According to a Monmouth University/New Jersey Monthly poll released Tuesday, it would seem that there are a lot of you who actually prefer eating at our very own New Jersey Restaurants to eating in big cities like New York and Philadelphia.

If I know Jersey, and I’m sure that I do, I’d bet good money that the majority of you are fans of Jersey’s fine Italian cuisine.

Please come and take my poll and probably prove me right:

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An event that could change your “Favorites”...

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Dear Fan(s), Passersby and Friends I paid to make stat-boosting-clicks on our site,

Remember when I did that pub crawl of Van Houten in Clifton a few months back? Well it’s about time to do another. We haven’t had any straight-up bar reviews lately and I feel I should make up for it by drinking for five or six hours straight and writing about it. But I’m having a hard time picking a place.

Hoboken is expensive. Everything is too spread out on Ridge Road in Lyndhurst and North Arlington to convince even myself, that I might be able to walk from place to place. I’m convinced that there are only five liquor licenses in all of Montclair and I can’t think of any other bar clusters in the area.

Help me, readers. The weather is perfect for a nice long night of drinking and staggering from bar to bar.

Where in Northeastern NJ should I go?

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A Not-Too-Upscale Steakhouse with the Charm & Flavor the Mega-Chains Crave

Walking in, I thought to myself, “This is the kind of tavern whose local charm and style mega-chains like Applebee’s have tried to re-create.” And where Applebee’s and such replicas have failed, Franklin Steakhouse and Tavern succeeds beautifully.

When we entered at about 7:30 on Sunday night, it was crowded, but not packed, so we were quickly seated in one of their cozy wooden booths. Televisions in the bar area, where you first enter, were showing baseball and — I couldn’t believe it — a soccer match between Medellin’s team and Bogota’s Millonarios - and they were playing at the same stadium in Medellin, Colombia, where I had just been in April. Definitely a good sign for me. There were also televisions in the dining area where we were seated showing other sporting events (I was too entertained by the menu and the other patrons to pay attention to the TVs, but sports fan can be certain they’ll be sufficiently occupied.) There’s also another bar at the back.

Their menu is varied, and in a pub, even one that seems as well-put together as this one, it’s always hard to tell if they’re just over-stretching themselves and you really ought to stick to the burgers or not.

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Want to know about an Ultimate Guide to Jersey Beaches? Click to read it here..

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Dearest Jersey Natives and Recent Transplants,

Since our official launch on April 20, 2007, GoOutJersey has been featuring more columns, Thoughts of the Day, editorials, and general bloggy-ness for your reading pleasure. This also includes Click This!, our recommended link of the day, which sends you to blogs or sites with Jersey news, Jersey-related info, or “going out”-related fun and advice. And, of course, you can’t forget everyone’s favorite column from the, er, candid Jersey Waitress.

And now, to help you to better navigate from our drunken exploits, overindulged tummies and general Jersey raucousness, to our more topical, ever worldly opinions, debates and ranting, we’ve created a special site just for the latter, called GOJ Features. Just click the Features tab you see at the top of the page. There, you’ll be able to find all previous editorials, opinions, Click This! columns, Jersey Waitress, etc., and the ones to come. But, don’t worry, we’ll let you know here about what’s new over there so you won’t get lost and frustrated in your next apple martini-induced stupor.

We hope you’ll continue to read our site and share your opinions with us, to show your support for this growth — even while you talk shit about us behind our backs.

July 30, 2007

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Another Reason To Go To Rutherford

Only eight ice cream companies competed in New Jersey’s Ice Cream Festival, so we can hardly scoff at the places who didn’t win. And that would definitely be a mistake with Ice Cream Charlie’s, who wasn’t even a competitor. In fact, my first experience with them definitely fared better than my first experience at Applegate’s. Not to knock the “People’s Choice” Winner, of course — everyone has an off day — but Ice Cream Charlie’s was so delicious I actually went back the next day for some more. (All in the name of accurate reviewing, of course)

The little shop featuring homemade ice cream is on the southern end of Park Ave in Rutherford - the area that isn’t overflowing with restaurants. So, you might not find it at first if you’re leaving After Athens, hoping you could walk toward the dessert shop.

While it’s on a quieter part of the street, it’s by no means a hidden find. There was a crowd both Saturday and Sunday when we went. But, thanks to the hustling of high schoolers working during their summer vacation, the line moved rather quickly. The flavors tasted in my group included pistachio, rocky road, black raspberry, and pineapple orange.

First of all, the texture really made their ice cream a winner for me. Although none of us had soft-serve, each of our servings were smooth and creamy like soft-serve. I have found that this is not always the case with homemade or hand-packed ice cream, where sometimes you can feel like you’re fighting against the dark lords of the under-cup just to get your spoon in (which was my experience at Applegate’s).

Rocky road is my favorite and I expect it to be gooey with marshmallows and crunchy with almonds (none of this peanuts or walnuts crap I’ve heard about) . The version at Ice Cream Charlie’s is not sufficiently marshmallow-y, but definitely crunchy and the chocolate was really delectable. It was very rich.

My husband, much like the mayor of Bloomfield, is not a big fan of ice cream. It’s quite sad — no romantic moments sharing ice cream sundaes or banana splits dot our history — but he truly enjoyed the black raspberry and pineapple orange. Unlike the pistachio, which had full-sized chunks of the nut throughout, the fruity flavors did not have hunks of fruit inside, from what he could tell. No matter, the flavor was not sugary or false-tasting; it was very true to the real thing.

