Pardes, World's ONLY Bicyclist Restaurant Critic

[pardes]

The World's ONLY 64 year old Bicyclist Restaurant Critic

Restuarant Reviewed: Eagle Diner, Newark, Delaware

Pardes is perhaps the world's only bicylist restaurant critic. Her mission is to find the most bike-friendly restaurants who also have the best food.

Today, on a 13 mile easy-paced first long bike ride in months, Pardes packed her panniers with cameras and water bottles for her plight of finding the world's best bouillabaisse.

Bouillabaisse is what she craves when hungry. Though she has yet to find the best bouillabaisse, or for that matter ANY bouillabaisse in Newark, Delaware, that does not deter her from the thrill of the hunt.

After a slingshot run down and back the Hall Trail to take photos for an upcoming family bike ride she is leading, Pardes pulls into the Eagle Diner parking lot.

Strike 1: NO bicycle rack. How odd that a restaurant catering to a college community does not have a bicycle rack for the many hundreds of bicycles used by students.


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/eagledinnerbikeWEB.jpg

Undaunted, Pardes locks her bike to a jigsaw puzzle of water and gas lines next to the diner. A chef is leaning against the back door smoking a cigarette and smiling at her. Pardes takes this opportunity to pre-order her dinner. "Please sir, will you grill me a sirloin steak so rare that it will make the Public Health inspector faint?"

He laughs, stomps out his cigarette and goes inside. Pardes is sure it will be a memorable meal. Maybe not bouillabaisse, but the next best thing. RARE steak!

Eagle Diner is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is located on Elkton Road directly across from the University of Delaware.

The clientele is skewed to both ends of the age spectrum with few age points in the middle. The burgers, shakes, and gigantic breakfasts lure the college kids while the "Mini Senior Meals" lure the well-matured customers.

The prices are reasonable and the waitstaff is friendly and efficient.

Pardes instructs her waitress to make sure the chef knows that she really does want her steak as rare as possible. She also asks if the manager is available so she can let him know that Elderberry Bike Riders will be stopping by weekly for an evening Dutch Treat dinner after a few hours of biking. Also, Pardes wants to borrow a menu from the manager to scan for her blog.

Strike 2: Though reminded two times by the waitress, the manager never came to speak to Pardes. Business much be very good to ignore future weekly visits by a bicycle group.

The steak arrives. Pardes' lips pucker in anticipation as she cuts into the steak.

Strike 3: The steak is cooked well-done and oozes an ocean of murky brown juice. The potatoes are watery and lifeless. The corn is tasteless. The one ice cube in the iced tea melted thirty seconds after arrival.


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/EagleSteakWEB.jpg

To be fair, Eagle Diner is, after all, a diner and a customer would be ill-advised to expect a "Firebirds" grade steak. However, neither should a customer be led to believe the kitchen could produce at least a passable version of a rate steak.

Final Judgment on Eagle Diner on the 1-10 bicycle spoke scale.

Bicycle Rack Parking:...................................................................0 spokes
Waitstaff service:........................................................................7 spokes
Quality of sirloin steak:................................................................2 spokes
The possibility of Eagle Diner being a regular bicyclist's stop:..........0 spokes
............................................................................Average 2.25 spokes out of 10

Without a shred of bitterness, Pardes amply tips the waitress and goes out into the evening with the hope that perhaps tomorrow, there will be the best bouillabaisse on her horizon.


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/ELDERBERRYBANNER2_edited-7.jpg

[lph]

I love your writing :D

[crazycanuck]

Pardes..thank you for coming back :cool:

More please! :D

I guess you'll be venturing to a diff restaurant after the Elderberry Rides???

[spindizzy]

Love your rating scale! Your quest is admirable. Onward!

[bmccasland]

Bonnie Cat has chosen this opporunity to sit directly in front of the computer monitor to save me from seeing the ruined steak. She prefers hers rare too. :p

Pardes - great revew! Too bad you didn't find your bouillabaisse. Maybe next time.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Pardes, you should go on one of those cycling tours specifically designed around eating at marvelous food places along the route each day. That diner meal looks awfully sad.

[Tri Girl]

Great review: spokes ratings are great!!
Thanks for sharing. ;)

[Zen]

That looks horrible.

I would never put my camera in a pannier, it always stays attached to me as I am the biggest shock absorber on the bike.

[malkin]

We have been known to ride to IKEA for meatballs...no bouillabase or rare anything there though.

My camera would need it's own helmet to come with me on my bike.

[jobob]

Excellent review, Pardes! :cool:

[pardes]

Thanks everyone. It is so good to see so many of you are still here keeping the bike seat warm.

Yes, there will be more bike-friendly restaurant reviews since it's a great way to humorously advocate for better bike paths, road conditions, and bike racks.

