Category Archives: Small Bites Radio

Bluejeanfoodcritic.com is on the radio weekly!!!

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Bluejeanfood

HUGE NEWS! Bluejeanfoodcritic.com has a weekly segment airing on 610 WIP WTEL AM radio Philadelphia, for Beasley Broadcast Group highlighting restaurant, chef, and food news for the Philadelphia, Western South Jersey, Eastern Pa, and Northern DE areas. Please email bluejeanfoodcritic@gmail.com , post, and share any hot news or happenings you know of around the area or looking for possible coverage to me and please share this info!!!! The show I am on is the award winning Ed Hitzel “Table For One” which is syndicated on Wond Radio Station 1400AM Atlantic City Longport Media, TuneIn Radio and SNJ Today 1240AM Millville. Be sure to listen!

Sincerely,
Derek Timm
Owner/Operator Bluejeanfoodcritic.com LLC
Friend Me: Facebook.com/bluejeanfood
Follow me on Twitter: @bluejeanfood

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Indian Restaurant – Philadelphia, PA

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Indian Restaurant – Philadelphia, PA

Bob asks a friend “Have you been to the Indian Restaurant”, to which his friend responds “which Indian restaurant”, Bob replies “The Indian Restaurant”. This who’s on first – what is on second scenario I am sure has very easily happened more than once with such a generic name as Indian Restaurant (IR) which sits on the 1600 block of South Street in Philadelphia. With their name lacking pizazz I was hoping their food would have some with a lunch time stop at IR for their chicken Tandoori box.

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The interior of IR is as generic as their name. They had nothing to set them apart which is such a shame with the bright colors and art in Indian Culture. The service was very friendly, but a tad on the slow side for the food to appear. The Tandoori box consisted of chicken tikka, chickpeas, basmatic rice, and naan. It was a solid lunch overall, but again at no point did the meal stand out on its own in any manner and the chicken was a little dry. IR had friendly service, a hearty sized portion for lunch, and very affordable. They just need to do a few things to stand out from the pack.

 

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The Kibitz Room – Cherry Hill, NJ

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

By: Angela Timm

The day I ate at The Kibitz Room in Cherry Hill I was enjoying a rare luxury, a lunch alone. There were no two year olds picking food from my plate and no 3rd graders with lunch detention. I was traveling for a workshop. I knew I was going to eat at The Kibitz Room as soon as I drove into town that morning. I knew what I was going to order as soon as I saw the  truck in the parking lot.

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The atmosphere was busy and fast paced at noon on a Monday. I felt as if I might be turned away for hesitating with my order. The employees are charismatic and the mood of the man behind the counter changed from near-impatience to delight when I asked for his advice on which meat to choose and explained that this was my first time….ordering a reuben.  He suggested corned beef and I went with it, because when you’re in Rome, you do as the Romans.

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This meal started with a trip to the pickle bar. The selection was delightful, truly. I chose pickle chips, hot cherry peppers and sweet mixed pickles imagining that I’d go back to try the cucumber and onion salad, pickled tomatoes, and health salad. I never made it back because my lunch arrived. To say that the portions were generous would be an understatement. Thank goodness I ordered the half reuben because the whole sandwich would have fed my family lunch for a week.

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The buttery grilled rye bread was stuffed with a mountain of freshly cut corned beef. The sauerkraut was warm and plentiful, but not overwhelming. The swiss cheese was melting and the Russian dressing was light. Except for the rye bread, I’m not a fan of any of these ingredients on its own, but surely this is what Aristotle meant when he said, “The whole is better than the sum of the parts.” It all came together like magic. Served with fresh cut thick crinkle fries, it was by far the largest, messiest, and one of the most delicious sandwiches I have ever eaten.

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My only disappointment was that I couldn’t eat more, more pickles, more matzo ball soup, more sweet desserts. Go there, eat, be full and happy.

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Rustica Unusual Pizza and Sandwiches (Northern Liberties) – Philadelphia, PA

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Rustica Unusual Pizza and Sandwiches (Northern Liberties) – Philadelphia, PA

The Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia has really grown into its own. From shops, to restaurants, to housing it has become one of the “cool” places to be around. With wanting to stay fresh and hip as all my friends think I am, but I just put on a good façade, I figured I would hang around and have lunch while in the area at Rustica (RUS). RUS is a tiny little place on the inside, but they somehow figured how to squeeze in a few tables and chairs. They have a counter showing many of their “Unusual Pizzas” that some seem like a good idea to eat and others not so much, but my order of the day would be the Daskul Panini.

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The Daskul Panini consisted of house smoked brisket with brown gravy, roasted long hots, and sharp provolone. It was a nice combination and nice change of pace of sandwich on the menu then you normally see at places that mostly serve pizza. It could have been better possibly if the brisket was chopped as having it pulled style the meat was a little too stringy and created lumps of meat to be pulled out with each bite and could have used a little flavor. The brown gravy gave it liquid to moisten it up a bit, but did little to add any flavor. The long hots were nice, but overpowered the sandwich. Maybe if they added crispy bacon or another powerful ingredient it would balance it out.

