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Southern Cooking in NJ

Rosie

By Rosie
in New Jersey: Dining

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Rosie

Rosie

Posted
Posted

Where do you go when you crave  southern cuisine? The NY Times Jersey Section 8/19 reviewed Delta's in New Brunswick and gave them a satisfactory review. We ate there once and were not impressed. We like Neicy's in South Orange.  Any other restaurants you can tell us about?

Rosalie Saferstein, aka "Rosie"

TABLE HOPPING WITH ROSIE

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Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

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Posted

Marva's Southern Cuisine in Bergenfield on Washington St. Primarily for ribs but their bbq chicken and their side dishes are very good.

I also mentioned Cubby Q's in Hackensack in a different thread.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

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kelly

kelly

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Actually , Marva's Southern is on Teaneck Road , Teaneck (same road as Jason mention, but by the armory ithe name changes from Washington Avenue to Teaneck Road.

It's a small purple building

201-837-9080

1287 Teaneck Road, Teaneck,

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Kim WB

Kim WB

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Speckle Red's in Trenton  was the Soul Food destination for years..a little hole in the wall take out place with a few picnic tables.  Collards with bacon grease, and catfish with some kind of spicy side sauce, tomato based ..also great fried okra.   I hear good things about Ruby's , On route 27 i(Somerset Street)n New Brunswick and I have had some "Southern gone upscale" dishes at Maxine's in Trenton as well. Which, incidently, is a very cool art deco place with a lot of promise.  Which also sums up the city of Trenton, as well!

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Kim WB

Kim WB

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Yes, Speckle Red's is gone...hencethe "was the destination"qualification at the start of the post...I've never found a more "earthy" place, or more sincere......I would have to  qualify between Southern and Soul...I hear good things about Delta's despite the review, but I also acknowledge that Delta;s is southern, Speckle Red's was soul/ I am a good 25 lbs overweight, and when Iwalked into his dive, Speckle Red would say.."Yo, you pretty white girl, what can we cook to fatten you up, sugar?"  You gotta love a man that appreciates abit of "love" on his women! LOL<<this is a true story!!!

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  • 1 year later...
Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

Posted
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Our latest southern/rib favorite is Fink's Funky Chicken and Ribs in River Edge, if you havent read the voluminous threads in the Jersey Board about it already.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

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Rail Paul

Rail Paul

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I'll add the Priory on West Market Street in Newark, a bit more upscale. Smothered pork chops, ribs, soups, greens, etc. About two minutes off the First street exit of I-280. Jazz brunch on Sundays.

Another Newark - Used to be a place around the corner from Rutgers, Palate Pleaser? where we got take out back in the 1980s.

Agree on Neicey's in South Orange.

There used to be a place on Bloomfield ave in Montclair, just east of Grove street, next to the tire place. Bulletproof partitions, superb chicken and ribs. Mississippi ribs or something like that. I don't think it's there any more.

There's another place down the block from Indigo in Montclair, maybe Rocky's west indian soul food, or somthing like that? On my list

Apparently it's easier still to dictate the conversation and in effect, kill the conversation.

rancho gordo

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  • 2 years later...
Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
Posted
Marva's on Teaneck Road, Teaneck has good authentic southern cooking

it is a take out place

Update: Marva's closed a couple of months ago, but there's already something new in it's place. Interestingly, the menu is pretty similar, but with less emphasis on soul/southern food.

Fat's Chicken & Rib Joint

1287 Teaneck Rd, Teaneck

201-862-0018

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  • 2 months later...
TMus1111

TMus1111

Posted
Posted (edited)

I see the posts on this thread are sporadic, but I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. I am always on the hunt for good soul food so, I can highly recommend Shack's in Elizabeth on E. Grand Street directly across from the police station, it is a take out/delivery place with 2 or 3 tables inside for dining. My son is addicted to their fried chicken and candied yams (only his grandmother makes better in his opinion). In Plainfield Rosie mentioned Freshwater's - it is a very nice restaurant with excellent food, and also in Plainfield is a more take out kind of place, Two Fish Five Loaves. In Newark, as a child my family ate from Stewart's on Lyons Avenue not far from Beth Israel Hospital, although this is a pretty tough neighborhood. More recently, we will go to John's which was opened by the son of the owner of Stewart's, also in Newark although I have never had a problem and visit it frequently.

