Happy New Year to all! It’s that time of year again for looking back and looking forward, and well, taking stock. This past year was a difficult one for most of us at the Jersey Shore. We are excited to see our communities slowly coming back, one by one, sand pile after sand pile. It will be a long road for towns like Sea Bright and Ortley Beach. Sea Bright is a town I spent every summer in as a child and teenager. My Grandparents lived there in a beautiful house with the river in their backyard and the ocean just a stone’s throw from their front door. A story book place to spend your summers and a huge piece of my life.
Those of us affected by Sandy learned a lot about ourselves in 2012. We learned how vulnerable we are and how strong we are. We learned how strong Mother Nature is, and how much we need each other to survive. Believe it or not, there were many great moments in the aftermath, examples of bravery and selflessness, kindness and camaraderie. I have no doubts that the Jersey Shore will be back to its beautiful self. In places it may look very different but hopefully that will make for more storm resistant towns for the future. One thing is for certain, we’re not going anywhere.
Here’s to a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year for New Jersey and everywhere. From all of us here at Jersey Bites, we want to wish you a Happy New Year and to thank you for a wonderful 2012. And, remember, you can join your fellow Jersey foodies on Facebook and Twitter. We’re always chatting it up. Cheers!
When Luis Croussett and his long time friend, Carlos Paulino, were passing their time on a Christmas vacation in 2011 complaining about the long lines at several popular chain restaurants; how splitting the bill was always an issue and how sometimes you have to wait so long to place your order, get the bill or even pay, they never dreamed that less than a year later they’d be the proud owners of a brand new company, Flying Kick Inc., and the proud parents of a new product that would change the way restaurants serve up their menus and patrons place their orders.
Cookbooks are a dime a dozen these days; you can walk into any Barnes & Noble and find 100 cookbooks on the same topic. Most of them have recipes with more ingredients than King Henry had wives, and are so involved the average working person ends up wanting to behead themselves.
From start to finish the recipe only took about 40 minutes to prep and pop in the oven. I put the assembled dish in front of my family, including my 85 and 82 year old traditional meat-and-potato-loving grandparents. We devoured the platter in less time than it took to make. The crunch of the skin provided the perfect complement to the luscious chicken that melted in your mouth. You could taste a faint aroma of wood smoke from the olive oil permeating through the chicken, giving it a more robust flavor. Tyler was absolutely right when he described the olive oil as “sexy.”
Looking for ways to keep the kids occupied and happy during their holiday break? How about dinner and a movie? Chevy’s, the chain, is unusual in that it is preparing many menu items from scratch, often quite successfully. The food at this bustling tex/mex eatery, strives to be authentic while delivering consistent quality and value. Chevy’s has partnered with AMC Theatre in Clifton for a dinner and a movie promotion which allows Chevy’s patrons to nab theater tickets for $8, a sweet discount, when presenting dining receipts at time of ticket purchase. Expect long lines at the Chevy’s in Clifton Commons if you visit during weekend evening hours or the restaurant’s peak weeknight super-saving happy hour special nights. In a recent visit, my dining companions and I were very satisfied with our appetizers and drinks, with entrees almost an after thought. Corn chowder was a big hit, mildly sweet with a creamy texture.
Management runs a tight ship and servers are well versed and knowledgeable. Our server Adam, who doubled as a trainer, made good recommendations in terms of selections and quantity. He prepared Guac tableside, asking if we wanted our forked mashed avocados smooth or chunky. He blended that with pico di gallo, diced jalapenos and fresh lime juice. Slathered on flash fried tortilla chips, this was a delicious start. Paired with a Bulldog, an upside down bottle of Corona suspended in a blue Curacao Margharita that was sweet and tart at once, we were rolling. Taquitos and the crispy chicken flautas were winners. The flexible menu offers a variety of combos to suit different preferences. It was varied and reasonably priced. Sizzling platter items were among our most popular entrees and not surprisingly, the classic tex/mex fare were well-executed and authentic tasting with a delicious, addicting corn pudding alongside. Dessert included house made flan and ice cream (fried or in sundae formats) with house made chocolate and Cajita, caramel-like, sauces. We were told that the latter, a slow cooked, slightly bitter sauce, takes several hours to prepare and is made fresh daily.
