Restaurant Review: Five Guys

Five Guys Burger and Fries has opened a store in Audubon. The street address is 130 Black Horse Pike but the store from doesn't face the street. If you turn in at Audubon Crossing (or Commons?), it is in that group of stores.

It is a large space, room for plenty of tables; they may just have opened and perhaps not all the decor is in yet.

The food is good. The menu lists the standard burgers, hot dog, drilled cheese, friends, and drinks. One note -- the little hamburger or little cheeseburger and fries will satisfy most appetites. Only those with a heartier hunger would need the regular burger.

A little hamburger, fries, and a drink is a little over $7.00. Go with a friend, split the fries, and spend around $7.00.

There are also boxes of peanuts by the door that you can take, shell, and eat. Those with allergies should take note of this.

It's about a ten minute drive from campus, twenty if you miss the turn, and take a scenic tour of the Walt Whitman Bridge.

Crossroads Cafe

A week or so ago a friend and I walked down to the Crossroads Cafe for lunch; it is across the street from the Camden Children's Garden. It is a friendly place and you can count on a smile from the staff. Every day there are lunch specials, most very reasonably priced. You can chose from soups, salads, something hot off the grill, a freshly made sandwich or a slice of pizza.

Friends Cafe

The Friends Cafe at 319 Friends St, right behind the parking lot by the business and science building, has a full menu. You can eat in or take out. The dining area has a big screen tv if you want to catch the news or your favorite tv show while you eat.

There are breakfast items for the morning crowd, all under $5.00 For the noon and evening meals there are a variety of options, cheese fries, chicken fingers, buffalo wings, salads, hoagies and sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and Asian noodles. Hours are Monday - Friday 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. They will deliver, but only for lunch.

Breakfast and a Smile

One morning last week was one of those mornings when things do not go well. A casualty of this was breakfast. A quick stop at Jordan's Hot Dog Cart, which is set up between the Business & Science Building and the Student Center, put things to right. Jordan offered up a bacon & egg sandwich and a bottle of orange juice, at a reasonable price, and a big smile, which was free.

Brass Rail Now Taking RU Express Cards

The Brass Rail Restaurant (425 Market St) in Camden is now accepting RU Express cards.

Their breakfast menu features, omlettes and eggs, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and other items. The lunch menu includes wraps, soup, salads, hot and cold sandwiches and assorted other items. I am a big fan of the egg salad sandwich on whole wheat toast.

Market Street Pizzeria Open

Great news!! The Market Street Pizzeria is now open, in the Victor Building, where La Riviera used to be. The menu is similar. I had a large slice of pepperoni and sausage on thin crust, and a bottle of soda (the soda fountain isn't up yet but will be soon) for $5.08. It was good. The preliminary menu has pizza, stromboli, appetizers (the garlic knots looked delicious through the window), chicken, a variety of salads, wraps, burgers, sandwiches, and assorted other items. There is also a soup of the day, with bread. Hours are Monday through Friday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturdays noon to 6. I'm not sure they are open all hours yet so you might want to give them a week or so before going for dinner, but those working late at L3 or students heading for the riverside parking lot will surely enjoy the opportunity to get something to eat before heading home, not to mention the residents of the Victor who might appreciate having a pizzeria so close to home again.

Riviera Update

My favorite lunch spot, La Riviera, has been closed for a few days now. A sign has been put on the door saying it is closed for the day. A little snooping has led me to believe this is temporary, but that isn't certain. The Camden Courier Post ran a story "Waterfront eatery closes," on June 11, which implies the closing is permanent. Hope springs eternal -- I'll assume it will re-open in good time.

New Salad Place

Fresh Fruits and Salads has opened at 114 N. 3rd St. They offer a variety of salads, starting at around $5.00 and fruit salads starting at $3.00. Delivery service is available.

(If you are looking for the previous occupant of that address, Cafe & Salad Work, they have moved around the corner.)