Edited to add* Mo'Dish in Hillside, how could I forget. A small sitdown and take-out place, very visually appealling - they have very interesting seating/arrangement and have done a nice job making it seem cozy instead of small. Food is great and their corn muffins are killer.

Edited by TMus1111 (log)
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Curlz

Curlz

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Glad you floated this topic back up...I just saw Sweet Potato and Pecan when I was at Egan and Sons last weekend. Does anyone know if they're any good? A friend said she heard it was "real deal Southern cooking!"

"I'm not eating it...my tongue is just looking at it!" --My then-3.5 year-old niece, who was NOT eating a piece of gum

"Wow--this is a fancy restaurant! They keep bringing us more water and we didn't even ask for it!" --My 5.75 year-old niece, about Bread Bar

"He's jumped the flounder, as you might say."

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jb_973

jb_973

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Posted

TMus1111 - while driving through Orange the other night I spotted a place called Two Fish & Five Loaves on Scotland Road. Do you know if this is related to the one in Plainfield?

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Guest johnh91011

Guest johnh91011

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I have heard very good things about Heart & Soul in South Orange (on Academy Street). I must confess I have never eaten there. The chef planned to close the restaurant for the summer but the hue and cry on Maplewood Online (our town's happening website) got him to re open end of May. Apparently Chef Jesse also runs a catering business

Edited by johnh91011 (log)
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Rail Paul

Rail Paul

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Glad you floated this topic back up...I just saw Sweet Potato and Pecan when I was at Egan and Sons last weekend.  Does anyone know if they're any good?  A friend said she heard it was "real deal Southern cooking!"

SP&P is quite good. I'd describe it as Southern and Carribean food. They regularly have goat, oxtails, and lots of hot sauce available. As well as catfish, collards, etc. They are highly reliable for take-out: if they say fifteen minutes, they mean fifteen minutes. I believe the owner (forgot his name) is an accountant, originally from Jamaica. Not much space inside, maybe 2-3 tables.

Rocky's West Indian on the Avenue is also good

Apparently it's easier still to dictate the conversation and in effect, kill the conversation.

rancho gordo

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TMus1111

TMus1111

Posted
Posted (edited)
TMus1111 - while driving through Orange the other night I spotted a place called Two Fish & Five Loaves on Scotland Road. Do you know if this is related to the one in Plainfield

jb_973,

A friend just told me about the one in Orange about two weeks ago. The name is exactly the same, so I am sure there is a relation there. I have never been to the one in Orange, but if the recipes are the same as the Plainfield one, then it is worth checking out. My sister lives in Plainfield and uses Two Fish for parties, etc. In fact, I believe they are catering part of my nephew's wedding in August.

By the way, where is Sweet Potato and Pecan (what an excellent combination)?

Edited by TMus1111 (log)
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TMus1111

TMus1111

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Posted
By the way, where is Sweet Potato and Pecan (what an excellent combination)?

103 Forest Avenue, Montclair

Thanks, I read your posts about what you have enjoyed from there. But being a dessert freak, I notice the absence of any mention of either "sweet potato" or "pecan" in your ordering. Do you recall any desserts with these ingredients, or any desserts at all?

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Nancy HM

Nancy HM

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For great Southern cooking try The Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May. We eat there every summer - a little tradition we started to introduce my boys to eating like civilized human beings in a nice restaurant. Great fried chicken, and the same biscuit recipe my husband's been enjoying for 50 years. The rest of the food is good, too, but the chicken is great. Check before you go - they offer it only twice weekly, I believe.

I also love that there is no central air, just huge, lazy ceiling fans. No carpet either, just slick wood floors.

A little dressier than your average shore restaurant - they encourage jackets (or at least collared shirts) for men on weekends. Open in season only.

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