NJ Food News

Nice! The Sprout brings me Federal Donuts every time she goes to Philadelphia. Now that I can stay in NJ and save the bridge toll I might get them more often.

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(Can’t edit my earlier post)

For those who don’t know, I neglected to add that Federal Donuts is owned by chef/restauranteur Michael Solomonov (Zahav + others!)…this is his very casual spot for donuts. And while I’m generally not a donut fan, I can attest to the fact that these are DELICIOUS!

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And, to some (like me), the Korean style fried chicken served at Federal is worth the trip even without having a donut.

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I ordered the booklet and it arrived within 24 hours … impressive!

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Wow - that’s great to know (I picked mine up) - thanks for supporting APMF! Good stuff in there, right?

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Same here! I can’t wait to use it. I would have preferred to pick it up thinking it would take a while to mail but the pickup times didn’t work with my schedule.

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Too bad there was no intel on the supposed Mexican restaurant opening at the old Carraba’s (or even older Basille’s and before that Spaghetti Western) in Middletown. They have done a lot of work on the building and I believe it comes with a liquor license. They will need one to compete with the likes of Chili’s and Texas Roadhouse which are less than a mile down the same highway.

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Is the Intel that it’s a real Mexican restaurant (which would be great) or yet another chain (not so great)?

I haven’t heard anything described as a chain, but it will likely be Tex-Mex based on what little I’ve heard. sighs

Authentic Tex-Mex would be fine, but please, God, not another Chi-Chi’s/Chili’s clone. Alas, the location screams “Chain restaurant!”

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From the APP: Ugly Dumpling Express, a new quick-service restaurant chain, will make its debut on Route 35 sometime (sic) this summer… will feature a scaled-down menu of its sister restaurant, Ugly Dumpling, which opened last week in Edison. It includes recipes inspired by Shanghai street food, including dumplings and buns, wontons and soup dumplings. It is at the Commons at Holmdel shopping center in a space formerly occupied by Cheeburger Cheeburger.

Owned by the same group that’s opening the KPot Hot Pot & Korean BBQ in Neptune on Rt 66 in the old Marshall’s/Home Good space.

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Mustache Bill’s Diner in Barnegat Light, a gloriously retro wonder that opened as Joe’s Barnegat Light Diner, is on the market for $3.65 million, Dottie Brady Zauli, the sister of Bill Smith, Mustache Bill’s owner, told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday. Smith is retiring after 51 years.

I was surprised to learn that a good number of LBI restaurants go up for sale each winter. If they don’t sell, the owners give it another summer. Bill commented online that if the diner doesn’t sell by Memorial Day, he’ll open up again.

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Wow!
cc: @BossaNova @NotJrvedivici

I think that’s been pretty common in many beach communities. If you don’t sell by Memorial Day weekend you have to open/stay open to make the money you need to carry you through until you do sell. And no one is going to buy in the middle of the season - especially if they plan on rebranding the restaurant as they won’t have enough time to stash away the money needed to keep them going in the winter. (we sold our place about May 15)

Things may be changing depending upon the community. There are many more full time residents nowadays.

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Yes, exactly.

I’ve had owners on the island tell me “it’s always for sale.”

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That has always been my experience whenever I inquired about places down there. Ideally, I would love to “retire” and take a place over, bed and breakfast maybe. However, there is still some time to go for that so until then I will remain a customer on LBI vs. an operator.

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Had brunch today at Brownstone Pancake Factory in Freehold.
WOW its amazing 11:30 Monday morning, it’s jammed Party of 4 we were seated right away.
The show of gluttony brought out by the waitstaff is phenomenal
The presentation is worth watching.
Menu ranges from the simple to the complex
Breakfast, burgers & shakes!
My son had a blueberry pancake concoction that was delicious & huge
I’m in for a huge Mediterranean omelette & a side of fresh strawberries and blueberries
Daughter had an amazing concoction of eggs ,sausage something green & quinoa
Daughter in law had pancakes with banana and peanut butter and she’s hiking the Appalachian Trail starting tomorrow so was carbo loading & no one could finish their meal
Great coffee spot on service
I’m sure it’s going to be a regular spot for me
Not cheap about $20 an entree but definitely worth it



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Great news for Asbury Park, and even though I only have the most basic info, I’m sharing it… the former owners of Medusa are taking over Sunset Landing! (I went to SL exactly once, if that gives you my thoughts on the place.)

More when I have it…

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