tom's diner, brooklyn

This diner, is quite simply, the most amazing place on earth. Well, I love it anyway.
It was a sunny NewYork day and our fantabulous NY friend was showing us all her favourite haunts, which included a stroll around Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. We worked up a massive appetite and I was starving by the time we arrived at Tom's.

Tom's Restaurant, Brooklyn

From the outside, you'll see they've gone to town with the Halloween decorations and inside the diner was filled to the brim with lots of kitsch. Wall to wall fake flowers, posters, plates. I loved it!

The staff were really friendly too. As soon as we sat down we were offered free slices of oranges and cookies. We quickly order a coffee and a milkshake.

free cookies, always a winner

The girls said the milkshake was the best they'd had in their life. We spent ages deciding what to eat. There were so many pancakes to choose from but we also fancied something savoury. What the hell, why not get a side of fries?!

So we each ordered different pancakes to share. My mouth is watering as I type this at the memory. London has many things, but pancakes like this? No chance!

So first up, my pumpkin and walnut pancake. Now, it might look fairly ordinary but you can probably notice the pumpkin colour of these, and the walnuts added a divine crunchiness and flavour.....mmmmm

pumpkin and walnut pancake

The pancakes come with maple syrup (of course!) and a range of flavoured butters. One was cinnamon, not sure about the others.

Next up is our NYC friend who ordered a sweetcorn and cranberry pancakes. Again,  to die for....

sweetcorn and cranberry pancake

And finally, my little lady ordered a sweet potato and blueberry pancake. She swears hers was the best but of course, I disagree...

sweet potato and blueberry pancake

Rumour has it that this is the diner that Suzanne Vega wrote her song, aptly named 'Tom's Diner' There is a bit of debate that it could have been written in a diner in Manhattan. So, next time I hit NYC, I shall try out the competitor. But I have to say, it will have to be rather special to beat this place.

Those pancakes....mmmmmmm......

Kitsch heaven

silver tips in sleepy hollow

One sunny but chilly Halloween's day I mysteriously found myself in Sleepy Hollow NY. How did this Perth girl, land up in the USA on the biggest known American celebration? (Okay not counting Thanksgiving) Just lucky I guess.....

I learnt a pearl of wisdom when I was in NYC visiting my closest friend in the whole wide world...
'Sightseeing if what you do in between drinking coffee and eating cake'

That's the  most true statement ever....

Anyway, so what does one do in Sleepy Hollow? Apart from trawl the vintage stores (bought a fab George Washington plate which is now up in my living room)

Well goes to tea shops of course...Now apparently America doesn't have great tea but we found ourself in a quaint little tea shop.

We waited and waited and waited for a table, it was packed to the brim. We narrowly avoiding a row as we waited, as some obnoxious guy was rude to my friend's wonderful hubby...

Undeterred, we waited for our table. Once there, we selected our tea...and our cakes...and read the informative menu.

So, what cakes did we eat....???

 I selected a delicious almond cake and I loved the little plate it was served on.

My wonderful friend J chose a pear tart. She hated her marzipan, which wasn't mentioned on the menu....so this one doesn't rate highly.

This bad boy below is a scone. yes, A SCONE! If you ever needed proof that everything in America is bigger than the rest of the world, this is it. This scone is about triple the size of an English scone...

Now I would insert a photo here of M's cake but she ate it before I got chance. So here's her tea instead. I loved the tea cosys, nice touch.

So, all in all, a lovely little tea room. If you unexpectedly find yourself in Sleepy Hollow pop in for a tea and scone. Just watch out for grumpy old men beside the door