Triumph Brewing Company - Princeton, NJ

One of my first haunts in Princeton, the Brew Pub has been a part of my life for 15 years ever since its opening.  As a kid, knowing the owners, I would always be asked for my advice on their ice creams.  This place is a mixture of a bar and a restaurant, with a blend of students and townsfolk frequenting it.  

I will admit, when it comes to the food, I rarely change my order from a customary burger.  The burger has a nice bun and gives a good amount of meat.  It has always been pretty tasty, and while the fries have undergone many changes, they are currently okay.

This time, however, I actually ventured out and got the wings while there for a few drinks with a friend.  The wings were decent, although a little lightly sauced.  The sauce was not bad either but it might be a bit hot for those who do not enjoy spicy food.

One thing I always loved about the Brew Pub was its great bartenders, who I always knew well and were very personable.  Unfortunately, in recent years, the bartenders have gone way downhill.  They are there, it seems, to simply pour drinks with little interaction or care for the customers.  Sitting at a high top not actually at the bar though, we had a very good server.  Despite the overall decline in service, for those who enjoy trying different types of beer, especially microbrews, I would suggest stopping by.  The spot has a great decor and is usually enjoyable.

Wings

Meat: 7

Sauce: 6

Sauce Amount: 4 (Had to ask for an extra side)

Overall: 6

Jimmy John's - College Park, MD + Chain

Jimmy John's is a quick sandwich joint that is predominantly in college towns, but does have restaurants across the country.  If you are in a hurry, Jimmy John's is the place to go as they quickly make the sandwiches in front of you, getting you in and out quicker than a trip to McDonald's.  Even the delivery takes about 10 minutes, while most places take roughly an hour.

The prices for a 9 inch sub are around $5, which is pretty reasonable.  The subs are your classic lunchmeat sandwiches with Jimmy John's homemade bread.  The bread is soft and light.  I got my Turkey Tom without sprouts, tomatoes, and mayo while adding oil and vinegar and onions.  The turkey was very light in consistency and almost melted in your mouth.  They apply just the right combination of  toppings to the turkey.  Overall, the sandwich, while simple is extremely good and one of my favorite dishes in College Park.  It is pretty light though and I have no trouble polishing off two sandwiches usually.

Bread: 9
Meat: 9
Overall: 9

Metro North - Princeton, NJ

For a long time the Rusty Scupper occupied a spot on Alexander Road in Princeton, before finally shutting down and lying vacant for a couple years.  Recently, a restaurant called Metro North opened up, taking the place of the former Rusty Scupper.

Metro North had a nice decor on the inside, giving a warm, fireplace type of feeling.  However, at lunch, it was fairly empty and the bartender and staff seemed more intent on preparing for the dinner crowd than attending to the few customers who were there during the daytime.  The bar, though small, had a nice setup and the place seemed like it would be nice for an older crowd to give to sip some whiskey with friends later in the evening.

My dad ordered one of the bar specials, a gyro, which he found to be very good.  I went with the chicken piccata.  Most chicken piccata's have a different preparation, with some having a more butter based sauce and some featuring a more lemon based sauce.  This featured a stronger lemon flavor, giving the dish a bit of a sour tinge.  The dish was slightly above average, but overall with the lack of personal attention and seemingly unconcerned staff, Metro North failed to stand out.



Chicken Piccata: 6
Staff: 4
Decor: 7.5
Overall Experience: 5

Chuck's Spring Street Cafe - Princeton, NJ

As a visitor, one would never expect Chuck's Spring Street Cafe to be one of the best restaurants in Princeton.  It is off the main streets in a little place that might otherwise resemble a boutique store.  At one point owned by one of the infamous Menendez brother, Chuck's seems to have a bit of a cult following.

While some may come in and look at the menu, trying to decide what to order, I have one simple suggestion to make....DON'T!  Sure, they may offer other items, but everyone in the know sticks to the wings.  As with all wings, the key to a great wing is a great sauce.  Ensure that the wing is fully covered in sauce in order to maximize the flavor of this delicious treat.

