Historic/Significant Places To Eat

Diners in NJ are a dying breed, sure there are tons of them but they are not the "real" stainless dining cars that were pre-fabricated and dropped off, now they are all fancy and lost that old feel... there are a few left, and the BENDIX diner in Hasbrouck Heights NJ, is, unfortunately a dump -- if you can't even make eggs, then you are in trouble... Appearance, Cleanliness, and Food, all = "D" in my opinion... The White Circle Hamburger place/diner on Bloomfield Ave in Bloomfield closed, so they are disappearing quickly... any notable places in your area(s)?

Does anyone remember hearing of "The Brown Derby" in Hollywood? That was a very very famous hangout they say for celebrities. My sister and I visted CA in 1968 (first visit). We really had a great package, staying at the Century Plaza which at the time hosted the Academy Awards. We had wonderful tours, and one of the stops was the Brown Derby. Even by that time however, it was more of the "landmark" and we didn't see anyone famous. However, just being there was so cool. Unfortunately, that no longer exists either.


TIS


The Brown Derby

We still have Little Tavern hamburger shops here. The hamburgers are no more then bite size. You need a bag of 9 just to fill you up. At least you do at midnight when you have the munchies. We call them deathburgers.

We also have some old diner style restaurants. The ones with the little juke boxes on the table and the old fashion tables.

I was telling you about a movie supposedly in Baltimore... there was a scene in which the characters ended up at a White Tower (a chain similar to White Castle)... we had a few of them here in New York and I remember going to them (and thinking I was a restaurant critic - at age 10 - and comparing them to White Castle).

TIS - I had gone to the Brown Derby, too. Must have been around 1979 or so... I was shocked to see how small it was. (I didn't "see" anyone famous either).

Another good Baltimore based movie to see those kinds of scenes is "Tin Men". Some of those scenes were actually filmed at areas I grew up in or have been around. It's great to point out to out of towners spots I'm familiar with.

How Ironic that you bring this up.

A few weeks ago they actually moved one of the last "stainless steel" diners that were left, to another location, here on Staten Island.


Staten Island Diner Moved From Long-Time Home
Posted by Staten Island Advance August 14, 2007 8:34AM





All the orders at the Victory Diner in Staten Island this morning were to go.

After more than a week of preparations, the landmark restaurant was finally jacked up from its long-time home in Dongan Hills before dawn and driven on a slow 12 mph journey through Staten Island streets to its place in history.

The first stop is a temporary storage area behind the Midland Beach promenade, where it came to rest just as the sun came up.

A group of about 25 awed spectators -- including former owner and cook Maria Pappas, Parks Department officials and dedicated patrons -- gathered at Richmond Road and Seaver Avenue to watch as the 1940s diner began winding its way down Seaver, North Railroad and Midland avenues to Father Capodanno Boulevard.

"Oh my diner, oh my diner," wailed Mrs. Pappas as she sprinkled what she calls her second home with holy water. "She's beautiful, she shines. She shines more today than any other time."

Many followed in a convoy until it arrived behind the women's comfort station 5:15 a.m.

The 1.8-mile, 45-minute ride was right on schedule; in fact it would have been 10 minutes early if Parks officials didn't have to locate the owner of an illegally parked car on Midland Avenue, which hindered the wide load from getting through.

Though an opening day has not been decided, the classic chrome-and-neon restaurant will now serve hungry Staten Islanders on the Ocean Breeze waterfront near a future kiddie park proposed by Borough President James Molinaro.

"Maybe she likes the beach more, maybe she likes the water more," Mrs. Pappas said. "I know she's going to bring good luck."

People from across the Island and as far away as Long Island got up to wish the Victory a pleasant journey.

"You take the diner, we've gotta go with it," mused Danny Quinn, a former Bay Terrace resident who now lives in Lindenhurst, L.I. The passenger in a Mustang convertible, Quinn videotaped the entire journey. "I'm glad it's going to be put to good use. Not many diners get three chances at life."

Before moving to Dongan Hills, the Victory Diner moved once before, in 1964, from Victory Boulevard in Castleton Corners. The diner had been faced with an uncertain future with either demolition or sale on the horizon.

TIS,
We have a Brown Derby here in Ohio but it is a steakhouse.

Diners are a dime a dozen around here.

But what I am amazed is still around is the awesome Stewart's Drive-In chain Surprisingly there's no big web presence for them, but their root beer is the best!

