Piggybacking Restaurants

There's a trend that's happening around big box stores such as Target. It's cutting up the store's parking lot to allow  space for fast food restaurants. Is it a good idea? Will it bring in more shoppers? Or diners?

Most big box stores such Target and Wal-Mart have huge parking lots that take up a lot of acreage. This is fine during the Christmas shopping season.It's really the only time when the area is used. In Bergen County, New Jersey any land, even if it's a parking lot is valuable. The land can be built on with some kind of business that will bring in not only diners but shoppers as well. This is the case with the Hackensack Target . A Taco Bell has been built in one of the parking lot's corners and has just opened. This is great for the area. Fairleigh Dickinson University is across the street and a charter high school is just down the road. Instead of being stuck with cafeteria food or the nearby Boston Market fare, kids can get cheap tasty burritos and tacos with beef or chicken fillings.Unlike Boston Market, and even the FDU Starbucks, Taco Bell offers cold  slushie like drinks that are going to be perfect when the Spring and summer  seasons arrive. There's a lovely outdoor area that's perfect for students as well. Imagine sipping frosted drinks and sharing snacks at the end of this Spring's semester.There's only one problem  with this Taco Bell - it will cut into Target's snack bar. The snack bar has had several blows in the last few years. Its' space was decreased to make way for a Starbucks. It cut back on its' variety. Forget getting their brand of a Slushie and chicken fingers. Hopefully their hot dogs and pizza will still be around.

The Hackensack Target isn't the only one. The Target in Clark, right off Parkway South in central eastern New Jersey  has to compete with not only an Italian restaurant but also a Duck Doughnuts built in their overly large parking lot.. These food hang outs are fun if you want to make a day or night of your visit, yet you can more or less get the same fare in the store's snack bar and Starbucks. A bigger version of parking lot piggybacking is over at the Teterboro , New Jersey's Wal-Mart where there is also a restaurant row plus two chain restaurants, Texas Roadhouse and BJ's Brewhouse. Again, the many diverse eateries, from Blaze Pizza to Panera's bring in not only diners but also those want a quick meal before shopping. Wal-Mart only has a Subway and some others don't even have these. The Garfield Wal-mart doesn't have any place to order a lunch or a quick snack. Their parking lot has an Applebee's and a McDonald's which helps. Most people who go to that shopping center, however, either head for Wal-Mart, Pet-Smart for their animal companions or even My Doc to handle colds and minor ailments. Food isn't necessarily on their minds. Should these eateries be there then? Would more stores be better instead. Or does this save that particular Wal-Mart from the pressure of adding some kind of fast food joint in their store?

Will piggybacking restaurants be the start of a trend? Will shoppers and diners like this combo? It's hard to say.  It all depends on the price and availability of  local real estate .

The Microwave Dilemma

Modern appliances do not last . I found that out with my Hauer microwave  which I bought in 2016 . This is it

And this is what happened to it.

It was a burn mark that caused the interior paint to peel off. Leaving it like this is dangerous. Not only will radiation will seep into the food but it can cause sparks which lead to fire . There are two solutions,either spray with microwave paint or a new one. I tried four stores for the paint but to no avail. It was time to go shopping. 

That was a headache. I went to where I originally bought the Hauer at Lowe's. Surprisingly they don't have the variety they once had. It was disappointing at the lack of variety. It was off to Teterboro's  Wal-Mart which only had the floor model. of the Frigidaire. if you know anything about North Jersey during the holidays,. you know that every, road  mall and parking lot is a traffic jam around the holidays. Luckily a sales rep called the Wal-Mart in Garfield. They had the Frigidaire model that I wanted. It was crazy crowded, but the trip was fruitful!!! Success at last!!

Tomorrow it's going to be put up and christened. Hopefully it'll last longer than its' predecessor. I don't want to go through this every three years.

A Classic Revisited Nino's Pizzeria

It's very rare that a restaurant lasts almost  forty years with the same owner. Yet that's what happened  with Nino's Pizzeria in Garfield, New Jersey. It's been feeding the community with good food, introducing generations to Southern Italian classics. I've come back to it after a long time away and I'm glad I did.

Nino's is an unpretentious  little eatery with only four (albeit big) tables.It's been a take out since the original owner opened up this Harrison Ave. landmark forty years ago. The current owner John, and his brother bought it from the original owner, Nino, hence the name. Unlike other Italian restaurants in the area, this one has a surprise - good Portuguese food. Yes, Nino's has pizza, garlic knots and rice balls, as their fellow pizzerias but they also have frango assado, roasted chicken with vegetables and the famed codfish bacalhao, steamed, fried and  roasted.Picadinho , that tasty blend of minced meat and vegetables can also be ordered for a change of pace. The catering menu even includes a roasted  suckling pig or leitao along with a seafood rich paella Portuguese style.It can be washed down with the mild cherry tasting soda Guarina from Brazil.

This is a nostalgic trip for me, I used to go to Nino's during my college years for their garlic pizza. It was a gem, standing out, with the perfect ratio of cheese to sauce, studded with tiny bits of minced garlic. Has it changed? I had the plain slice and it was not greasy , unlike  slices from other local pizzerias. There was more cheese than sauce, creating a chewy , gooey texture. Their crust is good, more of tart one than than of the usual flat one with puffs. Their calzone is about the best around.It's crust was light and crackly,again not sogged down by oil. The filling is the traditional  ricotta, but it was like a ham infused cloud , light and fluffy without the usual cloying salty taste.It came with a tomato dipping sauce which was also perfect in flavor and texture.Many Italian restaurants put out a sauce that's too thick and chunky which slides off the calzone, ending up on the floor, table or lap. Nino's was spot on , and the best part was that it actually tasted like tomatoes - not too sweet or garlicky. The calzone and sauce were a definitely matched pair.

Nino's is worth visiting if you're in the Garfield area. It has an interesting mix of Portuguese and Italian food, all tasty and good. Visit it if you're craving pizza, pasta or bacalhao.

Nino's Pizzeria,
300 Harrison Ave #2
Lodi New Jersey 07644
973-772- 5056
Hours 10 AM to Midnight