Featured Restaurant

Halfmoon Diner - Restaurant
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The American Diner has been around for decades. Mostly common to North America, these restaurants offer friendly, family cuisine for customers to enjoy. Believe it or not the first diner was actually a horse-drawn wagon equipped to serve hot foods. This wagon was owned by Walter Scott (of Rhode Island) in 1872. He would serve hot home cooked meals to fellow employees in baskets he made at home. Soon, Thomas Buckley began production of these wagons in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Seeing these wagons became known as “White House Café” wagons and became a common site on the streets. This became a lucrative business and many followers would produce their own lunch wagon companies. However it wasn’t until the 1920’s where the first actual “diner” was built by a Bayonne, New Jersey man named Jerry O’Mahony. Between the years of 1917 to 1952 the Jerry O’Mahony Diner Company built an estimated 2,000 diners. Over the years many diners of different companies developed, offering a wide range of cuisines for the customers to enjoy. To honor the history of the American diner this month’s featured restaurant is Halfmoon Diner located at 231 Grooms Road Clifton Park, NY.

One will notice right away that there are a few main areas to this specific diner. The left side is mostly set up with tables and chairs, with a smaller room in the back. The right side has your typical diner booths that can comfortably sit a small family or group of friends. I noticed that each dining booth is equipped with a small jukebox where one can insert money to play both, oldies hits and popular new songs. In the back right is a bar styled eating area for those who want a quick bite to eat.

The menu is filled with an array of dining options. However, while looking through the appetizers there was a unique dish that caught my eye. Fried Ravioli, actual ravioli deep fried to give the outer layer a nice pleasant crunch. The fried ravioli is served with a marinara sauce A great starter to the meal. For the first entrée I tried the 8oz. New York Strip Steak. This type of meal always has a good reputation and I wanted to see if the Halfmoon Diner lived up to that. It sure did, the pan seared steak was very tender and cooked medium rare. This dish was served with rice and mixed vegetables. The rice was a little bit over done but the vegetables were delicious! This dish is one of many dinners that come with a glass of wine.

Next I took on the cheeseburger deluxe with fries. Burgers are one thing that a diner (in my opinion) must be able to produce well. This burger was no exception. When placed in front of me I was excited that I was getting a good bang for my buck! I could clearly see that this was in no way comparable to your typical fast food burger meal. The beef patty itself was a solid size, served with golden rigged fried and coleslaw I knew this would be a tasty entrée. The burger was juicy and cooked too perfection. The fries were crisp on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. As one who loves coleslaw I had to see if this one lived up to par. I was not disappointed. Crunchy and sweet, it was a nice edition to the burger.

Lastly I decided on one of the Chef Specials, 2 Lamb Shanks served with orzo. This meal may not be for everyone but I like the different tastes of such animals as lamb or deer once in awhile. The shanks were extremely tender and juicy, almost falling off the bone. They were covered in a homemade light tomato and vegetable sauce. I found the orzo pasta was a bit mushy for my liking but it was a different and delightful addition to the meal. The meal definitely seemed homemade and reminded me of family diners we used to have when I was a younger. For dessert I tried the Blueberry Pie (topped with ice cream). Though the pie wasn’t warm like I had expected, the blueberry flavor with the ice cream added a nice flavor. The perfect ending to my night at the Halfmoon Diner.

From their unique designs on the outside to their distinctive booths and decor on the inside, diners have become an icon of the American roadways. Eating at a diner gives one a retrospective look into America's nostalgic past. The Halfmoon diner in Clifton park is a great example of why diners have continued to capture our hearts. They promptly serve a wide variety of foods and deserts all while being in a comfortable and genuinely friendly atmosphere. Next time you want a delicious home cooked dinner and you don't want to deal with the fuss be sure to stop by the Halfmoon Diner. You will not leave disappointed.

Review by Michael Weissman (Chief Culinary Consultant)

Photography by Christopher Case