The New Jersey Foodhound™

It will probably surprise no one that the population of Staten Island is roughly 35% Italian-American . From its reputation to its depictions in popular film and TV, its a personality the island -  for better or worse, just can't shake. So I say, embrace it by taking a ride to Alfonso's Bakery to get yourself some authentic Italian pastries. You'll feel like a part of the crowd in no time. The Grub: Alfonso's is a purveyor of all things baked, be it breads of all shapes and sizes, cakes, cookies, canoli, and other fine Italian pastries. Starting with their selection of breads, I would highly suggest trying one of their sesame twists, if there are any left that is. Nothing's better to sop up some of Mamma's home-cooked sauce! Make sure to browse the cookie counters as well, the almond cookies and Italian rainbows are some of the best I've ever tried. Lastly, grab a half-dozen, or hey, even a dozen canoli and get out fast because there will almost c...

From the age of nine to around twenty-two I spent a lot of time in and around the Freehold, NJ area. Mostly at the mall and the movie theater. But also in and around the Route 9 area, and in Downtown Freehold where a number of great restaurants can be found. One of my favorites being  Federici's Family Italian Restaurant - the best pizza spot in town and one of the best in the state in my opinion. The Grub: In the mood for Italian food and in the Freehold area? Well, then there really isn't a better place to stop. Federici's has all the standard fare: a variety of pastas, salad, specialty dishes - most of which I have tried and many of which I would highly recommend. To be honest though, those dishes aren't what you should be there for - its the pizza you want. Trust me on this. They serve some of the best thin crust pizza I have ever tasted, and while I may say that a lot, it is still true. I'm definitely guilty of having a bias toward thin c...

New Jersey is a pretty great place to grow up, a little tough a times, but you wont hear anyone complain about a lack of things to do, see, and eat. Emphasis on the eat part. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a very diverse state both from an ethnic point of view and a culinary one. One very present diaspora around the NYC area especially, is that of the Italian-American. It is important to note that the Italian American is not exactly an Italian. Furthermore, if you ask a European Italian, they will claim Italian-Americans bare very little, if any, resemblance to their name sake back home. I will go ahead and say, the latter could best be explained as egocentric posturing on behalf of a group afraid of tainting their very carefully guarded legacy. That said, I feel it may be best to describe them as two sides of the same coin. With the presence of so many Italian-Americans, one becomes keenly aware of the practice, nay, the skill, of debate and argument within t...

I love pizza, so you can imagine how thrilled I must have been when I moved to Staten Island. An island filled with Italian Americans, in New York City? They would have to make the best pizza in the world right? Well, as it turns out, the search for really good pizza was long and fraught with the perils of a terrible meal. Until that is, we found Pizzeria Giove , which ended up serving me one of the best pizzas I have ever had. If you're a pizza lover like me, I stress that you should check it out. The Grub: Where do I start. Well, first Pizzeria Giove is technically an Italian restaurant and a pizzeria. What I mean by that is, there is a large selection of stuff on the menu, pretty much every Italian appetizer or entree you could want out of any conventional Italian restaurant. Having tried a number of the dishes I can they are all good, but that's not what were here for. You can get fried calamari and spaghetti somewhere else. Here, you should be getting ...

This great little pizza joint opened about a year ago and I'm ashamed to say I haven't tried it until now, but boy am I glad I did. Napoli Wood Fired Pizza and Bakery offers what the name would suggest - pizza and baked goods cooked by wood-fired stove. But the apathy that belies its name kept me away too long - the truth is, the product is out-of-this-world good. I mean, so good I cant remember the last time I had pizza this good, and I work in NYC. The Grub: Napoli offers a pretty long list of classic wood fired, thin crust pizzas - some with toppings you are undoubtedly used to, and a few that may be a bit more unique and tantalizing. Margarita, pepperoni-sausage and peppers, ground-beef jalapeno, 4 chilies,  and 4 mushroom are just a few of the insanely good choices. I will have to admit though, I'm a sucker for just a plain pepperoni pizza and theirs is so good, I want another one as I write this. All the pizzas are thin crust, charred to a per...

I have heard people say that the first step to overcoming addiction is admitting you have a problem. Well my friends, I am a sandwich addict, and I will not repent. My blinding addiction has led me on a hunt for the very best meaty-bread mashup money can buy and I am confident in saying I have found the penultimate sandwich spot. A place so hidden, so secret it was dubbed by my former co-worker "the teamster sandwich spot." (He was a big fan of 30 Rock). The Grub: It is first worth noting that the Artisan Bakers Group is not really a restaurant, they are a commercial bakery serving many restaurants in NYC. They do happen to sell sandwiches on the side, out of an unassuming small space adjacent to their baking operation in an industrial park on Staten Island. What they don't have in looks, they make up for 1,000 fold in producing the best god-damn sandwiches I have ever tasted. I mean it, in my entire life I can not think of a better tasting sandwich...

Now if you ask me, there's absolutely no better pizza than thin crust pizza. Some of you may prefer the original form, or perhaps even that terrible monstrosity that is Chicago deep dish, but I'm here to tell you that you've been led astray. Thin crust gives you way more bang for your buck, and that buck takes you all the way home at Brothers . The Grub: Typical Italian-American comfort food as you probably remember from your childhood, but some of the best that you can find in the state. It may never compare to mom's cooking but it certainly beats out a number of other restaurants serving the same dishes at two to three times the price. The real standout here though, and the reason you should take the trip at all, is their thin crust pizza. It is hands down some of the best I have ever had anywhere, and I have eaten pizza at hundreds of establishments. Perfect crispy crust without the added weight of too much dough, a well made sauce and just the ri...