The writer was invited to visit Sushi by Bou Jersey City and the meal was complimentary.
After a soft opening period, Sushi by Bou Jersey City officially opens Tuesday, January 7, within the popular Ani Ramen space on Newark Avenue. I recently attended a media preview and I can confirm that Sushi by Bou Jersey City is a fun, delicious experience with a fun vibe.
About Sushi by Bou
Sushi by Bou is the brainchild of Chef David Bouhadana, who add Jersey City to the list of locations for his creative sushi omakase concept. Other spots include inside the Limelight in Chelsea, Sanctuary Hotel in Times Square, both in the lobby and inside of a hotel room at Hotel 3232 in Nomad, and a location at the iconic former Versace Mansion in Miami.
The exciting new collaboration is presented by a New York City hospitality group called Simple Venue, which finds underutilized spaces and transforms them into “micro restaurants.”
Sushi by Bou is situated in a cozy speakeasy-like space within Ani Ramen Jersey City and features an eight-seat chef’s sushi counter, a lounge area with seating for diners who come early or want to stay after their dinner reservations, and a fun pop-up bar.
What is Sushi Omakase?
Many sushi lovers have yet to experience omakase, a meal left up to the creativity of the chef. Sushi by Bou offers a timed omakase (60 minutes/12 pieces/$50pp) showcasing the freshest of fish, locally sourced or brought in from around the world. The seasoned sushi chefs serve guests directly, guiding them through the meal, providing a truly exclusive and personalized experience.
Beverages include sake, signature cocktails, Japanese beers and whiskeys. I truly enjoyed the bright, tangy flavors of the Shiso Southsider I ordered, a blend of Suntory Haku vodka, shiso leaves, simple syrup, and lime juice.
ToroIkuraScallopUni
The menu will change over time to feature the freshest fish and ingredients on the market, but this was the menu the evening we visited.
PRESS RELEASE – Hunterdon County’s Unionville Vineyards has earned the first 90-point score for a red wine from New Jersey in a recent edition of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, one of the most important media sources of international wine critique. Philadelphia-based critic Mark Squires, responsible for reviewing all wines of the east coast of the United States, Greece, and Portugal for the Advocate has reviewed Unionville’s 2015 Pheasant Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir each of the last three years.
The recent 90-point evaluation comes with acknowledgement of the wine’s longevity and gracefulness with each year of additional bottle aging. Besides being the first red wine to break the 90-point threshold for the state, the pinot noir is just the third wine from New Jersey of any style to make this mark.
“It’s exciting to break the 90-point barrier for New Jersey,” said John Cifelli, the winery’s general manager. “We proudly include New Jersey in our logo and as part of our brand at Unionville. We want to carry the banner for the state, and this wine’s rating is indicative of the broader increase in quality wine statewide.”
Of the wine, Squires wrote, “It is beautifully constructed, elegant, velvety and perfectly balanced. The good acidity always matches the depth and the fruit. This is very much a step up from what you’d expect in New Jersey pinot noir—probably several steps up. It is a beauty.”
The Pheasant Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir is one of Unionville’s two single vineyard pinot noir bottlings. It is produced only in years of exceptional quality: approximately every three to four years. The vineyard sits on the southern slope of the Sourland Mountain, in northern Hopewell, Mercer County. The site has earned a reputation as one of the premier vineyard sites on the east coast. At the same tasting with the Wine Advocate, the Pheasant Hill Vineyard Chardonnay earned an 88 point score, and the Pheasant Hill Vineyard Syrah scored 89+.
“The vineyard was meticulously planted and so well taken care of in its youth,” offered winemaker Conor Quilty. “Now 13 years later, we are truly seeing the benefit. Well-drained earth, varied soil composition, excellent sun exposure—these all come into play to make Pheasant Hill an exceptional vineyard site. It helps that the varieties and the climate also lend themselves so well to the style and class of wine we are trying to produce.”
Unionville Vineyards produces wines from 47 acres of vineyard planted at sites in Ringoes, Hopewell, and Princeton. The winery’s portfolio is focused on Chardonnay, pinot noir, Syrah, and Rhône-style blends.
The tasting room is open seven days a week from 12 to 5 p.m.
In one corner, a group of children is gathered, playing with toys and games while their parents drink coffee and eat breakfast. The sounds of jazz recordings float through the room as gentle background music. Two large picture windows frame the sights and sounds of pedestrians and cars, along with reflected sunlight.
A Sight to Behold
Suddenly, a majestic creation emerges from the kitchen—a tall stack of Belgian waffles adorned with lemon curd, sautéed apples, and whipped cream. The entire room comes to a halt and admires the dazzling display of culinary magic. Gasps echo throughout the room. People swoon. Mouths water.
It’s just another day at the Montclair Diner, the friendly little old/new eatery located on Valley Road in Montclair.
Owner Eliot Mosby and executive chef Gus Moya have reinvigorated the venerable diner, presenting traditional diner fare along with new dishes. They’re gaining a new following of fans while remaining connected with longtime regulars.
From Makris to Mosby
Owner Eliot Mosby
Mosby acquired the storefront diner from the previous owner, veteran diner man Gus Makris, in a cordial business transaction that took place in May 2019. Makris, who previously managed diners in Irvington and Newark for three decades, operated the Montclair Diner for over 20 years.
