J & B's Grill (Shrewsbury, PA)

As a NJ native, one of my biggest culinary complaints about my 20+ years in Maryland has been the dearth of good diners. A trip to the diner was an almost religious experience in the Garden State, with favorite places for favorite times, like The Golden Eagle for post-movie watching or the Oaklyn Diner for a huge platter of meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy on a Saturday morning to lay a good base for the shenanigans ahead. We live smack dab between two diners, both terrible, so when Chris suggested a change of scenery on a recent Saturday I jumped at the chance.

I figured out a radius of about 30 minutes from home and thought Shrewsbury, PA (north on 83 just over the state line) looked like it had potential. After a quick search we settled on J&B's Grill, located at 14 North Main Street in Shrewsbury. Though not a standalone diner, it definitely falls into that category, with the restaurant occupying an old home. Dining areas are divided up into a few rooms.

I was hoping for meatloaf but decided on the Open Face Turkey with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and a side of corn while Chris went with an Open Face Reuben. A cup of salty (in a good way) Chicken Noodle Soup started me off, full of big chunks of chicken, thick slices of carrot, and wide egg noodles. The turkey platter was huge, with plentiful slices of moist turkey atop cubes of white bread, and a mound of delicious homemade mashed potatoes on the side, all covered in a creamy yellow gravy. I made a little spot on my plate, dumped my corn into it and went to town. Fries that accompanied Chris' sandwich were hot and crispy, though the cole slaw was a bit on the sweet side.

It took a bit of time between the soup and entrees, but the restaurant was pretty jammed and we were in no rush. After lunch we hopped in the car and checked out the Markets at Shrewsbury, just a few miles up the road. Great selection of dairy, meats, pretzels, candy, pastries and more. I have feeling we'll be trekking back this spring to check out their flea markets and get barbecue from That Pig Place. — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. For more information on our upcoming issue or how to contribute to the zine, check out the relaunched THG website.