El Oaxaqueño – Long Branch

Posted by Anthony on May 19th, 2012 | 1 Comments

Review

Long Branch, New Jersey boasts one of the highest concentrations of family-run Mexican restaurants in New Jersey. El Oaxaqueño is one of the best places in town for satisfying comida auténtica – worth a visit for real Mexican food down the shore.

As soon as we walked in, I noted all the signs of a good [...]

Al Safa – Paterson

Posted by Anthony on May 10th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Review
A mainstay of the ethnic food cornucopia that is Main Street, Paterson, NJ, Al Safa features Middle Eastern comfort food.

I visited with anthropologist Lisa La Valle-Finan, who writes about New Jersey’s cultural communities. When the Syrian owner stopped by our table, we asked him which dishes on the menu are typically Syrian. His response echoed [...]

Charlie’s Famous Italian Hot Dogs – Kenilworth

Posted by Anthony on Apr 27th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Review
Since 1962, Charlie’s “Famous” Italian Hot Dogs in Kenilworth has battled all comers for the title of best Italian dog in Jersey. At Charlie’s, each component of the traditional Italian Hot Dog – a hot dog (or two, if you’re hungry), sweet peppers, onions and sliced potatoes – is deep fried separately before the sandwich [...]

Casa do Leitão – Elizabeth

Posted by Anthony on Apr 20th, 2012 | 0 Comments

 
 
Review

I’d heard rumors of New Jersey restaurants that serve whole roasted pigs. Filipino lechón, Puerto Rican lechón asado, and Cuban roast pork cooked in a caja china are all on my list of foods to find. Casa do Leitão in Elizabeth popped up on the food boards when I was researching Jersey’s best Portuguese food. Translated as [...]

Casa do Leitão – Elizabeth

Posted by Anthony on Apr 20th, 2012 | 0 Comments

 
 
Review

I’d heard rumors of New Jersey restaurants that serve whole roasted pigs. Filipino lechón, Puerto Rican lechón asado, and Cuban roast pork cooked in a caja china are all on my list of foods to find. Casa do Leitão in Elizabeth popped up on the food boards when I was researching Jersey’s best Portuguese food. Translated as [...]

Binh Duong – Bloomfield

Posted by Anthony on Feb 18th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Update - February 2012

Binh Duong is one of my top three Vietnamese spots in Jersey.
On this visit, we enjoyed the super-crispy Spring Rolls (shrimp and pork), a tasty Crispy Fried Crepe (egg crepe filled with shrimp & pork), and of course, the rich and flavorful Beef Pho. For something a little different, try the Bo Kho - [...]

Al Helal Meat and Fish – Paterson

Posted by Anthony on Feb 14th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Review

I found Al Helal Meat & Fish Market thanks to Mayor Domenick Stampone of neighboring Haledon Borough, who Tweeted enthusiastically about this Middle Eastern spot and invited me on a recent ethnic food tour of Paterson.
Like many of New Jersey’s best ethnic food spots, at first glance, Al Helal appears to be just a market. Groceries and [...]

El Rancho Grande – Orange

Posted by Anthony on Feb 10th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Fun, friendly Mexican with some interesting dishes. http://www.ethnicnj.com/wp-content/plugins/ethnicnjflags/flags/16/Mexico.png

Downtown Jersey City: An Ethnic Food Photo Tour

Posted by Anthony on May 16th, 2012 | 0 Comments

There are spots in Jersey where the local food scene is so incredibly diverse it makes you appreciate living here even more. One of these Garden State ethnic food oases is Downtown Jersey City. Walk fifteen minutes in any direction from the Grove Street Path Station and you’ll see dozens of restaurants, which isn’t so unusual [...]

An Ethnic Food Tour of Paterson, NJ

Posted by Anthony on Feb 14th, 2012 | 0 Comments

New Jersey’s third largest city –  founded in 1792 by Alexander Hamilton, birthplace of comedian Lou Costello, inspiration for poet William Carlos Williams, and high school stomping grounds of NJ Giants’ star Victor Cruz – has always been a city of immigrants. Irish, Germans and Jews since the 1800s; Italians and Eastern Europeans since the [...]

Finding the Best Ethnic Restaurants

Posted by Anthony on Jan 2nd, 2011 | 0 Comments

I’ve noticed a few things scouring the state for New Jersey’s best ethnic food. No matter the cuisine, the best ethnic restaurants tend to share some common features. Here are 10 things to look for:

1.  A wall mural

After gazing at Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano on the wall of The Banderas in Summit, NJ, contemplating Macchu Picchu [...]

Jersey’s Jewish Delis

Posted by Anthony on Dec 4th, 2010 | 0 Comments

 
Looking for latkes, matzo ball soup or brisket for your festival of lights? Or just some delicious pastrami on rye with a real pickle? New Jersey has it all – Kosher, “Kosher-style,” even “New York-style” (as if that carries any weight on this side of the River).
These Jersey Jewish Delis get rave reviews:

Deli King, Clark
Deli King, [...]