Montclair dedicated the “official” ownership transition on November 25, 2019, with the proclamation of “Gus Makris Day.” The gala sidewalk celebration was held under the diner’s familiar blue awning and led by Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, Montclair Mayor Robert Jackson, and other dignitaries. Mosby and Moya also were on hand to laud Makris, who remains a mentor and friend to the new owner.
On the Menu
The diner’s menu retains traditional favorites such as soups, salads, burgers, wraps, triple-decker sandwiches, Greek specialties, and all-day breakfast. However, Moya and Mosby have infused the menu with a few new delicacies: varieties of “yummy” French toast, all of which feature lemon curd and have become customer favorites: crab cake Benedict, fresh lump crab meat topped with poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce; shrimp and grits; sweet and spicy chicken with bacon infused waffles; and banana pancakes.
The Whoopie Waffle is named in honor of TV personality, movie star, and local resident Whoopie Goldberg, who frequents the establishment. Last November Mosby and Moya presented Goldberg with the dish on The View, as part of her on-air birthday party.
Fried chicken and wafflesPulled pork on a roll, with friesShrimp and grits
One Fine Meal
The food was delicious, the presentation was lovely, and the service was top notch. This reporter and my brunch-time chums—William (the “Big W”) Spencer and “Producer” Glenn Pappas, the masterminds behind the American Diner Stories podcast—enjoyed every bite.
Getting to Know Eliot Mosby
Mosby comes to New Jersey by way of Chicago. He spent 15 years in corporate America, where he met Moya, who served as an executive chef. After Mosby and Moya shook hands and formed a partnership, they initially explored the prospects of purchasing a restaurant in northern New Jersey, but then learned about the opportunity to acquire the Montclair Diner.
Mosby, who also owns two restaurants in Atlanta with his sister, was attracted to the diner’s vibe, family atmosphere and community charm, and appreciated the vibrant “uptown” Montclair location—adjacent to the intersection of Bellevue Avenue and Valley Road and one block from the Upper Montclair train station. He further cultivated the family element by setting aside a “kiddie corner” at the front of the house.
A Bit of History
According to various online sources, the Montclair Diner originally was established as a luncheonette, candy store, and ice cream parlor by the Louvis family in 1923. The business evolved in several iterations, all at the current location, and became known as the Louvis Char Broil and the Montclair Char Broil. The family sold the business in 1989 and it eventually was acquired by Gus Makris.
Montclair Diner
613 Valley Rd.
Montclair, NJ 07043
973-746-0911
Finding the right career path can be difficult. For pastry chef Jess Gaspero, a school aptitude test ended up mattering more to her than she could have imagined. “I scored pretty high for culinary arts, so I started watching Food Network and just decided it was something I wanted to do,” Gaspero said.
Path to Pastry
Over time, Gaspero gravitated more toward becoming a pastry chef than a savory chef. “I became fascinated with everything you could do with chocolate,” she said. Today, doughnuts are her favorite dessert to prepare.
When Gaspero first entered the culinary industry, she worked at R2L, in Philadelphia. “I pretty much worked every shift possible, from overnight bread to late dinner service,” she said. After a while, though, she wanted a change of pace. “I just felt like I tapped out and wanted to branch out and start doing my own thing.”
The Farm & Fisherman
Gaspero decided to interview with The Farm & Fisherman Tavern + Market, where she landed a job as a pastry chef in 2013. Today, she remains with the restaurant group and splits her time between the Cherry Hill, NJ, and Horsham, PA, locations.
Gaspero notes that her experience and place in the industry all come from keeping her head up. “I work with powerful, talented women every day,” she said. “Be yourself, and be creative.”
The New Jersey Bayshore is a time capsule. At one time it was the main thoroughfare to the Jersey Shore for the urban areas of North Jersey. Routes 35 and 36 were choked with vacation traffic crawling south to the beaches. Little Bayshore towns became destinations in their own right with motor lodges, roadside attractions, and the ever-popular Keansburg Amusement Park.
Then the Garden State Parkway was built and the traffic zoomed past those tiny towns, leaving them in a time warp.
For all of that, there is still a sense of culture and place there that I have always found fascinating. They’re neighborhoods.
Stepping Inside Belford Brewing
You really get that feeling when you enter the self-styled “brewtique” called Belford Brewing. Located in the 1.3-square-mile section of Middletown Township known as Belford, which is home to about 1,700 souls, the brewery has the feel of a local hangout. It’s rustic, inviting, and friendly.
Co-owner Kevin Enny assures me that they still get plenty of tourists and non-locals as well. That may be, but perusing the beer menu gives you a taste of what it is like to be a local. Wares Creek Pale Ale is balanced and true to the style. It’s perfect for a session of reminiscing with friends.
Wares Creek Pale Ale
And, like all of Belford’s beers, it comes with a story.
“Growing up in Belford we are surrounded by tributaries starting in the bay and slowly making their way inland,” Enny said. “Ware Creek is one of several creeks and it divides the towns of Belford and Leonardo. Growing up we were affectionately called ‘Crickers’ and proud to be one. So raise a glass to our hometown of Belford. Yes, we know it’s Ware Creek but we call it Wares Creek.”
