A Tale of Chinese Chow in a Polynesian Paradise

As you’ve probably noticed, Chris and I usually don’t do solo food reviews; however, as we’re not attached at the hips, we actually do (believe it or not) occasionally eat without one another.  On the occasions I get out on a lunch date with a friend or two, I normally don’t do a review… but this time was different.  Chris isn’t a big fan of Chinese food (the texture of the chicken is the major factor in that… you know, that weird Chinese chicken texture that makes you wonder?), so when my buddy Natalie set up a lunch date with me and Gina, at a Chinese/Polynesian place I hadn’t been to since I was a kid, I said “you bet your sweet 屁股 I’ll be there!”  It was SO good, I just had to blog about it… even without my other half!!!

Best Hot Dogs in NJ? We Think Not!

Since moving back up to this area of Jersey, after my 10 year stint in South Jersey, I’ve had the chance to re-visit some of my favorite eateries from when I was a kid.  Some have gone amazingly well – like Mama’s Gourmet Pizza – while others left much to be desired. There were also some places we visited before we started this blog that were just SO good, we had to go back –  Just Plain Dave’s being one of them!  With that being said, there’s one place in particular, a hot dog joint, I used to love going to as a kid.  Well right after I moved back Chris and I went, way before our blog began, and it was just so disappointing we never went back again, and have no plans to do so (that means no pictures guys, sorry!).  Not only was this place a key element to my childhood, a memory I held on to for years, it was also a key element to starting this blog.  We realized then, as we were dining at this establishment, that we just had to let people know that there were better places out there – tucked away in small strip malls, hidden by the congestion of a busy corner, or shadowed by the grandiose “Best in NJ” labels.  Yep, you got it, this place is labeled “Best Hot Dogs in NJ” (although we’re thinking they gave themselves that title, because it most certainly wasn’t Zagat), but we quickly came to realize that all that title really stated, was that a lot of people knew about it, and that it had nothing to do with taste or quality.

Mama Mia! Mama’s Pizza!

If there’s one thing we love in Jersey, it’s a good pizza! New York pizza is amazing, but good Jersey pizza is a very close second.  The problem we face with our immediate area:  There is NO good pizza… period!  So recently Chris and I took a trip into my old stomping ground, Roselle, to hit Mama’s Gourmet in the Roselle Shopping Center.  I used to eat there all the time when I was younger, and I was curious to see if it was still as good as it was back in the day.  Mama’s Gourmet did not disappoint!

So This is What We Were Missing!?!?

So a while back we received a coupon for a place called “Little Shanty.”  We took the quick ride into a nearby town called Warren to check this place out.  Now, if you’ve never been to Warren you have to understand, this town is super hoity toity – so that was already one strike in our blue collar Jerseyan minds; but we went to take a look anyway.  We get there, walk in, turned right around and walked out.  Why?  We were pretty biased, if you couldn’t tell, and between the prices and the gaggles of kids apparently awaiting their burgers for a large party, we were pretty much already over it.  I mean, how good could a burger here really be!?  Would it really be worth it in this “upper crust” town??  The burgers would probably be really thick and gross, and the fries were probably way too fancy for us anyway… forget it, we’re outta here.

Just Plain Dave’s – Just Plain Freakin’ Delicious!

I’m just going to start off by saying: We love this place!!!  When we found this joint last year we weren’t expecting the quaint, nostalgic look it has – almost a “Mel’s Diner” type of feel, with grooved aluminum edging around the classic patterned counters and tables, well-worn seating, and retro soda pop signage on the walls.  Hell, I was waiting for a tall, Southern red-head to come walking out of the kitchen yelling, “Kiss my grits!”  And while the décor gave us a nice surprise, what really blew us away was the food.

Quite possibly the best dog ever!

We love hot dogs.  Let me rephrase – we love good hot dogs.  To be more specific, we really love the amazingly good hot dogs over at Jack’s Franks in Union.  We’ve been there a few times now, and while Chris tends to get the same thing each time (two dogs with cheese, bacon, mustard, and raw onions), I usually tend to get two different dogs – one of my favorites (a dog with creamy coleslaw) and something I haven’t had yet.  In the past I’ve tried a chili and raw onion with spicy mustard, one with baked beans, and this last time I did a Coney style (spicy mustard and sauerkraut).  Chris is a great judge of consistency, simply because he’s… consistent, and we can say for sure that these dogs are consistently amazing!

So what makes them so good???