Euro Gourmet Market

[Rachel Perlow]

Last night at Finks, we got to talking to the couple next to us at the counter. They pointed us towards this Italian/Greek deli/catering store. They made it sound so good, we went there for lunch today. I don't think most people actually eat there as they only have one table, but there was room enough for us to eat our sandwiches. We had the two varieties of chicken bruschetta they had today. (Yeah, I know that bruschetta is actually the bread, and they probably know this too, but in this case it means the Italian salsa thing on top of a breaded chicken breast, whatever.) They were great sandwiches, both with tomato & herbs, but one had sundried tomatoes & roasted pepper, the other had red onion & cheese. Both were fab and huge, we couldn't finish them and took half of each home.

The reason we probably couldn't finish our lunch may also have to do with their sampling "policy." Not really a policy so much as a way of life. Ask about anything and you'll get a taste. We got a tour of the fridge too, to see the homemade butter that comes as a byproduct of the homemade mozzarella. You know how some (OK) storemade mozzarellas suffer from the salt? The unsalted has no flaver, the salted has too much? Well their's is perfect. Just enough salt to bring out the sweetness in the milk. Delicious. The cookies look like they came from somewhere else, but they insisted that Mama made them. We saw Mama peeking out from the back when we were checking out -- we've got to bring the camera here next time we go.

We bought way too much. You don't want to know how much we spent. I didn't want to know. But they have everything you might be looking for, and nothing has prices on it, but it's all the best, so you truly get what you pay for. David Corcoran wrote about it in the NYT about 5 years ago, but somehow it's never been talked about on eGullet.

Has anyone else been? Tell us what we shouldn't miss next time we go.

Euro Gourmet Market

598 Broadway

Norwood, NJ 07648

201-767-3322 phone

201-767-9802 fax

[Jason Perlow]

These people are ex-Arthur Avenue shopowners (they sold their place 5 years ago and moved to Norwood) and they are ethnically Greek but they are from Italy. So not only do they have all the great Italian stuff, but they also got homemade baklava, homemade sausages... home made cannolis.. etc etc... you name it they got it. Insane dried pasta selection, frozen homemade ravioli, all kinds of olive oils and vinegars... home made cakes and cookies and marzipan...

[Wiener]

Based on the selection you mentioned, sounds like these owners are from Sicily. Having just returned from Sicily, I am on the hunt for some authentic Sicilian foods. Hope they are open this weekend.

[Rachel Perlow]

I'm sure they'll be open, but you may want to call first if there's something specific you want. Whatever we mentioned desiring, they basically said, "call us, we'll make it for you."

[pnapoli]

Thanks for the tip Rachel! Sounds like a cool place to check out

[Double 0]

I was in the area on Fri., so I stopped in for a sandwich. After being offered and tasting everything inthe store I wound up getting a great meatball sub, some spicey meat and cheese salad,grilled vegetables, a super macaroni salad, vodka sauce, tahini, pesto bread, homemade butter, and a great rice ball . I dropped this stuff off at home and my kids and their freinds devoured it all that night .One note on this place; DO NOT GO HUNGARY and LEAVE YOUR WALLET HOME! Refuse all all samples unless you want to take a second mortgage on your home. Everything I tried was good and there is no prices on any prepared food ( always dangerous). This place reminded me of Dante's in River Edge.

[Rachel Perlow]

My credit card feels your pain. But, it's so good, I'm also hearing the siren's call. Did you tell them we sent you? They're supposed to call us when they are making the mozzarella so we can go and take pictures.

BTW, that homemade butter is clarified, nearly 100% butterfat. I melted it and there was barely any foam and no liquid that wasn't golden.

[Double 0]

.

BTW, that homemade butter is clarified, nearly 100% butterfat. I melted it and there was barely any foam and no liquid that wasn't golden.

That explains the strange look and consistancy. I wish that it wasn't salted, even though i like the flavor. I did mention my "connection" with you guys.

[menton1]

This place reminded me of Dante's in River Edge.

It souinds much better than Dante's. Dante's makes enormous, good value sandwiches, but the prepared food is so-so. Much of it has way too much oil, and also alot of their stuff is commercially prepared, not homemade.

[Jason Perlow]

I'd reccomend cooking with the butter and not eating it straight. Its great with eggs and for saute dishes.

[menton1]

This place reminded me of Dante's in River Edge.

It souinds much better than Dante's. Dante's makes enormous, good value sandwiches, but the prepared food is so-so. Much of it has way too much oil, and also alot of their stuff is commercially prepared, not homemade.

Now Jerry's, in Englewood, has GREAT prepared food in the showcases!!

[Jason Perlow]

I'd put this place on par with Jerry's or even a bit higher for some items. They are much smaller, but they are highly selective of the types of provisions they get, and their stuff is as fresh as can be. And unlike Jerry's, no huge lines and easy parking. They apparently do a lot of catering.

[Double 0]

I mentioned Jerry's to the owners and they they complimented their provisions (which I think are vastly supperior) but thought that their cooked foods were much better (i've got to reserve judgement, I only got to taste a little bit ). The one thing I did taste head to head is the Vodka sauce and I've got to give it to Euro Gourmet.

[menton1]

Made it over to this place last weekend. The first thing I noticed is that the place seems large and half-empty. Actually too big a space for the merchandise they carry. Some canned goods were in the center of the store on small wire fixtures. The jars and cans were all quite dusty, which is a turn-off, and also means they don't sell a lot of them (they shoud dust, though)

Some family members were congregated at a table in the window playing cards. A woman behind the counter engaged us in conversation, letting us taste some things. No prices on anything, you have to ask. We tried the Sausage & Pepper, $9/lb., the antipasto salad, $9/lb., the Tabouli, $7/ lb.., and the Potato Salad, $6/lb. We bought all of these to take home, hard to tell how they are from a small taste. The woman was a bit too aggressive for our tastes, she kept calling us by "Miss" and "Mister", which got to be a bit annoying.

On the real tasting at home, the Sausage & Pepper and the Antipasto were tasty but had way too much oil. The oil was either a corn or canola type.(Not an olive oil) The Tabouli was better, and the Potato salad was excellent. But at $7 and $6/lb respectively, they are way overpriced. I've never paid $6/lb for Potato salad, even in the best gourmet shops in the city.

So all in all, between the dusty cans and jars, the empty appearance, the over-aggressiveness, and the VERY high prices, this place was a disappointment. I'm going to stick to Jerry's. (Smaller lines between 2PM-5PM).

Edited June 25, 2003 by menton1 (log)