Spy House Cranberry Wit
Another case in point is Spy House Cranberry Wit. If you’re from New Jersey, you know that cranberries rank close to tomatoes in the pantheon of local produce. And if you’re from Monmouth County, you know about the legendary Spy House. Dating back to pre-American Revolution, the Spy House is located in Port Monmouth and is said to have been a lookout point for local patriots who monitored British maritime activity on the Bayshore. Its haunted halls reportedly are still occupied by an American militia sentry who patrols the shoreline on moonlit nights. Will the deep red hue of this local brew remind him of the scarlet coats of the British regulars? You never know.
Good beer and good reading. You will learn a lot about this little corner of the Bayshore just by stopping in for a few beers.
If you go: Thursday through Saturday: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday: 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Limited parking in the back and on the street
Note: You can find good, fresh Mexican food next door and pizza across the street.
It’s no secret that in New Jersey, you’re guaranteed to find The. Best. Pizza.
But did you know that the Garden State has another pizza-related claim to fame? Oh yes, New Jersey is home to the best pizza spinners around: the Jersey Pizza Boys. Brothers Michael and Nicholas Testa, of Colonia, NJ, have been spinning pizza dough all over the United States—and around the world—for the past few years. If you haven’t seen them in action, now’s the time to check this duo out.
A Positive Spin
Michael, a sophomore in high school, and Nicholas, who is in seventh grade, learned how to spin pizza dough through their family’s restaurant, Carmine’s Pizza Factory, in Jersey City, NJ. The restaurant is owned and operated by their father, Carmine, who has been in the pizza industry for about 36 years. The restaurant recently took the top spot in the North America Caputo Cup, a pizza-making competition in Atlantic City.
The family’s pizza-spinning legacy actually dates back to when Carmine’s father, Angelo, bought a small pizzeria in Perth Amboy in 1983. Carmine was only 13 years old when he started honing his pizza skills.
As Carmine worked with the boys, Michael picked up spinning first, but Nicholas was not far behind and got the hang of it soon after. They rarely practice on their own—the brothers say they work better as a team. And not to worry about food waste: Michael and Nicholas practice on synthetic dough that’s quite similar to the real thing, but with a silicone-like texture.
Michael and Nicholas Testa with Jimmy Fallon
The Jersey Pizza Boys became known after posting videos of their pizza-spinning skills on YouTube and entering pizza competitions far and wide. They’ve appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Today, Good Morning America, and The Wendy Williams Show, to name a few.
To be clear, spinning is just part of their story. They are also amazing at making pizza. They did a little bit of both on the Wendy Williams Show, with Nick Cannon, who was hosting the day they were there. After introducing them as “pizza ninjas,” Cannon got a helpful lesson during which he and Michael had an impromptu pin-rolling race, and Nicholas announced, “I’ve got 10 bucks on Nick!”
During the lesson, Michael showed Cannon a bit of spinning technique, saying, “It’s all in the wrist.”
The Jersey Pizza Boys with Michael Strahan
The Testa brothers are also into the regular-kid thing. They like playing football and soccer, and yes, they enjoy eating pizza as much as they love making it. Buffalo chicken is Michael’s favorite pizza variety, while Nicholas likes plain pie.
Making a Difference
Both boys say they love that spinning dough and making pizza are both family affairs. And they’ve used their platform to raise awareness and make a difference on the hunger-relief front as well. In 2018, they held Pizza Across America, where they worked with pizza places all over the country to have pizza donated on National Pizza Day. The pizza was distributed with the help of soup kitchens, shelters, and other facilities set up for working with families in need.
Keep eye out for these two—there’s most definitely more to come.
—Researched and written by Lauren Musni and Meghan McCarty.
Years ago, as a college student focusing on organic chemistry, Jessica Alfreds had her first direction-changing moment. “At some point in [nutrition] class, I was like, ‘Maybe I should cook for a living,’” Alfreds said. “So that kind of switched my path.”
A New Direction
Over time, Alfreds worked in various positions in the kitchen. “When I had my daughter, that was the lightbulb moment when I knew restaurant-chef life was not going work if I wanted to be the type of mom that I want to be,” Alfreds said.
Alfreds knew she needed to have a schedule that was more her own. She took the plunge and decided to start her own meal prep service, appropriately named Jessica Alfreds Food. “This is certainly more flexible,” she said.
Do Your Own Thing
Every week, Alfreds prepares a full menu based on the freshest ingredients available from local farmers on the East Coast. She creates fully prepared meals, but curated baskets of raw ingredients are available as well.
Running a business is not easy, but Alfreds advises it is definitely doable—especially for people looking for an alternative to the hectic hours of a restaurant chef. She stresses that thinking outside the box has helped her find a much more flexible work schedule.
A new executive chef, a modernized menu, and a redesigned interior and exterior highlight the reopening of the Tick Tock Diner, the nationally acclaimed eatery located at 281 Allwood Road (and Route 3 West), Clifton.
The diner’s redesign, a 10-week project, began in September. The Tick Tock, which will remain a 24-hour diner, opened its doors to customers just prior toThanksgiving and finalized its new menu on December 2.
A New Chef
Executive Chef Stephen Whiteman
The Tick Tock’s managers introduced Stephen Whiteman as the diner’s executive chef. Whiteman has revamped the menu with new dishes while preserving and enhancing classic diner favorites. Whiteman’s resume includes positions at the Black River Barn, in Randolph; the Fairmount Country Club, in Chatham; Essex County Country Club, in West Orange; and the renowned Ryland Inn, in Whitehouse Station. Whiteman grew up in Morris County and attended Hudson County Community College’s Culinary Arts Institute.
