Top food shops in central New Jersey (or Confessions of a Spice-a-holic)

I have a spice drawer. (Big deal, you’re thinking...) Well, I also have a spice cabinet… two really. They’re so crammed with blends and spices and sauces that I have to be careful when opening them… and that doesn’t include the baking stuff – that’s in another cabinet. Then there’s the top shelf in my pantry which is lined with different mustards, sauces, pastes, etc. Now you get the picture - I love buying and receiving anything that adds flavor to food. So when I come across a shop that sells good stuff, I’m like a little kid on Christmas morning. (Only more dangerous because I have a credit card.)

 

I’ve lived most of my life in central New Jersey. As a foodie, trips into New York were like trips to the promised land. I’d hit Kalustyan’s for my spices, grab bread at Amy’s, cheese at Murray’s, etc. I once hoofed it over to 1st Ave. for pierogis then carried them home on the train. Now that I’m a mom, I don’t get into the city quite as often – but I don’t need to. Plenty of specialty shops have popped up right in my area and more are appearing every day. Plus, grocery stores are carrying more gourmet and ethnic foods, so long treks are no longer necessary.

 

I know there are plenty of NJ foodies who visit my site, so I’ve decided to put together a list of my favorites. Read through it – you might find something new. More importantly, let me know what’s missing – I love finding new shops, so please share! (I’ll find a cabinet someplace with room for more goodies!)

 

Spices

• Savory Spice Shop, 138 East Broad Street, Westfield

Pastries, donuts, and bagels

• The Swiss Pastry Shoppe, 1711 East Second Street, Scotch Plains (try the old-fashioned glazed – AMAZING! And at Easter, the Cheese babka has been a family tradition for years.)
• Cranford Best Bagels & Deli, 107 South Ave, Cranford (Try a breakfast sandwich, mmmm)

Bread

• Dom’s, 506 Grand Street, Hoboken (I haven’t gone in ages, but my brother and his family were regulars there until they moved 2 months ago… try the tomato pie.
• Breadsmith, 32 North Ave W, Cranford (Greek Olive Ciabatta, ‘nuf said.)

Cheese

• Florence Ravioli Company, 1741 East Second Street, Scotch Plains (Homemade mozzarella
• The Summit Cheese Shop, 75 Union Place, Summit (Very knowledgeable staff; they’ll cut small pieces perfect for tasting)
• Cheese… Please!, 26 Eastman Street, Cranford
• (HINT: I buy my Parmigiano-Reggiano at the Wine Library – big, fresh chunks for $9.99/lb or less!)

Meat

• For Polish Kielbasa, Wawel Delicatessen, 571 Raritan Rd., Roselle
• For German sausages (wursts), hot dogs, Merguez sausage, breakfast sausage, steaks – Barth’s Market, 41 South Street, New Providence
• Or Wine Library for D’artagnan Chorizo and Andouille

All things Asian

• Asian Food market, 965 Route 22 W, North Plainfield

All things Indian

• Bhavani cash and Carry, 392 Route 22 West, Green Brook

South American, Jamaican –

• C-Town Supermarket, 1405 South Ave., Plainfield

What’d I miss? Leave a comment and let me know your favorite!

Restaurant review: Splash of Thai in Westfield

Located on the south side of Westfield, Splash of Thai has been a favorite of ours since we moved into the area three years ago. Its modern decor is stylish and friendly service makes every visit a pleasure.

On the menu, you'll find all of the classic Thai dishes, including curries, noodles and more. Be sure to check out the daily specials for the chef's freshest creations.

For starters, we love the fresh rolls. Chilled rolls of shrimp, vermicelli, vegetables and fresh mint are wrapped in a rice paper and served with crushed peanuts and a sweet dipping sauce. Another winner is the crispy duck salad. A flaky, light wonton bowl is filled with fresh lettuce, apple slices, red onion, and strips of crispy duck then tossed in a spicy-sweet dressing. The grilled beef salad is equally good. The calamari salad can be a bit chewy.

Other winning appetizers include satay, curry puffs and an occasional special of fried calamari and shrimp, both lightly battered and served with a sweet plum dipping sauce.

Move onto the entrees and there's plenty to choose from. Our favorites are green curry with chicken (beef or shrimp are also available) and Mussaman curry with beef. The green curry is spicy and sweet, and full of tender white meat chicken and loads of fresh veggies including bok choy, Thai eggplants, peppers, bamboo shoots and more. Served in a beautiful white bowl with a side of steamed rice, it'll warm you and fill you! The Mussaman curry is less spicy and includes potatoes, plenty of tender beef, chunks of tomato, peanuts and fresh avocado.

For noodle lovers, Pad Thai is outstanding and the drunken noodles are spicy and full of fresh meat and seafood.

Splash of Thai also offers a wide range of fish and seafood dishes. The most outstanding we've tried is the Three flavor Red Snapper. When ordering, select the whole fish for dramatic presentation. The whole fish is fried in a very light batter and served with a spicy tamarind sauce. Always cooked perfectly, this is one of my all-time favorite fish dishes.

For dessert, Splash of Thai specializes in made-to-order chocolate souffle.

On all but our most recent visit, we've opted to eat in, but take-out is available. Portions are as big as what you get in the restaurant and the food was ready and hot when they said it would be.

Note that the restaurant is BYOB, so bring your favorite bottle to enjoy with your meal. They also have a location in Somerville.