While some prefer an extra meaty wing, I like one that provides enough meat while making sure each bite contains a lot of sauce.  Chuck's wings do just that and believe me, the sauce is delicious.  The sauce has a good consistency and can easily be applied thoroughly to the wings.  It has a great classic buffalo flavor while offering some heat, but not being too overpowering.  While I cannot put my finger on exactly what makes this sauce so unique and special, I can tell you that it is the best sauce I have ever had and one that I always miss when away from home.

Meat: 7
Sauce: 10
Overall: 10

P.S.  I know that I have given a lot of high ratings so far but that is because I am home for a limited time and visiting my favorite spots (thus resulting in the high grades across the board).  With more experimentation, the grades will be sure to even out a bit.

Blogs To Come Within The Next Few Days

I am a little behind on the restaurants I need to write reviews for but expect entries from the following places within the next few days....

Tastee Sub Shop (Turkey Hoagie)
Tony Luke's (Cheesesteak & Roast Pork Sandwich)
Bobby Flay Steakhouse (Steak)

Cranbury Pizza - Cranbury, NJ

Cranbury Pizza is a place that I frequented a bit during my time as an intern this summer.  The town of Cranbury is quite small and there are few options to eat in the little village itself (though the surrounding areas offer many choices).

Upon walking in this little pizza place, you immediately get a very close connection between the staff and the customers.  The cashier was greeting a girls ballet class that must frequent the spot, knowing them by name as if it was a daily routine.  He was very friendly and reminded me of a classic, talkative Italian.

Despite not expecting the food to be all that good, it surprises for the better.  The pizza features a good blend of cheese and sauce with a crust that lets you know you are eating a Jersey-style slice.  While featuring a small amount of grease, it is not too much to repulse, but instead add to the flavor.  In addition to my slice, I got a half turkey hoagie which was beyond enough food.  The sandwich required a wide stretch of the mouth, but the bread combined with the turkey, lettuce, onions, and oil & vinegar was just right for the classic favorite.  Cranbury Pizza does not do much to give a special spin on a pizza or hoagie, but that is just fine.  These are two items that do not require much differentiation in order to deliver a satisfying meal.

Pizza: 7
Turkey Hoagie: 7

DeLorenzo's - Trenton, NJ

Another place I have been going to ever since I was a kid is DeLorenzo's.  Having grown up a bit in Trenton, my Dad knew and introduced me to this small hole-in-the-wall.  However, if you frequent Zagat it is likely you already know about DeLorenzo's.  I must warn those that do not know Trenton well that it is far from a safe neighborhood, but there is almost always a cop sitting outside DeLorenzo's to ensure you reach your car safely.

The place is very no frills.  You can bring your own beer or wine, seat yourself.  Their kitchen is the pizza oven you see and the menu consists of one thing...pizza.  This cash-only establishment is open from 4 until 9 Wednesday through Sunday and always has the same staff working.  The staff can be a bit gruff to a non-Jersey native, but you are there for the food, not the experience.

Although one may be quick to call DeLorenzo's a mere pizza, regulars know it as a tomato pie.  The difference between the two is that a tomato pie follows a more Sicilian style and features a heavier dosage of tomato sauce to cheese.

The pies are phenomenal! The crust is very thin and crispy, but not too heavy that it will fill you up easily, allowing you to consume slice after slice of this delicious pizza.  The tomato sauce tastes very natural and does not resemble some Ragu-type sauce just lathered onto the pie.  The tomato flavor is what really makes this pizza outstanding.  The cheese complements the tomato sauce perfectly, leaving this tomato pie flawless.

Crust: 7
Tomato Sauce: 10
Cheese: 8
Overall Combination: 10

Conte's - Princeton, NJ

Growing up in Princeton, Conte's was always the pizza place that my family frequented while I was a child.  A casual, local place, we would frequently go there following Little League games.  We would always sit at the bar to order our pizza pies.

