The New Relocated East Wok

 Sometimes an upgrade isn't always good for a restaurant. The food can go down in quality while going up in price. Old favorites are knocked off the menu . Even a new location can be bad. However for East Wok, formerly of Saddle Brook, New Jersey now in the neighboring town of Elmwood Park changing locations was a glow up.

I;be always loved East Wok. They have the best chicken on a stick as well as a very lush shrimp in lobster sauce Their soups have gotten me through a number of colds and stomach flus. Their chefs produced some of the best food in the worst space possible. All those great dishes were created in a cubby hole in an ancient strip mall. It was tiny , without any air conditioning./ Anyone could see the need for a move.

Move they did - to a corner shop with a revamped kitchen and new floors. This (above) is so much better than their old eatery. There are marble floors and a lovely bathroom. Seats and table line the curved windows where you can see the main street.

Their always delicious fried dumplings and spring rolls actually taste better. Is it because of the air conditioned and bigger kitchen Maybe? Or the fact that its a joy to be in? Maybe. They have added to their menu too. I am dying to try their salt and pepper tofu and chicken as well as their new seafood dumplings.There is also Mala style different meats and tofu, cooked with fiery dry Szechuan peppers..East Wok still has their lunch specials that has the main meal with the choice of wonton or egg drop soups and a soda.

If you're looking for a great Chinese restaurant to visit this weekend stop in at the newly relocated East Wok.It's a great place to get a variety of different Asian dishes. The food is beyond delicious.

EAST WOK
234A Market Street,

Elmwood Park ,New Jersey 07407

Tell.201-556-0032

Brother's Pizza Discount And Delicious

 It;s hard to eat out and find a dinner that is not only cheap but delicious. Somehow the two don;t go together. Yet there is one place Brother's Pizzeria that offers a great meal every day for only $5.95. 

THis is  local place for me, literally only around the corner on Rte 46 at the Saddle Brook Mall.

They're offering two slices of cheesey saucy pie and a small drink for under six bucks!!!!

I have a lot of Italian restaurants where I live (New Jersey has the best Italian food outside of Italy) but Brothers stands out. It was a popular go to on Superbowl Sunday, with people  even ordering ten pies to go. The restuarnat has a good lunch menu with sandwiches of all kinds being under eight dollars. They offer large soups for under four dollars and they are classic ones , from pasta e fagioli to chicken , perfect for a cold day. 

Brothers is a great place for a quick and filling lunch that won't break the bank. Stop into the mall, Stop at their place and enjoy good Italian food on a budget.

Brothers Pizzeriria is located at the Saddle Brook Mall, 189 US 46 West, Saddle Brook NJ

201-797-1114

Pre Birthday Yum

 It is Coleridge's birthday today and a good time to celebrate. The Early Romantic poet may not have been to Italy like the Latter Rpmantics, Byron, Keats and Shelly, but he would have appreciated good Italian food and wine

I celebrated over the weekend at Que Pasta, a local Italiam restaurant in Saddle Brook. The food is phenomenal. They have excellent appetizers like their fried zucchini slices or coins and their smashed baby artichokes in a lemon butter sauce.

These can also be ordered as sides for holiday dinners (which I plan to do next month for Thanksgiving.) Both dishes were full of tender and flavorful veggies. Que Pasta is also known for its' wide array of pasta and homemade sauces.

Their spinach and eggplant filled ravioli do not disappoint. Each fat little pillow was full of flavor and the homemade marinara sauce worked well with them. There is also the thick straw like bucatini,

Again the marinara sauce highlighted the rich pasta taste perfectly. Grapefruit sized meat balls were served with them and they were tender and rich with oregano and thyme.

Que Pasta in Saddle Brook -home to another famous writer born on this day - is the perfect place for any kind of party.It's great for smal gatherings and large ones like birthday parties, showers and even weddings. The food is fantastic as are the servers. Go there for your big day.

Supporting The Smaller Markets And DIners

 This pandemic is still hitting the smaller markets and eateries. It's tough for any place to come back . Even the bigger establishments have troubles , struggling to make a profit.It;'s worse for the mom and op places.

Visit the smaller fruit and veggie stores or farmer's markets if you can. They usually sell produce for a fraction of the cost the chain groceries do. You can easily pick up a bag of plums for two to three dollars cheaper or score two heads of lettuce for only a dollar. Many of these smaller greengrocers also offer other products like breads, pasta and cookies. Some even have a small deli section like The Farmer's Market in my town, Saddle Brook, It's a great place to pick up a quick lunch or get the ingredients for a spaghetti dinner or stir fry. A few of these markets offer ethnic specialties too , such as tortillas or halvah, depending on the neighborhood.