So, while I know I ought to give Applegate’s a second chance, Ice Cream Charlie’s is my favorite at the moment.

Ice Cream Charlie’s
200 Park Avenue
Rutherford
(201) 939-8133

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Rooting For the Home Team In Newark

Going to baseball games is one of my favorite summer activities, but a visit to a major league park is a serious investment. While I love my Yankees, spending $50 for a nosebleed seat and a hot dog isn’t always the most appealing way to see a game. Local minor league teams offer a thrifty alternative for a great summer outing.

A few weeks ago, I checked out the Newark Bears, an independent-league team whose stadium is situated right on Route 21/McCarter Highway. Admission was just $9 and I got great seats (really, when a stadium only holds 6,500 people, there are no bad seats). And I learned that games on Tuesdays boast buy-one-get-one-free admission at the gate, if you want to get even more economcial. They don’t hose you once you get in the park, either; my boyfriend and I only spent about another $20 or so to keep ourselves fed and full of beer for the duration. Bonus: draft beer gets slashed to $2 during the seventh inning, right before they stop selling it. We were a little disappointed with the food selection (basic burgers, dogs, pizza, ice cream bars), mostly because I swear I smelled funnel cake, but there was none to be found.

I had ordered my tickets ahead of time through the team’s website, which turned out to be wholly unnecessary. The park was less than half full, so I could’ve just paid at the gate and saved myself a couple bucks in processing fees. Poor attendance notwithstanding, we had a great time at the park. The facility was clean and in good shape, with plenty of bathrooms (another minor league perk: no lines!) and surprisingly pleasant employees. Transportation was easy, with a parking garage right next to the park that only charged $3. Many options for mass transit were also available.

The game itself was enjoyable, too. While not quite MLB caliber, the players were fun to watch. Both teams smacked a couple of home runs out of the standard-sized park. There was even an exciting play at the plate in which a base-runner slammed into the catcher and knocked him out (don’t worry, he was okay). And you never know when you might be watching a future major-leaguer - five Newark Bears pitchers have been sold to MLB teams.

While the game itself was fun, I could’ve done without the between-inning contests and activities. I know they want to keep the kids entertained, but games dripping with corporate sponsorship like “Put together a giant puzzle of the Applebee’s logo” and “Roll the giant Comcast die to win a prize” get a little tired.

One of the most pleasant surprises of the night was the fireworks display after the game, which they do every Friday. Since my July 4th experience had been rained out, I was extra excited to see some pyrotechnics. I wasn’t expecting much, but the display actually turned out to be pretty impressive. It lasted about fifteen minutes and produced plenty of ooh-and-aah moments.

If you’re looking for a cheap place to entertain your nephew, your out-of-town relatives, or even a date, minor league parks are the perfect warm-weather destination. Drop in on “the Den” and visit the Newark Bears, or see what the NJ Jackals, the Trenton Thunder, or the Lakewood Blueclaws have to offer. Baseball is better when you don’t need binoculars.

Riverfront Stadium
450 Broad St.
Newark
(866) 554-2327
http://www.newarkbears.com/

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Stupid Things Customers Say

Do I have to tip you?

No, sir. This is actually just a hobby of mine. I love staying up until the wee hours of the morning getting beer sloshed onto my shirts and listening to poorly sung karaoke music just so that I might have the pleasure of saving your lazy ass a trip from your table to the bar – located about 4 feet away. It’s okay. You keep your quarter.

I don’t want the check. I just want to know how much I owe you.

Guess what, genius… all that information is found right on the CHECK. If you think I know how much every menu item costs with tax, you clearly overestimate my math skills. Furthermore, if you’re going to irritate me and then trust me to tell you how much your bill came to without proof – you’re going to get seriously overcharged for that decaf tea you ordered.

Should I get the Turkey Club or the Filet Mignon?

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Yes, Hoboken411 has it right: when we gathered for our Munchmobile pizza quest, I mentioned that a friend (GoOutJersey’s own dear John Busco) had recommended Giovanni’s pizzeria in Hoboken. Here’s why (with a possible dare to duel for Perry?) — Donna.

Have you ever eaten a large cheese pizza? All by yourself? I have…and I have done it more than once.

I don’t consider myself a large man—I’m 6’1”, 200 pounds. But I love my pizza. And, in particular, I love one specific place to get my pizza—H&S Giovanni’s.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first. I used to be a fan of Benny Tudino’s. A big fan. From the first day I moved to Hoboken (back in 2001), I was enamored with “Jersey’s largest slice.” With all the other cool sights and sounds of New York, the fact that I lived next to the place that served the biggest slice of pizza in the state of New Jersey—and for $1.75 a slice—was cool. Like arguing with your friends about the correct pronunciation of “Houston Street” or talking incessantly about subway service. Or thinking you’re the first person to eat at Gray’s Papaya or take a cell phone picture of the Gay St. sign and send it to all of your brothers at 3 a.m. Benny’s was cool. I’d go back home and tell people I regularly eat the largest slice in New Jersey.

And then, one day, hungry and in the rain, I went to Benny’s for two slices of cheese.

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