Even after going away to college at Rutgers, and recently moving to Boston there are always certain things that I really enjoy about returning to my hometown of Teaneck, NJ. Although Teaneck is not unlike many of its surrounding towns in Northern New Jersey, certain local: spots, sights, and sounds are unique to the town. Ok, I digress but this post it starting to sound like the start of a Wonder Years episode, but, back to the point. What I enjoy about going home, aside from seeing family or having beers at the local bars of Vinny O’s or the Cottage Car, is the particular culinary delights that are unique to Teaneck. Some of the local foods from local eateries that I enjoy when going home are: Hobo’s con queso from Five Star (obviously, hence the name of this blog), Bischoffs ice cream, chicken parmesan hero’s from Victor’s Pizzeria, and going to the Cedar Lane Grille for just about anything.
So, a few weeks ago, I was passing through Teaneck on my way to the Jersey Shore with my girlfriend for a wedding. I informed my brother Walt, and my mother, that I would be stopping through and would like to see them on my way to the shore. I informed them that I was going to go to Victor’s for a chicken parmesan hero, and following, I would like to go to the Grille for a cup of coffee. The trip to Victor’s was uneventful, as was the trip to the Grille. However, I noticed something at the Grille that I had also noticed my last few trips. What I noticed was we (my girlfriend, Walt, and mother) were the only people there!
Now, for those who have not been to the Cedar Lane Grille, let me step back and explain the Grille. The Grille is a local diner, similar to many other diners in North Jersey, located in my hometown of Teaneck, NJ. I guess a couple of unique things about the Grille stand out. The first unique thing (which my girlfriend pointed out and I never noticed) is the Grille has curtains, old fashioned curtains at that, like the kind you would find in an old lady’s home. Another thing is, the Grille has a mini Jukebox at each table (not unique) but does not work (which is unique) and has not worked for at least 10 years from what I can recall, yet they don’t remove the boxes from the tables, nor attempt to repair them. So, the Grille is like most diners in any town, with it's little quirks, and also has something friendly and home feeling about it, to me. The Grille serves diner food: cheeseburgers, sandwiches, omelets, you know, the usual diner food. There is nothing great or bad about the food, just kind of bland diner food.
For years, the Grille seemed to signify the end of an evening of hanging out with friends. In high school, after hanging out somewhere, it seemed to end a lot of evenings. Everyone would meet there and we would order whatever: french fries, a chocolate shake, drink coffee, or smoke a couple of cigarettes and just hang out there. It also was not uncommon to see other groups of high schoolers, people not in our click of friends, but people you knew from town to say hello to. Even post college, whenever I would go out and drink or hang out in town, the Grille seemed to end most evening. The waiter (Pete), owner (Greek guy), and random local people sightings were just part of the regular Grille experience.
The Grille never seemed to be packed, nor was it ever really empty during high school, college, and just post college years. It seemed that a large portion of the clientele was people in our age bracket (15-24). However, it seems like times have changed for the Grille. Now, the Grille just does not have the customer base it once had.
My mother informed me whenever she drives by the Grille the parking lot is empty. She suggested that they upgrade the inside; however, I don’t know that any renovations would attract a crop of new clientele. Another suggestion was that the aberration in business was a reflection of the current economic downturn. I even thought, for a second, that the change in the smoking’s laws and the inability to sit and smoke may be causing the downturn in business. Or perhaps, an increase in chain restaurants and movement away from mom and pop restaurants was affecting the Grille’s business. But, after reflection, it seems to me that it’s something else.
It seems to me that the Grille worked for our friends, and we (our demographic group) were the bread and butter (pun intended) of their customer base. It appealed to our group of friends as an attractive place for a suburban hangout, a place that appealed to us for many reasons. I think there was some sort of sense of freedom initially when going to the Grille in high school. When our group of friends first got our licenses and would go out to eat, without our parents, it was grown up for us in a way. Since it was not that close to any one of our houses, you would drive there. It was close enough to drive, yet far enough to be away from home. For suburban kids who just got their license and first cars (or borrowed your parents), it was a place to convene. Then during and just post college, it was a meeting ground for people who you did not stay in regular touch with.
I think the main problem, for the Grille, as one of my friends who has stayed in town said to me is, “the town has changed.” There is a larger Jewish population and also an “urbanization” of the population of the kids who attend school in town. This polarization and changing demographics particularly in the stated age group are what I’m referring to regarding the major change. Since the demographics have had a shift, as well as socioeconomic makeup of the town, this, I think is what impacts the Grille more than any other single factor. The Jewish kids by and large never went to the Grille. BTW, when I say “Jewish kids” I’m not referring to the people of the Jewish faith of our group of friends who we hang out with, but the more religious ones who do attend religious schools and do not associate much outside of that community. Also, for the more “urban” kids, the one’s more into the hip-hop culture, whether White, Black, or Spanish, never really got into hanging out a local diner and ordering fries. The rise of both these populations in town I think coincides with the demise of the Grille.
I have fond memories of the Grille, from friends of mine picking fights, to drunken french fry throwing at 2 in the morning. I’m not overly concerned about the demise of the popularity of the Grille nor am I concerned about its grim outlook. I just thought that the empty Grille symbolized something about the change in my hometown and maybe a little feeling of nostalgia about those years.
So, a few weeks ago, I was passing through Teaneck on my way to the Jersey Shore with my girlfriend for a wedding. I informed my brother Walt, and my mother, that I would be stopping through and would like to see them on my way to the shore. I informed them that I was going to go to Victor’s for a chicken parmesan hero, and following, I would like to go to the Grille for a cup of coffee. The trip to Victor’s was uneventful, as was the trip to the Grille. However, I noticed something at the Grille that I had also noticed my last few trips. What I noticed was we (my girlfriend, Walt, and mother) were the only people there!
Now, for those who have not been to the Cedar Lane Grille, let me step back and explain the Grille. The Grille is a local diner, similar to many other diners in North Jersey, located in my hometown of Teaneck, NJ. I guess a couple of unique things about the Grille stand out. The first unique thing (which my girlfriend pointed out and I never noticed) is the Grille has curtains, old fashioned curtains at that, like the kind you would find in an old lady’s home. Another thing is, the Grille has a mini Jukebox at each table (not unique) but does not work (which is unique) and has not worked for at least 10 years from what I can recall, yet they don’t remove the boxes from the tables, nor attempt to repair them. So, the Grille is like most diners in any town, with it's little quirks, and also has something friendly and home feeling about it, to me. The Grille serves diner food: cheeseburgers, sandwiches, omelets, you know, the usual diner food. There is nothing great or bad about the food, just kind of bland diner food.
For years, the Grille seemed to signify the end of an evening of hanging out with friends. In high school, after hanging out somewhere, it seemed to end a lot of evenings. Everyone would meet there and we would order whatever: french fries, a chocolate shake, drink coffee, or smoke a couple of cigarettes and just hang out there. It also was not uncommon to see other groups of high schoolers, people not in our click of friends, but people you knew from town to say hello to. Even post college, whenever I would go out and drink or hang out in town, the Grille seemed to end most evening. The waiter (Pete), owner (Greek guy), and random local people sightings were just part of the regular Grille experience.
The Grille never seemed to be packed, nor was it ever really empty during high school, college, and just post college years. It seemed that a large portion of the clientele was people in our age bracket (15-24). However, it seems like times have changed for the Grille. Now, the Grille just does not have the customer base it once had.
My mother informed me whenever she drives by the Grille the parking lot is empty. She suggested that they upgrade the inside; however, I don’t know that any renovations would attract a crop of new clientele. Another suggestion was that the aberration in business was a reflection of the current economic downturn. I even thought, for a second, that the change in the smoking’s laws and the inability to sit and smoke may be causing the downturn in business. Or perhaps, an increase in chain restaurants and movement away from mom and pop restaurants was affecting the Grille’s business. But, after reflection, it seems to me that it’s something else.
It seems to me that the Grille worked for our friends, and we (our demographic group) were the bread and butter (pun intended) of their customer base. It appealed to our group of friends as an attractive place for a suburban hangout, a place that appealed to us for many reasons. I think there was some sort of sense of freedom initially when going to the Grille in high school. When our group of friends first got our licenses and would go out to eat, without our parents, it was grown up for us in a way. Since it was not that close to any one of our houses, you would drive there. It was close enough to drive, yet far enough to be away from home. For suburban kids who just got their license and first cars (or borrowed your parents), it was a place to convene. Then during and just post college, it was a meeting ground for people who you did not stay in regular touch with.
I think the main problem, for the Grille, as one of my friends who has stayed in town said to me is, “the town has changed.” There is a larger Jewish population and also an “urbanization” of the population of the kids who attend school in town. This polarization and changing demographics particularly in the stated age group are what I’m referring to regarding the major change. Since the demographics have had a shift, as well as socioeconomic makeup of the town, this, I think is what impacts the Grille more than any other single factor. The Jewish kids by and large never went to the Grille. BTW, when I say “Jewish kids” I’m not referring to the people of the Jewish faith of our group of friends who we hang out with, but the more religious ones who do attend religious schools and do not associate much outside of that community. Also, for the more “urban” kids, the one’s more into the hip-hop culture, whether White, Black, or Spanish, never really got into hanging out a local diner and ordering fries. The rise of both these populations in town I think coincides with the demise of the Grille.
I have fond memories of the Grille, from friends of mine picking fights, to drunken french fry throwing at 2 in the morning. I’m not overly concerned about the demise of the popularity of the Grille nor am I concerned about its grim outlook. I just thought that the empty Grille symbolized something about the change in my hometown and maybe a little feeling of nostalgia about those years.
3 comments:
I was at the grille a few weeks ago. After we picked someone up at the airport at midnight who had been on a plane for many hours, Ant & I took this person to the grille. 1am, maybe 1 other table had people at it. The gravy fries were still gravy fries, breakfast was still breakfast, but it really does not feel the same anymore.
I also thought the lack of customers in the Grille since I have been back in Teaneck (so, the last 4 years or so) had to do with the smoking ban. Good call on the demographic shift, though. Also, they are no longer open all night- we finished up our meal around 2am, and they were shutting up for the night.
I'm sure I'll have more thoughts about the Grille to comment later, but for now I'm obsessing about french fries after looking at that delicious photo you included in your post! I'm about to run out to a diner I think!
Uh, I'll have a side of spaghetti?
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