Fink's Funky Chicken & Ribs

[Rosie]

CONGRATULATIONS on the great story in the Star Ledger 11/20/02. Good job. Next time let us know before hand and we will get you an eGullet hat to wear.

Title--River Edge eateryputs barbecue on front burner

p77

Author--Brooke Tarabour

[Rachel Perlow]

Fink - Add baby back ribs to your menu, please. You're making the spare ribs anyway, the baby backs are right next to them on the pig, right? Where are those smaller ribs going?

[201]

Thanks for bringing this thread up again, Rachel. I just realized that I've never praised the grilled skirt steak!! It's succulent, delicious (ask for some chimichurri to give it more of a Latin kick), and QUITE a good bargain for the amount of meat that you get. I've never gotten the steak salad or wrap, but I'm pretty sure that this is where the steak for those comes from. Forget the vegetables... GET THE STEAK!!!

[Jason Perlow]

Arent babybacks beef?

[Double 0]

you're kidding aren't you

[Jason Perlow]

Fink - Add baby back ribs to your menu, please. You're making the spare ribs anyway, the baby backs are right next to them on the pig, right? Where are those smaller ribs going?

He's buying the Kansas City cut of ribs. I dont think he's getting the whole animal from his supplier.

[Rachel Perlow]

I know he's not butchering his own meat. But it can't hurt to ask him to get some baby backs, could it?

I can't believe you thought they were beef.

[finker99]

BEEF!!!!???? HA

We do run Baby Backs as a special now and again, If you like I will do them next week. We will probably have rabbit empanadas this weekend

fink

Edited December 19, 2002 by finker99 (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

If you'd like Fink, and I'm sure many others would appreciate it, please post about any specific specials you are running so we know to hurry over.

[tommy]

If you'd like Fink, and I'm sure many others would appreciate it, please post about any specific specials you are running so we know to hurry over.

but only if you have the time and are comfortable.

[Jason Perlow]

Rachel and I were over at fink recently. I had the Atomic Dog for the first time.

BEWARE.

I say this in a good way.

[201]

If you'd like Fink, and I'm sure many others would appreciate it, please post about any specific specials you are running so we know to hurry over.

I keep trying to get Fink to put specials up on his website or an email distribution list, but he's just too damn busy making good food! It seems like almost everytime I'm there and have something interesting off of the specials menu, I'm the only person who's ordered it.

As recently as Tuesday, there was (is?) a special of southern fried quail with a sausage, apple, and nut stuffing. It was the first time I had eaten quail and I loved it! At $2.50 for one quail, I can't understand why more people didn't try it. Then again, I couldn't understand why more people didn't try the deep-fried turkey wings, or the stuffed squash, or the smoked bbq turkey, or the killer chili made with hunks of beef rather than ground beef, or the... you get the idea.

I think eGullet folks would appreciate these things, but you gotta get the word out!

[finker99]

Hey checkout this Review on Digital City!!

http://aolsvc.weekender.digitalcity.com/no...dci_a_l=eletter

fridays specs: Red snapper and Texas style beef chili:no beans and chunks of beef.

in the near future: baby backs, rabbit empanadas, and french onion soup

fink

[dodge621]

- Would it make sense to set up a separate phone line listing daily specials?

Some places I know fax their specials daily to offices

- Fink, keep up the great work.

I am still wondering if anyone is ever in that appliance store next door to you. It seems deserted.

[finker99]

The story of Marty, the TV guy

He owns the building and the building attached to mine and if you didn't notice he is a little bit of a pack rat, so was his dad before him. When I inquired about the space my stores and basement were filled with TVs. It took over 10 full sized construction dumpsters to cart away most of the tvs he had stashed in the buildings. Parked out front for 5-10 years before I opened were a rolls royce, a jeep, and a mini van, all in variable states of decay. He is in his shop sometimes, he does most of his work over the phone, going to peoples houses to fix large screen tvs. People have tried to buy stuff from his window but he didn't want to sell anything. hmm.

fink

[Rosie]

Marge Perry has written a great article about Fink's Funky Chicken in the Sunday 12/22 NJ section of the NY Times. P. 16 under Quick Bite. Great story Fink. Thank you Marge!