That reminds me of A & W. I think I've only seen one in SoCal all the years I've been here. Chances are there are more, but they were much more popular back in the midwest/east than they are here. It was always a treat to get a hot dog and at the time, the best root beer at A & W.


TIS

In my area the KFC restaurant is actually dual with A&W. Although I've never eaten at A&W. It's like most places here the Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins have combined.

I remember A & W that was outside eating only. I assume they only opened in the summer. I remember they had stools and/or small table outside. My father would stop during family vacations, if we were on the road and wanted something quick to eat.


TIS

I know about it from an I Love Lucy episode.. I can't really remember what happened.. but I think she ran into William Holden, and I'm sure hilarity ensued

Yea that's right Bogey. A star struck Lucy was always hilarious. As the article indicates, it ended up with a plate of food spilling on William Holden.

Btw, just for fun, my daughter and her husband went on a get-away long weekend in Beverly Hills a few months ago. My daughter wanted to stay the the Beverly Wilshire where Pretty Woman was filmed. She said she walked up/down the staircase that Julia Roberts did and rode the elevator she did. Her hubby didn't think it was a big deal, but she called her sister to tell her she was standing where Julia Roberts stood. (girly stuff). The hotel today is older and a little different, but she recognized the staircase and the elevators. I must admit I get a kick out of that type of thing too.

Of course Rodeo Drive always looks nice and is fun to walk around.



TIS

We were down at the Long Branch New Jersey Shore this past weekend and there was a Stewart's Drive-In Restaurant at the beach at Pier Village. I could not believe how packed it was all weekend long and how long the wait was for a table.

Mr. Babe and I ate in Sardi's once, which was a NYC landmark, and where the Broadways casts of old used to go after opening night to wait out the reviews in the late-edition papers. The food was certainly decent.

SC or DC, do you guys remember a hamburger chain named Wetson's (or maybe it was Wetsin's?)? I remember going there with my mom in the 60's. Instead of a Big Mac, they had a Big W, and so on. They were pretty good.

The Brown Derby I heard fell on hard times but someone rescued it and it was not allowed to be destroyed by the historical society, but now its a different type of food place (don't quote me, its either the Brown Derby or that Donuts place that now serves bagels)... too much FoodTV and not enough braincells lol.

As for diners, its sad but not too sad, its true they came in on trains and often you found them near railway stations, but now they are being dismantled and brought to cities out in the midwest, and oddly enough, they are a big hit in Germany, so while they are "disappearing" there is foreign fascination with them and they now re-live as a part of american pop culture in other countries.

Yeah... Wetson's was big on the Island in the late 60's/early 70's. I remember them as being a glorified White Castle, but their fries were pretty good.

Sardi's was a fun spot... just looking at all the pictures on the walls could take a few hours. I don't remember the food as great but the service sure was.

Fraunces Tavern (downtown Manhattan) was a wonderful historical place. George Washington bid farewell to his troops there and they tried to keep the menu somewhat "timely" to the period and the food was pretty good. They're still open and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in Americana.

Patsy's used to be a place that Sinatra would hang out at, there is one down on University Place, not sure if the one by Broadway/Times Square is still there...

Fraunces Tavern is definitely a must-see if you are interested in Colonial America or the Revolutionary War.

However, the current building is actually a reconstruction. The original building burned down, many years ago (I believe in the 1800's). I think only one original wall was left still standing. But, using engravings, contemporary accounts, etc., the tavern was magnificently reconstructed. There is a museum occupying the upstairs, and the are many actual period items and artifacts that can be seen as part of their rotating exhibitions.

Another worthy place is City Tavern in Philadelphia. This is (I believe) the original building, and was quite popular in the days of our Founding Fathers. The menu features many period-influenced dishes, and there is also a cookbook available (The City Tavern Cookbook).

Colonial Williamsburg has Chowning's Tavern and Christiana Campbell's. I have only eaten at the former - a bit touristy (naturally), but interesting nonetheless.

Signor V.

Anyone ever eat at Tavern On The Green? I've always wanted to go there, mostly because it looks so pretty, in the middle of Central Park. However, I've heard some awful things about the food. Not sure if I want to bother.

One of my favorite spots in NYC is still The Rainbow Grill. I ate at The Rainbow Room many, many years ago, but refuse to spring for the $150 pp. they want for dinner now, especially after reading Kitchen Confidential. However, I love to have drinks at The Rainbow Grill. Hands down, it has one of the best views of Manhattan.

