Orange you glad we ate in Orange?

It is well known that I am a Jersey boy through and through; regardless of where I am in the world, New Jersey will always be home to me. For those of you who didn’t know just look at my right forearm for proof. This past week I made the journey to the homeland to help issue my twin siblings out of childhood and into older-childhood. While their graduation was really nice (albeit long) the real reason for my trip was to eat. I assure you that I wasted no meals while home, usually eating four times a day in order to bring you only the best reporting.

I did spend some time eating (and drinking) in NYC with the OG MoFo but for that recap check this out. What I would like to display is the side of NJ only seen by someone who is willing to leave no stone unturned in search of great, cheap food. White tablecloths and polished silver do not come close to defining Jersey dining. It’s made up of chrome diner cars open all night, folded slices of pizza, sesame bagels with lox or whitefish, Jamaican beef patties sandwiched between sweet coco bread, eggplant and a kiss on the cheek from the Italian deli, and on and on. These are my comfort foods, eating here is a true experience

My father has dedicated the last twenty-five years of his life to community development in Orange and East Orange, NJ; two semi-urban towns that can be characterized by poverty, political corruption, and general hopelessness. Not to say these towns are lifeless – actually far from it, but they have seen the worst of times and are in a desperate need of a boost. In the 80’s the towns were ripe with abandoned houses that facilitated low property values, empty tax rolls, and high crime rates. One vacant house has the potential to destabilize an entire neighborhood and this is what HANDS was determined to stop. Currently Orange is in the middle of a resurgence with HANDS spearheading the renaissance. However even during the darkest of days there was never a lack of good food to eat, and that is still very true today. Growing up in South Orange and spending a considerable amount of time in Orange (I have personally driven up and down every street in Orange on more than one occasion) I have found and been turned on to some of the coolest places to chow in the state.

Apparently working in the non-profit sector allows you to drink beers and eat pizza on your (extended) lunch break, so Sean Con met my long time friend Rubin and I at Star Tavern for a Monday lunch. It can be argued for hours over who makes the best pizza in NJ and I have more than one favorite, but I will always go back to Star. Ultra thin crust pizzas and pitchers of Sierra Nevada is the stuff of my dreams and it is always one of the first places I go when coming home. All the way at the end of High St. in Orange, Star has polished up its look in recent years but trust me the pizza from this institution is as good as its ever been. We almost always get the same pies here: white clam and a portabella mushroom, sun dried tomatoes, & pine nuts. Their best pizza hands down is the white clam: clams, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, and a heavy dose of garlic make this pizza a thing of beauty. Each slice tinges your taste buds with garlic and salty clams and makes it impossible not to eat more. Not to be outdone though our other pie is more traditional but no less fantastic.  A regular plain pie is topped with sliced sautéed portabella mushrooms, marinated sun dried tomatoes, and a nice sprinkling of pine nuts. The sweetness of the mushrooms and pine nuts is cut with slight acidity of the tomatoes to create a truly pleasing slice. All of this is washed down with the old standard SNPA that has a subtle hop bite to give the palate a nice cleanse while alternating between slices.

Tuesday was much more business oriented as I met SC and HANDS employee/food fanatic/one-time Munch Mobiler, Molly Kaufman. She had checked out the blog and was hoping that she could take me on a tour of some spots in and around downtown. Main Street in Orange is truly a sight to see, always vibrant and full of people, it is not a gentrified artificially but a living evolving downtown that has developed entirely on its own. It may not look like much but a more active Main Street you would be hard pressed to find. Downtown is rife with plenty of great eateries ranging from diners to barbecue joints to taquerias to Caribbean take-out, and I have eaten at my fair share of them.

One that I haven’t eaten at (only because it opened after my last trip home) is Mazzi Dog an interesting concept of quite non-traditional hot dogs. Being someone who likes things traditional I was a bit skeptical but Molly and SC had been raving about it so in we went.  The first thing I noticed was a whole wall devoted to celebrity head shots, “People from NJ who haven’t eaten here.” I like it; slight self-depreciation is always funny. Vinnie, the owner, greeted us with a few sarcastic jokes and recounts of the recent Munch Mobile visit (hopefully I can “break” the story before Pete Genovese does). Everything starts with a hot dog and a bun but then that’s when things get crazy – the toppings! Guacamole, baked beans, and Mac ‘n cheese are side by side with onions and sautéed peppers.  I decided to go a little crazy and ordered one dog topped with mac ‘n cheese and hot onions and to go with it a Boylan’s birch beer to truly reminisce about childhood. What a combo! The mac ‘n cheese by itself was mediocre at best but the onions made the whole thing work. The creaminess of the mac ‘n cheese and the hot & sweet combo of the onions all topping a tasty snappy Hatfield dog. (N.B. I have always been a staunch Hebrew national guy, but this could change after having the Hatfield dog) Molly got the Italian dog – peppers, onions, and mashed potatoes – while SC got the Coney – Chili, raw onions, and cheese. For three hot dogs and drinks we spent just over $12 including tax, not a bad deal. It was such a simple concept executed really well I’m glad to see a new enterprise trying something new on Main St. I got to get Vinnie to open a couple hot dog stands around town, he would kill it outside of the soon to be Two-Ton Bar & Grill.

With all the flavors and tastes going on we thought we could go for a palate cleanser. Italian Ice at Caffe Roma on Lincoln Ave. was certainly in order. Now this place is truly a holdover from “old Orange.” The only people in the place are four old Italian men playing cards at a table, a guy shooting pool in back, and a woman behind the counter. As soon as we step through the doorway we are given a quick looking over by the old men then the card game continues, I feel as if I’ve stepped into a café in Rome. As we still have another stop (and cupcakes from a little Italian shop on the way) we decide on a round of small lemon ices. The lemon ice is extraordinary; not too sweet but not too sour with little chunks of lemon peel for added flavor and texture.

We ate our lemon ices as we walked down mechanic street on the way to our next and final stop: Andrea’s. Sticking with the Italian theme we began to regain our appetites as we walked in.  Not really a restaurant but a small wholesale pasta factory that also operates a small deli. I have been coming here for as long as I can remember and always make a point to stop in when I’m home; I figured the perfect place to discover Orange by eating. Thankfully Angela was there and was happy enough to see us that she began handing us bits and bites to sample. First off she gave us a small plate of cappelini, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil topped with a little chicken Andrea. Now I have been eating this forever, SC always would buy extra chicken Andrea because he knew we would pick at it before dinner, but it has never tasted better. She followed that up with some thin sliced chicken that had been roasted with olive oil, garlic, and parsley; always a recipe for success. Next up we sampled some marinated thin sliced fried eggplant – maybe my favorite food – and a little freshly fried chicken cutlet. I have a short list of places to eat on my always too short trips back to NJ and the eggplant at Andrea’s is surely up there.

Just For Kicks the Top Things I Need to Eat in NJ (order dependent on nothing in particular)

1.    Everything bagel w/ lox, cream cheese, tomatoes, & red onion. Usually at Hot Bagels or Sonny’s if I’m eating at home.
2.    Taylor Ham, Egg & Cheese on rye (I love my rye bread) at the Harris Diner in East Orange. After State Diner closed Harris Diner is my go to diner in NJ.
3.    Star Tavern white clam pie and a pitcher of Sierra Nevada. This is when I get to catch up with family and friends as its usually one of the first places I stop.
4.    A burger or grilled corned beef and a pint (or 5) with my dad at Tierney’s while discussing community redevelopment and/or food.
5.    More pizza.
6.    WHITE CASTLE. No trip home is complete with out a late night trip to coos for a few sliders.
7.    Really anywhere with my buddies at 2 AM be it lamb stands, grease trucks, or the diner – or maybe all three. Nothing beats eating out, late night, either on the curb or in the booth if you’re with the good people in your life.
Now this list isn’t comprehensive and I have lots of other places I like to go, but these are the must visits.

Back to Orange. The city is slowly coming alive again and more people should take the opportunity to explore all that is has to offer. Food maybe the best way for people to go outside of their comfort zone and try something new. There are plenty other great places that I didn’t have a chance to revisit such as Ocean Fish — killer fried fish sandwich — and John’s Market — best chicken cutlet in the world — both could feed two people. I’ll have to make another trip back home to help spread the word. As silly as it may sound there is a close connection between interesting food and community redevelopment.

Mazzi Dog

351 Main St. Orange, NJ 07050

Mon. – Sat. 10am-7:30pm

Caffe Roma

170 Lincoln Ave. Orange, NJ 07050

Andrea’s

107 S. Jefferson St, Orange, NJ 07050