Last week, I had a nostalgia sandwich. In my kitchen, I made a cream cheese sandwich on raisin, walnut bread. Simple, delicious, and straight out of afternoons long ago sitting at the lunch counter of Chock full o' Nuts in Manhattan.
I remember these little lunches with my mother while shopping in the city. This lunch brought back more memories...ice cream sundaes at Woolworths counters where the big excitement was to pop one of the balloons hanging over head. Inside the balloon would be a slip of paper stating the price you pay for the sundae. Since it was my mother who was paying, I have no idea if there was ever a bargain, but I remember the vanilla ice cream with pineapple sauce, nuts, whipped cream and a cherry.
Fast forward to the age of gourmet, and the question arises...is the breakfast/lunch counter still relevant? If you live in New Jersey, it is very relevant...if you have ever watched an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives...ditto. In Red Bank NJ, there is a little jewel box of a luncheonette that might just be in my top 10 all time favorites. Many will be furious with me for even hinting to the general public that this place exists, but I love you and therefore feel the need to clue you in...just save me a seat.
The Inbetween Cafe serves breakfast and lunch...if they served dinner, there would be a line out the door, and the reservations desk would be very, very busy! 
The decor is hometown chic...screened door, kitschy holiday embellishments, and shared table seating. Restaurant-ware dishes and sunshine yellow placemats are the tablescape.
It is everything you want in a little hole-in-the-wall that serves the best gourmet breakfasts and soul satisfying home made lunches. Yes, everything is homemade, but oh so much better than your mother's fare. Bob, the chef turns out the most amazing Benedict's...last week it was a New Orleans Benedict...on grit cakes with andouille sausage, hollandaise sauce and red pepper flakes. Another week it might be smoked salmon Benedict with fresh spinach on potato pancakes.....heaven! The California omelet is a big favorite as well...fluffy eggs filled with avocado, spinach, cheese and sun dried tomato. My daughters are huge fans of the crepes...delicate thin crepes filled with fresh berries (even lingonberries) or apple compote...and this is just the tip of the ice-berg. The classic fare is good...with a capital G...burgers, fries, blueberry pancakes, western omelets, french toast, however, there is another part of the afternoon menu that really rocks...Bob makes the best saurbraten, potato pancakes, and meatloaf...serious, real food. His mashed potatoes are something to dream about! The people who work here lend an air of what I like to call Cheers happiness...they get to know you. Ginny, Bob's wife is always smiling, and Teri and Colleen know how to get you in and out quickly. In a town that trips over itself to be as hip as possible, the Inbetween Cafe is the real deal....a place that is not trying to be anything more than it is ...wonderful ....and of course to enjoy some of the best and most memorable food in a nostalgic, comfortable atmosphere.
This post is being linked to Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.
♥, Susan
Trying to post a comment. Let's see!
Posted by: Cuisine Kathleen | March 02, 2011 at 05:41 PM
Yeah, it worked this time!
Great memories! Woolworth's counter having lunch and then shopping at the 5 and 10! Gifts for everyone! :)
Posted by: Cuisine Kathleen | March 02, 2011 at 05:42 PM
The little hole in the wall diners are the best:@)
Posted by: [email protected] | March 02, 2011 at 06:02 PM
OOh fun, great nostalgia! fun photos and it all sounds wonderful.
Posted by: marlis | March 02, 2011 at 06:30 PM
That's it...road trip! :-) I've never been here, either!
Posted by: laura @ the shorehouse | March 02, 2011 at 09:28 PM
Any time...you would love the crepes!
Posted by: susan ericson | March 03, 2011 at 04:56 AM
I have such great memories of the luncheonette's, too cool that you still have one to go to! Looks like a great place! I have memories of egg creams with a pretzel rod and spinning on those luncheonette stools! Loved Schraffts and Horn and Hardart's, too!
Posted by: Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook | March 03, 2011 at 06:35 AM
Carol, Also coming from Long Island, luncheonettes were a mainstay just like the diners. I loved Horn and Hardart...wish they would bring it back! I have tried over and over to recreate the mac and cheese...wish they had those recipes in a cookbook.
Posted by: susan ericson | March 03, 2011 at 06:51 AM
Those eggs benedict variations sound yummy, but I think I'll take the the three berry crepe with sour cream! Linda
Posted by: Linda | March 03, 2011 at 07:44 AM
The food sounds soooo good! Here in the South, we have Sonic drive-ins that still sometime shave skating waiters/waitresses. My grandfather, in Michigan, used to take all us cousins to A&W Root Beer Stand in the summertime. My sister and I thought that was such a big deal, because we didn't have those in Alabama. Good memories...
Posted by: Tracy F. | March 03, 2011 at 09:13 AM
Thanks Tracy...we had the rootbeer stand in Vermont, and everytime we would get there (the start of our vacations), that would be our first stop...good memories!
Posted by: susan ericson | March 03, 2011 at 09:20 AM
Your post totally brought a tear to my eye - my grandfather used to take me to Woolworth's for malteds.
Posted by: ButterYum | March 03, 2011 at 06:47 PM
I know the food is fantastic, but I am still stuck at the screen door thinking of all the memories it brings back.....everyone had a screen door when I was growing up and my grandmother had the best one....all gingerbready and such. Lovely post.
Posted by: Phyllis | March 03, 2011 at 07:52 PM
Oh, this was wicked reading this late at night as I am sitting here with my mouth watering. Those breakfasts sounded so good. I forgot about the Woolworths counter. Your description placed me right back there.
I love, love, love Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. Everything is so sinfully huge and fattening and I want some of all of it. We have a couple of places that he has featured here in Utah and I want to go out to them all.
Fun post.
Posted by: Jacqueline | March 03, 2011 at 10:17 PM
There is nothing like a good diner breakfast! I grew up in New Jersey and we had diners and we had Woolworth's. Egg creams were one of my favorites.
Have a great weekend.
Carol
Posted by: Carol at Serendipity | March 04, 2011 at 05:07 AM
Susan, I loved your post today and if ever I'm in Red Bank I'll know just where to eat. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
Posted by: Mary | March 04, 2011 at 09:38 AM
I am noting this place and when we are in the area we will look for it. How I remember the Woolworth's counter in the Cherry Hill Mall. Sweet reminiscing through your post!
Posted by: ldh | March 04, 2011 at 04:56 PM
Ahh, what I would do for one of the lingonberry crepes or the California omelette right now...
Posted by: Jenna Ericson | March 04, 2011 at 05:42 PM
http://www.thefoodmaven.com/radiorecipes/mac_cheese.html
I googled the mac n cheese! Arthur Schwartz recipes are usually good! Not the same as coming from a little glass window though! My grandma put tomatoes in hers, too!
Posted by: Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook | March 05, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Thanks Carol...this recipe is one I will have to try...now if only I could put that quarter in the slot and have a little dish pop out. Ah, nostalgia.
Posted by: susan ericson | March 05, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Oh this sounds so good! I love any kind of Benedict, but the New Orleans style sounds wonderful! We always end up drooling when we watch DD&D!
Posted by: Mary | March 08, 2011 at 04:12 AM
Wow Susan this is terrific. Sounds like you really like the Cafe. You have kind words and you are an amazing friend!
Posted by: ginni | March 10, 2011 at 07:49 PM
Meatloaf recipes with herbs, spices and crunchy nuts. It is full of flavor and spices and will be a big hit at any dinner or summertime event. I ended up using about a teaspoon of fine sea salt for this particular batch, but each batch may vary, so be sure to start with less than you think you need, and add more as you go.
Posted by: paleo recipes | September 21, 2013 at 04:58 AM