What a great suggestion!
It's a small, quaint place on Burlington Avenue. It's been open about four years, and can attribute its success to good food and friendly service. There are lots of flowers and plants around the pretty wood tables.
He started with creamy chicken and cabbage soup, a cup of a light creamy broth filled with chopped cabbage and tender pieces of chicken. If you resist the urge to add salt after the first taste, you'll be greatly rewarded on the second, because that's when the flavors really come together.
I selected the house salad, a plate of romaine garnished with red onion, red pepper, tomato, cucumber and grated cheese.
It was mission: impossible to resist a loaf of warm, crusty white bread that came with room-temperature butter.
The entree choices were eclectic; he opted for the chicken marsala ($10) and I ordered the scallops in marinara ($12). The chicken was juicy and tender breast meat, sauteed, and served with portobello mushrooms and a good marsala sauce. It was accompanied by mashed potatoes and broccoli. This was a good-sized lunch portion, but not so much that it was overwhelming.
The scallops were served over al dente linguine in a spicy red sauce. I hesitated on ordering it because I've had tough scallops in sauce before. But I was pleasantly surprised by the tenderness of these bivalves and favored the spicy kick of the sauce. (I admit that I soaked up a little sauce with a second piece of that crusty bread. I couldn't resist.)
After such good entrees, we had to order dessert. My fiance could not say no to the tiramisu ($6). It was espresso- and Kahlua-soaked ladyfingers with mascarpone cheese and topped with powdered cocoa. He enjoyed it but would have preferred less liqueur.
I tried something new: banana cream cheesecake ($4). It was the creamiest cheesecake I've had in a long time, with a hint of banana flavor. Whipped cream adorned the side of the plate. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite, and the graham-cracker crust added the perfect crunch.
You may not have much cause to drive down Burlington Avenue anytime soon. But if you do happen to cross the bridge over the Rancocas from Riverside and keep going a few blocks, it'll be there on your left. I might see you there.
Discreet Diner | Europa Cafe
708 Burlington Ave., Delanco.
Phone: 856-824-1151.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Reservations: Available daily; recommended on weekends.
Handicapped accessible: Yes.
Parking: On street.
Children's menu: Yes.
Cocktails: BYOB.
The Discreet Diner is a memberof the Inquirer staff and welcomes your comments. E-mail discreetdiner@phillynews.com.
