rockhopper

There is a recipe here

This is currently my favorite Thai place. Thanks for the photos. There are quite a number of Thai restaurants in SNJ. I think Somsak was one of the first. In the Acme strip maul near what was the Ritz 16 in voorhees is a very good restaurant too - but I can't remember the name exactly - Bangcock city? Siri's across from Wegman's is good but not straight ahead Thai. Thai Orchid in Marlton near Joe's Peking Duck was great but they changed hands and I've not tried the new place. Anyone?

My first time at Alfred's I told him that I had DeLo's every friday for about 10 years in the 90s. He is friends with them and picked up tips on making the pie. Yes it's cut the same weird way. For comparision with the same crappy phonecam here is a DeLo's tomato pie with mushrooms. and here is Mrs Rockhopper watching the kentucky derby while eating it: That lady at the cash register has been there forever. And she remembers you even if you haven't been back for a while.

Ok, so we went to get a hollywood tan pizza on saturday. On Venuto's website they list "West Deptford" as their only open store. Google maps and Mapquest call it Woodbury. I wrote to the address at Venuto's to let them know and the email bounced back. So it's just a few miles south of Woodbury on 45 and it's on the right. It looks like an ex-McDonald's. It was saturday around 3 and we were the only ones there. At first we thought they were closed. It is indeed a fast food atmosphere. You go to the counter and a high school kid will take your order. Credit cards accepted. The guy we had was very nice. There are a few paleolithic pizzas in a display case so you can see what the menu looks like - or get just a slice. So I got their "flagship" pizza. Michelangelo I think; tomato sauce and cheese. Here it is: Pardon the crappy phonecam quality. They bring it to the table on a pedestal. Here's an upskirt: Not especially browned. And a side view The pie was indeed thin. The outer crust was crisp to the point of being cracker like. The rest of the pie was sad. Very floppy. You can't tell from the photo but it was undercooked; even a pie that thin they managed to get that uncooked dough layer. The cheese was a bit salty and it was stringy so if you're looking for the TV commercial experience; you'll get it. The sauce was essentially slightly thinned tomato paste without much other flavor. No actual tomatoes in sight for those of you who don't like that. The verdict. I'd eat it again but I won't wait in line more than 5 minutes nor drive out of my way to get it. I think they don't really get the thin crust concept you would get in a place like the now defunct Rocco's in Trenton. The vibe was fast food from the surroundings to the product. For the same price I'd rather go to Alfred's Tomato Pie and get a superior product in nicer surroundings where the vibe is expert pizzaiolo who cares about his product. It's even sliced like a DeLorenzo's pie. And he provides a restroom for the customers.

Perplexed? I suppose the reason is that the sushi chef is skilled; that Matt doesn't have to be behind the bar for one to get a superior meal. I've eaten there several times and have been very happy each time and will return again. I've traveled frequently to Japan and am not a tyro. A few of the posts on this thread really reached the limit of foodier-than-thou arrogance - not to mention cluelessness wondering why wasabi was in nigiri. I suggest that you give it a try. Compare it to other sushi places you think are terrific and let us know your opinion.

That's because you apparently haven't tried Delorenzo's tomato pie in Trenton yet ← I live further from Trenton now than I did before. I may never try Delorenzo's. ← Trust me, it's worth the drive. Better than any pie I've tasted in PA or NJ hands down. ← Really close to DeLo's Hudson tomato pie is Alfred's Tomato Pie in Blackwood which is less of a hike for southerners; and in a much better neighborhood. I was just there a week ago and Tony Luke was also there having pies. The menu: tomato pie. Want something else? Gotta go someplace else. (I'm usually leery of places with menus that read like war and peace). It's also just a guy - Alfred - and his son; not some chain with visions of empire and a conveyor belt. But in fairness, I'll try Venuto's.

My initial confusion is was that NJ monthly meant New Jersey instead of North Jersey. The only places included in the real south (pardon me but princeton is not in south jersey) were along the shore; a north jersey pov. How many places in cumberland, salem, gloucester, camden, burlington counties were included? 0.

Agreed. Christos gets my vote for best food truck in the city. Go for the platter which includes the falafel but also all the sides he makes along with souvlaki. A bit expensive for a food truck but the food is great. I wait in line even in the middle of January.

Appears that slutterfly is doing the same kicking. A password is required to just view them. SW used to be just a truck in the parking lot. High quality 'cue that we would eat a few blocks away in the park. Haven't been back since she got "walls". Looks like it's still good.

Mack and Manco's pizza. Long Long lines to get it. Best eaten on the beach while hot. and here is the obligatory upskirt.

I was visiting a new English shop in my hometown of Haddonfield, NJ. when I encountered the following products on the shelf. Most of us are familiar with Chocolate. Treacle is a "vocabulary word" for us but not so unusual except on menus here. But what on earth could that third one be? Reminds me of Coca Cola's slogan "Drink Coca Cola" translated into Mandarin but with the wrong tones coming out as "Bite the wax tadpole", or why the Chevy No Va didn't sell well in Mexico or why Vick's of vaporub fame had to modify the name in Germany. Or even the the confusion of the bloke who suggested to the American woman that he "knock her up" in the morning.