You'll love this. I'll be reviewing WaWa (http://www.wawa.com/WawaWeb/About.aspx) soon. I confessed to a hardcore spandex long-distance biker friend that I stop at every WaWa for healthy snacks since they so kindly will let me fill my monster water bottle with ice for free.

Hardcore biker said, "Heck, I consider WaWa a destination ride."

[channlluv]

Oh, this is brilliant! I hope the owner of that restaurant sees this. And I think you need a broader forum. I just looked up the domain name BikeCafe.com on GoDaddy, but it's taken, even though the guy isn't doing anything with it. And Pardes, this is totally up to you because it is your idea, but I was thinking it would make a great blog - we could all contribute blog posts from our various regions around the world. Wouldn't that be fun?

Totally horning in on Pardes' idea, though. You've inspired me, what can I say?

Roxy

[pardes]

Oh, this is brilliant! I hope the owner of that restaurant sees this. And I think you need a broader forum. I just looked up the domain name BikeCafe.com on GoDaddy, but it's taken, even though the guy isn't doing anything with it. And Pardes, this is totally up to you because it is your idea, but I was thinking it would make a great blog - we could all contribute blog posts from our various regions around the world. Wouldn't that be fun?

Totally horning in on Pardes' idea, though. You've inspired me, what can I say?

Roxy

Hey honey, there is room for everyone! We are family.

I'll publish any "bike-friendly restaurant critiques" on Elderberry Rides. It's a fun way to be a bicycle advocate. I'm getting a great deal of positive feedback from promoting Elderberry on Twitter, both locally and internationally.

The watchwords of advocacy are, "Don't be annoying and aggressive, be interesting!" It works.

So everyone, all over the world, get writing....about ANY bike advocacy issue written from a positive perspective.

It's also a wonderful way to promote women cyclists, lovely things that we are.

[Tuckervill]

I don't have time to read right now, but I just wanted to say,

HI, Pardes! Welcome back!

Karen

[pardes]

I don't have time to read right now, but I just wanted to say,

HI, Pardes! Welcome back!

Karen

Hugs and kisses to you too, and to your lovely family.

[jobob]

She made her preferences* abundantly clear. Since the waitstaff and the chef chose not to follow through with her order, they deserve to be panned.


*Edit: "Preference" was a poor word choice on my part; it implies that fulfilling a customer's order is somehow optional and is left to the whim of the restaurant. :rolleyes:

[TrekTheKaty]

Pardes, I MISSED YOU! So glad you're back!

I'll ride anywhere for food--just give me an excuse. When I riding a particularly brisk pace, hubby calls it the "must be food at the car" sprint!

I must take a pic of the pub or coffee shop in St. Charles on a weekend--there's no room to park a car, but the bike racks are FULL!

[SadieKate]

Welcome back! Great write-up. We heavily depend on local restaurant bloggers for their opinions and the best ones are the funny ones. I give them more credence for being thoughtful about the meal and service, and not just being cranky.

Poor reviews give restaurants a chance to improve before business can permanently die off. Panning can be a good thing when the owners pay attention and do something about the problems, and blogs give them a public place to tell the critics "come back, talk to me and we'll make it right" before too much time passes.

Let's hope the Eagle Diner owner is eagle-eyed and finds your post.

[pardes]

Pardes, I MISSED YOU! So glad you're back!

I'll ride anywhere for food--just give me an excuse. When I riding a particularly brisk pace, hubby calls it the "must be food at the car" sprint!

I must take a pic of the pub or coffee shop in St. Charles on a weekend--there's no room to park a car, but the bike racks are FULL!

Your husband sounds like a doll!

Please send your photos of the pub and coffee shop and a note or two about it and I'll publish it on Elderberry Rides....oh and Channelluv has plot cooked up for you guys as well. She's off "cooking" right now. Brahhhahahahaha

[pardes]

Welcome back! Great write-up. We heavily depend on local restaurant bloggers for their opinions and the best ones are the funny ones. I give them more credence for being thoughtful about the meal and service, and not just being cranky.

Poor reviews give restaurants a chance to improve before business can permanently die off. Panning can be a good thing when the owners pay attention and do something about the problems, and blogs give them a public place to tell the critics "come back, talk to me and we'll make it right" before too much time passes.

Let's hope the Eagle Diner owner is eagle-eyed and finds your post.

The interesting thing is that at the end of the meal (actually I abandoned it after a few bites), the waitress asked me "How was it?" I pointed to the overcooked steak. She replied, "Honest, I told the chef you wanted it rare."

I replied, "Too bad I'm a restaurant critic." It didn't seem to register on her radar and she replied, "Have a nice day."