Your Diner Favorites and More
Avocado and egg toast
Diner standards such as egg platters, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, soups, burgers, disco fries, and milkshakes “are still available around the clock,” but customers will enjoy exploring new menu items such as seasonal salads and bowls, pan-roasted, free-range chicken, slow-cooked meats, and fresh fish, according to information provided by MST Creative PR, New York, the diner’s communications representative.
Sea scallops
One eye-catching “celebrity” item on the new menu is the Mick Jagger sandwich (Taylor ham/pork roll, two fried eggs, and American cheese on a brioche bun served with disco fries), named in honor of the iconic rock star and leader of the Rolling Stones, who—according to a number of news reports—visited the diner on August 1.
Delancey Street frittata
Other selections include the Delancey Street frittata (smoked salmon novie, caramelized onions with avocado toast, served in an iron skillet); lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry compote and whipped cream cheese frosting; braised short rib tacos; a greens, grains and garden bowl; a shrimp and avocado bowl; and sea scallops with cauliflower puree, string beans, pomegranate seeds and lemon butter sauce. The menu also has a number of vegetarian and vegan options, including Beyond meatless burgers and sausages.
Greens, grains and garden bowl
The diner’s expanded coffee offerings feature cold brew, nitro cold brew and French press coffee made with beans from the local roaster Lacas Coffee Co. Desserts include house-baked pies and cakes, rice pudding and tiramisu. There is also a full bar offering beer, wine, and cocktails.
Colorful cakes
Renovation Details
Architect Richard Bloch of New York has revamped the diner’s design. Bloch has led design projects on over 200 restaurants. The Tick Tock’s exterior has a new parapet wall, which upgrades the diner’s appearance as a glistening roadside attraction.
All-new interior design
As detailed by MST Creative, the Tick Tock’s stylish new interior “bridges the Art Deco diner style of the past with the more stylish ambiance of restaurants today. Each of the two rooms has its own identity—the front room now has a larger bar moved to the opposite side doubling as a dining counter and cozy bright red booths, while the main room has a new white terrazzo floor, as well as a new ceiling with Art Deco-reminiscent design elements plus all-new furnishings: colorful block-patterned banquettes and black walnut tables.” Though unseen by customers, the Tick Tock’s kitchen has all-new equipment.
Cocktail bar and counter
The remodeled Tick Tock—a modular, prefabricated, factory-built structure manufactured by Kullman Industries Inc.—opened on June 1, 1994. There have been two previous generations of Tick Tocks, produced by two other diner builders, both of which were installed on the same site as the current eatery.
As reported here on November 27, the Tick Tock is one of several landmark diners throughout the Garden State that has undergone major renovation work during the last two years; a “season of renewal” for the diner business and New Jersey’s built landscape.
The writer received complimentary entry to Salon du Chocolat.
It’s that glorious time of the year…when dreams come true and indulging in decadent treats transforms the holiday season into one endless chocolate-soaked bacchanal. I mean, if you do it right.
What better way to kick off the season than to welcome the internationally renowned Salon du Chocolat back to New York? After a crushingly long eight-year hiatus, the event returned triumphantly in November, welcoming thousands of eager attendees to the Javits Center where chocolatiers from around the globe shared their artistry while cooking demonstrations, edible art installations, and specialty liqueur and beer pairings took place throughout the exhibit hall. The first afternoon of the two-day event also featured the eye-popping Signature Salon du Chocolat Fashion Show, with dazzling gowns and towering headpieces crafted by a select cadre of chocolate artists, pastry chefs, and costume designers and strutted along the runway by live models. The pieces remained on display for the rest of the show.
Photo by Jeff CampbellPastry Chef Nick Malgieri. Photo by Jeff Campbell.
Samples Central
Samples of bonbons, bars, caramels, cocoa-dusted truffles, ganache, and nutty barks were plentiful, but you could catch just as much buzz from chatting with vendors who had inspiring, funny, and impressive tales to tell about how they began their businesses, what they’ve discovered along the way, and how being part of the chocolate-making and chocolate-loving communities has shaped their lives.
If you’ve read this far and can’t wait another moment to get your hands on some fresh, handcrafted, bean-to-bar goodness, plan a trip to one (or more) of these local and not-too-far-to-drive discoveries right here in the tri-state area.
MADE Atlantic City Chocolate Bar
MADE Atlantic City
Married couple Mark and Deb merged the first half of each of their names to create MADE Atlantic City. It’s a telling detail about this brand…the whole enterprise was begun out of a shared commitment when the pair decided to give up their careers in the foodservice industry and take the plunge into creating a business together. They have since, Deb explains, “put a lot of love into it.” As corny as it sounds, you can really taste it in every bite.
Opened less than two years ago, MADE Atlantic City Chocolate Bar is the only bean-to-bar shop in New Jersey where the entire chocolate making process is done on the premises. In addition, the shop, which is open Thursday through Sunday, features a 15-seat bar serving seasonal handcrafted cocktails (including their signature Confession Manhattan that apparently lives impressively up to its name), one-of-a-kind desserts, and wine and chocolate pairings. Deb is proud to point out that the Chocolate Bar pioneered the revitalization of Atlantic City outside of the casinos, and she and Mark are thrilled to see the area becoming a destination with new restaurants and music venues coming to life.