Kitchen Confidential is required reading for ANYONE who eats out, cooks or just eats in general, even if its fast foo you eat, you have something to learn from this book, so good call there... I have videotaped weddings at Tavern on the Green, so yes, i've had their food, and agree its beautiful, but when you are working weddings, all the food tastes the same... I HOPE its different than the food they serve to "paying folk" lol... but you know wedding dinners are mass-produced dishes... again, refer to Kitchen Confidential lol.

The food at Tavern on the Green is OK, but just OK... you go there more for the ambience and location. Its one of the best places to eat around Christmas when all the trees outside of it are lighted... VERY pretty!

I used to LOVE the Rainbow Room.... it was my kind of place, especially on nights they had the big bands there. The service was always top-notch and the food was certainly decent.

A really nice place for drinks on the eastside is Top of the Tower (at 49th Street and 1st Avenue)... I THINK they're still open and they have a dark room with awesome views of the East River and a piano player... its been years since I've been there but its worth a look.

Yes I remember Wetsons. There were several of them in brooklyn.

I recently ate at SARDI'S . The family and I went to see a broadway play and we didn't have dinner reservations for any of the area restaurants. Every place had an hour wait except Sardi's. To tell you the truth the food is still pretty good. Not a place that I would go out of the way to eat at, but at the same time I would go back there if the same situation that I was in arose.

I also ate at two other historic places the last few times we went to see a broadway play :

FRANKIE & JOHNNY'S Steakhouse and BROADWAY JOE Steakhouse



Both are still very good.

SB and SC

I've been to Tavern a few times. You have to go at Christmas time. The inside is decorated with the biggest, gaudiest Christmas trees you've ever seen. Food is ok, but you are paying for the room.

Sparks Steak House - the sidewalk in front is the place where Big Paulie Castellano got whacked by John Gotti. The steaks are very good. A potatoe costs $8 five years ago. Bring money.

I ate at a restaurant in Boston that was allegedly the oldest seafood restaurant in America; I think the name was the Oyster House.

Sparks Steak House is still the cream of the crop of steak houses as far as I am concerned. Their steaks are still excellent, their lamb chops are the best that I've ever eaten, and their lobster is to die for, not to mention the great job that the waiters do taking it out of the shell for you. The service at Sparks is impeccable!

For my son's 16th birthday, we told him that he could pick 5 of his closest friends and pick any restaurant that he wanted to go to for dinner. Well he picked Sparks. We wound up being a total of 10 people. We rented a limo and took he and his friends there. As part of the appetizers I ordered 5 orders of lamb chops, which come 3 to an order. However I always have them butterfly them and it winds up becoming 6 to an order. So we had 30 lamb chops as part of the appetizers. I figured that 3 lamb chops per person for an appetizer would be plenty to go with some of the other appetizers that I ordered. Wrong! Those boys devoured those lamb chops and loved them so much that they asked me if I could order some more! I did and they ate another round of lamb chops! Not to mention that they also knocked off the baked clams, the shrimp scampi, and the main course of steaks and lobsters.

Yes, it is a pretty expensive place, no doubt. But then again you get what you pay for. To me it's well worth the price. Unfortunatley you can't afford go their once a week, or come to think of it even once a month for that matter.

For me, maybe once in a lifetime.

I hear that Frankie and Johnny's is very good. But in the theater district, my favorite place is Becco, which is owned by Lidia from the cooking show (chubby, balding Italian lady). They have a $22 all-you-can-eat pasta special that is the best deal in NYC, as is their wine list that has all wines for $25.

I'll take Peter Luger's over Sparks for steak.

For History the Grand Central Station Oyster Bar, and P.J. Clarke's (the orginal on 3rd Ave).

In theatre district I like Joe Allen's. The place where they have posters of all the plays that bombed on Broadway. Best tuna burgers anywhere.

Tuna burger? I've never heard of such a thing. Sounds tantalizing.

They grind up fresh tuna like a burger and sear it. Served on a bun with wasabi flavored sauce, lettuce and tomato. Excellent.

Don T, you disappoint me. I think your brain's gone soft from all those Tuna Burgers. I thought for sure that once I posted about these historic steak houses, you would definitely post about that fantastic STEAKHOUSE IN TAMPA, FL. with the huge personal wine collection and the private dessert rooms.

