Silver Diner, NJ

The second time we went down to Monster Mania in Cherry Hill, NJ (yes, there was a first time as well) we were slightly more autonomous and adventurous. I attribute both of these advancements to the GPS. While we were staying at the hotel where the convention was actually being held, we wanted to explore the barren sub-mall-ian wasteland that is most of New Jersey (or at least Cherry Hill).

As non-chain pickings were slim, we decided that we needed breakfast and we needed something that at least resembled a local joint. Silver Diner is a chain, but we didn’t know that, as they reside mostly in Pennsylvania and Virginia. This is the only one in New Jersey.

While the experience was mediocre at best, it was nice and bright with quick and efficient service. The diner itself was large and beautiful, but more like the small gems that we find in New England than the huge style of diner that is more like a theme restaurant than an actual diner. We were intrigued to see that they use local ingredients and they even had some local bison on the menu, which begged the question, where are there bison in New Jersey?

Who can resist good ole diner food?

Both my wife and I had a selection from the Scrambler menu, which is basically a heap of ingredients in a casserole dish. I got the Country Scrambler, with potatoes, sausage, sausage gravy, mushrooms, green peppers, scrambled eggs and cheese, and she got the Cajun, with rice, jalapenos, Cajun andoille sausage, cheese, scrambled eggs, and a dollop of sour cream and salsa. We were drawn to these selections because they came with two silver dollar pancakes and strawberries. The addition of a little sweet pancake with our savory dishes was a perfect idea.

Both dishes were hot and tasty, but of course, on the heavy side. The pancakes were nice, but a little cold, like they had been sitting in a big pile under a heat lamp. The strawberries were good, but we doubt they were local in March. The coffee was decent, and they keep the cup full.

All in all, it was ok. I’m not saying we would have been better off at a chain like Friendly’s or something (our friends confirmed that we would not have been), but the experience wasn’t above and beyond, either. I’d say if we were traveling with kids, it would have been a perfect place to stop, with wide tables and a nice kid’s menu. They even had paper mustang convertibles for the kiddies with a coloring mat, crayons, and such. Judging by the number of kids present, I’d say it was a hotspot for family dining.