What to try/buy: Don’t miss the Cappuccino Bar with a smooth incorporation of coffee bean and cacao nibs, the Dark Orange Bar bright with citrus, and the Dark Sea Salt Bar. Their Cacao Tea, in a lovely gift tin, is made with ground roasted coca nibs, cinnamon, vanilla in silk tea bags. MADE will also create personalized wrapped bars using customers’ own photos and text.
Founder and head chocolatier Jessica Spaulding’s enterprise promises “the essence of Harlem in every bite.” Discovering the Harlem Chocolate Factory at the Salon du Chocolat reveals a lovely bit of karma when you learn that Jessica’s passion for chocolate began when she made yearly visits to the Salon as a child. She recalls biting into a green tea confection from Japan at the show and being stunned by the ability to have such a vivid cultural experience through chocolate.
Determined to translate the culture of Harlem into a unique chocolate experience for others, Jessica developed bonbons, truffles, turtles, bark, and sauces that capture a range of intense flavors and taste combinations. Signature bonbons include such fillings as lemon ginger jam, smoked peach caramel, banana vanilla bean ganache, red velvet, roasted sweet potato, bourbon ganache, and candied rose petals. Barks in dark, milk, and white chocolate are layered with quinoa, bacon, or strawberry rose. A pair of delectable sauces feature bourbon chocolate and rum caramel.
Harlem Chocolate Factory
What to try/buy: The showstopper was their hand-painted Dark Chocolate Brownstone Bar, a gorgeously rendered Harlem brownstone façade gleaming in edible gold – beautiful and luscious. Jessica calls the bonbons her “babies”; check out the Speakeasy Collection of Bourbon Hazelnut, Cognac Caramel, and Rosé Champagne.
Celebrating the fifth anniversary of its store opening in Westport, CT, Le Rouge has been building its brand even longer. Founder Aarti Khosla created the tagline “From Paris to Punjab” to represent the international flavors and flair she infuses into her work. Raised in India, and having lived, worked, and traveled in many places around the world, Aarti began pursuing a dream to “capture the flavors from around the world in the divine language of chocolate” years before establishing the shop.
Today, Le Rouge Chocolate is a haven for chocolate lovers where confections are created in small batches using fair trade dark chocolate and the freshest ingredients. Each piece is hand-painted and hand-decorated, and feature such exotic flavor profiles as pistachio caramel, bourbon-infused ganache, masala chai, halva, wasabi ginger, and matcha honey, to name a few. The shop is both a chocolate boutique and a café, serving a variety of hot chocolates, espresso drinks, a signature line of European ganache cakes and other plated desserts.
Le Rouge ChocolatesAarti Khosla, Le Rouge Chocolates
What to try/buy: Aarti’s “Give a Little Love” campaign, first launched in 2016 in the heat of political upheaval, is reintroduced this season with a gorgeous masala chai-infused dark chocolate heart fashioned into a hanging ornament. Ten percent of sales go to charities that support children and empower women around the world.
Also new are enticing little sets of Hot Chocolate Bombs (stocking stuffer alert!) crafted from the same top-quality chocolate used in Le Rouge candies. These lovely rounds of flavor, including dark, milk, raspberry white, and masala chai dark chocolate, are submerged in any heated milk to create an indulgent beverage.
Now with locations in Metuchen and Middletown, 2 Chicks with Chocolateoffers insanely beautiful artisan bonbons, along with barks, bars, and cocoa tiles. Their hand-painted and cleverly packaged Wine Collectionand Box of Boozesets are Instagram-ready gift perfection.
Gotham Chocolates. Photo by Jeff Campbell.
Gotham Chocolatesis a specialty line of award-winning bean-to-bar chocolates, signature bars, and seasonal bonbon collections crafted and sold within Gotham Bar & Grill in NYC’s West Village. Artful packaging and sensuous chocolate blends using cacao sourced from places like Bolivia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic make these irresistible.
Laurie & Sons, based in East Harlem, makes dazzling boxes of jewels you can eat. If you want to literally knock someone off their feet, gift them a collection of hand-painted bonbonswith such flavors as chocolate hazelnut gianduja with coffee cream, wild strawberry with balsamic reduction, and peanut butter with salted caramel and passion fruit.
Notables a Little Further Afield
Chocolate sculpture
Mademoiselle Mielrepresents the kind of discovery you visit the Salon du Chocolat to make. A modest, artful, and hyperlocal business from St. Paul, MN, Mademoiselle Miel pairs single-origin chocolate with rooftop honey, maple sugar from neighboring trees, and unique seasonal flavors. Honey bonbons, artisan bars, and Honey Hot-Cocoa Bombs are lovingly crafted and wrapped in compostable packaging designed by the artist owner.
Dandelion Chocolate, located in my old stomping grounds of San Francisco’s Mission District, is one of those classic two-guys-in-a-garage startup stories. Since 2010, chocolate-obsessed friends Todd Masonis and Cameron Ring have been sharing craft chocolate from their urban factory. They “roast, crack, sort, winnow, grind, conch, and temper small batches of beans and then mold and package each bar by hand.”
They use only two ingredients – cocoa beans and organic cane sugar – and have a soul-deep philosophy about ethical sourcing. You can sign up for tours, tastings, classes, and talks at the factory, as well as Cocoa Trips that venture to places like Tanzania, Dominican Republic, Belize, and Colombia for those “interested in learning (or nerding out about) the cocoa supply chain and logistics.”
