Palmyra's "The Filling Station"

Palmyra is largely considered drive-through territory by all but its residents. It is that stretch of road between point A and point B where non-resident motorists are angered by slower-than-tolerable traffic, and the only thing worth noticing is what the scary mannequins in the Cinderella Shoppe windows are wearing … or so I thought. After years of driving past/being-stuck-in-traffic-in-front-of Palmyra’s greasy spoon, The Filling Station, I decided to stop in for Black Friday brunch.

Minus the ATM machine and a few other modern touches, The Filling Station looks straight out of The Wonder Years. A long counter stretches across the front of the L-shaped diner, with a seated area to the side. Patrons seat themselves, and despite the holiday weekend there were plenty of seats available. I chose a table, opting for a better view of the clientele than the counter would offer.

Each table has several menus, so there’s no waiting for the server to bring them. As I perused, the server came by to take my drink order and I went with my standard glass of water and cup of coffee. Being a vegetarian often means having only a few options on a menu, particularly in this part of the world, but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of vegetarian-friendly choices, especially on the breakfast portion of the menu.

Because it was eleven o’clock in the morning, I was torn over whether to order breakfast or lunch. As a grilled cheese aficionada, I was tempted to order my standard diner fare to be able to compare it to the countless grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve consumed around the world, the best being those made at the now-defunct Horn & Horn Family Restaurant in Lebanon. Once I settled on breakfast, it wouldn’t take long to come to my final decision: one egg – scrambled with cheese melted on top, wheat toast, and hash browns.

The hurried and not overly-friendly server took my order and left after answering my question about the difference between hash browns and home fries, giving me time to observe my fellow diners. Minus a group of young people – undoubtedly high school students who had the day off or college kids home for Thanksgiving – it was what I’d expected: senior women in pastel polyester pants with seasonally-themed sweatshirts, senior men in plaid flannel coats wearing hats indoors, overweight people with hairstyles a decade (or two) old. Perfection.

There was no jukebox and to my recollection no music was playing, which meant the background noise was the glorious cling-clang-clatter of metal flatware on ceramic plates, spoons stirring mediocre coffee, and diner chatter, including the gentleman behind my table ordering the “Belgium” waffles, as the menu says. I never did get to see whether they come shaped like Belgium …

My food arrived in short order and was prepared just as I’d requested, although the scrambled eggs, like many things in Palmyra, seemed to be larger than expected. The wheat toast came pre-buttered on one side, which, although fine with me, could be problematic for those watching their weight/cholesterol. A quick glance around the restaurant indicated it probably wouldn’t be an issue. The scrambled eggs were perfectly salted and the cheese perfectly melted. The hash browns were a quarter-inch-thick rectangle that was clearly frozen with its other rectangular potato cousins just moments before hitting The Filling Station frying pan for my order. Delicious.

Try though I did, I was unable to finish my meal. I suppose that means The Filling Station lives up to its name. Fast (albeit not particularly friendly) service, decent menu selection and good food at cheap prices make this a worthwhile stop, so long as expectations are held in check. In short, would I come back to sample their grilled cheese? Definitely.

3 stars.

The Filling Station

http://www.fillingstationonline.com/

This popular restaurant can be found in the charming village of Palmyra. Upon arriving, immediately I was made aware that I was an "outsider." The majority of the clientele was clearly composed of regulars, and although they were not rude, they were not openly friendly, either. There was no wait for a table, however, and I was pleased with the prime seating. I was a bit disappointed by the local ads on the place mats; their entertainment factor was somewhat short-lived. I did not see any involving funeral homes or the bowling alley.

The Filling Station's brunch menu was quite robust and I had trouble making my selection. The "Belgium waffle" dish was enticing, as were the "hotcakes." Eventually I settled on the "egg and meat muffin sandwich" with a side of hash browns. The server promptly took my order, though not as amicably as I would have liked. I wished to discuss with her the finer points of hash browns versus home fries but she seemed in a hurry. I was offered my choice of meat on the sandwich, and I settled on bacon.

My dish was served in a timely fashion. However, when the meal was presented to me, I was immediately disappointed to discover that the sandwich was on a regular English muffin, not a meat muffin as I was expecting. Once I moved past this initial letdown, I was pleased at the overall presentation. The sandwich was stacked evenly and the hash browns were in a perfect, rectangular, deep-fried block. Delightfully, it was just as pleasing to the palate as it was to the eyes. The bacon was perfectly crispy and the cheese divinely melted. The block of hash browns was fried to an immaculate golden color with a taste to match. I was pleasantly satisfied with my choice.

Overall, I found the atmosphere at the Filling Station to be a bit lacking, and the menu to be somewhat misleading. Despite this, the food was savory and I did not leave wanting. My only regret was not sampling their tempting donut selection.

3 stars