[dodge621]

Finker - Coincidentally, for the first time in over a year, I saw some motion today at the tv repair place. All the lights were out but a tv in the front of the store was on. I noticed this while buying something in Carousal, the convenience store in King Fung shopping strip.

[Sandra Levine]

We went to Fink's Funky Chicken last night. Since it was our first time, we had "The Taste of Fink" -- two spareribs, beef brisket, pulled pork and pulled chicken. While everything was very good, the spareribs were outstanding. They are served without any sauce and didn't need any, so deep and smoky was the flavorful pork. The ribs were crisp and dry-ish on on the top, but the meat under a thin layer of fat, was still succulent and pulled very easily away from the bone.

The coleslaw rivaled my mother-in-law's, that is to say, there is none better.

And the cornbread! Studded with kernels, it was intensely corny, without being sweet.

Alan complained about the "no-beer served" problem. (New Jersey liquor laws?) He liked the variety of sauces available; also loved the ribs and thought they made a good cup of high-end diner-type coffee -- N.J. coffee at its best. He rates the restaurant one prescription dose of ranitidine. Usually, only his beloved Indian food gets a two-dose rating.

Edited December 22, 2002 by Sandra Levine (log)

[tommy]

Alan complained about the "no-beer served" problem.  (New Jersey liquor laws?)  He liked the variety of sauces available; also loved the ribs and thought they made a good cup of high-end diner-type coffee -- N.J. coffee at its best.

jeez sandra, we coulda warned you that they don't serve beer! but you can bring your own, i'm sure.

i'm looking forward to doing that at some point, as i usually go for breakfast/lunch and generally don't drink at that time of day.

[Jason Perlow]

Man this is making me hungry. Hey Tommy...

[tommy]

Man this is making me hungry. Hey Tommy...

you shoulda got me five minutes earlier. i would have been there in a flash, but i just had lunch.

[Rail Paul]

Alan complained about the "no-beer served" problem.  (New Jersey liquor laws?)  He liked the variety of sauces available; also loved the ribs and thought they made a good cup of high-end diner-type coffee -- N.J. coffee at its best.

jeez sandra, we coulda warned you that they don't serve beer! but you can bring your own, i'm sure.

In NJ, an "on premises" license is required to sell any of beer, wine or spirits for consumption in the place. An "off premises" license is necessary to run a package store. That's why very few supermarkets sell beer or wine, btw. Licenses aren't cheap, and may run $300,000 based on the town involved.

Licenses are limited to a specific number per town, based on the population. Older licenses (more than the law permits) were grandfathered in, and a few clubs (VFW Knights of Columbus, etc) have been permitted to sell their licenses for general usage.

Kings Markets found out the hard way they couldn't allow students to BYO in their CookingStudios because they possessed an off-prem license in a few stores.

[Rail Paul]

Nice article, tucked in alongside the restaurant review.

Seemed to like everything they tried, but had very kind words for the herbed cottage fries (with rosemary).

[tommy]

paul, can you confirm that you can bring your own to finks?

also, on a different note, i'm pretty sure that the ABC laws allow a patron to take an unfinished bottle of wine from a restaurant (even if they sold it to you). i had a lenthy discussion with a server and a manager not too long ago, who assured me that this was not allowed. yes, i ended up taking the bottle regardless of their impression of the law.

[Rail Paul]

paul, can you confirm that you can bring your own to finks?

also, on a different note, i'm pretty sure that the ABC laws allow a patron to take an unfinished bottle of wine from a restaurant (even if they sold it to you).  i had a lenthy discussion with a server and a manager not too long ago, who assured me that this was not allowed.  yes, i ended up taking the bottle regardless of their impression of the law.

Good point. I was addressing the permissibility under the state's codes. I'll give Finks a call this afternoon and ask about their BYO policy, whether they have Riedel, etc. (Call made - Finks says it is OK to bring beer or wine)

The removal policy is more complex. I'll give the state a call, and report back.

My understanding is you may not remove a partially consumed bottle from a restaurant that has an on premises only license, if you bought it there. The letter of the law and widespread practice probably differ here, however.

There is a separate issue regarding the transport of the "opened container of alcohol" in a motor vehicle. That's clearly illegal. In the trunk, out of reach of the driver or pax, it would be unlikely to raise an officer's interest.

Edited December 22, 2002 by Rail Paul (log)