Charm School Chocolateis all about turning the vegan chocolate experience up to 11. And, as the name implies, about charming your dang socks off in the process. Spend a few minutes with chocolate maker Josh Rosen, in his dapper bow tie, and sample the bars and bites they “craft with compassion” using coconut, rather than milk or other dairy products typically used in traditional chocolate making, and wait for it…swoon! Retail store is located in Hunt Valley, MD. Locally, bars are sold at MOM’s Organic Marketin Cherry Hill.
As nearly every business now sells online, this is a fantastic time to peruse the incredible options for gift-giving that Salon du Chocolat encompasses. Click on links included throughout this post but for even more, you can find a complete list of the vendors and their website info here.
It’s hard to believe that Shake Shack started from humble beginnings as a New York City hot dog cart as recently as 2001. Since then, the business has expanded to become a powerhouse global chain known for its burgers, hot dogs, and—of course—milkshakes.
A New Location
A new location recently opened in Lawrence Township, NJ. On opening day, the line outside looped around the building hours ahead of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The die-hard diners who showed up early were not disappointed. The new restaurant serves up exactly what fans have come to expect from Shake Shack: high quality ingredients, speedy and friendly service, and simple, tasty food.
I made it to the counter relatively quickly despite the lingering line at 3 p.m. After a glance at the giant menu board, I decided to dive into a full meal: a cheeseburger, hot dog, French fries, and a Concrete—the restaurant’s signature dessert. It was more food than anyone should eat in one sitting.
Somehow, I managed.
A Fast Food Feast
I always try a French fry first. Hot, crinkled, and salty. Nothing wrong there.
Then I dug into the hot dog. They were serving up the Shack-cago dog: Shake Shack’s take on the Chicago regional serving style. Shake Shack splits the top of a Vienna beef hot dog and cooks it on the griddle to an even char. The hot dog nestles into a lightly grilled potato roll, which deviates from the classic version: In Chicago, it almost universally requires a bun covered in poppy seeds.
A standard Chicago also has both relish and pickle spears, onions, tomatoes, sport peppers, mustard, and a shake of celery salt. It’s like a salad on a sausage. Rick’s Picks Shack relish wasn’t bright green like you’ll usually find in the Windy City, but all of the condiments were accounted for. It tasted good, and that’s all that matters in the end. I’ll say they nailed it.
If the hot dog was good, the burger was divine. This is where Shake Shack shines, and simplicity is the key to their success. They smash the patty and cook it on the flat top until it develops a perfect brown crust around the edges. The oozing, melted cheese drips enticingly over the edges. Tucked between two golden buttered buns are lettuce, tomato, and a layer of secret sauce that ties the whole package together.
A Concrete Makes It Complete
Is it essential to get a milkshake at Shake Shack? Actually, it’s worth it to try a Concrete instead.
I’m not alone when I say I think these frozen custards blended with mix-ins are better than the shakes. I indulged in the Pie Oh My, a vanilla custard blended with pieces of the gingered peach bakery peach pie. I thought I would just give it a sample taste, but I ended up scraping the bottom of the cup!
The late, great Anthony Bourdain used to say that if he only had $15 in his pocket, he’d spend it at Shake Shack. For less than $20, I had enough high-quality fast food to fill two people. You really can’t beat that.
A Location with History
This Shake Shack stands across the highway from the Quaker Bridge Mall, along U.S. Route 1. While a lot of drivers around New Jersey might dismiss the location as a traffic mess, the highway actually has a fascinating history.
This newest location fits squarely into a long and proud tradition. Fast food restaurants have served weary travelers along this national highway since its inception.
Not So Local
U.S. 1 may seem like a local highway, but it actually goes through fourteen states. It runs continuously from the Canadian border town Fort Kent at the northern tip of Maine all the way south to Key West, Florida, just 90 miles off the coast of Cuba.
Like most older highways, they cobbled the path of U.S. 1 together piecemeal by linking older, more established roads. As Peter Genovese points out in the introduction to his book The Great American Road Trip: U.S. 1 Maine to Florida (Rutgers University Press, 1999), “For much of its length, the highway follows the route of the old Boston Post Road, the most important road linking the original thirteen colonies.” There weren’t any Shake Shacks back then, though. Colonists traveling by stagecoach would have stopped at inns and taverns along the route to eat and rest.
It wasn’t until the 1920s that the federal government began numbering roads that the route adopted its official designation as highway number one. It’s at this point motorists today would begin to recognize the modern U.S. 1 as we know it.
Early Fast-Casual Dining
Hungry travelers have always appreciated a highway. Andrew Malcolm, author of U.S. 1: America’s Original Main Street (St. Martins Press, 1991), says, “The minute after the first road opened, the first roadside food stand opened.”
Along U.S. 1, the famous White Mana hamburgers in Jersey City came from the 1939 New York World’s Fair. It opened in New Jersey in 1946. Countless diners and restaurants now line the 80 miles of highway that run through New Jersey.
Fast-casual restaurants like Shake Shack are modern accommodations that continue the rich tradition of classic burger joints and hot dog stands along the way.
I Never Sausage a Hot Dog!
New Jersey just so happens to be the hot dog capital of the world. Some of our roadside joints go back almost 100 years! Strange regional serving styles lurk in different pockets of the state. In fact, there are so many stops around here that it might take a series of blog posts just to give each one its due… Tag along with me as I eat too many hot dogs and write about them for Jersey Bites–Jersey style!