Lunch at the Silver Diner

The lunch bunch went to the Silver Diner yesterday, across the highway from the Cherry Hill Mall. Some of us had been there before. Reports were positive on the cheeseburger, chicken noodle soup, chilli, salad, and onion rings. The grilled cheese is made with multiple cheeses on sourdough bread. Drinks are HUGE. However, the highest recommendation is for the brownie sundae, a warmed brownie (with nuts), one scoop each of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, with chocolate and caramel sauce. Take a friend because the sundae is great for two, too much for one.

The decor is fifties; each booth has a mini-jukebox, and an old video of Elvis greets you at the door. Kids are welcome but couples of varying ages and groups of friends are also in evidence.

Restaurant Review: Palace of Asia

Just off Route 70 in Cherry Hill you can find wonderful Indian cuisine at Palace of Asia. The lunch group today included a vegan, a vegetarian, and two omnivores. We all found something to like. The menu offers a number of choices but we decided on the buffet which includes a salad, a variety of meat dishes (I had chicken), several vegetable dishes, rice, and a few desserts. I had fresh fruit. Everyone enjoyed their meal and it came to about $13.00 per person including tip.

You can also find the Palace of Asia in Lawrenceville, Philadelphia, and Wilmington, Del.

Eating at Nathan's

Today I stopped in for lunch at the new Nathan's Famous at 3rd and Market in Camden. I had a cheeseburger, onion rings, and lemonade. The food is made to order, not kept hot under a lamp, and the grills are right behind the counter where you can see them. I watched the burger cook on the grill, saw the onion rings go into the fryer. You know what is happening to your meal and who is preparing it. The burger was good, as you might expect being freshly made; the bun was lightly toasted. The onion rings were exceptional, light and crispy. The lemonade was just right.

There was a long line when I went in a little after noon. Things were just calming down when I left about 30 minutes later. There was ample seating for all those who wanted to eat in as opposed to take out.

The staff was courteous and well-organized considering it was only their third day in business.

I will definitely be going back.

Nathan's Famous Now Open

At 3rd & Market Streets in Camden, we have four great tastes in one place. You can find:

• Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs
• Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips
• Kenny Rogers Roasters Express
• Breyers Ice Cream

Be sure to stop in and say hello.

Renovations in the Student Center

The cafeteria in the student center on campus has been gussied up. The sit down restaurant is gone. There are a number of food stations to chose from, deli, grille, pizza and pasta, a large salad bar, and so on. I've been in for breakfast and lunch. The corn muffins are especially filling. Someone I shared a table with highly recommends the pasta. The new decor is striking, complete with a curved stone wall and a fireplace. The fireplace will work though when I asked about toasting marshmallows for s'mores the answer was no.

It's definitely worth a look.

Restaurant Review: The Victor Pub

A few weeks ago I went with a group of friends to try out the Victor Pub in the Victor Building. The larger tables tend to be near the back of the room which is too near an air duct when trying to talk across a distance but it wasn't loud enough to be annoying. It was crowded so neighboring conversations also impacted the table talk.

Everyone liked the food. We had a combination of soups, sandwiches and salads. It is a little pricey for a frequent lunch spot ($10 for a burger and fries), at least for our budget, but makes a great place for a special outing.

Other people who have gone for lunch have liked the food and report that there is a good crowd when they've been there. Those who have gone for dinner have said the same.

The Victor Pub makes a nice addition to the restaurants in the city.

Ramona's

I've been walking by Ramona's (415 Cooper Street) for some time now, wondering when it would open and what kind of food it would be. I noticed a menu in the window and was excited to learn they would be serving "Authentic Hispanic Food".

I am now happily sitting in front of a generous portion of roasted pork, rice and beans with a fried plantain on top. YUM.

It looks like Ramona's hs relocated from Haddon Ave, according to a review from the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2002 that is hanging on the wall.