Interesting, I had filet mignon tonite... Shop-Rite had a sale, its whole, you have to trim the fat and butcher it, my Godfather was a butcher (hold the jokes pls) and I remembered how to carve it up... so, it was not as juicy or tasty as i get from the butcher in town... and not because of the way i cooked it, its strictly a quality of meat thing, still good, but i used some of the Peter Lugar's Steak Sauce, its good sauce, but really masks the flavor of the food/meat... GOOD rock salt and fresh ground pepper is all you should really need...

For prime rib and similar cuts, embedded cloves of garlic and olive oil

When you were eating that did you think I know someone who has that name?

As you can see I spoil my friends. They talk when they should listen. Anyway, Berns is an overrated place where locals only go when people from out of town come and demand to go. It is too big, too impersonal, too garish, and to impressed with itself notwithstanding good steaks and an incredible wine list.
Anyway my vote for Lugers is final and as long as your interests dont conflict with mine I wish you good luck.

I love Luger's steaks. There is no question that they are the cream of the crop when it comes to cuts of meat. But, I hate Luger's waiters and Luger's atmosphere. The waiters are a bunch of old crabby bastards without any personality whatsoever. Truthfully Luger's is very full of itself and has a lot of attitude. A very impersonal staff all around . Not to mention the fact that if you don't pay off the valet to take care of your car, when your done with dinner you most likely will come out to either find your car stripped down to the frame or gone, period.

Berns absolutely is a garish place. A gaudy place no doubt. However I cannot say that I found it to be impersonal. In fact I found that they went out of their way to make our group feel welcomed and at home. The steaks were outstanding, the wine list is impressive and the private dessert rooms are incredible as are their desserts.

Again, for my money, Sparks wins hands down for all around service, class, and good food.

I like them both, as far as the food goes. Luger's can be offputting, due to their waiters and the "clubiness" of the place, but it's still a great steak. I also enjoy the Palm, Ponte's, and Ben Benson's. The truth is, you're unlikely to get a "bad" meal in any of those places.

The Palm is definitely up there amongst the top steak houses as is Ben Benson's.

However I must say that I was extremely disappointed with Ponte's the last time that I was there.


If ever you have a large group, say like a dozen to 18 people, try booking the private room at The Palm West. The food there is just as good as The Palm and The Palm 2, and the room is fantastic as you and your party do not have to worry about getting loud and disturbing other diners in the restaurant.

A good place to eat before going to a Broadway play.

I LOVE the Palm West!

It's probably the best of the lot, especially before a Broadway play.

Can we all agree that Smith and Wollensky's is unbelievably overrated?

I think that we have wandered off course here a bit as this originally started out as a Historic Places To Eat topic.

Sorry JRCX.

Did anybody here ever go to Jack Dempsey's in New York City?

I never did, and I'm curious if anyone on the Boards has any personal memories of the place.

Signor V.

I was there in the late 60's, long after its hey-day. I don't remember the food as being anything special but I remember being excited simply by the virtue of being there.

Dempsey was still alive then, and he still spent time in the place but, sadly, he wasn't there the night I visited.

(If I remember correctly, the old Garden, which was right across 8th Avenue, had just closed).

Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach. A landmark. Every major politician, mob boss, celebrity and sports star has eaten there.
And they have the best stone crabs anywhere.

We have good stoned crabs here. But that just happens when someone blows their marijuana smoke into the crabpot while they're steaming.

You're killing me, Don T. Here's a little known fact about Joe's: They have the BEST liver and onions I've ever had in a restaurant. SC and SB share my passion for liver, so I thought I'd mention it.

I'll be honest, though, when I just want the stone crabs, I usually get them to go, or I just go for lunch. The place is just too crazy in the evening.

I love liver, onions and bacon. We aficianados should start a thread....

SC, SB and I thought we were the only ones. SB has a nice story about having lunch with Plaw... He was grossed out by the calves liver that she ordered.

I love it!

He sure was!! He said that even the smell was bothering him. Btw, we ate a fantastic place that day in Ramsey, NJ, but darn if I can remember the name of it! It was Cafe something, but it has totally slipped my mind.

Cafe Panache?

I think that was it! Thank you! It was really bugging me!

You're welcomed.

He mentioned that place to me quite a few times in our conversations, and the name has since stuck in my head.

Dear Plaw. I miss talking about food with him, although I guess that's just one of the many things that I miss about him.

