I used to work a couple of miles from the location that CRISP owner Johnny Makker chose for his newly-opened restaurant and I can absolutely say that the area was in dire need of a healthy, rapid cuisine (aka fast food) option. CRISP, with its vegetarian menu, more than fills the void.
Located on bustling Route 10 near Route 53 in Denville, CRISP offers a menu comprised of salads, burgers and pita sandwiches topped or filled with various combinations of fresh ingredients and one of the better versions of my beloved falafel you’ll find in these parts.
The restaurant is spotless and the prep area was constantly cleaned and tidied up during my visit. The very personable prep area person greeted me with a smile and took my order of Fiesta Tomato Soup ($3.75), Athenian Salad Bowl ($8.95) and Authentic Wheat Pita ($6.95). The soup was tasty and topped with a bit of cheese. The Athenian Salad Bowl was a traditional chopped Greek salad served with herbed yogurt, feta cheese, Kalamata olive oil, green olives and five flavorful and perfectly crispy falafel. The Authentic Wheat Pita (they were out of white pita bread) was stuffed with a generous amount of hummus, cucumber, tomato, parsley, mint, pickle salad with tahini and, again, the fabulous falafel. The pitas are served in a clever to-go box that is perforated to create a handy holder for the sandwich.
We were completely satisfied with our meal, but we could have ordered sides of waffle fries ($2.25) or hummus ($3.75) to pair with our entrées.
CRISP promotes itself as a “…fresh, healthy, and unique alternative to fast-food with lots of flavor.” After lunching at the already-popular restaurant, I couldn’t agree more.
Address: 3000 Route 10 W, Denville, NJ 07950
Phone: (973) 970-9707
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm and Sunday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County, NJ. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page