Shake Shack 3303 Brunswick Pike Lawrence Township, NJ 08648 609-512-5137
The last 24 months have been a season of renewal for the Jersey diner business. Facelifts, renovations, redesigns—call it what you will, but landmark eateries throughout the Garden State, collectively, are making significant capital investments to revamp their interiors and exteriors.
The revival is ongoing. New Jersey’s built landscape is changing as the state’s diner business continues to progress, just as it has for the last 125 years, beginning with the lunch wagon era.
Tops Diner
The new Tops Diner
As reported here, Tops Diner in East Newark—the nationally renowned, award-winning eatery—is moving forward on a major construction project that will create an entirely new diner at its current location, 500 Passaic Ave. The current Tops Diner building will be torn down. The target date to complete the work is March 2021.
The Vincentown Diner
The Vincentown Diner of the pastThe Vincentown Diner today
Located in Southampton Township at the intersection of Routes 206 and 38 in the Pine Barrens region,the Vincentown Diner began to modernize its exterior in November 2018. Originally built by the Fodero Dining Car Company, the diner has created a boxy, geometric look, compared with its former beige and white fieldstone exterior walls and pyramid rooftop.
Red Lion Diner
The Red Lion Diner: beforeThe Red Lion Diner: after
Traveling south from Vincentown on Route 206, where the road intersects Route 70 at a traffic circle in Southampton Township, the Red Lion Diner now displays a bolder, more dramatic, regal façade and vestibule and decorative lighting.
Paul’s Family Diner
Paul’s Diner
Two years ago Paul’s Family Diner on Route 46 in Mountain Lakes was fitted with a spectacular glass and stainless steel arched vestibule to complement its stainless steel exterior. Herb Enyart, the president of PMC Diners Inc. and the last of New Jersey’s golden-age diner builders, designed and installed the vestibule.
Tick Tock Diner
The Tick Tock’s new interior
In Clifton, the celebrated Tick Tock, located on Allwood Road and the westbound side of Route 3, has altered its exterior with new trim, neon lights and a parapet wall along the perimeter of the roof, which adds additional sparkle as a roadside attraction. (Yes, the classic Tick Tock/Eat Heavy neon sign has been sufficiently raised, so no worries there.)
Reconstruction work began in September and the big change for the Tick Tock is the interior design and floor plan, with a vibrant color scheme, bench seating, and a shorter counter. The rose-colored terrazzo floor remains intact. The plan, tentatively, is to unveil the new Tick Tock to customers Monday, December 2.
Change is nothing new for the Tick Tock. This is another link in the chain. The current diner, built by the Kullman Dining Car Company, which opened on June 1, 1994, is the third generation of the Tick Tock—three separate diners that all occupied the same site.
Silk City Diners installed the first Tick Tock, a stainless steel car, in 1952 and expanded it with a modular dining section in 1956. The second Tick Tock, built by Musi Dining Car Company, opened in April 1977. Seventeen years later that structure was lifted and shipped to southern New Jersey, west of Atlantic City on Route 40, where it’s been reborn as the Mays Landing Diner.
The Blairstown Diner
The Blairstown Diner
In October, the Blairstown Diner, which sits on Route 94 in its namesake town, celebrated its 70th anniversary with new ownership (Gary Wishnia) and outdoor patio seating in front of the diner. The classic eatery, built by the Paramount Dining Car Company, also sports new red DINER signs on its rooftop corner, reminiscent to how the structure looked in a misty scene staged in the 1980 cult horror movie Friday the 13th. Mr. Voorhees, no doubt, would be pleased.
The Crossroads Diner
The Crossroads Diner, on the move
As reported ihere, the Blairstown Diner’s neighbor, the Crossroads Diner—believed to be the lone diner built by the short-lived Campora Dining Car Company—was uprooted from its foundations on Oct. 3, carefully slid along steel I-beans onto a tractor-trailer, wrapped in plastic, and on Oct. 24 began the arduous journey to the hinterlands of upstate New York, in the town of Hudson. It’s slated to reopen there by the end of 2020.
The Brownstone
Several online news sources posted stories in early November that the popular Brownstone Diner and Pancake Factory, serving customers in Jersey City for five decades, would recast itself as the LIFE Pancake Company by the end of this year.
Olga’s Diner
A new Olga’s Diner, located on Route 73 in Marlton, not far from the location of the now-gone original Olga’s Diner, opened on Nov. 14, with an array of dazzling interior and exterior design features, as seen in online photos. Work began in October 2018 on the new diner. The original Olga’s—the first iteration of which dates back to Camden in the mid-1940s—was built by Fodero and opened on the Marlton Circle (the intersection of Routes 70 and 73) in April 1960. That business closed in December 2008 and the diner was torn down during the summer of 2017.
The Hawthorne Diner
The Triangle Diner, before it became the Hawthorne Diner
In the spring of 2017, the Triangle Diner was transformed as the Hawthorne Diner, which sits at the point of a triangle intersection of Goffle Road and Wagaraw Road in Hawthorne, not far from William Paterson University.
Geets Diner
Geets Diner
On the Black Horse Pike in Williamstown, Gets Diner has been reinvigorated by new ownership, and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 24, 2018. Two years earlier the glistening landmark, under a previous ownership group, closed abruptly. At the time there were fears that the diner might be torn down.
