New restaurants, fresh strawberries and celebrating National Doughnut Day
Hello everyone! Welcome back to the Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.
Have you eaten anything delicious lately? My most recent dining escapades include yet another visit to Chick-fil-A, which opened recently in my town. It's a chain, I know, but my kids and I can't get enough.
Our order is always the same. I get chicken nuggets and a small macaroni and cheese, then steal their fries. One of my sons gets the classic chicken sandwich, which he dips bite by bite in Chick-fil-A sauce; the other combines nuggets, waffle fries and various sauces in some TikTok-inspired creation.
(Speaking of TikTok, my colleague Rebecca King, who covers North Jersey dining, does an excellent job with her page, North Jersey Eats. She shares fun videos and tips, and is a natural on camera. Next time you head out to eat in North Jersey, check her out.)
Back at the Shore, I stopped in a new place in Barnegat — GNM Coffee Shop — for a cup of dark roast coffee and some baked goods. Just like I judge a pizzeria by its plain pie, I judge a coffee shop by its dark roast, and theirs was pretty good. And the cinnamon bun I ordered, which seemed to be a cross between cinnamon bun and croissant, was flaky and delicious.
I also ate at Grits & Grace, a charming breakfast and lunch spot on Route 9 in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township (eggs Benedict all the way!). The visit was research for an upcoming story on hometown restaurants – the kinds of places where the staff is warm and the food comforting.
More on that soon.
Here's what else we've been working on:
The foods of summer
Summer might not officially begin until June 21, but here at the Shore, we know Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the season. And that means I'm making a list of all the things I want to eat this summer.
Here's what's on it:
The sandi playera (it translates from "watermelon beach" in Spanish) from Los Barbaros Birria in Belmar. The drink, which looks like summer in a glass, is made from fresh watermelon, lime juice and chili-based chamoy.
A cone schmear from Skipper Dipper in Long Beach Township. I'd never heard of a cone schmear until this seasonal ice cream shop began serving them a few years back. Owner Dave Powitz had the idea to smear the inside of his ice cream cones with a customer's choice of peanut butter, hot fudge, Biscoff cookie butter or Nutella, so "by the time you got to the bottom of the cone, you’re like 'Oh, it’s a little surprise,' " he said. It's genius.
A hot dog from Maui's Dog House in North Wildwood. My family spends a week in Wildwood each summer, and we always have one lunch at Maui's, which first caught our attention on an episode of Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" (they were on in 2010). I like the Chicago hot dog, with spicy mustard, onions, pickles, hot peppers, tomatoes and celery salt.
Get fresh strawberries before they're gone
We are nearing the end of strawberry season, and nothing beats a freshly picked berry from a Jersey farm.
While DeWolf's-Pick Farm in Plumsted, a major player in the you-pick strawberry scene, has closed, there are other spots around the state to visit. There's Battleview Orchards in Freehold Township, Hallock's U-Pick Farm in Plumsted, Sahl's Father Son Farm in Egg Harbor City, Specca Farms in Bordentown, Stiles Farm and Nursery in Cape May Court House, and Von Thun Farms in Monmouth Junction.
The return of National Doughnut Day
Friday is National Doughnut Day, which in my opinion is in the top three of food holidays (National Coffee Day and National Pizza Day are in there, too). To celebrate, here are my favorites:
The jelly doughnut from Ferrara's Bakery in Ship Bottom is crunchy with sugar on the outside and oh-so-soft on the inside, with the perfect amount of fruity jelly in each bite. A sign outside claims the seasonal bakery makes the best jelly doughnuts on the planet, and they might be right.
The Boston cream doughnut from Waretown Bakery is outstanding. This is a pastry with heft, thanks to a generous amount of cream filling, and a delicious chocolate glaze.
Shore Good Donuts in Ship Bottom has a lot of tasty options, including the maple bacon and Inside Out Jelly. But the Sandy doughnut, with butternut crunch, is a favorite.
That's all for this week! Until next time, find more local food stories at:
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Sarah Griesemer is a food writer for app.com. Email her at sgriesemer@gannettnj.com. For more on where to eat and drink, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: New restaurants, fresh strawberries and celebrating National Doughnut Day
