The Hibernia Diner
9 Green Pond Road
Rockaway, NJ 07866
973-625-3255

Making the 3 1/2 hour drive from Upstate New York to New York City is a regular occurance for me.  Depending on the time of year, I have been known to make the trip 4 or 5 times per month.  If you are not familiar with the area, you might find it strange to learn that the quickest way to the 'Big Apple' from the center of New York State, is to drive south through Pennsylvania; cross the Delaware Water Gap; drive an hour through New Jersey; and finally land in New York City via tunnel or bridge.

On the drive home, off Rt. 80 West (exit 37) is the Hibernia Diner, which has become a regular stop.  Since they are open 24 hours a day, there is never a concern about my arrival time.

The menu is loaded with options to please any taste.  From omlets, eggs and homemade potato pancakes, to burgers, wraps and panini's, the choices are pretty much endless.  One of my favorites is the fresh Raspberry Chicken Waldorf salad, which includes field greens, grilled chicken breast, raisins, toasted walnuts, apples, strawberries and raspberry vinaigrette.

The staff is always friendly and welcoming; the diner is spacious with plenty of seating; and there is ample parking space.

A plus:  There are two gas stations right next to Hibernia Diner and without fail, I will fill up before getting back on the road -- the main reason: I am in New Jersey and they will pump my gas for me!  NJ is one of the last remaining states that requires full service at the pump.  There are good arguments on both sides of whether this controversial law should remain, or if the public should be allowed to pump the gas themselves.  Since I don't live in the state, I appreciate the service -- but I bet if I worked in NJ full time and was in a hurry (as many residents are), I might get a bit aggravated if I had to wait for an attendant to pump my gas.

Are all Hibachi Restaurants the same?

If you’ve never been, here’s the definition of hibachi, or as some call it,
“Japanese fire bowl”: 
Hibachi: a portable barbecue of Japanese design, with a base for the fire with vents under it and one or more adjustable cooking racks

We visited two hibachi restaurants and then had to question if all the employees, of all these separately owned establishments, learn their technique at the same school…?  There is one recognizable difference about these two restaurants, but we’ll get to that in a minute. 

The first restaurant we visited was Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool, New York.   

Here’s the skinny:

Favorite drink:  Fujiyama – peach brandy & rum mix $7.50
Favorite appetizer:  Eda Mame – boiled soybean pods, lightly salted $4.95
Favorite hibachi dinner: Chicken Teriyaki $18.50
Add: fried rice $1.95 extra
Add: fried noodles $1.95 extra

Dinner comes with soup AND salad 
Total meal for one:  $34.85, plus tax & tip

Great entertainment by the hibachi trained chef, who wore a spongebob chef’s hat. 
 
The second restaurant we enjoyed was the Teppan Bar & Grill in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Here’s the scoop: 
  
Favorite drink:  Hello Kitty - TY KU liqueur (Sake Liqueur), vodka and lemonade $6.00
Favorite appetizer: Grilled Chicken Satay – chicken on skewers with spicy peanut sauce $6.95
Favorite hibachi dinner: Chicken dinner $18.00

Add: fried rice $2.00 extra

Dinner comes with hibachi noodles and soup OR salad
Total meal for one: $32.95 plus tax & tip

Also great entertainment by the hibachi trained chef, including egg tosses and fire shows on the grill.

Both restaurants had engaging chef’s that offered a flamboyant show, which included flipping shrimp into their chefs’ hats and pockets, tossing and cracking eggs with a knife, and lighting volcano-shaped stacks of raw onion hoops on fire.   The atmosphere of dining hibachi style is fun and always filled with energy.  So, with the cost of dinner and entertainment at each of the two restaurants being almost identical, the only major difference was that at Teppan Bar & Grill in Jersey City, the chef’s carry a water bottle on their prep cart.  This ‘special’water bottle contains sake liqueur, which they squeeze from a distance, creating a sake
stream, landing into participating guests mouths.   This turns up the excitement level a bit, and from my experience, creates a rolling laughter throughout the restaurant!