“Eat Soup, Do Good”
Seeing as this is my first time writing for Jersey Bites, I was thrilled when I found out that my first review would be of a burger place, as I am definitely a “burger authority.” Now I claim to have this authoritative status as someone who not only makes his own bacon jam and homemade chipotle ketchup, but someone who thinks an 80/20 burger mix will do in a pinch – apologize to your heart in advance and go with 70/30 and thank me later.
Ok now on to the food. Let me start by saying that this was definitely one of the best burgers I have ever eaten. Now when I say burger, I don’t refer to a Wendy’s or McDonald’s or even a Five Guys (it can’t be a legit burger place in my opinion if you can only order your burger well done). I’m talking serious, artisan crafted burgers such as those at Basil T’s and the Fromagerie. The burgers at Beasty are simply divine. Mike Ross has perfected a new cooking process altogether for burgers. Each patty made of certified Angus beef is seared and individually pouched in au jus to remove any residual grease and bring out the meat’s natural juices. Beasty also serves them with an extra side of au jus – very French Dip esque. Also I was told that if you order the burger to go (they do deliver as well), they soak the patty in au jus topped with the ingredients of your choice and keep it separate from the toasted bun until you’re ready to eat; translation = no soggy bread. Just the fact that this much thought has been given to the prevention of a soggy bun makes this place legit.
The thing that really stood out for me at Beasty besides the insanely delicious burger were the sides. Some of the sides I sampled were the sweet potato tater tots served with an Asian inspired Thai chili dipping sauce and the broccoli rabe with roasted garlic and long hot peppers. The tater tots were perfectly crispy and the sweetness of the sweet potato paired perfectly with the zinginess of the side sauce (I would have thrown a little Sriracha in there for some kick but that’s just me). The broccoli rabe was perfectly cooked and still retained its beautiful green color – but the dish is not for the faint of heart. The peppers are definitely hot and it took much restraint not to open the lid of my bun and add them to my burger. The one side that I was dying to try was the roasted brussels sprouts with apple wood smoked bacon. Unfortunately Beasty was out of sprouts that day, but I will be returning back soon during lunch to give them a whirl.
Tom Paolella is a born and raised Jersey Boy who is 100% Sicilian (minus the Guido). Tom was raised in Belleville, NJ and moved to Old Bridge, NJ in sixth grade (still traveling up north for bread on weekends). His love for all things food began at an early age and his passion continues to this day. After receiving a B.A. in English Literature, with a Minor in Organizational Leadership from Rowan University, Tom found his calling and continued on at Rowan where he earned a M.A. in Corporate Public Relations. Tom previously lived in both Hoboken and Jersey City, while working in Manhattan. Tom handled PR for several Fortune 500 companies and currently holds the position as PR Manager for two local hospitals. A foodie by birth, Tom credits his mother for his love of eclectic cuisine from around the world and culinary chops in the kitchen. Tom lives in Middletown, NJ with his wife Jenn, son Aidan, and dog Bennie. When he’s not working or spending time with family, he enjoys experimenting with meals at home, relaxing on the beach, or attending classic car shows. Tom is a tough one to “wow” when out to eat and enjoys restaurants that go beyond the chicken, fish, and steak on the Specials menu. Tom can be reached at 
Robyn Samra loves pickles. What started in 1995 as a small pickling business has grown into a large mail order, farmers market and brick and mortar store known as Pickle Licious. Samra knows customers by name along with their pickle preferences and can size up a new pickle customer pretty quickly, nimbly directing him to the appropriate samples to suit taste buds with a hankering for spicy and hot. For Samra, it’s all about loving what she does, keeping her product’s quality consistent and making sure customers are happy. She seems to be getting high marks on all fronts.
As a food blogger the typical story involves a new recipe or a noteworthy restaurant but rarely do we bloggers get the opportunity to speak for any length of time with one of the greats of the food world.
So, now, on to the interview. As I mentioned above, we covered a wide range of topics, but started with the new book. I noted that this book seemed more personal than the others, and wondered what her vision was for this book. She said this book just flowed from the heart, and it is a summary of all her books up to now – this is the one that pulls it all together. Asking her about the one takeaway she’d like readers to have from this book, she said that people who don’t think they can cook, would be surprised at the results. Take this book and make it your own!
We moved on to her 