Of late, I had noticed a slight decrease in quality of the pies at Conte's.  This led our family to not make it there as much as in the past.  However, it was nice to see our old favorite bartender Dave tending the bar upon our return.

The best thing about Conte's actually comes before the pizza.  Although many people overlook it at a pizza place, it would be unwise to do so.  I'm talking about their house salad.  It is truly delicious!  In fact, I will even go as far as saying it is easily the best salad I have ever had.  Trust me, give it a shot!

We placed an order for two large pizzas, one sausage and garlic, the other plain.  The sausage on the sausage and garlic was pretty good, but the garlic was too thick for my tastes.  Nevertheless, this was a pretty good pie.  The plain had a light seasoning on it and a good amount of cheese.   As for the bread, the crust was a thin, crunchy style crust.  Overall, the flavor of the pizza was pretty decent and I would give Conte's a generally favorable review.

Crust: 5
Cheese: 7
Sauce: 7
Overall: 6

Mediterra - Princeton, NJ

Mediterra is a nicely decorated Mediterranean-food themed restaurant.  The staff is quite friendly and given Princeton's wealth of upscale restaurants, this ranks as one of the most popular.

We went specifically with one item on the menu in mind: the paella.  The dish came out well prepared.  Unfortunately, compared to other paellas I have had it ranked in the lower tier.  Given that not many restaurants in the area offer paella, it left the options limited.

While the paella offered a good amount of meat and shellfish, the overall flavor was lacking and there was not enough juice in the dish.  The lack of juice was a problem that really impacted the dish as the clams and mussels were fairly bland.  The shrimp also lacked flavor and tasted more like cocktail shrimp.  Some may enjoy their shrimp big, but I prefer mine bite size leaving them entirely too big for my taste.

I also disliked the preparation of the chorizo given that they were chopped up.  I am a big fan of sliced chorizo so by doing them that way, the dish would have been given a minor improvement.  The chicken in the dish was fine, but the rice was too rough and crunchy.

Given that rice is a key component of any paella and the lack of juice in the dish, I left a bit disappointed in the paella.  The restaurant would be a great place to grab a glass of wine or a beer with a friend, but our dinner was a bit lacking.

Overall Rating: 3.5

Hoagie Haven - Princeton, NJ

Ah, the infamous Hoagie Haven!  Growing up in Princeton, this little takeout spot was a landmark for nearly everyone, but especially students.  During my high school days, I ate at Haven almost every day, with a rotating set of options so in reviewing these different meals, I will know that one outstanding meal is not a fluke.

As an outsider, you might not think to eat at Haven unless it has been suggested by a local, but you will be glad you did afterward.  The inside is not at all fancy, yet has remained a type of nostalgic classic setup, although there have been some recent additions that make it feel more modern such as a TV and the techno music that has been known to echo through the speakers at night.

As a high school student, one thing I loved about Haven was the fact that you could always go there and see someone you knew, be it the friendly staff who always recognize you or one of your friends, who are likely to eat at Haven as consistently as the fact that the sun rises each day in the east.  No matter the time of day, you can always look in and find someone placing an order at the counter.  Peak times can draw a line that may extend out the door, but when in a hurry, it is easy enough to call in the order.  The place has always been a great meeting spot, with people eating on the benches outside and anyone who spent their high school years getting a wave from someone on the staff frequently upon entering.  The crew of cooks are very friendly and will do anything to meet your requests.  They also waste no time in pumping orders out, making multiple orders at a time while screaming the common phrases "NEXT?!" and "SaltPeppaKetchaHotSauce"to determine what you want to adorn your sandwich.

Set in a nice college town that usually shuts down fairly early with the exception of a couple bars (after midnight it is more common to see police cars than regular cars), it is relieving to know that Haven stays open pretty late.  In fact, they do not have a set closing time but rather go with how busy they tend to be night-by-night, with their website even listing "Late" as their closing time.