The Sit n’ Chat
The Sit n’ Chat Diner
On Route 23 in Wantage, previously known as the Sussex Queen Diner, and not far from High Point Monument, the Sit n’ Chat Diner opened in September. There’s another Sit n’ Chat Diner on Route 23 in Franklin, owned by the same family.
Years ago it was a social dilemma referred to obliquely as “hunger” for those living in poverty throughout the United States. Today, various organizations define food insecurity as “the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity “as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.”
Daunting Scope
Statistics outline the daunting scope of food insecurity. The Community FoodBank of New Jersey estimates that nearly 900,000 Garden State residents confront chronic hunger on a daily basis. Feeding America and its partner site Hunger + Health state that over 37 million Americans are food insecure.
Conversations on food insecurity starkly come into focus during the Thanksgiving holiday season, and tragically, the most devastating impact of food insecurity is felt by children, but it’s also a daily plight faced by college students, adults and senior citizens. Food insecurity is a situation that affects people living in inner cities, suburban communities and rural regions.
Addressing Food Insecurity Head On
There are dedicated organizations in New Jersey working hard on the front lines to address food insecurity, understand the issues, and help those in need. Rutgers University, through its Rutgers Global unit, hosted a forum earlier this fall, called “Food Justice, Food Policies, and Local Food Insecurity: A Critical Conversation.”
Morin. Photo courtesy of Matan Dubnikov.
The forum was organized by Professor Xenia Morin, Ph.D., of the Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Morin, working with Rutgers Global colleagues Greg Costalas, senior program coordinator, and Rick Lee, director, put together the conference to mark UN Day and underline the UN’s global goal of “zero hunger.”
Alyshia Galvez, a professor of food studies and anthropology at the New School in New York, and the author of the 2018 book Eating NAFTA: Trade, Food Policies and the Destruction of Mexico, served as the keynote speaker. The choice of Galvez as the keynote speaker was strategic, according to Morin. Galvez’s book provides insights as to how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)—established in January 1994 and currently under review—has disrupted the livelihood of many Mexican families involved with farming and food production.
Diving into the Issues
Galvez. Photo courtesy of Matan Dubnikov.
Morin explained that this international trade policy is felt as a local issue, as many Mexican immigrants have settled in the New Brunswick area in recent years. Along with Galvez and Morin, the forum featured five representatives from the Dream Project, a volunteer fund-raising group: Gabrielle Rossi, Dorothy Lee, Katie Parrish, TaeHo Lee, and Phia Trinidad.
Earlier this year Rossi assembled a team of 11 intrepid Dream Project cyclists that embarked on a 3,500-mile, two-month journey to Portland, OR, raising funds for Elijah’s Promise Community Kitchen, based in New Brunswick. Cyclists raised in excess of $35,000 for Elijah’s Promise through community service projects, which included the grand bike tour to Portland.
Rossi. Photo courtesy of Matan Dubnikov.
The bike riders who traveled to Portland are current Rutgers students or recent graduates. Team members kicked off their mission on June 15 from Buccleuch Park, New Brunswick. At their appointed stops in states along the coast-to-coast route, team members volunteered to help food pantries and soup kitchens. For example, after arriving in Portland on their final day of service (Aug. 14), team members served 500 meals at the Blanchet House and Farm, a nonprofit social service organization that provides food, clothing, and housing programs.
The Dream Project
Rossi, a 2014 Rutgers graduate, founded the Dream Project in 2016. As posted on the group’s website, the Dream Project “helps young adults grow into leaders within their communities through service and philanthropy. In practice, that means cross-country fundraising and volunteering trips to support the work of charitable organizations. We bridge the gap between nonprofits doing great work and young adults who want to give back to the communities around them.”
Photo courtesy of the Dream Project.
Elijah’s Promise
Founded in 1989, Elijah’s Promise describes itself as “a multi-service organization” serving over 170,000 meals each year. “We believe that a nutritious meal is a right, not a privilege. Elijah’s Promise harnesses the power of food to break the cycle of poverty, alleviate hunger, and change lives. We fight to end hunger by serving good food for all.” In addition to soup kitchen services, the community group offers job training, education, and social services.
Elijah’s Promise. Photo courtesy of Matt Rainey Photography, LLC
An Elijah’s Promise volunteer. Photo courtesy of Matt Rainey Photography, LLC
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey, a member of Feeding America, has been assisting the less fortunate in state communities for over 40 years. As stated on its website, last year the Community FoodBank provided “nutritious food for over 50 million meals through our network of more than 1,000 community partners, including pantries, soup kitchens, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs. The good news is that hunger is solvable if we work together.” Community FoodBank is headquartered in Hillside and has a southern NJ branch in Egg Harbor Township.
The website foodpantries.org/st/new_jersey lists more than 250 food pantries in towns and cities in the Garden State. Some are civic volunteer groups, while others are affiliated with religious organizations.
During the last five years, a host of New Jersey colleges and universities (Rutgers University, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, Rowan University, Stockton University, and others) have launched food pantries on their respective campuses for students facing food insecurity issues.
Rutgers Global Rutgers University 30 College Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
848-932-1777
The New Jersey Bayshore is a time capsule. At one time it was the main thoroughfare to the Jersey Shore for the urban areas of North Jersey. Routes 35 and 36 were choked with vacation traffic crawling south to the beaches. Little Bayshore towns became destinations in their own right with motor lodges, roadside attractions, and the ever-popular 