Diners ,, such as The Bendix in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey also rely on loyal customers as well as take out orders,These places are wonderful if you're too tired or it's too hot to cook. They have a wide variety of different dishes, sure to please everyone's tastes. Diner burgers are actually better than the ones served than what the fast food joints have. The French fries are definitely better, since they're usually hand cut and fried up with each order as opposed to just sitting there in old oil. Many places also offer alternatives like sweet potato fries or a side of veggie and dip. You can also get French toast or eggs there at any time of day. Again McDonald's and Wendy's usually cut off the breakfast menu at noon.  Also diners customize lunch orders and throw in extras like cookies or rolls for loyal customers.

The smaller groceries and diners need our business. Help them out with regular visits.They'll greatly appreciate it> Not only that you'll receive good food at good prices.

Birthday Feasts At Home

 There are still birthdays. There are still reasons to have fancy foods and cake. The best part is that you don't have to cook or bake any of it. There are restaurants that can handle everything for you. Que Pasta in Saddle Brook New Jersey is one eatery to take care of birthday feasts.

The restaurant has been known for their delicious pastas and sauce for twenty-five years. They've also been catering fantastic parties, full of all sorts of Italian classics for that long too.. We had a party , thanks to them - at home.

                                      We ordered their Megapack which has one baked dish, salad, bruschetta, garlic bread and brownies. 

It was baked penne which went in a heartbeat along with the included garlic bread , also devoured in a second.

With this came bruschetta and an ample house salad with balsamic vinegar. These were heavenly too, perfect with the cheesy, saucy penne, Dessert was bite sized brownies.

These were the perfect ending. The best part was that this entire feast was only $39.95 for four people. It can be stretched to five.They have a Monsterpack for ten dollars more with a chicken dish  such as francese , Foresto ,(with artichoke and spinach) Marsala or Parmesan Other restaurants are offering party packs, Take advantage of these. They're a great way of celebrating at home. Some even offer delivery.

Birthdays will still happen. Celebrate the way we used to in our favorite restaurants. Order the party packs and enjoy a festive feast.

Creating A Charity Dinner

Fund raising dinners can be not only beneficial but fun too. They can be small, for a certain group or large elegant affairs helping an international relief fund. However you plan it, a charity dinner is great way to give back while enjoying delicious food.

Charity begins at home and that is true. Many dinners help  out schools and places of worship. These are usually pot luck dinners where everyone contributes. Usually a committee of four or five people plan and decide who brings what. The first thing to do is create lists, deciding on what volunteer brings what dish. You don't want five bowls of mashed potatoes and no meat.As far as dishes , have a variety but keep in mind ,allergies along with likes and dislikes. Vegans and vegetarians won't cotton to the idea of chicken and beef plates. Of  course there is going to be casseroles. Think crowd favorites such as  backed mac and cheese and lasagna. Manicotti is another great dish for a group, especially if there are kids. Tuna casserole is another tasty classic that is sure to please. Of course there should be salads too. Someone can make a simple lettuce and tomato one and have a choice of dressings. The last can be homemade for a real down home flavor.There should be some kind of bread or biscuit.Your parish bakers can contribute  cheddar or herbed biscuits to accompany the meal. Desserts can be bars or cookies along with sheet cakes and pies.Make sure there is also soda, water nand juice to drink along with coffee and tea for dessert.

For more elegant affairs, a hotel ballroom is usually preferred however other venues can be used as well I 've been to several casual charity balls, that take place at a posh beach club(mind you this was Clean Ocean Action or COA - a group here in New Jersey that's responsible for beach cleanups and lobbying for cleaner waters here).COA has also used the graceful Berkeley Hotel in Asbury Park,New Jersey for other affairs. The food is simple: hors d' ouevres ranging from sushi to phyllo dough puffs with goat cheese. There were also mini sliders and bruschetta to satisfy appetites. The beach club do  offered The Flaky Tart's delicious chocolate chip cookies as dessert and also as favors. The Berkeley Hotel ended with cut fruit and cake pops.These are perfect for people to nibble on as they discuss important topics. If a hotel ballroom is just a tad too expensive for your cause then consider a local restaurant. Many, such as Que Pasta, in Saddle Brook, NJ, can host a charity night for forty dollars a person. Theirs is a combination buffet and auction to benefit local animal shelters.it will not only be a great night out but also a chance for them to try Que Pasta's excellent pastas and antepasti

A charity dinner is a great way to give back. It can be a just a gathering of home cooked dishes and desserts or an elegant affair with fancy hor douevre's and amuse bouches..The end result is a good deed and that's the most important thing.