Three favorite places we will never eat at again

There are three places where, admittedly, the food is really good, and we frequented the establishments…but no more. Sometimes it doesn’t matter about the food, or the service, or the price. Sometimes it’s simply because you chose to mix your business with politics, exhibited hate or bigotry, or simply just acted like a jerk toward us.

Park Place Diner made political posturing part of their service

This story is not new, but it is a perfect time to reiterate what happened at what was our favorite “go to” diner. I know, there are so many diners in New Jersey, but this one is, was, convenient and the menu is good, and the service was good…until…

Melissa and I just wanted to get a quick bite at the Park Place Diner on Route 34 in Matawan. We would usually stop there about once a week and the food, and the service, are usually pretty good. USUALLY. One night, it was not so good.

Vinny: Hi! I’m Vinny. I’ll be serving you. Can I get you something to drink?

Melissa: I’ll have an iced tea.

Alan: I’ll just have a water.

Vinny: Would you like a straw?

Melissa and Alan: Yes, please.

Vinny: You know, we have to ask that now. We didn’t have to ask that when Donald Trump was president.

Melissa and Alan? Blank look at each other.

Melissa ordered a chicken salad sandwich. I ordered a short stack of French toast with two eggs over medium.

Vinny brought the food and put it down in front of us. My French toast didn’t look “right” but I didn’t think anything of it. Vinny stood there and asked me, “Do you want pepper for your eggs?” Huh? All of the condiments are already on the table.

Melissa took a bite of her sandwich. I put the two eggs on top of the French toast and cut a couple of pieces. I was putting the first piece of French toast in my mouth when Vinny came back to the table and reached across over my plate, in front of my face, and placed another glass of water on the table, right next to the glass, still filled, that I already had.

Vinny: HERE’S ANOTHER GLASS OF WATER FOR YOU.

Melissa: Don’t drink that water.

I looked up and there was Vinny standing and leaning at the counter by the register, staring at us with Manson eyes. Are you fucking kidding me?

Alan: We’re getting out of here. Let’s go.

I stopped at the register and talked to the manager.

Alan: We are in here a lot. I tip your servers very well. I just want to eat. I don’t need, or want, any political opinions or bullshit directed at me when I come in here. Tell Vinny that HE can pay for that food.

And we left to get food elsewhere. Still stewing, I called the manager when we got home. He knew right away who I was and said that he wanted to know what happened. I told him everything, from beginning to end. He said, “Oh, he told me a different story.”

OF COURSE HE DID!!!

Again…for the umpteenth time…I am NOT A PART OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY. I DON’T CARE WHAT AFFILIATION YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU BELIEVE. That is your right and I respect that.

But…and hear this…DO NOT TRY TO FORCE YOUR BELIEFS ON ME.

And if I don’t give you the reaction you are looking for, then, oh well. Move on. I am in a diner to eat a meal. I am not there to be educated or indoctrinated. And, I certainly will never, ever, be intimidated. If you are going to get into my personal space, by sticking your arm over my food and in my face, I am letting you know, that you risk having natural use of that arm for a long time.

And then it got bizarre, as months later I received this text message:

“Allen (sic) This is Mary from Park Place Diner. I want to apologize for my waiters bad behavior. I will like you to stop by when you free to talk to you and your wife. I like to repair and have a new beginning for us….

…I work Monday night. Came with your wife and have w me. I am 70! Your wife have nothing to worry.”

Your server acts bizarre…YOU act bizarre…I have political crap shoved in my face…and God knows what put in my food. Sure…I’ll come back there tomorrow for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Baklava Lady made it clear that Jews are not welcome in their establishment

We found a quaint and wonderful Mediterranean vegan restaurant in the historic district of Englishtown. The menu has so many great offerings for lunch, and the baked goods are out of this world. We went many times and didn’t have the same thing twice.

Whether you’re vegan or not, the food is terrific. The Baklava Lady very quickly became our favorite vegan restaurant. So much so that I was writing a feature story that was going to profile the place with rave reviews.

And then…while writing the story, I happened to take a look at their social media pages. And I was appalled. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Now…you have the right to have any opinion about politics, religion, and such that you choose…on your personal social media.

But…if you also choose to combine those thoughts and morals with your business, and present it as your business’s message, then you open yourself up to debate and criticism. And then don’t get mad when a person calls you out on what you are putting on your business page, and make the allegation that the person is trying to take your business down.

The Baklava Lady has multiple posts indicating support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and supporting their collective efforts to destroy Israel…disguised as support for “the Palestinians.”

The owner, Naciye Emren, has repeatedly used the line “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” which is a rally cry calling for wiping Israel off the face of the earth. She further goes on to accuse Israel of genocide when, in fact, it is the very people who she supports that openly are calling for genocide by wiping out Israel and the Jewish people.

Disappointed…I commented on one of those posts;

Me: The fact that you are using your business page to post political propaganda which is overtly anti-Semitic, has caused me to never return to your establishment. And I will make sure my review states that. And it’s a shame you just couldn’t stick to serving food.

