Ah, Breakfast

I have always had a love affair with breakfast, my favorite meal of the day. For thirty-nine years, my days in NJ State government, I never ate breakfast. Before going to work I'd mix some Carnation Instant Breakfast (only chocolate) in a glass of milk, and that was all I needed for the rest of the day until dinner. But I've always loved going to diners, and NJ is blessed with many good ones. I relish a good breakfast. My favorite is bacon and eggs, home fries, English muffin, OJ and coffee. Since I've been retired (2009), I've been blessed to be able to afford going out for breakfast almost every day. And I do.

Hamilton Twp. where I live has a few good diners, and nearby Trenton does also (Pat's Diner on S. Broad). There's Golden Dawn, a mainstay of Hamiltonians, on busy White Horse Ave. Large portions, great food, reasonable prices, and good reliable service. There's the old standy, ____ &Pete's, in Mercerville Shopping Center. Actually not a diner in the physical sense, more a deli/restaurant, but breakfast is always decent and the seniors love to hang out there. Another favorite spot for Hamilton seniors is Fame Restaurant, just a few long blocks up from Golden Dawn.

Fame is owned by the Nodaros family, and their daughter Gina works as hostess many days. She and my daughter Kate have always been best friends, since Steinert High School. Gina always greeted me warmly, sometimes sat with me, and always asked how Janet and I were doing. She always brought over the Trentonian for my reading. She was always so sweet and pleasant, it was easy to like her, and we all do, as well as her dad Tony and mom Denise, who take turns running the cash register. We can see why Gina and Kate are friends. So for a few years, I frequented Fame once a week. There the food was a little different, and I preferred a toasted corn muffin with butter, OJ and coffee. Delicious and cheap. You can find Fame on Facebook.

But things change, and when they dropped the corn muffins (why I don't know - supplier? low volume?), I didn't go as often. Once in a while I still stop in and eat. Even though I only went once every week or two, their good waitresses like Hilde, always knew my name and my order, and brought me coffee immediately. Often I was there before 7 am when they opened, since I usually wake up around four.

The closest diner to me is the Broad St. Diner on South Broad, near my other favorite place, Dunkin Donuts.Owned by a wonderful Greek family, it used to be called Maneta's until 1999. That year, fortunately or unfortunately, there was a large fire that started in the kitchen, and engulfed the place. They were closed for a year for renovations. But what a magnificent transformation! Whereas before it was one floor, with 1950s silver exterior, now it is modern, clean, and inviting. It has a two story tan stucco facade which looks great. The interior is up to date, and did I mention clean? Their cleaning staff is very good, always sweeping, wiping the glass doors, mopping and tidying up.

The first year after reopening, the lines were out the door and there were waits. Now its steady, and on Friday and Saturday nights, usually into the wee hours, it is packed with youths, couples, and adults of all ages. The patrons have coffee, food and a good time, winding down from all the parties and clubbing. The tall girls with very short-short skirts, wobbly on their feet, are sometimes loud and boisterous. But no one is obnoxious or in your face. That's a scene neither Janet nor I ever got involved with.

But back to breakfast. I usually get there at 6 a.m., when the special, discounted, breakfast pricing is in effect. It shaves a dollar or two off my bill as opposed to eating earlier. As I said, I like my crispy bacon and well done eggs, and have that two or three times a week. Cheerios and banana, toasted bagel and cream cheese, or French toast, round out my selections. My good friend George, retired from the postal service for twenty years, loves their chipped beef for breakfast, which he grew up with.

George and I always sit together when we're both there and chew the fat. George's son Ray, graduated with me from Ewing High School in 1968, so George and I have things in common. He was a postal worker, so I've heard some of the ins and outs of their system. Interesting. Did you know, based on seniority, that carriers "bid" on routes, trying to get the best ones? I didn't.

Julio, the duty manager in the morning, sees me come in and sit down at my regular table (#16), across from the TV, and immediately brings me coffee and my small OJ without me asking. The waitresses all know me by name, and I know them: Candace, Dottie, Melanie and Isabel, and others. Isabel recently showed George and I her family photos from Equador, where she's a native. Great fun and beautiful scenery.

I also like the 10% discount I get on the tab every morning. Janet and I have been buying restaurant cards for years, and this year was no different. We bought Steinert's card from Chris across the street. Handsome kid, and on the football team like his brother Matt was, I believe.  My $6.15 breakfast only costs $5.53. So I have saved the $20 cost of the card many times over.  And as a senior now, I think of it as my senior discount, like at Dunkin's. Everybody should be so lucky.

So going to the diner is like going to a family reunion, where everyone knows everyone, and life is good. I heartily recommend you visit it and taste the goodies.