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