I first met Michael Dey, owner of Weenies Hot Dogs (45 1/2 Broadway, Denville, 973-957-0614, www.weenieshotdogs.com) in the fall of 2016, when he was seated in a New Jersey diner at 5:00 a.m. I had seen a truck in the parking lot outside bearing the "Weenies" name, he and I got to talking, and I told him I would soon visit his new establishment. "Soon" came almost three years later, but I guess good things are well worth waiting for. .The Weenies slogan is "Every day has its dog," and there are enough unique menu options should you decide to "live" the words. I opted for the Pulled Pork Dog ($4.35), but truth be told I was perusing the menu adorning the wall behind the counter with much indecision. Pictured below is my selection, and it didn't remain this good looking for long. The "before" and "during" shots contrast greatly, which leads to "done," and upon finishing wanting another one, albeit a different choice, such as (for me) the Chuckie Dog (with chopped burger, grilled onion, and cheese). There are a few other nice things about Weenies as well. The folks behind the counter are super nice, and Weenies is open and delivers daily up until 3:00 a.m. No longer do the very early morning munchies have to be satisfied by whatever your refrigerator or pantry offer. You can call Weenies.
Good stuff. Steve
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You, the reader of this blog, are a part of history, however significant it may be. You are reading the first "From My Seat" post of an establishment that has no customer seating. There's no room, and that's a shame perhaps, because no doubt AJ's Pizza (615 Route 23 South, Pompton Plains, 973-839-2222, www.ajspizza.net) would be well-visited by locals, travelers driving up and down Route 23, and folks who are at a distance who love their food (the last folks are we Searses, about 15 miles away in Bloomfield). There is also an original Butler location (12 Main Street, 973-283-0454), but for the purposes of this post, we'll focus on the four-year-old Pompton Plains AJ's Pizza.
A note to eateries: be open when you indicate you are supposed to be open. If you have to close due to an emergency, leave a note so visiting potential customers understand why your doors are shut and will consider revisiting instead of (as I did) driving away in frustration. So, AJ's Pizza - Moe, Evana, and Abraham - "rescued" our Sunday evening dinner, and they did it in a kind, conscientious way. "Is this well done enough for you?" Abraham asks, removing my pizza, which I requested be well done and light on sauce, out of the oven. When I said a little bit more well done, he complied, and it was ready for our family to enjoy ($12.50).
Moe, Evana, Abraham - thank you! As you've probably gathered, you'll see us again soon.
Steve A nice drive is up Route 202 into Oakland, New Jersey, and a visit to John Lignos and his team at Lenape Valley Diner (201-337-8777).
So, pick a nice day, take a drive up into the hills of Oakland, and say hello to John, Mikey (our server, and a good one), and the rest of the team, and also enjoy a good meal. I selected a delicious Oakland wrap of scrambled eggs, Taylor ham, and American cheese ($6.99, and for some reason I can't explain, I can't locate a picture for this). Mikey recommended it. Good recommendation. Lucille's choice (pictured below left) was tuna fish on roll ($7.39). They make it well here. Stefanie opted for a pastrami on rye ($8.49, on the right ), another good choice. Lenape Valley Diner chefs fill it up nicely. It goes without saying that our next diner excursion will certainly be to sister Anna's Lakeside Diner. We are looking forward to it.
John and Mikey - thank you! Steve |
AuthorAppetizers, hospitality, small plates - the best in dining! Archives
January 2023
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