Being in Jersey, you know that the hoagies are destined to be good and sure enough they don't disappoint.  The sandwiches tend to be packed, requiring a bread that will hold it all.  This bread, from the Italian Peoples Bakery in Trenton, works perfectly for Haven's sandwiches.  The menu is endless, with options such as the Phat Lady, Sanchez, and Heart Stop among others offering a gut busting combination meal all inside the sandwich.  More on those later.  Additionally, you can have them throw pretty much anything you can think of together if they have the ingredients.  Maybe you can even get your own sandwich created if your combo works!  Just bring some cash as they don't take credit cards, though there is an ATM machine if needed.

Given my numerous visits I will provide a breakdown on a number of their menu items.  One thing to note is that, while using the same bread for each hoagie, I may give different ratings on the bread based on how they impact (or work for) that particular sandwich.

Let's start out with a simple cheeseburger.  The burger is not all that big (maybe 6 ounces) and is one of the few menu items that comes with a bit more bun than meat.  Nevertheless, this burger is pretty good though I would not mind a little more meat to it.  Unfortunately, my phone broke right before I could snap a picture of this so you will just have to imagine it.  I got mine with minimal condiments, just a bit of ketchup which while I often avoid ketchup on burgers works well for Haven.

Meat: 6

Bread: 6.5

Cheese: 6

Condiments: 7.5

Overall: 7

The first dish I ever ordered at Haven was a turkey sub and I have to tell you, it is pretty good.  Sure, it is a simple item to make but I always love it.  The bread is great and that is always a key to the sandwich.  I usually get mine with lettuce, onions and oil & vinger,  but thew on some salt and pepper as well as tomatoes this time.  Simple sandwich and no toppings overpowering the other.

Meat: 8
Bread: 8.5

Condiments: 8.5

Overall: 8

Phat Lady: Today I ordered one of my favorites at Hoagie Haven.  Similar to the Fat Sandwiches at Rutgers, the Phat Lady stuffs mozzarella sticks and fries inside the hoagie along with a cheesesteak.  It also comes with your choice of ketchup, hot sauce, sanchez sauce, or whatever combination of sauce you could think of.  Personally, I went with hot sauce and a touch of sanchez today.  Although it may sound disgusting to some, everyone who tries the sandwich tends to love it.  While not a fan of Haven's cheesesteak by itself, the combination in the Phat Lady is delicious.  The sauce prevents it from being too dry and while the taste is not quite as good as the similar Sanchez, which replaces the cheesesteak with chicken cutlet, the Phat Lady is not as oversized and allows for better bite-sized pieces.  All in all a terrific sandwich, and one of my recommendations.

Bread: 9
Sauces: 8
Cheesesteak: 4.5
Fries/Mozz Sticks: 7
Overall: 10

In my high school days, I followed a rotation of frequently eaten sandwiches, one of them being the chicken parm.  This sandwich features a nicely fried piece of chicken along with a think layer of marinara sauce that proves it is indeed a chicken parm while not overwhelming the sandwich with it.  A few slices of cheese then get melted on top of the sandwich to create a really great hoagie.

Chicken: 8.5
Bread: 8
Marinara: 8
Cheese: 7
Overall: 8

MORE FOOD ITEMS TO COME FROM HOAGIE HAVEN!!! KEEP CHECKING BACK!!

Old World Pizza - Princeton, NJ

As a high school student, Old World Pizza represented my first dabble into the restaurant business.  Unfortunately, due to an allergic reaction to the rising of the bread, it was short lived.  While I lasted only a week or so, I did pick up a few things along the way.

Situated next to the famed Hoagie Haven, Old World does not get anywhere near as much business as its next door neighbor.  In a state well-known for pizza, Old World offers a different style than the traditional "Jersey Pies."

Old World Pizza runs slightly on the expensive side, but they use better quality ingredients than many pizza places, including a special imported cheese.  Based on looking at the pizza, it might look sloppily thrown together or clumpy, but the blend of the cheese and tomato sauce works fairly well.  While some bites may be mostly tomato sauce, the sauce it very flavorful.

