Hansel n' Griddle

This week’s restaurant is quickly becoming a New Brunswick institution. With homemade creations, fresh ingredients, and down to earth staff, Hansel n’ Griddle is a great place to eat, day or night. With their recent expansion down town, “Hansel’s” popularity is sure to grow. The original location, in a small, former garage, is still by far the coziest. College kids and construction workers alike frequent the friendly, colorful place. Waiting in line is made more bearable by the newest movies, and the staff, while laid back, expedites orders without missing a beat.

The food is really what keeps people coming back, though, and their niche of delicious food wrapped all in one has been firmly established. One of this author’s favorites is the Horseradish Mayo Roast Beef Special. High quality roast beef is heated on the grill, to which sautéed onions are added, along with Cajun home fries, and pepper jack cheese. This is all wrapped in a soft pita and slathered with homemade horseradish mayonnaise. If you can’t handle the heat, go with Swiss cheese. Finish all of this off with a nice, tall can of Arnold Palmer style ice tea/lemonade. The pleasant fullness is second only to the delightful mix of flavors. Another classic is the pork roll, egg and cheese crisp. This masterpiece is a “breakfast quesadilla”, and while this is a new food genre, it is by no means a gimmick. Breakfast now comes in 4 small, handheld triangles of steaming deliciousness. Get it with ketchup and mustard for a quick hangover cure.

Hansel n’ Griddle also has many other courses besides entrees. The rice pudding and tapioca are excellent- they are rare to find in New Brunswick but perfectly executed. There are also many different soups. Hot and homemade, they are a great answer to a chilly winter. One can also get a protein shake, salad, burger, even free pickles.

The little house on Mine Street is in some ways the same as the gingerbread house in the fairy tale; kids, seemingly lost, arrive at the doors entranced by the sights and smells of all the delicious treats inside.
What awaits them inside is not a witch, fortunately, but a young and energetic group. The owner, Nicholas Komandis, himself a Rutgers Alumnus, has an uncanny ability to anticipate what college students and full-time workers want, what they want to pay for it, and how they want it to taste. No need to go over the river and through the woods; a trip to Hansel is only a short walk downtown or at the corner of Mine St. and Easton Ave.

Hansel n’ Griddle delivers 10:30-11pm, with longer hours on weekends. Credit Cards Accepted. Because there is always a limited amount of fresh ingredients, some sell out faster than others. Go early and often!

Hansel n’ Griddle
53 Mine Street (732) 846-7090
112 Church Street (732) 846-9727
Price =$7 and up per person
Ambience = Collegiate

Mexican Standoff?

The New Brunswick Restaurant Guide will continue from this point as a bi-weekly publication. The reasons for this are due entirely to my lack of time; between going out to dinner, writing a review, and distributing paper copies, there is not enough time to do a thorough review. It is my time, but it is your night out. So I will try to post something small on alternating Thursdays- a little food for thought if you will.

New Brunswick has caught the eye of yet another multi-national corporation. Adjacent to Starbucks, the recent opening of Chipotle has caused quite a stir. Students and faculty, as well as J&J workers and city employees, can now make their way to New Brunswick's own "burrito district".

So the question is: Which is better, Chipotle or Qdoba? In addition, there are several Mexican owned and run taqarias on or around French Street. Have you ever been? Feel free to post your comments. Viva la raza!

Tumulty's Pub

This week in the New Brunswick Restaurant Guide marks an historic occasion. This issue is the first in the second edition, marking the triumphant march of the NBRG through the semesters. The restaurant this week is Tumulty’s Pub, one of the oldest restaurants in New Brunswick.

A classic pub atmosphere, Tumulty’s is still family owned and managed today. The menu is basic American food, with pub favorites such as fish and chips. Pay special attention to the burgers, as this is where Tumulty’s really shines. A must have is the Black Angus Burger. This massive mound of meat is covered in bacon (naturally!), and smothered in cheddar cheese; crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and red onions complete the masterpiece. As if it couldn’t get any better, Tumulty’s has a horseradish and mustard sauce that combines the moist feeling of mayonnaise with the “punched in the mouth” feeling of strong, pub mustard. Top one of these burgers off with a Guinness, Smithwicks, Yeungling, or Tumulty’s own Ale.

Not only is the food good, but the atmosphere is one of a kind. Tumulty’s is the kind of place chain restaurants try to imitate by hanging random shit on the walls. The wooden booths are original and have the delightful patina of something well used; your grandmother’s wooden spoon, or the old family badminton set. The antique train set that circles the restaurant still runs every half hour, to the delight of young and old. Alumni of all ages gather before or after Rutgers games, around the timber bar embedded with gold coins.

The menu makes note of Tumulty’s historic significance, and while these words may not be my original writing, every Rutgers student has used the “really long quote” method while writing papers. So here it is: In 1937, “‘University Pub’ as the tavern was known, was a watering hole for a colorful blend of New Brunswick townspeople, politicians, students, and businessmen. Rumor has it that if you had an inclination to place a wager on a horse, there were certain ‘customers’ happy to help fulfill that inclination.”

“Tumulty’s thrived during the ‘70s. It was the ‘First Date’ restaurant for many Rutgers students, a meeting place for business people, and with the model electric trains roaming the dining rooms, a great place for parents to bring their children.” Lastly, this is one of the only places that will sell you alcohol with your RU Express. So don that Rutgers hoodie or jersey, get on the bus, get off downtown and bring your RU ID. Have a burger and a beer, and watch the game. You weren’t going to use that money for books anyway.


LOCATION: 361 George Street
PHONE: (732)-545-6205
PRICE: $10-$15 per person
AMBIANCE: Irish Pub