zerohour3k's Profile
Best diners in NJ
Seconded. I go to the OB diner a little *too* much. Their menu is gigantic, the portions are hearty, and the food quality has always been outstanding. Couple that with good prices, and you have a diner that ranks among my favorites. It's not glitzy or fancy.. just a classic diner with a very 1980's / 1990's feel to it, which is probably the last time they updated the decor. :)
25 Burgers Now Open Bound Brook NJ
I go to 25 on a fairly regular basis these days, at least 2-3 times a month, and they have never let me down. The quality of the burgers trumps that of places like Five Guys, they're always really creative with their 'burger of the month', and you'd be hard pressed to find a better bang for your buck.
Burgers I recommend include the chili burger, the pot roast burger, and the maui burger, all of which are absolutely delicious.
25 Burgers Now Open Bound Brook NJ
I went here last night, with about 20 friends (we pretty much filled the place, heh!). I ordered the "Pot Roast" burger, which was absolutely fantastic - the bread complimented it perfectly, although it did get pretty soggy from the juices. I usually enjoy putting condiments on my burgers, but I didn't need a drop of ketchup at this place, since there was the perfect amount of sauces and seasonings applied.
I ordered a burger for the road, as well. Their month's special, a cheese stuffed chicken burger with special sauce and a few other toppings (I forget what was on it). Excellent as well, and even though it was made of chicken, it still had more of a "burger" taste to it.
I'll be going back here, for sure.
Good Pizza in Tinton Falls/Shrewsbury Area
For the Shrewsbury / Tinton Falls area, I actually really like a little place called "Angelinas". It's across from the (now abandoned) Shop & Stop on Newman Springs road, in a TIIIIINY plaza with very limited parking.
If you like Sicilian pizza, theirs is excellent. I don't think I've had a pie from there that I didn't like. Granted, I have had better pizza, but in this area, it's the best I've tried.
Rotisserie Chicken Central NJ
Went there last night, since I had a craving for the stuff. Yep, they're still open, and busier than I remember them being. Ordered a whole chicken ($9.00) with some rice and beans and their delicious "Salsa Criolla".
I really need to go back there more often. I had forgotten how great their chicken was!
Rotisserie Chicken Central NJ
Funny you mention Super Pollo II, I was just about to bring it up as a great option!
I went there a little over a month ago, and they have some of the most delicious rotisserie chicken I've ever had. I don't know what kind of peruvian spices they put on the 'bird, but it sure makes it taste great. I usually get mine with their onion salad, since it compliments the chicken incredibly well. I hope they're still open too, since you got me in the mood for more of it. =)
Back Door Cafe - Tinton Falls NJ
This place has been closed down for over 3 weeks now. Apparently the chef has had a medical emergency (a sign was posted on the door ~2 1/2 weeks ago) and was in the hospital. While I wish him the best of luck in defeating whatever his ailment is, it really stinks that a "key player" in my company's lunch locations has effectively shut down.
Hopefully he can come back to work soon, or they can hire another chef. I'd hate to see a place this good close down forever! =(
(And once again, best of luck to "Chef Jim". Here's hoping for a speedy recovery!)
Portofino in Tinton Falls?
Figured I'd add my 2 cents to this thread, since I've been here. (Sorry to resurrect a somewhat old thread, but it's better than starting an entirely new one, I suppose!)
I went to Portofino around December of 07 / Jan 08, because a few of my (admitidly yuppier) friends couldn't stop talking about the place. The very first thing I noticed was the outregious prices they were charging for some things. But, I was trying to make this a nice night for me and the SO, so I gathered my jaw up from the floor, and bit the bullet.
The pre-meal / wine:
After forking over a bit more than I would have preferred, I ordered a few glasses of wine to accompany our meal, along with a few of their house salads. Now, maybe I'm not 'classy' enough, or maybe my tastes are different than most, but I found the salads to be horrible, especially considering the price paid for them. The greenery that came in the salad was akin to some of the weeds I pull out of my garden (which isn't too bad, I understand this is a fancy place). The issue I had with the salad was the fact that their balsamic dressing was "sparse" on the plate, for lack of a better word. It was as if someone dipped a spoon into a jar of dressing, and "spattered" it onto the plate. If I got more than a 1/4 tsp of dressing, I'd be shocked. This left the salad tasting incredibly bitter, due to all the non-lettuce greenery that was on the salad. The wine wasn't too bad, though I was still reeling from the sticker shock.