Okay, so last night we left the Met game after the 7th inning because they were kicking ass and we wanted to beat the traffic. We wanted to eat, so we settled on the idea of parking over on Steinway Street and eating at one of the many Mediterranean cafes in Astoria. It was a beautiful night, so we figured we might sacrifice a little quality so we could sit outside. But we didn't have to sacrifice quality at all!

We settled on CAVO, a beautiful, Greek themed, indoor-outdoor restaurant, on 31st Avenue, in the heart of Astoria. We ate outdoors in the Mediterranean garden, which has a gorgeous 20 foot waterfall to cool you off on a hot night.

So, cut to the meal- we shared three appetizers: 1) a summer tomato salad, with both red and yellow tomatoes, chunks of feta and extra virgin olive oil, 2) grilled baby octopus, with roasted peppers, olives and arugola, and 3) charcoal grilled peppers with fresh buffalo mozzarella and grape tomatoes.

For my entree I had charcoal grilled shrimp over white beans, served in a white wine reduction, served with braised mixed greens and creamy polenta.

Finally, for dessert, I had a Greek standard of banana and chocolate crepes. Unfortunately, I still can't drink due to some health issues I recently had, but I'm looking forward to going back at "full strength" because they had a stellar wine list.

Overall, the place is beautiful, if a little bit noisy, but I guess that's to be expected. I mean it was Astoria on a beautiful summer night, so you put up with it.

As far as the food, I hate to use the phrase "to die for," because it sounds, well, gay... not that there's anything wrong with that... but it really was.


*** (3 stars from Pizzaboy)

You fat bastard!

Sounds GOOD!

Did you forget to tell us about the Dog, Beer and Peanuts that you had during the game?

Busted!

I did have a hot dog at the game.

I know.

Does it? I dunno...

On the other hand, if you had said

"Faaaaaaaabulous!!"

Different story altogether.

Signor V.

You go girl!

Getting back (ahem) to the theme of this thread...I nominate

BUCA LAPI.

This is one of the oldest restaurants in Florence, Italy, and if anyone goes there do not miss out on this place. Its been there for hundreds of years. It is in a basement with vaulted ceilings, and you enter through the kitchen, which consists in alrge part of a huge woodburning grill. Their specialty is Bistecca Fiorentine (Florentine Steak) which ranks up there with anything in New York , and is better than anything served in our rub joints in Vegas.

A true Bistecca Fiorentina comes from a specific breed of cattle which live outside of Florence. They are fed a special diet, and there is nothing like it.

The cut is Porterhouse.

Google it !

Next Saturday, the 29th, I have reservations at Bobby Flay's Bar Americain, here in the City. I've been wanting to try the place for some time, but a recent health issue would have precluded me from trying some of his signature dishes. I've eaten at Mesa Grill several times, both in the city and at Caesar's in Las Vegas, and I've also been to Bobby Flay Steak, at the Borgata in Atlantic City, but this will be my first trip to Bar Americain. I find his food to be both tasty, and pleasing to look at, even if I don't consider him to be a chef in the same league as a Pepin or Boulud. I'll be sure to post a review after the experience.

Does anybody here remember Dubrow's Cafeteria?

If you lived in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Miami (and are old enough), chances are that you do.

It was a small chain of cafeteria-style eateries started in 1929 by Benjamin Dubrow. One of the Brooklyn locations was just a couple of blocks from me. It had remained virtually unchanged: the revolving door entrance, the Art Deco mosaic tilework on the interior, and the inexpensive food. The Kings Highway location (the one near me) was open 24 hours. It really was a throwback to another time. I used to occasionally eat there with my father in the 1960s. He used to tell me how he remembered Dubrow's from when he was a boy.

It closed around 1979, IIRC. I believe they shot some scenes for the film Boardwalk there and then it immediately shut down. No one in the neighborhood saw it coming. A real pity. Maybe the food wasn't as great as it used to be, but the place should have been preserved as landmark for the decor alone. And, in a day when virtually nothing was open 24 hours, it gave people - especially seniors - a place to go at any hour where they could have a cup of coffee, a sandwich, and schmooze with their friends.

The last Dubrow's closed in 1985. End of an era.

The great-granddaughter of the founder has an interesting website devoted to the restaurants:

www.dubrows.blogspot.com

Signor V.

Very well! I used to go to the one near you quite often... Kings Highway was THE place to go shopping for clothes, shoes, etc. before KIngs Plaza opened and I had just finished high school then (when Kings Plaza opened). No trip to the Highway would be complete without stopping in Dubrow's for a bite to eat.