The menu includes soup of the day, house salad, empanadillas, platters (a selection of meats and fish served with beans and rice), sandwiches, a kids menu (standard kid fare; chicken tenders, hot dog, hamburger), side dishes (those yummy plaintains) and desserts.

Their hours are M-F 11:00-3:30. I stopped in and ordered take-out and my order was ready in about 15 minutes.

Miss G's Lunch Specials

While out for a walk today I stopped in at Miss G's, the convenience store in the Victor Building. They now have lunch specials. Although subject to change, they are at present:

Monday
Soup -- Popi's Pasta Fagiole
Hot Roast Beef w/ provolone, cherry peppers and garlic relish on the side

Tuesday
Soup -- Grammy's Potato Leek
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast w/ lettuch temoatoes, homemade mac salad w/ ricotta salada

Wednesday
Soup -- Rosei's Pasta Bise (pasta w/ peas)
Chicken Cutlet Sandwich w/ sauteed peppers on side

Thursday
Soup -- Chicken w/ spinach
Joe's Italiano Wrap, genoa salami, cappicole, provolone cheese w/ lettuce, tomatoes, Italian dressing

Friday
Soup -- Manhattan Clam chowder
Tuna salad sandwich

Everyday
in-season fresh fruit
homemade chili
Mama's marinated mozzerela

Victor Pub Now Open

The Victor Pub, in the Victor Building on the side facing the waterfront, is now open. I poked my head inside today. It looks like what is intended to be, a high class sports bar, with several big screen tvs strategically place. There were a number of people there, who seemed to be enjoying the food and the ambience. They serve lunch and dinner.

Restaurant Review: La Riviera

A new restaurant has opened in the Victor Building. It is next to the Subway Sandwich Shop and across the lobby from the dry cleaners.

La Riviera has, as you might have guessed from the name, Italian food. It was very busy when I was in and pizza was a popular item for people in a hurry. Those of us with a little more time chose other options. I had a tuna rustico sandwich, tuna salad on focaccia bread, with tomoatoes, mixed greens and red onions. It came with fries and more greens as a salad ($7.50). My lunch buddy had a hot eggplant parmigiana sandwich (with fries and drink, $9.90). We both enjoyed the meal. The fries are wonderful!!! Thick cut with just the right amount of crunch. The sandwich was really good, too. Large enough for me to take half home for dinner, so the meal was a real bargain.

The menu also features steak sandwiches, salads, pasta and entrees. You order at the counter and wait for your meal. Ours was brought to our table.

The ambience is good. The pizza / warming oven in plain sight and it is fun to watch the slices, pizza, and hot sandwiches being warmed and cooked.

La Riviera is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and closed Sundays. I will definitely be going back.

A worthwhile walk across the PATCO parking lot

I've been commuting to Camden from the Lindenwold PATCO station for almost 4 years now and I finally went to the Indian restaurant that I've looked at from the platform almost every day.

Curry Cafe is located on Rt.30, but parking is in the back, across the street from the PATCO parking lot. If you take the train across the Delaware (the food is well worth it) you can see the blue sign on the building when standing on the platform and facing Rt.30.

The menu includes items from North and South India and everything that we sampled was excellent and the prices are reasonable. There is a nice selection of vegetarian choices at this BYOB. I'm looking forward to trying the lunch buffet.

The Philadelphia City Paper wrote this review confirming my feelings that it is worth a trip from either side of the river.

Restaurant Review: Cafe Salad Works

In Camden and in the mood for a healthy lunch? Try Cafe Salad Works, 114 N. 3rd St. These aren't skimpy "two lettuce leaves and a carrot" salads but substantial meals. You can choose from the menu or create your own. My personal favorite is the spinach salad, but there are almost unlimited choices. Each meal comes with a large roll. That and a drink will cost about $6.00 or $7.00, maybe a little more depending on what you order. There is limited table seating, but many people opt for take out and most of the times I've been there someone comes in to pick up a large order for an office or group.