The New Jersey Foodhound™

  I popped into the The Corner on a hot, muggy August day seeking cold refreshment and the  delicious juice I was handed absolutely delivered. They serve a bevy of beverages with flavors including mango, passionfruit, guava, strawberry, Lulo and blackberry.  I tried both the Lulo (tropical and sweet/sour) and strawberry. Both were fresh and and quickly helped me beat the heat that summer day. The Corner and it's Delights also offers an array of Columbian and American food options like empanadas, burgers, and salads - so stop in and try it out if you're in the neighborhood! By Amanda Z. for the NJ Foodhound The Corner and Its Delights 103 S Washington Ave, Bergenfield, NJ 07621 (201) 743-3722

On a non-descript brick strip sandwiched between the usual delis and laundromats, lies the food gem of Teaneck, NJ, Coffeecol Arepa Bar & Grill . A peak under the hood of this establishment reveals that they are crafting way more than arepas at this Columbian inspired café. As a background, my partner and I both have significant food restrictions. He can't have wheat and I can't eat anything with eggs. I emailed Coffeecol ’s owner to inquire about allergens in their food and quickly received back a highly detailed email, explaining their food ingredients and allergy policies. At this point I was sold and dove into their menu.   Coffeecol offers smoothies, coffee in various forms, baked items and pastries, salads, and burgers, just to name a few things. If this tickles your fancy, then I encourage you to indulge. However, the absolute star of this café are the empanadas and arepas.  The empanadas are corn based/gluten free and come stuffed with either chicken or beef and ar

  I am an avid biker that commutes during the week and takes long rides on the weekend. Many, if not most of my "fun-rides" are in search of local eateries. I found Daniela’s ice-cream on a hot, early summer ride and have been happy customer on every single visit.  First, I have an egg allergy that makes it hard to find any sort of dessert. The staff at Daniela’s was friendly and accommodating. They took my concerns about an allergy seriously and even double checked with other staff to make sure the food was safe. They did not flinch when I asked them to use a clean scooper. This may not seem like a big deal, but I have encountered MANY eateries that have no idea what is in their food and do make any effort to assist me.  The menu is even labeled for gluten free flavors!   I have tried the Ginger, Rum Raisin, Lavender Honey, Chocolate Chip Mint and Lemon Poppy flavors. They are all incredible and made with high-quality milk and other ingredients. They also offer pints to ta

Kensi Thai is a much-welcomed breath of fresh food above 130th street in Harlem, NYC.  Yes, there are plenty of good local spots, but Kensi is the first neighborhood Thai place that I know of. I was elated to see their storefront and immediately tested the waters with a Vietnamese iced coffee. It was 100% authentic and provided an hours-long afternoon boost.  Diving deeper into their food, my favorite dish was their Thai fried chicken. The three large pieces were wonderfully marinated and perfectly crispy with an excellent dipping sauce. If you are trying Thai food for the first time, this would be a good dish to start with. If you are looking for something a little different, I thoroughly enjoyed their well flavored larb chicken salad and fried chive pancakes. My coworkers, who are now equally hooked on Kensi, recommend the Pad Thai and any coconut-based curry dishes. For dessert or a sweet snack, I highly recommend the Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango. Give this place a try, I promise yo

Pre-Pandemic I took a three-day trip to the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago equipped with a lifelong love of their incredible food. Particularly, the delightful snack called Doubles. If you are unfamiliar, doubles are two fried, puffy pieces of dough with a semi-spicy chickpea mixture in the middle. They are best served hot and wrapped in wax paper. GT West Indian Cuisine and Deli in Bergenfield, NJ is one of a handful of places in all of New Jersey that serves up fresh, incredibly flavored Doubles for a mere 2.00 each.  Get an order with “everything” meaning the full spice mixture. I cannot emphasize how satisfying these small pockets of fried wonder are. They are worth a trip from anywhere in the Tristate area and are the thing to try at GT’s. If you feel like diving deeper in into Trinidadian cuisine, this shop also has an amazing spread of curries ranging from mango to goat, which are served with a massive piece of roti. Top off your meal with a unique drink ranging from a peanut to

Hell's Kitchen has no shortage of places to find a quick lunch, the trick is finding one with good food that breaks the typical mold of catering to the hot-table zombies. Luckily, Sophie's Cuban is here to break the monotony of the everyday routine with time-tested, delicious Cuban classics. The Grub: Sophie's is a great grab-and-go eatery obviously specializing in Cuban cuisine. Their offerings include some of the well-known classics like roast pork, fried chicken cutlets, baked chicken, and pork-chops with onions which are also their most popular dishes. I would also suggest giving their spicy grilled chicken and shredded beef stew a try, though quite honestly - you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. When you order, you are asked to pick an entree and 3 sides - which, in and of themselves could make a meal for most. Again, no wrong choices with the side dishes, but I would suggest some Moro rice, black beans (unless you are gluten-free like

There are a lot of places to find a bagel on Staten Island, but I'm going to be honest - most of them aren't very good. Of course that's just my opinion, but I spent a great deal of time visiting over 30 shops and the best of the best by far is Hot Bagels & More . The Grub: Hot Bagels & More is your average NY/NJ deli establishment with a number of breakfast and lunch options you would typically find at any deli. What really separates them though is their bagels and bialys made in-house. Again, these are by far the best iteration of each I was able to find on the island. The dough consistency, bite, crunch and texture are 100% on-point when compared to a number of the more bread-like or improperly baked bagels available on SI. I highly suggest an Everything bagel with cream cheese, or my personal favorite, a bialy with butter (according to wikipedia:  Bialy, a Yiddish word short for biały or bialystoker kuchen, from the city of Białystok in Poland, is a small