In case you haven’t heard of me before, my name is New Jersey Nick, and I’ve been scouring the Garden State looking for all the best Good Food That’s Bad For You. Burgers, Fries, Dogs, Burritos, and anything else that you need to jog off the next day. No fancy places for me. Just burger joints, diners and haunts favored by adventurous eaters and carnivores alike. I find the best places, and I hope you go give them a shot. This month, let’s have a burger at Clark White Diamond
I love a classic burger joint. More of a dive than a diner, The White Diamond is the place the Jersey Devil goes to eat after a long night spent terrorizing motorists on the Parkway. This is No-Frills-New-Jersey at its best.
The Place – Don’t be scared off by the rough exterior. The White Diamond looks like an aluminum-sided trailer that was hastily constructed on the corner of a busy intersection. I went here for lunch on a hot summer day and I was afraid that it was going to be 4000° F inside. I don’t know how, but the air conditioning in this place is so good that it kept the place nice and cool. You can’t judge this place based on its exterior alone.
Like I mentioned, The White Diamond is not a diner in the traditional sense you might be thinking. This isn’t the place you’re going to take Grandma on her birthday. The interior is pretty small, with just two booths and about 15 bar stools on both sides of the dining room. It’s not the place to bring a big group, but its fine if you want to meet a friend or two or take the kids to lunch.
The Menu – is not extensive, nor does it need to be. You’re probably going to know what you want before you go in. They serve the basics like burgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, poppers and a few other favorites from the fryer or the greasy flat grill. Plus, every selection is inexpensive, and you could easily get a tasty meal for under $10.
The Burger – If you’re a regular reader of mine, you probably want to hear about the burgers. I picked a regular California Bacon Cheese Burger, and the burger tasted just like I wanted it to. The patty wasn’t coated in bun-soaking grease and the bacon was thick and well-crisped. It ain’t gourmet, but just because it wasn’t a fancy, one-of-a-kind burger doesn’t mean you should overlook this classic burger joint. I love it when I go someplace that doesn’t look like much but serves a good, reliable burger.
And you know I followed it up with a tasty vanilla milkshake. Nobody can mess that up. Face it, a milkshake is like a smile served in a cup.
So at Clark White Diamond, there’s not a lot to see, but there is a lot to love. This place is full of the no-frills honesty and attitude that makes New Jersey unique, special and just a little strange. Its Classic Jersey. The Clark White Diamond is a roadside institution and a real vintage burger joint that still lives right here in the Garden State. GO. AND. EAT.
Clark White Diamond Restaurant
1207 Raritan Road
Clark, NJ 07066
(732) 574-8053
New Jersey Nick – If the Jersey Devil was 6’1″, overweight and bearded, his name would be Nick. New Jersey Nick can not cook without the aid of a microwave, but, thanks to an iron stomach, he has learned about food by being a fearless and adventurous eater. A self-proclaimed Burger Expert, Nick forgoes fancy restaurants to get a taste of all the ‘good food that’s bad for you’ from New Jersey’s Diners and Burger Joints. When he’s not writing about food, Nick spends time on his other hobbies as an Xbox enthusiast, a Horror Movie Savant, a Nascar follower, a Comic Book Reader and a Pro-wrestling fan. Just like Batman, Nick has a day job in the real world that isn’t as interesting as his alter ego. You can read more about Nick’s adventures on his site at www.newjerseynick.com, follow @newjerseynick on Twitter or‘like’ him on Facebook.