There used to be a bar on Neck Rd and East 15th that would serve me and my friends before we were of age and we'd often go out drinking only to end up taking the subway to the Highway and Dubrow's (getting some food) at 3 a.m.

Dubrow's was a great experience... all the alter cockers from the neighborhood would always hang out there eager to talk to anyone who would listen (and they'd often have GREAT stories!).

Robert Halls on Kings Highway!

That location of East 15th Street and Neck road was used as the black neighborhood in the movie A Bronx Tale.


Ok, How about another place that, in my opinion, is worthy of historical significance:

JAHN'S ICE CREAM PARLORS

We used to frequent two of them; The one on 86th street and 21st Avenue, and the one on Nostrand Avenue and I believe avenue Z.

They later made one on Ave U and Garristen Ave, the former location of The Flame restaurant.

They had really great Ice Cream. They were famous for the Kitchen Sink ice cream dish! Oh, and they had great Cheeseburgers and Shakes too!

Jahn's was a really great place!

Thats right! The bar was a few doors down off the corner (directly next to the storefront that was firebombed in the movie).

The Sheepshead Bay "Jahn's" was on the corner of Nostrand and Z. I went to the school across the street and Friday was the day my friends and I would go there for lunch... a hamburger, fries and a coke would cost 90¢ and we felt like big men by leaving a dime tip.

If memory serves me correctly, the burger and fries were served in a basket.

Speaking of burgers and fries in a basket, do you or Vitelli happen to remember the name of the restaurant in Sheepshead bay and was there BEFORE it became The Grotto Di'Oro? They used to make one of the best burger and fries baskets and an awesome fried chicken and fries basket. Almost all of their combos were served in a basket. It was there for years and then when it closed down it became the Grotto Di'oro. I can't remember the name.

I remember Jahn's quite well. Back in the 1970s I used to go with friends to the one on 86th St. and order their "Suicide a la Mode".

I do remember going to the one on Gerritsen Ave. one time - in 1975 on my 20th birthday. They used to give you something for free if it was your birthday (as I remember), so I went with a girl I was seeing at the time. We ended up with the surliest, most ornery waiter I had ever encountered up to that time. I'll always remember that time at Jahn's, but for all the wrong reasons!

I never went back to that place - after that it was strictly 86th Street.

There was another Jahn's I'll always remember, though: In Miami Beach, on Collins Ave., there was a Jahn's many years ago. This is the area now known as South Beach. One summer, around 1961, I fell madly in love with a waitress named Sheila who had a huge, pink beehive hairdo. I was all of five years old, and had never seen anything like it before. The Miami Beach Jahn's closed up a year or two later, but to this day I can still remember Sheila and her pink hair.

Signor V.

What is a "Suicide a la Mode"?

Don't remember it... I had a lot of friends who lived on Emmons (in those little shacks between the street and the water) so I was there often in the late 50's/early 60's but I just don't remember that restaurant.

Speaking of the neighborhood, there used to be a bar on Emmons and Bedford (Captain Walter's) that had totally awesome burgers!

This was one of their humongous servings of ice cream that could be eaten by several people and probably still have leftovers.

Jahn's had a bunch of strangely-named specialties you could order, usually with many different flavors, toppings, etc. And they were pretty large, to say the least.



Can't say I remember it either. I do remember that many years ago (the 1960s?) there was a small chain of restaurants called (I think) Chicken in the Basket. I don't know if this is what it was, or not. I didn't start hanging around that area until the late '70s.

Signor V.

I don't remember Dubrow's, but I fondly recall Horn & Hardart (Sp??). My aunt worked as a buyer for Wanamaker's at the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers, and I used to get a lot of my clothes there, thanks to her employee discount. My mother would always take me to eat there after shopping, or we would eat at the Wanamaker's cafeteria, which had huge windows that overlooked all of Yonkers.

I remember that no shopping trip was complete without at least some rice pudding from Horn & Hardart.

I used to LOVE that cafeteria, Babe!

My maternal grandparents lived on Mile Square Road, up in Yonkers. When we'd go up there on a saturday, we loved to walk to Cross County and eat there (stores were still closed sundays). There was also a great Jewish deli, right next to Wallach's, it was called Wilskers, and the sandwiches were great. I remember they did a hell of a bar business, too, because while my brother and I were chowing down on sour pickles, my Pop and my uncles were sipping Cutty at the bar. The other thing I remember about Cross County was going to Lubin's for my confirmation suit (it was a Brioni -- you look like a gangster! ).