RUS indeed has a lineup of unusual pizzas and sandwiches to spice things up whenever you want a little something more than the normal. They could use a little more lighting as the ambiance was so dark even though it was midday and sunny outside. The service was friendly and efficient and I would not hesitate to give RUS another try next time in the area.

 

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Luigi’s Pizza Fresca, Philadelphia, PA

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Luigi’s Pizza Fresca, Philadelphia, PA

The Fairmount area of Philadelphia is really a nice area to spend an evening. With the skyline of the city to view, the amazing Eastern State Penitentiary to visit, and many dining options available there is a little bit of everything for everyone. While the options are many for restaurants, sometimes you just want something a little lighter and quick and that is why I visited Luigi’s Pizza Fresca (LPF). This is one of three locations for LPF with the other two in New Jersey, and if the crowd at this location is any indicator, they are very poplar and I would not be surprised to see more locations in the very near future. My order would be for a Chicken Parmigiana Panini.

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What I really enjoyed about LPF was the dishes of free pizza slices sitting on the counter available to eat while you waited for your order. This is a nice touch and wish more places were as accommodating and welcoming. What I did not like, was the decibel level of the music playing felt more like I was in a night club then a dining establishment. The décor is basic with many articles in different media outlets about LPF adjourning the walls, but overall gave the place a comfortable atmosphere provided the music is not blaring. The Chicken Parmigiana Panini was basic your variety, but good and a decent sized portion. The Panini added an element above a normal sandwich and it was a nice change of pace. LPF is a step above your normal pizza parlor in terms of ambiance and food offerings and a perfect fit for what I was looking for that day and I would not hesitate to go back and try some of their other selections as well.

 

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The Perfect Peach

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

(The following is a special report on Bluejeanfoodcritic.com written by guest contributing writer Angela Timm)

Tuesday, September 9, The Tortilla Press, Collingswood, New Jersey. Summer comes to a triumphant end for one South Jersey amateur baker. After months of delicious competition the five South Jersey finalists for the 2nd Annual Perfect Peach Pie Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council sat face to face in a final showdown of the sweetest kind. Phyliss Rudolph, of Ventnor, impressed judges at the Margate Farmers Market. Anne Danilak, of Mickleton/East Greenwich Twp, took the title at the NJ Peach Festival at the Gloucester County 4-H Fair. Gretchen Gautier stole the show with impeccably fresh glazed peaches and shortbread pie crust at the Hammonton Downtown Market. Bill Paulin, Brigantine’s Pie Guy, won first place against friendly but fierce competition at the Brigantine Farmers Market. Cheryl Pope was the hometown favorite after her victory at the Collingswood Farmers Market. Judges Chef Mark Smith from The Tortilla Press, Michael DiBartolo, owner of DiBartolo’s Bakery, and John and Mary Ebert, from Springdale Farm crowned perfection among its peers.

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And the Grand Prize winner was….Gretchen Guatier from Hammonton!

pie winner

After the announcement, I enjoyed carne asada tacos served on fresh corn tortillas topped with onions, lime, and cilantro garnished with generous amounts of roasted tomato jalapeno salsa and tomatillo avocado salsa.

There could be no finer way to celebrate this season’s delicious and abundant harvest of peaches.

pie pie

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Belinda’s Lunch Bus – Camden, NJ

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Belinda’s Lunch Bus – Camden, NJ

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Sitting on a sidewalk across from the South Jersey Port Corporation in Camden, New Jersey that has definitely seen better days is Belinda’s Lunch Bus (BLB). If and when I would have a reason to divert through this area to get on Interstate 676, BLB always intrigued me. I decided to stop in and get a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a bagel.

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The inside of BLB is somewhat amazing with the transformation as they were able to turn an old school bus into a quasi-diner. They have a television to watch, a long table and chairs on the driver side of bus, drink and condiment station on passenger side of the bus, counter in the middle of the bus, and kitchen taking up the entire rear. The interior of the bus is very clean and immaculate and the two women working that day could not have been nicer to the crowd waiting, which you could tell had a lot of regulars as each person knew each other by name. The bus was packed with patrons and tractor trailers surrounding it on both sides of the road waiting to get in or leaving the port. I called my order in twenty minutes before arrival, but sadly still had to wait another fifteen minutes before my order was ready. I do not rate breakfast, but what I can tell you is that my sandwich was delicious, bacon crisp the way I like, and felt welcome at BLB. You may have to wait quite a while to get what you came for, but you will as least hear the news of the day in and around the port while you are there.

