The 3 best things we ate this week in North Jersey
Hello, North Jersey!
This past week took me all over the Garden State map, from a Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Burlington County to a 15 course Italian-Japanese fusion dinner in Ridgefield.
And, if there’s one thing I learned from my travels? Thank God we live in North Jersey.
Central Jersey’s got pretty much nothing but chain restaurants (I’ll give it Princeton, though that’s about it), and South Jersey’s best eats are only available for four months of the year.
So, though they may be eating $21 Saladworks’ Cobbs in Hainesport (yes, that’s a real place), and staring at shuttered ice cream stores in Belmar, we don’t have to. From Bergen County to Morris, we can get any type of cuisine, in any kind of digs, at any time we want.
Hailing entirely from North Jersey, then — despite my Deptford and Marlton visits — here are the four best things I ate in the Garden State this week.
House-made Tostones and Guacamole, Restaurante Azteca
Hand-sliced plantains and housemixed guacamole; there’s nothing complicated — in concept — about this Azteca appetizer. In fact? It may even be the most simple dish on the familyowned Mexican restaurant’s menu.
But, when it comes to texture and taste? It’s nothing short of stellar. Here’s what sets it apart.
As opposed to most tostones, the “chips” in the dish aren’t really chips at all. Far from dry, they’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside cuts of plantain (similar to the consistency and length of a wedge sweet potato fry). Each boasts a generous sprinkle of salt, which contrasts perfectly against the fruit’s inherent sweetness.
Dip them into the team’s smooth, creamy guacamole, and you’ll have trouble saving room for your main course.
Go: 15 Park Ave., Rutherford; 201438-2111, mexazteca.com.
‘New School’ Cheesesteak, Christo’s Wake and Steak
The newest cheesesteak place on the block, Christo’s Wake and Steak opened in Bloomfield this past week. Striving to fill a hole in the marketplace, the tiny, take out counter is dedicated to bring the one dish South Jersey does better — the Philly steak — to North Jersey.
When I visited this past week, I tried multiple stacked sandwiches, but my favorite was easily the New School Steak. Featuring Cooper sharp American cheese (a variety authentically distinct to Philadelphia) melted over grilled onions and high-quality beef, the hearty lunch tasted like something straight from the sidewalk-long lines of Dalessandro’s.
AKA, with these bad boys in the region? We now have even fewer reasons to go south of Union County.
Go: 1290 Broad Street, Bloomfield; 973-338-1010, instagram.com/christoswakeandsteak (this place is very busy, we suggest visiting by 11 a.m.).
Angry Crab Cake Sandwich, Angry Archie’s
Angry Archie’s is probably my favorite food truck in Jersey. Serving cool lobster rolls with spicy corn aioli, seafood poutine and more, the mobile operation doesn’t even serve your average restaurant fare, let alone food truck grub.
I was super excited, then, to visit its official brick and mortar storefront in Jersey City this week.
Upon entering, I was thrilled by the dine-in spot’s extended menu of seafood-topped mac and cheese, shrimp tortas and jumbo cookies (to name a few). Despite these delicious newcomers, however, the Angry Crab Cake Sandwich — the dish that originally put the team on the map — is still the Archie’s king.
Between the (potato) buns, lies the softest crab cake you’ll ever try. With only the thinnest crisp around the edges, the patty is sloppy, gooey and satisfyingly messy. Paired with crispy potato straws and a double sauce drizzle of spicy aioli and citrus crema, it makes the signature creation one of the most texturally-nuanced, flavorfully-balanced dishes in the area.
Go: 565 Palisade Ave., Jersey City (or follow the food truck at @angry_archies); 973-747-2124, angryarchies.com.
Uni Ice Cream Puff, Sushi by Sea
Does sea urchin ice cream sound like it works? No.
But, man, it really does. Conceptualized by chef Giancarlo Junyent as part of Sushi by Sea’s 15-course Italian and Japanese-fusion dinner (named “Japita”), this incredible cream puff was nothing short of a delicacy. Outside of the New Zealand miso-topped salmon, it may have been the best thing I’ve ever eaten in the restaurant — which, considering its place as one of USA Today’s Top 47 in the country, is no small claim.
If you think about it, sea urchin is very umami in flavor profile. So, also, is cheese. Considering that similarity, then, you can think of the protein of uni working in the cream puff filling the same way a ricotta might in a cheesecake, or a cannoli. The richness it provided was great.
Sea urchin aside, though, this dessert also soared due to its caramelized sugar topping, delicate pastry dough and smooth homemade ice cream. Finished with sake-infused creme anglaise, it was a show-stopping grand finale to an already outstanding meal.
Go: Ridgefield, NJ (address disclosed upon reservation); reserve at: sushibysea.com.
Hungry for more?
Want more on this week’s latest food news? Check out some of my best articles at NorthJersey.com/food.
And, if you have yet to check out my Instagram page @northjerseyeats, now is the time to do it.
From bagel “flights” to a pizza box filled with cheese fries, I’ve got all your food video needs covered.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can’t find her in Jersey’s best restaurants, she’s probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats , and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter .