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: Pithari Taverna

For fabulous Greek food, you could hop a flight to Santorini or Crete, but why not grab your GPS and head to Highland Park, New Jersey? Pithari Taverna is the real thing. The owner, Tassos Stefanopoulos, will welcome you into the casual restaurant, which is decorated in traditional Greek blue and white. Take a peek into the open kitchen where the chef really is Greek!

When you're seated, you'll be served a selection of olives in garlicky extra virgin olive oil and a basket of fresh warm pita cut into triangles. Don't miss dipping the pita into the oil! The menu at Pithari is extensive, offering all of the traditional Greek dishes you'd expect.

For starters, we've tried a number of options, but there are two we never miss. The grilled octopus is other-worldly - there's a reason the menu boasts, "We are famous for it!" Served in a shallow copper pot, three tantalizing tentacles in a simple mixture of olive oil, red wine vinegar and dried oregano will leave you begging for more. If you've never tried octopus or think you won't like it, forget your fears of this eight-armed creature and order this appetizer! Tender, juicy, and extremely mild, it's not to be missed.

Our other favorite is saganaki. Kefalograviera, a dense Greek cheese, is lightly batted and then fried. Served on a sizzling platter, drizzle it with a bit of lemon and eat pieces of it on the pita. A little salty, a little chewy, and a lot cheesy, it's a great start to a meal and a crowd-pleaser.

You'll notice that the list of entrees is quite lengthy. Broken into a few categories, there's something for everyone. The first group are traditional Greek specialties, things like Moussaka, Pastitsio, Spanikopita, several lamb preparations and more. Under that is a section of Souvlaki and Gyro offerings. I don't typically order chicken in restaurants, but the chicken souvlaki is tender, juicy and packed with flavor. Served with tzatziki and your choice of starch (get the lemon potatoes), it's a simple, yet hearty meal perfectly prepared.

On the next page you'll find grilled offerings and seafood entrees. Fresh fish is a specialty at Pithari and they always have some Mediterranean fish available. You might find red mullet, porgy, orato and more, all imported fresh!

On our most recent visit, I tried a new dish while my husband went for an old favorite he hadn't tried in awhile. His dish, Arni Fricase, is a hearty stew of lamb, Greek artichoke hearts and dill in a lemon egg sauce. For a stew, the sauce is lighter than you might think. Definitely rich, the lemon lightens the taste and dill adds a unique flare!

I opted for Arni Kokkinisto Makaronada. This one had chunks of lamb as well, but the sauce was tomato based and it was served over a bed of homemade pasta, similar to a bucatini. Between lamb and pasta, I found bits of feta and they also gave me some grated Greek cheese to sprinkle on top. The lamb simply melted in your mouth and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The portion was huge so we took half home (especially after saganaki and octopus).

Sadly, I had no room left for my favorite dessert. Galaktomboureko is made from layers of fillo topped with a silky custard and more fillo. The whole thing is drizzled with Greek honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Few desserts are this good. Period. (I've been known to get one to-go if I'm too full!) Authentic Greek coffee is a great companion to this lush dessert.

Pithari Taverna is a restaurant we visit again and again. We've brought family and friends there and all return for more. Authentic Greek food in a casual setting with a gracious host - who could ask for more!?

Restaurant review: Ginger Sushi

Sushi has not always been one of my favorite foods. In fact until I ventured out with my former roommates from college after we graduated, I wouldn't touch the stuff. Now, my husband and I are on a first name basis with the people at Ginger Sushi in Fanwood, NJ. It helps that this little spot is only about a minute from our house, but even if I lived farther away, I'd drive for this sushi.

Over the past two years, we've tried a number of menu items. They offer an extensive sushi menu as well as hot Japanese dishes from the kitchen. For starters, the avocado salad is a classic with the creamy ginger dressing. Their miso soup is also very good.

For the more adventurous, try the garlic storm. You'll smell it about a mile away. Thin slices of raw red snapper are arranged on a plate and then a brilliant mix of hot olive oil and garlic are poured over it. The hot oil cooks the fish just a tad and the garlic transforms it into something sublime. There's also a seared tuna appetizer with a special sauce that's amazing. The chef lightly sears the tuna and then smothers it with a sauce that has onion, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and some other goodies. I would eat the sauce with a spoon given the chance.

For sushi, we tend to stick with the rolls. They offer a number of different tiers - regular rolls are just that: a number of fish and veggie options. Simple things like spicy tuna and salmon avocado. Try the spicy shrimp. Yum!

The next level includes shrimp tempura rolls, Philadelphia rolls and other favorites.

But turn the page. This is what it's all about. The Ginger special rolls are 10 piece rolls and each is practically a meal in itself. Two of these and a couple of spicy shrimp rolls mean dinner for me and Jeff. Spice-fiends that we are, we almost always choose rolls with spicy something or other. The Spicy girl has spicy tuna and spicy salmon inside and fresh tuna and salmon on the outside. Delish! My favorite of late is the Spicy Crunchy Hamachi roll: inside is spicy yellowtail, avocado and cucumber and outside is fresh yellotail and crunch with a nice drizzle of spicy sauce. The Jumbo Spider roll is also always delicious - the softshell crab is always cooked to perfection. Another new favorite is the S.T. roll. This one is defined by a unique outside of lightly seared tuna - Chef Kim sears it with a blowtorch and then wraps it around the roll. Yum!

We're usually too full for dessert, but we do love the special citron tea they offer. It's a refreshing fruity drink that's as good as any dessert!

Ginger sushi is BYO (note well, if you have an extra sip of wine in your bottle, offer Chef Kim a glass!)If you live in the Fanwood area and like sushi - go see Mr. Kim at Ginger Sushi. It's always fresh and always delicious. And did I mention that they usually give you a sample of their signature fried California roll and the meal ends with a yummy moshi ice cream and fresh orange sections?