Jaunted

I visited Junior's on my very first day, and it proved to be the best - and most expensive - lunch spot of my 11-day term. I was by myself, so I took a seat at a horseshoe-shaped lunch counter. In short order, a waitress handed me a menu, and I decided on a steakburger deluxe and a glass of iced tea. It came out less than ten minutes after I ordered it, and was easily a meal for two people. Not only did I get a big, perfectly-cooked burger, but it came with a bowl of pickles, a bowl of pickled beets, and a bowl of cucumber salad on the side, all of which were amazing.

Better still, though, was the atmosphere. All around me were characters that are unique to Brooklyn. Cops, civil servants, and lawyers working at the courts sat at vinyl booths alongside delivery men, church-going women, young lovers, and the occasional tourist. The dude next to me, amid bites of a grilled cheese sandwich, made small talk with the waitress, teasing her about how she managed to get her friend a coveted job there, and the friend got fed up after just a few days and quit.

It was a hot day but it was Kool inside, with just a few rays of sunshine filtering in through the windows. There's no smoking, of course, but it seemed like people were puffing away, getting stray ashes on their wide, striped ties. The place has been renovated several times since its opening in 1950, but it feels like time stopped in 1977.

Junior's is famous for its cheesecake, but I gave it a miss this time, since I had to hustle back to court. Still, it was a fantastic lunch (grand total: $20 including $4 tip). For those new to Brooklyn cuisine, I suggest you start here and then move on to more adventurous fare in Park Slope, Williamsburg, and beyond. And for those of you on jury duty, it's an easy ten-minute walk from the courthouse.

[Photo: weareneverfull.com]

Related Stories:
· Junior's [Official Site]
· Food Travel [Jaunted]