[shootingstar]

Oh, this is brilliant! I hope the owner of that restaurant sees this. And I think you need a broader forum. I just looked up the domain name BikeCafe.com on GoDaddy, but it's taken, even though the guy isn't doing anything with it. And Pardes, this is totally up to you because it is your idea, but I was thinking it would make a great blog - we could all contribute blog posts from our various regions around the world. Wouldn't that be fun?

Totally horning in on Pardes' idea, though. You've inspired me, what can I say?

Roxy

I'm just dying to see the end result of your 'cooking' idea, channelluv. :rolleyes: You, the writer with ink in her blood. Pardes, loved the review.

Yea, a fun bike-based noshery review blog that's international in scope would be great! I've lost track of the number of times where we try to get restaurant seats so that we can see our locked bikes. We just went to great place ...the owner is a fantastic chef AND regular cyclist. Plus he has bike jerseys that you can buy with his biz logo.

[channlluv]

It's underway. I've purchased domain names and Pardes and I are coordinating efforts. As soon as I get it up and running, I'll let you all know.

Roxy

[badgercat]

It's underway. I've purchased domain names and Pardes and I are coordinating efforts. As soon as I get it up and running, I'll let you all know.

Roxy

I think I love this idea... I can't tell you how many times my boyfriend and I have wanted to bike to a restaurant, but not knowing the availability of bike parking and not wanting to chance it, we end up driving, or walking if it's close enough, and then scoping for racks and poles after we get there for future reference. Definitely sounds like something that'd be fun to contribute to, and read stories from other corners of the world! Keep us posted!

[PamNY]

Pardes, great review. Wonderful to hear from you again.

[katherine]

I love this. Wonderfully entertaining, a fantastic review and a great concept. If you want any reviews from AZ let me know!

[pardes]

I love this. Wonderfully entertaining, a fantastic review and a great concept. If you want any reviews from AZ let me know!

Oh gooooood. Send them to me, photos too!!!!!

[spindizzy]

Hardcore biker said, "Heck, I consider WaWa a destination ride."

..it could be a destination ride.....I thought you were coming to Canada :D; a very northerly part of Ontario.....pop. 3,000

http://www.wawa.cc/tourism/

[Serendipity]

..it could be a destination ride.....I thought you were coming to Canada :D; a very northerly part of Ontario.....pop. 3,000

http://www.wawa.cc/tourism/

That would be a beautiful destination ride.....:):) very scenic - with some killer hills!

[ColoKate]

I love these types of reviews!

BleekerSt Girl - where can I find info about bike tours revolving around good food/restaurants? That is so up my alley but I'm not having any luck online...thanks! :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

BleekerSt Girl - where can I find info about bike tours revolving around good food/restaurants? That is so up my alley but I'm not having any luck online...thanks! :)

I've never been on an organized tour myself, but I've read of them a lot, and here are just a few leads to gourmet food themed cycling tours all over the world and also in the U.S., to get you started in your explorations:

http://www.google.com/#num=20&hl=en&safe=off&q=gourmet+cycl*+tour+American&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=caec63d5ff72707a

http://www.google.com/#num=20&hl=en&safe=off&q=gourmet+food+%2Bcycling+tour&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=caec63d5ff72707a

http://www.google.com/#num=20&hl=en&safe=off&q=gourmet+cycl*+tour&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=gourmet+cycl*+tour&gs_rfai=&fp=caec63d5ff72707a

[Biciclista]

my husband has a cycling blog asa well, some of you read it. Although he doesn't JUST speak about food in restaurants from a cyclist's point of view, he includes generous photos when he does talk about it.
http://theboothbychronicles.blogspot.com/2010/03/lost-and-found.html

http://theboothbychronicles.blogspot.com/2009/04/cheeseburger-hold-cheese.html

Roxy, Channeluv, your energy is contagious, good luck with your venture!

We all love to be entertained, Pardes, I like the spokes system too.

[ColoKate]

THANKS BleeckerSt Girl!!!

[short cut sally]

Pardes, Welcome Back. I am glad your appreciation for creative writing hasn't changed in your abcense. I enjoy your ideas and articles. Thanks.
sss

[TrekTheKaty]

Picasso's Coffee is an independent coffee shop in Historic Downtown St. Charles, across from Momentum Cycles. Along the Katy Trail, Missouri River and the Lewis & Clark trail, it's a hot spot on for cyclists. (We prefer Saturdays, so we can also partake in the Farmer's Market). They have excellent coffee--I have a handle bar bag, just so I can take home a pound of their espresso beans. On weekends, they also make omelettes and waffles for breakfast. I recommend the blueberry smoothie and an omelette to share with a friend. They recently added 2 bike racks (on the far left)--there are 9 bicycles in this pic.