned from an afternoon of snowshoeing at High Point State Park (and getting some yummy stuff from the Holland American Bakery), we stopped here for a quick eat. The place was under new management. The AC/DC and Bruce tunes on the radio and the 70s decor (chandeliers with those fake flame bulbs, and lots of browns) made it feel like a part of my childhood. The diner on the whole was the stainless steel type, not overly greeked out. The soup was good as a tomato soup with stuff... I couldn't find any beef though. As Lucky ate his chicken salad pita, I rejoiced at my crisp but a bit too salty coleslaw, crunchy pickle. The burger itself was not handmade but very flavorful and moist and didn't have to be rescued by any mayo. The bun was toasted, the tomatoes red (but a bit frosty), and the fries nice and crispy. I dipped them in a floury gravy that was a bit bland in taste. I liked this place. It just had a really nice vibe to it. The waitress was a bit hard of hearing and hard aged. And she signed the check with "Kathy :) " A local dressed with a cowboy hat and flannel had stopped by the dollar store and brought the place some silk tulips in plastic flowerpots for the tables. He placed them on each table with such a smile on his face. The kind of smile that says "I'm going to brighten someone's day".

September 7, 2003: Cup of manhattan clam chowder, turkey burger deluxe, diet coke at the CRYSTAL DINER, 166 Route 37 E. Toms River, 732/244-6262 The chowder was very chunky almost like "beef stew" and average tasting. The entree was better... it came with some decent onion rings and the fries were similar to Burger King's in that not quite potato fry. The coleslaw, although not too mayo-y or mushy did need some pepper. Yummy pickle. Regarding the turkey burger, it was above average. The bun was toasted, the tomatoes red... unfortunately the lettuce was the white hard inner core.

The decor was more art deco with the pink marble, glass, and crystal chandeliers. But it did have a very homey atmosphere with the mismatched china and purring music box. The town's annual greek festival was advertised on the paper placemats. It looks like the building will be torn down soon. And replaced with a mini strip mall with a CVS. However, it looks like the diner will return in a new form.