Baklava Lady: please please PLEASE don’t ever, EVER return. We welcome ALL, except for racist, despicable, hateful ZIONISTS. The antisemitism accusations are absurdly hilarious and FYI…they do not work and they no longer scare ANYONE. Most certainly not me. Call me all the names you want. I will always stand on the side of humanity and with oppressed people which is exactly what the brutal regime known as “Israel” is doing to innocent Palestinians. Occupying and OPPRESSING. Palestinians have a right to defend themselves against their colonizers. Period. Now buzz off.

Now, again, everyone is entitled to their opinions. And, of course, I believe that this person’s idea of what is happening is completely backwards. Israel did not march into Gaza and begin what is now happening.

For you, Ms. Baklava Lady, as well as all of you people referring to an “Israeli genocide”…please let me know how YOU would feel if that were you…YOUR daughter or YOUR granddaughter getting captured…stripped naked…gang-raped…and then tied to a pole on a pick-up truck and driven around displayed as a trophy. Better yet…please let me know what YOUR solution would be if you were continually being attacked, savagely beaten, tortured and killed, for no other reason than being of a specific religion or national origin.

Hamas is a terrorist group. They exist for no other purpose than to…wait for it…terrorize people. They are not “the Palestinians” who are thought to be the adversaries of the Israeli army. The Palestinians…whoever they actually are at this point…are not the enemy. The enemy is the terrorist groups that hide behind the civilian Palestinian people who are just trying to live a peaceful existence.

Let’s be perfectly clear. Israel is not always right. Israel is not perfect. No country is perfect. No people is perfect. But let’s get something straight. How can a country defend itself against terrorists? How can a country fight against an enemy that 1) hides amongst the civilian community; 2) sets up its headquarters and intelligence bases in the bowels of a hospital; 3) hides its munitions in public schools; 4) builds a sophisticated network of tunnels under civilian communities to transport fighters and military equipment; 5) uses women, children, the elderly as human shields; 6) does not respect human life and/or human dignity.

Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran themselves, have all been attacking Israel from all sides. Have you ever asked why Egypt will not allow the people of Gaza to cross THEIR borders? Of course not.

We featured The Baklava Lady in a story back in January. Recently, a comment by Stacey Rob was posted on that story that said, “Nope. They hate Jews. No way I would ever go back there.”

Again…WE FEATURED THE BAKLAVA LADY IN A POST IN JANUARY. Someone…who we don’t even know…commented on that post that The Baklava Lady “They hate Jews.” And a mutual friend told me that that comment is a common occurrence on the social media pages of The Baklava Lady. And after careful research, that is correct, there are a multitude of comments by people who say the very same thing as Stacey Rob.

The only person exhibiting hate here Ms. Baklava Lady…is YOU. I hear you loud and clear. We won’t be returning to the best vegan restaurant we have ever come upon. We’ve been banned…as Zionists.

Denino’s Pizza of Aberdeen said that if you want to talk to an owner, they will turn up the rudeness

We LOVE Denino’s pizza. We included them in not one, but two, Hike and Slice stories. We have promoted them on social media, and they even shared our stories and reels.

So, when I was on the receiving end of this phone call in preparation for including them in a THIRD Hike and Slice, I was totally shocked.

Me: Who do I speak to about pre-paying for a group of 25 people for an upcoming Saturday afternoon?

The young person who answered the phone said: I’m sorry, we don’t take reservations.

Me: I know that. But who do I speak with about pre-paying for pies for a large group?

Phone person: Hold on.

About 30 seconds later..

Phone person: I’m sorry…but it’s not going to happen.

Me: What do you mean? Who is the person I can speak with…a manager?

Phone person: Again I’m sorry…but he told me to tell you that if you insist on speaking with him he will be a hell of a lot ruder than me.

Me: No…really?

Phone person: Yes…I’m sorry.

Me: And who told you to say that?

Phone person: Mike Denino.

Me: Really? Who says that to a customer?

Phone person: I’m really sorry.

This is the message you present to people?

I posted this conversation on the Jersey Pizza Joints page on Facebook. It very quickly garnered over 600 comments from over 500 people. And I did, of course, follow the comments that went on for a few days.

The majority of the posts were from people who obviously understood my point, got it, and made that clear in their comments. There were others who obviously DIDN’T get it, and chastise me as looking to break “rules” or being a “Karen.”

And still a few others who chose to berate and insult me, and even told me to go suck on a “binky.”

It’s all a part of the “review” process. But I want to make it clear, not that I really care, but I am NEVER with the mindset of trying to ruin someone’s business…destroy their livelihood. But a true and honest review, the story about what happens at an establishment, is important so that other people know what to expect.

Yes, I know that people get pissy and will write an exaggerated or completely false bad review. I have been on the receiving end of that myself. However, Melissa and I have exalted this establishment, featuring them in not one, but two, Hike and Slice events, and have presented them in reels on various platforms on social media. They know this because they have shared our posts on their own pages.

My phone call was simple…I just wanted to know to whom I speak with to discuss a special event. That’s it. That’s all it boils down to. I didn’t need to speak with them at that very moment. I just wanted a name. The message WAS rude and unnecessary. I did nothing to provoke such a response.

As clearly stated, we have always loved Denino’s pizza, and it has been one of our favorites, hence, why we have included them multiple times for our Hike and Slice. But we got the message…loud and clear. And I can only hope that some other people also get the message…loud and clear.