Two big food hits on Route 17 in Paramus

The newly renovated interior of the Suburban Diner on Route 17 north in Paramus, where I enjoyed a Greek-diner staple, a filling bowl of thick pea soup without carb-filled croutons, below.

Route 17 through Paramus isn't for faint-hearted drivers -- with shoppers cutting off other cars to turn into store driveways or leaving parking lots and barging into fast-moving traffic.

This is typical of small North Jersey communities, which line their state highways with malls and other businesses to generate property taxes.

There are only a few things that can get me to use Route 17, and two of them are the Suburban Diner and Trader Joe's, both in Paramus.

The Paramus Trader Joe's is bigger than the store in Westwood.

At the Suburban Diner on Thursday, my friend Gene bought me lunch -- a bowl of thick pea soup and hot tea.

Then, we drove about a mile north to Trader Joe's, which shares a building with Office Depot.

I know to start braking when I see the Stew Leonard wine store, where you can enjoy free wine-and-cheese samples.

I've purchased a few bottles of wine at Stew Leonard, but in recent years, most of my wine is delivered to my door as part of introductory wine club offers.

My hand-held shopping basket at Trader Joe's.

At Trader Joe's, I bought two 2-pound bags of sweet potatoes at 85 cents a pound; organic celery hearts, $2.29; a bottle of Trader Joe's hot Chipotle Salsa, $1.99; and two packages of Trader Joe's antibiotic- and hormone-free bacon, $4.49 each.

Also, Trader Joe's uncured beef hot dogs (antibiotic- and hormone-free), and uncured  jumbo beef hot dogs, $4.49 and $4.99, respectively.

I buy most of my cheese at lower prices from Costco Wholesale, but can't resist Trader Joe's Sliced Jalapeno Yogurt Cheese, $4.79.

Trader Joe's also is my source for the best 100% whole-wheat pasta I've found, available as organic spaghetti, penne and fusilli for only $1.39 a pound.



Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north, Paramus; 201-261-2605. Open 7 days, 24 hours on weekends.

Trader Joe's, 404 Route 17 north, Paramus; 201-265-9642. Open 7 days.