GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

tasty places to take your bike

the FillinG station 243 RouTe 9n, PALisAdes, nY • 845-359-9000 45 souTh RouTe 9W, WesT hAveRsTRAW, nY 10993 • 845-786-9000 www.tfsburgerworks.com • CheCk LoCATions foR houRs

A juicy burger, some awesome French fries and a frosty drink. What could be better after a great day’s ride? If you think the same thing, have we got a place for you to point your bike. Actually, two places, as The Filling Station has a couple of spots for you to park and enjoy just that, or a number of other tasty beef and non-beef sandwiches.

Agata Ostrowska and her husband, Stavros, opened the original location in Palisades in 2011, expanding to West Haverstraw in 2014. Both locations reside in what used to be filling stations (thus the name), with the Palisades location in one of the oldest gas stations in the US. This 140-foot shack is in a beautiful spot, with outdoor picnic tables shaded with trees. You’ll find parking and most likely a number of other motorcycles, as this has become somewhat of a ‘destination gathering’ for riders in the NY/NJ area.

The first Sunday of the month, Bikes and Breakfast meet at the Market, right next to the Filling Station. Dale Prusinowski, an avid motorcyclist with a passion for the classic, vintage and antique, started this gathering in 2013 and now, 8 years later, has expanded it to several locations in NY, VA, MD and PA. You can find more about the Palisades, NY gathering, as well as the other locations, at BikesandBreakfast.com

But back to TFS, as they are lovingly called. We chose the West Haverstraw location, which is in, possibly, an old Mobil station that went through a few food iterations. When the Ostrowskas took it over, they brought it back to the bones of a gas station but with a very funky, cool vibe featuring two garage doors and a recycled tin ceiling with reclaimed wood and corrugated metal from a barn. There are a few outdoor tables, but sitting at one of the 60 indoor seats can bring you back to 1950s Americana.

The menu is creative and inviting, bringing you simple foods but done really, really well. The hot dogs are a custom blend with 100% Black Angus beef, which you can have simply on a bun or loaded up – the Junkyard Dog – with tomato, onion, pickles, hot peppers & yellow mustard. Their sauerkraut is homemade, as is their pickle relish. If you are more of a fowl person, they offer spicy fried or grilled on a bun with any number

of their toppings, as well as Chicken Thumbs with dipping sauce choices. For the grazers, there are salads, including a Hail Caesar, which can be topped with a 3-ounce burger or grilled chicken to make it more of a meal. Their Not Cha Mothers Grilled Cheese has American, Swiss, Cheddar & Pepper Jack on whole wheat potato bread and you can get that with a smashed 3-ounce burger in the middle.

But, honestly, with a place with Burger Works in its name, a burger is what you should order. Stavros, who is the ‘Meat Guy’ of the pair, spent six months before opening their shop in Palisades perfecting his daily ground blend of 100% Black Angus beef, hanger steak, short ribs and brisket. While a lean blend, there is still enough fat content to bring what fat brings – a scrumptious taste and a bit of crunch to the sides of the burger. Their special flat grill allows for the burgers to cook perfectly in their own juices, with no ‘squishing’ of the burger allowed. There is the basic Fill ‘Em Up burger which can be customized with any of their toppings which include lettuce, tomato, raw onion, dill pickles (all included), fried Vidalia or sauteed onions, bacon, mushrooms, relish, sauerkraut, hot peppers and a number of cheeses. From there you can get the TFS with bacon, grilled onions and mushrooms, or the Texaco with pepper jack cheese, hot peppers and BBQ sauce. Moving up the scale is the Overhaul with smoked bacon, Vernier’s bleu cheese sauce L&T or the American Kobe featuring organic, beer-fed Wagyu beef built your way. Want the toppings without the beef? They got you covered with either a turkey or veggie burger. To fill your carb count, their fries are all hand cut, fried crisp and lightly salted. BE WARNED, the portion is HUGE but so delicious you probably will eat them all. You can get them wither white or sweet potato and there are a number of dipping sauces to add to the deliciousness including truffle aioli.

To wash this all down, they have a number of soft drinks, both your garden variety and some specials like Saranac root beer or Coke with pure cane sugar in a glass bottle, craft beers and wine. To finish off your meal, should you have saved some room, there is artisanal ice cream from Kingston, NY (Jane’s, I think) either alone or in a milk shake.

The 9W Market, next door at the Palisades location and opened daily from 7am-8pm, houses the bakery and eatery. The Eatery serves lunch and dinner while the Bakery has an assortment of breakfast items as well as cakes, pies and such to enjoy with a freshly brewed cup of Joe - all equally delicious.

While the West Haverstraw location was fine indeed, the Palisades is a bit more inviting for a motorcycle ride. Whichever you choose, we know you’ll enjoy one of the best burgers around. ~ Shira Kamil ,