The dinner / dessert / service / etc:
The service started off well enough, but after the main course came, the waitress was nowhere to be seen. The second thing I noticed about this place, was the portion size. Considering what I paid, I expected my Veal Pizzaiaola to come with a side of pasta, to say the least. Two thinly sliced pieces of meat with a VERY light covering of sauce, left both of us hungry after the meal. (We ordered the same thing) The veal was "warm", at best, leaving me to believe that the waitress either forgot about it, or the kitchen was in a hurry.
At this point, I was already fairly turned-off of the place, and decided to give them one last chance to redeem themselves, praying for an astonishing dessert. I ordered a tiramisu, and she ordered an Italian Cheesecake slice. Both desserts were tasty, but nothing to really write home about (especially considering the cost). The coffee had grounds in the bottom of the cup, as well.
Maybe I came on a bad day, or maybe this is the 'norm' for this place.. but I doubt I'll be back. For the absurd prices they charge, we both left feeling hungry and unimpressed. I'd much rather go to a place like Tuscany or La Strada, which is a much better bargain for the same (or better) quality food. Oh well, can't win them all!
Whole Bean Coffee?
Whew! That's a relief. I'm running low on beans and was planning another trip there on Saturday anyway. =)
Whole Bean Coffee?
Yep. It's next to a fashion botique right off of 2nd ave, between Main Street and Memorial Drive (right over the tracks).
You have me worried, now. =P
Whole Bean Coffee?
Odd. I was there on Saturday, May 3rd, and picked up a bunch of Kenya AA, Sumatra, and Ethiopian. I really hope she hasn't closed down.
When I was there on Saturday, the place didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, but in this modern day and age, you never know. Please keep me posted! Thanks!
Back Door Cafe - Tinton Falls NJ
Kind of interesting seeing this place mentioned!
I discovered this little gem about 3 weeks ago, when the owners went around to local businesses and handed out flyers. The cafe was only down the street from my place of employment, so I figured it couldn't hurt to give it a shot. I didn't expect much for the price they charged ($4.95 for the lunch buffet, or for any sandwich), but was very impressed with what I got.
The buffet isn't your standard "all you can eat" variety. You grab a plate (or to-go dish), put a bunch of items onto it, and head to the register to pay. Juice / Soda costs extra, as does soup or salad (though they run a seperate soup and salad buffet, too). The food quality of the buffet is fairly decent, and usually boasts a lot of "comfort food".
Personally, I'm usually more of a fan of the sandwiches for take-out. Their chicken sandwiches, and their cajun hamburger are simply delicious, and with coleslaw + homemade potato chips, $4.95 is a real bargain. My biggest surprise is that their sandwiches are huge, with the chicken ones usually being a whole piece of breast, and the hamburger being at least 1/4lb.
Either way, I reccomend this place!
Best Jersey Diners (Lots good eats, little $)
I'm a huge fan of the Ocean Bay diner in Point Pleasant, NJ. The food is always fresh, the service is always fast, and the prices are pretty much "standard" when it comes to diner fare in NJ (considering the $13-15 for dinner gets you enough food for two people, with soup, salad, AND dessert).
I used to love the Rainbow Diner in Brick, but ever since remodeling the interior, they've raised the prices, removed some menu items, downsized the portions, and the service has gotten worse. It's still not a bad place to eat if you're in the area, but it isn't the diner that I remember from a few years back. =(
Whole Bean Coffee?
In Asbury Park there's a roaster, thusly titled "Asbury Park Roastery". It's run by a really sweet woman who has always offered me her professional advice, and is sure to notify me of the freshest roasted beans she has (I like buying ones that are 1 day old).
http://asburyparkroastery.com/
Been going there for over a year now, and I've never been disappointed. The Ethiopian Harrar she roasts is really good!
