Orion Diner & Grill Featured Items

Welcome to Orion Diner & Grill, where delightful flavors, friendly service, and a warm atmosphere come together to create a memorable dining experience. We take pride in presenting our exceptional selection of featured items that are sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.

Our chefs have carefully crafted a diverse menu that caters to all palates, offering a fusion of classic American diner dishes and exciting international flavors. Whether you’re in the mood for a comforting breakfast, a hearty lunch, or a delectable dinner, Orion Diner & Grill has something special for every occasion.

Allow us to entice you with a glimpse of our featured items:

Arugula Salad Recipe

One of my go-to meals during the summer is simply grilling some shrimp, chicken, or steak and eating it with a hearty and healthy salad. This is one of my favorite combinations, and it’s also one of my go-to meals throughout the summer.

The richness of the avocado is a great substitute for cheese, and the tanginess of the lemon dressing and the crunchiness of the toasted pine nuts provide a lovely contrast to each other. If you’re not a fan of pine nuts, which is totally normal, you may easily replace them with pepitas, which are hulled pumpkin seeds. Even though I chose to season the shrimp with cayenne and dried oregano, you are more than welcome to use a pre-made Cajun or other type of blend in its place. I’m only saying that you have the option to do so.

The only thing that could possibly go wrong with this recipe is either oversalting the shrimp or cooking them for too long. Okay, maybe that’s two things. Even if you don’t wind up oversalting the shrimp, adding lime juice as a finishing touch is a great way to give them a pleasant flavor that is light and crisp. Inadvertently overcooking the shrimp is a frustrating scenario because there is not much that can be done to undo the damage done by the cooking process. The vast majority of shrimp that is sold in grocery shops and seafood markets is often on the more petite side and can be cooked in three to four minutes. If you are truly concerned, cut one open and check to see that the inside has turned pink and is no longer see-through. You will be able to avoid the rubbery end, which is unpleasant for everyone, by doing this.

This salad could be given an interesting new twist by including hearts of palm or cilantro in its ingredients. One more delicious possibility is to incorporate freshly grated garlic into the dressing.

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large peeled and deveined shrimp
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 5 ounces baby arugula
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 1 ripe Hass avocado, sliced
• 1 cup Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 to 8 picked basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice from about 1 lime

Directions

1. Mix together two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of cayenne pepper, one teaspoon of oregano, one teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper in a bowl. After adding the shrimp, coat them in the mixture and set aside. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Mix together 4 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice using a whisk. Set aside.
3. The last tablespoon of oil should be heated in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet measuring 10 inches in diameter over high heat until it shimmers. After adding the shrimp, continue to cook them in the same position for about two minutes, or until they have a light brown color. After turning the meat over, continue to cook it for another minute or two until it is done. Place in a small bowl, then add lime juice and toss to combine.
4. Mix the arugula, the shallot, the pine nuts, the avocado, the tomatoes, and the basil together in a large serving bowl. Toss the salad with the dressing, then season with salt and pepper, and finish by adding the dressing. Immediately serve, topping each portion with shrimp.

New Jersey Center-Cut Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 center-cut pork chops (about 2 1/2-inches thick)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons canola oil 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

1 cup hot and sweet cherry peppers, roughly chopped 

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped 

Directions:

• Turn the oven temperature up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• On both sides of the pork chops, generously sprinkle them with a mixture of salt and pepper. Canola oil should be heated over high heat in a big skillet or grill pan that can withstand the oven. When the oil has reached the desired temperature, saute the pork chops for approximately three minutes on each side. Put the pan in the oven to finish cooking the pork, which should take between 18 and 20 minutes. This method should produce chops that are medium to medium well done, with the center remaining a shade or two pink. You can add a few more minutes to the total time the chop is in the oven if you would like it to be more well done.
• While the pork is cooking in the oven, bring the olive oil and garlic to a boil in a large sauté pan placed over high heat. Add the garlic once the olive oil has reached a boil. Sauté the garlic until it just starts to turn brown, then add the peppers and allow them to come to temperature.
• On each of the plates, place a pork chop. After tossing the chopped parsley in with the peppers and garlic and continuing to sauté for one more minute, place a quarter cup of the pepper mixture on top of each chop.

Roast 1/2 Chicken

Splitting a whole chicken down the middle and roasting both halves while basting them with butter, a zesty seasoning blend, and a few drops of lemon juice is all it takes to make a delicious roasted half chicken dish. Make a full meal out of it by serving it with potatoes and a salad with crisp greens.

Ingredients

These simple ingredients are all that is needed to make this stress-free weeknight meal. Don’t worry about trying to buy a half chicken at the grocery store, it’s cheaper to buy a whole chicken and cut it in half yourself.

• Whole chicken – split it in half and use both pieces for this recipe
• Butter – unsalted butter makes the skin crispy and flavorful
• Smoked paprika – this gives the chicken a gorgeous color and smoky flavor
• Lemon juice – squeeze lemon juice over the chicken for a flavor boost
• Salt and black pepper – salt is needed to help make the chicken juicy

Cut a Chicken in Half

Cutting a chicken in half is a lot less difficult than you might imagine it would be. For this dish, you will need a whole chicken weighing a total of 4 pounds.

Place the chicken on a large chopping board with the breast side facing down and the neck side facing up. Cut down one side of the spine of the bird, separating it from the ribs, using kitchen shears that are sharp.

Make certain that you cut as near to the spine as you possibly can so that you do not wind up throwing away any more of the chicken meat than is absolutely required. Do the same thing on the opposite side of the spine.

After that, turn the bird over onto its back and remove the cartilage and the soft bone that runs down the middle of the breast with a sharp knife so that the breast may be separated into two pieces.

Cooking a Half Chicken in the Oven

After cutting the chicken in half lengthwise, allow each piece to rest for about half an hour at room temperature on several layers of paper towels. This aids in the absorption of excess moisture.

The next step is to put the chicken in a skillet made of cast iron, cover it with melted butter, and then season it with various spices and lemon juice.

After cooking the chicken in the oven until it is completely done, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing it and serving it.

Variations

This recipe for 1⁄2 roasted chicken is very adaptable, so you can modify it to meet your specific preferences. Here are some choices to get you started in the right direction.

• Instead of the oven, you should try using the grill or an air fryer.
• Use the seasoning combinations that you enjoy the most, such as garlic, salt, parsley, and paprika, or use a spice mix that you purchase from the shop.
• Enjoy your skin with an extra crispiness? Put the chicken in the oven broiler and cook it for one to two minutes.
• Olive oil can be used in place of the butter in this recipe.