Tag: Brick

Denino’s Pizzeria – Brick, NJ

If you are looking for some good Italian food that is quick, Denino’s Pizzeria is the perfect place. All the locals are visiting this restaurant.

Thy have a couple of items that are always my go too. The arancini is one of the best (outside of Brooklyn). They are jumbo in size. The middle is loaded with meat and peas and filled with extra cheese. When you slice it open the cheese starts to pour out. I covered it wit the homemade pasta sauce that came on the side. The sauce blended with the cheese which made each bite more filling. You can eat this as a meal, but it is also great to share this dish as well.

The meatball sub is also a great lunch item. I did not eat the whole thing, but I did try some of the meatball itself. The meatball was dense with the meat blend they used.  They did not use too much of the filler like breadcrumbs. The seasoning in the meat was savory, which paired well with the tanginess from the pasta sauce. Each bite was moist from the meat and sauce combo.

For my main dish I ordered the chicken piccata. This is not on their regular menu. This was a special day because chicken piccata is one of my favorite dishes. They cooked two large chicken breasts in an awesome lemon butter sauce. They put in a ton of capers and onions for extra flavor. They also included artichokes. These were a nice addition that I have never had before. The chicken was tender and moist. The artichokes added texture and an extra tangy taste along with the capers. All of this was on a pile of spaghetti. The portion was huge and could easily be shared. Or take it home for lunch the next day.

Denino’s is a great go to place for Italian. They have a great menu of staple dishes plus they always have a few specials. Check them out at www.deninosbricknj.com

Enjoy!

T

Conforti’s Bakery – Brick, NJ

There is a family-owned Italian bakery in Brick, New Jersey called Conforti’s Bakery. They always have a ton of cars in their parking lot, so I decided to check them out.

They make fresh a full line of Italian breads, pastries, desserts, and cakes.

Because of the Covid restrictions that were in place, I was not able to actually go into the shop. That was a disappointment because I did not get to smell all those baked goods in the air. That is the fun part of walking into a bakery.

They did have a walk-up window that allowed you to order. It was a pretty efficient process.

They boxed up the sweet treats and then you are off on your way.

I ordered one of their cream puffs. It was larger than most cream puffs I have seen. They put a decent amount of powdered sugar on top to add extra sweetness.

The pastry dough was light and airy. This allowed for the vanilla cream filling to fill every nook and cranny. There definitely was a lot of filling. It was so smooth and creamy. I loved how the pastry added texture to the smooth filling. Because this cream puff was so large, I had to eat it with a fork. This helped me prevent a huge mess.

This stop for some dessert was great. I look forward to going back and trying something else. I am also looking forward to when everything gets back to normal and I can go inside the bakery.

Check them out at www.confortisbakery.com

Enjoy!

T

Boardwalk Hot Dogs – Brick, NJ

Nothing has made me happier than getting to travel again. The planes starting to get a little fuller, the roads a little more crowded, and the restaurants are opening (even if it is in just a limited capacity). I was happy to be back in New Jersey and getting to visit Boardwalk Hot Dogs, that has been around since 1982.

Now they have more than just hot dogs on their menu, but I was there specifically to try their Italian Hot Dog. I was not aware of what this style hot dog was, so I was anxious to try it.

They took a footlong hot dog and grilled it up on the flat top. Then they placed it inside a roll that looked almost like a pita pocket, but it was freshly made bread. Then inside the pocket they stuffed it with homemade home fries, which were nice big chunks of potatoes that were fried up till crispy on the outside. They then topped it off with sautéed peppers and onions. They were cooked till caramelized, and sweet which complemented the salty taste of the hot dog. This was the most filling hot dog I have ever had. It is perfect for sharing. And because its inside a pocket, it is not that messy to eat.

I could not leave without trying a classic Chili Cheese Dog.  The footlong hot dog was placed on a traditional hot dog bun. They smothered the hot dog with chili (which was meat only, no beans). Then liquid cheese was spread on top on the chili. The smoky taste from the hot dog paired well with the savory taste of the chili. It was extremely messy to eat this hot dog.

I was happy to get to travel and visit a new restaurant. Check out their website at www.boardwalkhotdogsnj.com

Enjoy!

T

Mulberry Street – Brick, NJ

There are so many Italian restaurants to choose from in Brick, New Jersey. But with the shutdown preventing restaurants from opening or allowing patrons to eat inside, I had to find a place I could get food to go. Mulberry Street was a great option.

They have a full deli with freshly made sandwiches, pasta dishes, desserts, fresh bread, and a full market to get Italian specialties. They had it all.

There was even a section of the shop where you can sample all varieties of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. That is not something that I normally see.

Their list of sandwiches was long, and it took me a few minutes to read it over. I finally decided to order the Eldridge Street.

I got my choice of bread for this sandwich, so I went for the fresh bastone. A bastone is a traditional Italian bread. This sandwich had layers of fresh capicola, pepperoni, provolone cheese, and freshly made mozzarella. They topped it off with shredded lettuce and tomato slices. There are lots of dressings to choose to go on the sandwich, but I only got oil and vinegar. I kept it simple.

The sandwich was delicious. They were generous with all the ingredients. The meats were salty, and the cheeses balanced that out. The olive oil added a creamy texture and softened the bread slightly, which made it easier to take a bite. The tomato added some sweetness, while the lettuce added crunch.

The sandwich was very filling. It was the perfect lunch. I look forward to getting to go back to try something else.

Check out their menu at www.Mulberrystreet.net

Enjoy!

T

Denino’s South Pizzeria – Brick, NJ

New Jersey has a ton of Italian restaurants all over the place. While I was visiting Brick, NJ I stopped into one of those Italian restaurants called Denino’s South Pizzeria.

I could smell the pizza and pasta as soon as I walked in. I saw on the chalkboard of specials that they had Italian wedding soup that day. I knew I would be ordering that. It was a nice large bowl. It was filled with spinach, meatballs, carrots, and onions. The chicken broth had a pleasant saltiness that paired well with the earthy taste of the spinach. The meatballs were tender and absorbed the flavor of the soup.

I shared the homemade rice ball. There was no way I could eat one on my own because they were just too big.

They were crispy on the outside. On the inside was the tender, cheesy rice with a center that was loaded with meat and peas. I drizzled some of the pasta sauce that came on the side. That added extra flavor and moisture. The rice was soft, and I really like all the cheese they mixed in. The meat was tender, and the peas added a slight hint of sweetness.

The meatball sandwich was much larger than I was expecting. These large meatballs were covered in sauce and mozzarella cheese. They were then stuffed into a fresh made hoagie roll. I had to cut this sandwich in half in order to be able to pick it up.

The meatballs were dense but still moist. They were full of flavor from all the Italian seasoning that was mixed in. The cheese added a creamy element. The bread soaked up the sauce from the meatballs. This sandwich filled me up quickly.

This was a great place for lunch. They have a pretty extensive menu. Check them out at www.deninosbricknj.com

Enjoy!

T