I frequently take the Amtrak up to Utica from Penn Station. The ride is close to 5 hours with a lacking selection of food. However, with the newly-opened B&L Diner just a few blocks down in Herald Square, I think I finally found a solid pre-train meal.
I love a good diner, whether old and nostalgic or new and modern. B&L Diner’s vibe skews more toward the latter but still had nods to tradition: big cushy booths, a checkered floor, and swiveling bar stools. But instead of looking onto an open kitchen a glass display of pastries, these stools face a bar well-stocked with high-quality spirits. I later learned they offer boozy milkshakes (including an espresso martini milkshake), as well as non-alcoholic ones.
I was ravenous when I arrived, so it was “go big or go home.” I ordered the buffalo carrots, a vegetarian play on the wings. My waitress told me if I wanted a fan favorite, I should also get the nachos topped with tuna tartare and guacamole. This would be plenty of food for a rational person, but rational I am not. B&L Diner offers a “Salisbury steak TV dinner,” so I ordered that, too.
The “buffalo carrots” came out first. The $15 price is fair for the portion size, especially in spendy Herald Square. The carrots are lightly battered in a tempura-like coating. Rather than being completely coated in buffalo sauce, they have meticulous dollops of a thicker buffalo-style sauce with a similar viscosity to mayonnaise, adorned with big hunks of funky bleu cheese. On the side is a celery root ranch and, to compliment the fried appetizer, a lightly dressed salad of thinly shaved carrot ribbons, celery leaf, fresh dill and radish.
My go-to order when I worked at a restaurant was some type of vegetable paired with a fried snack; like a baby kale Caesar salad topped with French fries or a side of roasted corn and some mozzarella sticks. For that reason, I found nostalgia in a completely unexpected way at B&L Diner, and I think I’m obsessed with the buffalo carrots appetizer here — it’s like someone finally gets me! The fritters have a good amount of breading without being greasy and the carrots still have some bite.
While I liked that the carrot fritters weren’t completely doused in sauce, I could’ve used just a touch more, but dipping them into that celery root ranch made up for it. It was further amplified with some of that funky bleu in the mix. I alternated with bites of the raw veggie salad, which was crisp, light, and refreshing.
Like the buffalo carrots, the portion was generous on the tuna tartare and guacamole nachos. Nachos were spilling over the side of the plate, and the toppings were stacked closer to the ceiling than a typical plate. The pink cubes of tuna were fresh, the guacamole was citrusy and bright, and the chips held up well to the toppings. These felt more like a proper shareable appetizer.
Now, for what I assumed would be the showstopper due to pure whimsy: my TV dinner arrived. In the metal tray’s compartments contained a Salisbury steak smothered in mushroom gravy and frizzled fried onions, green beans in a buttery sauce, velvety mashed potatoes with chives and a homemade biscuit. It’s hard not to be brought back to the childhood when a play on a Swanson or Hungry Man TV dinner appears before you.
While the quality is much higher than the microwavable version, there’s only so much you can do with a Salisbury steak and green beans. I ordered the TV dinner because of the presentation, but I found myself mainly just eating the biscuit and the mashed potatoes — both of which were fantastic. There are more interesting options on the menu, like the Reuben with kimchi and “Jeju Island” dressing (a Korean take on thousand island), or gyro tacos with beef and lamb and tzatziki.
While the TV dinner is what got me in the door at B&L Diner, it’s the buffalo carrots that will bring me back. I am relieved to not only have found my new pre-train restaurant, but one of my favorite appetizers in the city.
- Address: 1262 Broadway, New York, NY 10001
- Phone: (646) 838-9020
- Hours: Monday-Sunday 7 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
- Prices: Breakfast (until 11:30 a.m.): Baked Goods $6; Fruits & Grains $12-$18; Classics $18-$21; Eggs & Plates $14-$26; Burgers & Handhelds $19-$23; Sides $4-$14 – All Day: Starters & Shareables $9-$23; Salads $16-$27; Breakfast Classics $20-$23; Steaks and Chops $27-$46; Burgers & Handhelds $19-$27; Tacos $15-$28; Mains $23-$28; Sweets $4-$16
- Takeout available; Reservations via OpenTable.
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