PrintNew Jersey Turnpike Eats: What Are Your Favorites?
I'm a sucker for road food stories in general, so it was really fun to read Betsy Andrews' story on New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) food in today's New York Times.
Some of the places we are well-acquainted with in the Serious Eats family. White Manna is no stranger to A Hamburger Today's Adam Kuban.
Likewise Tommy's Italian Sausage and Hot Dogs (in Elizabeth), which I chronicled in a New York Times story on hot dogs a couple of years ago. It is interesting that no other New Jersey hot dog emporia are mentioned. Perhaps Rutt's Hut is simply too far from I-95.
New Jersey has a very rich pizza culture and tradition, which I have written about extensively in A Slice of Heaven, but I must admit I have never heard of Palermo's in Bordentown (and two other locations) or Franco's Place in Haddonfield, home of the deep-fried panzarotti, which is, as far as I can tell, a first cousin of the traditional deep-fried calzone. A Slice reader mentioned Palermo's in this Delorenzo's thread.
I remember passing Weber's Famous Root Beer during one of my pizza excursions, but I never stopped in.
The 26-ounce pastrami sandwich (which is $31 and feeds a small army) at Harold's New York Deli sounds positively obscene and not altogether appetizing. Harold claims to smoke his own pastrami and cure his own corned beef on premises. Do they really cure their own pastami? Has any serious eater been to Harold's?
The Indian spots in Iselin, Chowpatty and Dimple's Bombay Talk, sound intriguing, as do the trio of Asian restaurants in Edison, Grand Shanghai, Edison Noodle House, and Pho Anh Dao.
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5 Comments:
I used to live in Jersey CIty and work in Edison. I've been to most of the places in those cities mentioned in the story (not White Manna, since I'm vegetarian). I can't say I found the Indian places more exceptional than any others in Edison, but maybe they were chosen for their proximity to the exit...?
I do miss a few restaurants in Jersey City: Taqueria Downtown, and this tiny café called Subia's, which makes the best vegetarian sandwiches ever.
piccola at 9:17PM on 03/28/08
I've been to Harold's a couple of times, it's quite an experience. Surreal. ALL the food is immense. Sandwiches, desserts, everything. Breakfast is the best bet, though it is always extremely crowded. They make a mean French Toast and it is relatively manageable (by their standards), probably about 8 slices. But order a side of bacon and you'll wind up with 1 lb of the stuff!
Karenck at 12:52AM on 03/29/08
Harold's is worth a stop--who else would have a pickle bar???
Other favorites include Americana Diner (exit 8 -on RT 130) and Mastoris Diner (exit 7 - Rt 130 &206) for great Jersey Diner food.
jaysbryant at 8:27AM on 03/29/08
Heard good things about the Polynesian-Chinese Chan's Dragon Inn in Ridgefield, NJ.
Both parents hail from Teaneck, NJ but moved to PA in the 1960s. Upon return to NNJ to visit family, they'd take my siblings and I to a now-closed kitchy Polynesian-Chinese place in Paramus called Chan's Waikiki. They loved it. I only remember the spooky tiki gods outside, not the food.
Anyway, the Chan's in Ridgefield sadly is not owned by the same folks, but the eGullet guy over at Off The Broiler adores Chan's Dragon Inn (see link above).
Susquehanna at 10:09AM on 03/29/08
Most of my Jersey faves don't come off the Turnpike, but highways like 46 (home of Rutt's Hutt), 23 and 287. I'd be more likely to write a piece about the best French toast (or French fries for that matter) at a diner (Somerset diner on Easton Ave.) or the best gnocchi served at a "pizza joint" (Panini's in Piscataway). NJ.com has an interesting blog called the Munchmobile that's worth checking out. They travel around NJ sampling bits from all kinds of food establishments.
hereandthe at 11:19AM on 03/31/08