When we arrived at 9:10 a.m. on a Sunday morning at in Harrison, there were only a few people sitting on stools at the counter. Mela, my breakfast buddy, and I slipped into a back booth for breakfast. Within 30 minutes, the place was packed with customers who appeared to be regulars. People were getting up and going to other tables and kissing each other.
TNT appeared to be the Cheers of breakfast joints, a place where everyone knew everyone else’s name. It had a real small town feel that added to its charm and warmth. I overheard from the booth behind me a gentleman telling his friend, “This is where the elite meet!” He also recommended the toasted corn muffin.
Mela and I were greeted by our waitress, Carmella Betamcour of New Rochelle, with the biggest smile and an offer of the Sunday newspaper to read. Was I in Mayberry or Harrison? It was a great start to the day.
When ordering I repeatingly said to Carmella, “I have a question about…” When I was finished with my interrogation about everything on the menu, Carmella surprisingly gave it right back to me with “I have a question for you!” Her sunny, happy and funny personality added to our breakfast experience.
Down to business—the coffee was good, not too strong. We ordered a waffle, broccoli and cheddar egg white omelet with home fries and toast. No real butter was to be had, but they did have real maple syrup. TNT offers a standard basic fare as luncheonettes go, which should have been a clue for us not to order the waffle. Unfortunately, the waffle was dense and not light and crispy as a waffle should be.
On the other hand our omelet was great, cooked as requested—well done. The whole wheat and rye toast were good. The home fries were crispy on the outside but could have used a little more seasoning.
When I was outside, it struck me this was a no-nonsense guy’s place. I was proven right when I was leaving and taking pictures of the outside of TNT. Two fellas came out and posed for pictures in front. Ken Fusco and Dan Riccio, frequent customers of TNT, gave me the lowdown. I should have ordered the pancakes or French toast. Both claimed they ordered them in the past and were great.
And so there you have it folks, the testimony of the “Andy and Barney” of Mayberry—I mean Ken and Dan, both of Harrison—at TNT Luncheonette.
244 Harrison Avenue
Harrison
(914) 835-9873
Mariann Raftery, creator of Somebody's Mom blog, cooks up comfort food recipes for families here at home, as well as sending homemade cookie care packages to our American soldiers overseas. Somebody's Mom Cooking videos at http://www.youtube.com, search "Thesomebodysmom".