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The Crab House at Two Mile Landing – Wildwood Crest, NJ

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

The Crab House at Two Mile Landing – Wildwood Crest, NJ

Sitting far back off a tiny winding road that leaves Wildwood Crest and heads toward Cape May is The Crab House at Two Mile Landing and Marina (CH). I arrived during lunch time and was welcomed warmly. CH is a beautiful building with a picnic tables and a large bar as soon as you walk in and a gigantic dining room area as well as an even larger deck and bar in the rear of the place. They are setup nicely for the crowds that pack this place during the peak shore season and the views of the bay from CH are gorgeous and I can only imagine siting out and enjoying a nice sunset from CH. I came to eat for a quick off-season lunch and my order of the day would be a clam basket since my first choice of soft shell crabs and second choice of blue claws were not available.

crab house

The menu stated the fried clams strips were colossal Jersey clams. That may true, but with the amount of breading and the strips being so overcooked, all I tasted was beyond crispy fried bread to go along with the dreaded breaded French fries. It was such a disappointed with the superb service and nice atmosphere CH has going for itself. I came for crabs, but sadly only walked away crabby. I have a feeling if CH does crabs right, it may be one of the best places to go to, but with me not able to experience them I can only judge them with what I had. Even though my meal was not great, I enjoyed my time enough at CH to give them another try when I am around the area again, but next time I will call in advance to see if the crabs are available before I go.

 

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Durand Foundation’s First Annual Gourmet on the Runway Food Truck Fete

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Durand Foundation’s First Annual Gourmet on the Runway Food Truck Fete

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What could be better than a night out on the town eating gourmet food truck samplings? By helping a great cause while doing it. Well the Durand Foundation put on one delicious fundraiser for the Durand Academy (more info on them CLICK HERE) who exists so that individuals with special needs can lead fuller, more independent lives.

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Not only was the food being offered by the many different food trucks top-notch, the entertainment provided by the “Rockin’ Road Grill” truck had the crowd ecstatic and dancing the night away. The “Rockin’ Road Grill” was a hybrid of music and food presented by former lead guitarist of the 80’s band “A Flock of Seagulls” Eddie Berner and his band provided the music portion and Food Network’s “Extreme Chef” television show winner and celebrity Chef Terry French manned the grills of the truck to provide the hungry crowd with three different gourmet offerings to choose from.

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As if that was not enough, a cigar station was available and open-bar for the entire evening. Everyone at the event just raved about how fantastic it was and what an amazing job the Durand Foundation did, especially since it was the first time ever doing an event such as this. With what they were able to do with their first one, I certainly cannot wait until next year as I know it will only be bigger and better from here on out. A few pictures of some of the other trucks below.

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20th Annual Taste of South Jersey at Adventure Aquarium – Presented by Camden County Regional Chamber of Commerce

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

20th Annual Taste of South Jersey – Presented by Camden County Regional Chamber of Commerce

When you think of any Chamber of Commerce sponsoring an event, you know you will be in for mixing, mingling, and marketed to by businesses seeking to expose their services to a diverse audience. The 20th Annual Taste of South Jersey held at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey was no different, and the three M’s of mixing, mingling, and marketing I have come to expect, but the ‘M’ that I was surprised not to see were the” M’M! M’M! Good!” M’s made famous by Campbells Soup especially since this event was held directly in their headquarters backyard and was attended by prominent minded business foodies who are bound to talk about the great food served. That made me scratch my head as I continue to read articles about Campbells Soup losing market share and wanting to expose the younger generation their old and newer releases of food out on the market as their competitors are gaining ground. Their loss is others gain to highlight their food offerings and services, and enough of me yacking about who was not there, let us talk about who was.

First and foremost the Adventure Aquarium was a highlight all of its own on a gorgeous night on the beautiful Camden Waterfront to have an event at one of the nicest aquariums around and be able to see some of their world-class exhibits while nibbling on an array of scrumptious foods. If you have never been to the Adventure Aquarium, you truly have to go and check it out for yourself and make a day of it.

Now time to talk about the food. The variety of food from bbq ribs, polenta budino, salt and pepper tiger shrimp, gourmet pound cakes, and hot corned beef sandwiches are just a few of the highlights I had and the event really covered the foodie spectrum from A to Z. (some pictures are at the bottom of the article) I was really impressed with the variety of exhibitors present, organization of the event, setup, and hospitality shown at every station. This was my first time covering this event and I am looking forward to next year as I am sure it is only going to get better.

If you would like more information on the Camden County Regional Chamber of Commerce and see what other events they have planned CLICK HERE

Here is complete list of exhibitors for 20th Annual Taste of South Jersey:

Lourdes Health System, Miller’s Mt. Laurel Ale House, Distrito, Benihana, Terra Nova at Wyndam Hotel, F&M Restaurant & Catering, Red Hot & Blue, Kitchen 519, The Kibitz Room – Reuben on Rye, Embers at the Crowne Plaza, Bahama Breeze, Leave the Details Too Me, Red Lobster, Classic Cake, Melitta Coffee, Dibartolo Bakery, Cocktails on Call, Victorian Savories Bakery, George’s Gourmet Pound Cakes, Sift Bake Shop, Seasons 52, Giambri’s Quality Sweets, Osteria

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