I remember Wilskers, but I didn't until you mentioned it. And didn't everyone get their communion/confirmation stuff from Lubin's??

Cross County was THE place to shop. My brother worked at Gimbel's when he was a teenager. Between that and Wanamaker's, my mom had quite the racket on employee discounts. I remember that I got my ears pierced at some little store in the shopping center.

Probably Corbo Jewelers, they just closed after 40 years in the same spot.

Lubin's was THEE place for the confirmation suit. You know where I lived, we could walk to Alexander's on Fordham, but for the important stuff, we went up to either Lubin's or Fox's on White Plains Road.

Horn and Hardart was great. I also remember Schrafts for ice cream.

Not to mention where Rocky Balboa had his last turkey dinner.

Horn & Hardat was a TRUE New York experience. They were better known as "The Automat".

For those of you who've never been to one, they were large rooms full of diner type tables. One of the walls had about 100 "windows" (slightly larger than a mailbox) and in each of the windows was an item of food that you'd buy. You slipped some money into the coin slot (price was depending on what you ordered) and then open the little door on the window and grab your food. You could get just about anything. Appetizers, soup, sandwiches, dinners (like meat loaf or turkey), side orders (everything from mashed potatoes to vegetables) and of course, dessert.

You'd then take your tray with all your goodies and sit at a table (sometimes during busy hours you'd share a table with strangers).

They used to have awesome coffee!!

I remember Capt. Walters. If I'm not mistaken, at one time it was known as Popeyes.

Ok, while trying to think of the name of that place in Sheepshead Bay that was there before the Grotto, another place popped into my head : Bun & Burger! I remember one being in the Kings Plaza Mall.

No... Captain Walter's was never known as that... it used to be a little brick building on Emmons & Bedford... they moved down to Emmons & Ocean about 15 years ago.

"Bun & Burger" was a chain.... they had fairly decent burgers considering.

But there was a place in Sheepshead Bay called Popeye's, right?

Yeah... I THINK it was a chain... they sold chicken and ribs and burgers, etc.

You remember the steak joint on Shore Parkway and Ocean?? I can't think of the name of it now .... it had an OK menu but everyone went there for the salad bar.... they'd put out a platter of shrimp and some people would go up to it with little sandwich bags and fill them up before leaving.

No, It wasn't the Fried Chicken franchise....wiseass.


BEEFSTEAK CHARLIES?

All the ribs and shrimp you can eat!

I LOVED Beefsteak Charlie's. My mother would always steal the banana bread to take home.

I would also see the most OBESE people eating there. We would sit there stuffing our facing, and pointing out how much food the other people were taking!

FWIW - Don Cardi was right (hey, even a broken watch is correct twice a day)... the old brick building to which I was referring WAS once known as "Popeye's". A senior moment on my end.

Now here's a restaurant that definitely deserves historical status in this topic :



Brennan Carr!

It sure DOES for Brooklynites.

That Brennan & Carr is a throwback to another era... its a dingy little place but it offers some REALLY good roast beef. Its not the Arby's kind of roast beef (which I like as fast food) but its like the old Irish bars roast beef... The place was around for as long as I can remember and I've been there enough to have heard old people talking about going back there for the first time in 20 or 30 years (and remarking the food was the same).

I remember them actually selling the juice from the roast beef off their menu, by the cup, and people would order it and have it as a soup, with crackers.

We used to go there at least 3 times a month when we were teenagers. All of the waiters looked to be 100 years old back then. My wife and I went back there a year or two ago and I swear that the waiters were the same old men that worked there when I was a teenager!

Great place!

Hey SC, funny thing that I found this pic of Brennan and Carr because it was only one block away from a fantastic Chinese restaurant that we were talking about only a couple of days ago....Mah Jong!

Au Jus!

That's delicious.

Thats right.

There used to be an absolutely wonderful Italian joint on Avenue U near there... for the life of me I can't remember its name (it was in the middle of the block on the north side of "U")... reminds me of the place in "The Godfather" - it had the best veal in the City.

That Brennan & Carr "juice" was great... the roast beef itself was very good but the juice made it delicious... only problem was if you didn't eat it fast enough the bun would get soaked through.