A new place named Dixie Picnic on 8th near the boredwalk. I had their ribs Good by Shore standards, Mediocre by Southern NJ standards. If you want good ribs go back in time a few years and visit the Kingfish on Route 40. Or lacking a time machine, Uncle Dewey's on Rt 40. Or any of those nameless places on the back roads where African American gentlemen set up half an oil drum and smoke the ribs all day. DP ribs were tasty. They were too tender - the kind of tender you get from parboiling. I didn't smell smoke around the place nor did I see a stack of wood outside so just accept them on their own terms. As a SNJ boy I don't "get" grilled corn. But since the corn was not NJ corn (yo, it's july so why not?) but rather that hogslop the rest of the country produces it was ok. Mushy like frozen corn on the cob but ok with the spice rub they offer. The Caesar salad was OK. I tasted no abominations like mustard. Mrs Rockhopper had the Cuban Pulled Pork Sandwich. It had a soft roll, avocado, grilled onions and tasted citrusy. It was very good. Praline green salad. It had candied pecans and a balsamic-ish dressing. Also good. Veggie of the day was asparagus. Also good. Could have used a few more spears. The Iced Tea was brewed and came with free refills. It tasted a lot like Red Rose tea - which is actually my favorite, Luzianne notwithstanding. Thankfully it was not "sweet tea" they offer in Dixie where you can feel your teeth melt with every gulp. Desert were their upsidedown cupcakes they call upcakes. Homemade icing was not too sweet as I feared. I had lemon, she had passion fruit. Very good. They were gone before I got the camera out. sorry. Nice atmosphere, a few wicker couches, a babbling brook in the middle etc. We'll go back. Not new but for a shore style hoagie try Voltaco's on West across from McNausea on 9th. They use "White House" style rolls they bake themselves. These photos are half of a small (we share) The contents are good but not overflowing like DiPascale's in Pennsauken which has the best hoagies in the surrounding 100 miles. (donning asbestos suit) The menu lists them as Subs and/or Hoagies. And/or ?

Since I had a train ride home, I didn't get anything bulky or perishable, but I did pick up a couple of items of odd Japanese food. First, curry (comfort food for the missus): Because nothing is more associated with "curry" than Vermont! ← In his Nov 12, 2006 column Rick Nichols wrote "I was taken aback a few years ago - perhaps it was because I'd just returned from a visit to Vermont - to find on the shelves of Maido, the Japanese grocery and lunch counter in Narberth, a dehydrated, boxed sauce mix called "Vermont Curry."" As weird as a time I saw a frozen pizza at Marks and Spencer in London that was "Cincinatti style". I have no idea what Cincinatti style pizza is; served on top of spaghetti with onions on top? (three way pizza?)

I like the juxtaposition of the photo with your first sentence So, what cheese did you get and how was it?

I like like the Italian sausage made at Arnie's.

Thank you all and also to Sandy and Capaneus (recovering from that thunderbolt?) who read my mind rather than my vague message and set the topic going in the right direction. My goal was indeed to send chesses that they cannot get in SF - local stuff from the delaware valley. I admitted my ignorance on the topic and as hoped you guys came through. I wasn't slamming DiBruno's. ParmReg - I'm never without a block - is wonderful but it can be bought in SF. My last visit to SF was a month ago and we visited the farmer's market at the ferry building. K actually bought some of the cowgirl cheese which is on her regular rotation. I've never head of Hendricks Farms. I'll check them out and perhaps youz will too. What is "Pennsylvania Noble"? Where is "Green Valley"?

I'd like to send a selection of chesses as a gift to friends in San Francisco. I looked at dibrunos.com and their "cheese gift baskets" are a bit disappointing - the usual suspects like parmigiano reggiano, provolone etc - and in the bigger baskets they don't select more chesses but just bigger chunks of the same. I suppose an option is to walk in, choose the chesses myself, box them up and ship fedex them hoping they won't melt. I'm not a runny/stinky cheese fan but one of my friends is ("if cheese doesn't stink it stinks") so my expertise in that area is thin and I'd need a cheese guru to help. Besides DiBruno's does anyone know another place that might be of more assistance?

Yes that's irritating when the location is left out by the poster. Very common though. Yes those pink Amazon associates "pink links" are annoying because the Amazon (egullet just links to it at the bottom of each page) javascript is very inaccurate. But egullet will make about 10 cents if you click and buy what is advertised. Your niece anecdote made me laugh out loud. thanks.

Bad news for ceviche fans. Pasion has closed. A chain steak house will replace it.

Thank you Maestro Fenton. I went to Sapporo East for dinner tonight and sat at the sushi bar. The food was surprisingly good for Harrisburg. Actually it was good sushi/sashimi for anywhere. What I had was very good but sitting at the bar shows you the other stuff that the chef can whip up. I think I'll go back Thursday night to get some of the things I saw whiz by me. I got there right after work around 5:15. By the time I left at 6:30 the place was packed. I'm used to mediocre grub and one good Indian meal on my business trips here. I'm glad to know about this place and will go back.

The takeout menu holder has an interesting message. Not only is the food tasty but it's good for kidney patients. All that water putting the fire out maybe.

Any good sushi near Harrisburg?

I tried their Roast Pork Italian. and Crappy Treo phonecam but you get the idea. More meat than Tony Luke's. More bread too. Less greens. S's meat is less spicy but the greens make up for it. Who wins? I would eat either if you put them in front of me

Well sir, if you had addressed me as a person instead of "some people" I would have replied that I've never had anything but a great sandwich at Nardi's deli. Not as good as Pascale's but still good. But they do have sout filly addytood. Ennywun got a problem wid dat?

They opened another place on the boredwalk; perhaps the business there is sustainable but not on nj ave?