When it comes to crust, everyone has their own preferences.  Old World is probably not my favorite style, but the crust definitely delivers.  Despite lacking much of a crunch, except for several bites, the bread is fairly soft, but the flavor is outstanding.  My best description would be to call it very doughy with a touch of sourdough flavor.

Although Old World is not the best pizza in the area, it is definitely passable and provides a unique flavor that some could call a gourmet twist on a classic favorite.  The owner, Tom, is pretty friendly and if the line at Haven is too long when in a hurry you could do a lot worse than giving Old World a shot.

Cheese: 6
Sauce: 7.5
Crust: 7.5
Overall: 7

Geno's Steaks - Philadelphia, PA

For my first blog, I was in Philadelphia for New Years Eve so I went to my favorite cheesesteak place, Geno's.  While many debate the best cheesesteaks in Philly, my personal perference is the ultra-American Geno's.

One thing that I love about Geno's is the hours of operation.  Given that I went on New Years Eve, one might expect Geno's to be closed, especially given the fact that the cross-street rival Pat's was not serving.  Instead, the hardworking Geno's staff is open 24/7/365, ensuring that I can always get my favorite cheesesteak and that the neighborhood is always aglow thanks to the massive neon signs adorning the outside of this landmark spot.

Although the lines tend to differ depending on when you go, we hit a peak time and the line wrapped partway around the block.  However, the system of serving up the cheesesteaks helps the line move along at a rapid pace so it only took us about 25 minutes to get to the window.

Upon arriving at the window, you notice the bumper stickers they have posted illustrating their support for police, ordering in English, and contempt for anything un-American.  The  establishment is cash only and they prefer you to order a specific way, stating simply the type of cheese first and then "wit" or "witout" onions.  Thats it.  Don't bother asking for mushrooms, lettuce, or any other silly condiments on a true Philly cheesesteak.  You can, however, add a few limited condiments yourself after getting your food.  The service is not exceptionally welcoming, but the setup is built to get the customer their food promptly so that is not a major detractor.  Geno's is also a cash-only place, so don't expect to come with just a credit card in hand.

The variety on the menu is limited to cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches with fries, cheese fries and sodas available at a separate window, but come on, when your going to Geno's, everyone is getting a cheesesteak.  The prices are not cheap, with a cheesesteak costing $8.50 and a cup of cheese fries putting you back $4.50.  

My girlfriend and I ordered a cup of cheese fries to eat while waiting in line.  Given our hunger and the thick coating of cheese, we downed these in no time.  I cannot tell for sure if it was my hunger and anticipation but I felt that the fries were great.  We then went on to order our cheesesteaks, her getting a Whiz With, while I ordered a Whiz Without.  One thing I love about Geno's Steaks is the fact that they offer whiz, a cheese that too few restaurants offer outside of Philly.  The cheese was nice and gooey like whiz should be and though it could have stood to be a little heavier on the cheese, the mixture of cheese, bread, and meat really worked.


Although I do not usually like grilled onions, Geno's makes it work well on the cheesesteak.  The onions were placed on the grill but hardly grilled giving them a nice crunch that worked well on the cheesesteak.  The meat was well prepared using nice, thinly sliced ribeye pieces (not chopped up though) with a little bit of fat on it to give it some juice and flavor.    


The bread was the biggest difference between a Philly cheesesteak and a cheesesteak from elsewhere.  Delivered from up the street, the amoroso rolls they use do not overpower the sandwich by being too thick but instead offer a soft roll that is at the same time firm enough to handle the cheesesteak.  The sandwich really comes together with a perfect blend of meat, cheese, and a terrific bread roll.  Everyone has their favorite cheesesteak place, but mine is definitely Geno's topping its cross-street rival Pat's King of Steaks.  That being said, look for blog reports on some of the other well known Philly cheesesteak joints in the future.


Ratings:
Meat: 7.5
Bread: 10
Cheese: 9
Cost: 6
Overall Combination: 10