New Jersey is home to many tiny towns and villages, these in turn home to many small, roadside eateries that perhaps locals keep (or would prefer to keep) as a best kept secret. Charley's Aunt Chatham (8-10 South Passaic Avenue, Chatham, New Jersey, 973-635-6772, www charleysaunt.com) may be one of those places. It is smallish, and it has a local feel where everyone seems to know each other, but that "best kept secret" thing I'll toss permanently aside. No one should be forbidden (strong word, I know) entry into so homey a dining spot, the food as comfortable as the greeting received and table you eat at. The restaurant is named after a Brandon Thomas stage comedy, and in 1941 was adapted to film starring Jack Benny and Kay Francis -- minus the "Chatham" of course. If you didn't know that, or if you did and had forgotten, a reminder is available on the eatery's wall. Joe was our server on the very unwinter-like, 50 degree day we visited, and what caught my eye immediately was not something I saw listed on the menu, but instead on a neighboring table: a delicious looking Chipotle burger topped with named sauce, bacon, provolone cheese and onion rings. How I wanted to reach 6 feet over and steal it from the fortunate diner feasting on it! Instead, I selected the California cutlet breaded pork sandwich ($12.95) topped with with cilantro, tomato, red onion, avocado and hot pepper cheese. I asked Joe to leave off the avocado, but my big mistake was leaving the cilantro on the sandwich. Bad choice. I have in the past had meals with cilantro and found its taste very intimidating. This time was no different. Halfway through the meal, I removed the top of the bun, removed every sight of offensive cilantro greenery I could find, and from then on really enjoyed a pretty good sandwich. As you can see below, my favorite cheese smothers the sandwich interior. What a taste! Note to self: I know you'll soon be 56 years old, but your memory isn't all that bad. In the future, no more cilantro! Okay, I needed to get that off my chest. As for Lucille, Charley's Aunt Chatham had a menu item that she always finds inviting: fish and chips --or, as the menu listed it, steak fries. ($14.95). Above left is how the serving looked prior to I and Lucille digging in, and the right photo shows its almost obliteration suffered courtesy of our appetites and forks. It was a nice meal to enjoy after spending part of the day in town.
Lucille asked Joe, "What kind of fish was that?" He responded enthusiastically, "Alaskan cod." "It was delicious." "Yeah," said Joe, "it's great isn't it?!" Lucille agreed, and said it was perhaps the best she's ever had. So, if you're near the Chatham and Madison area, drive Route 124 towards the former town and pay a call to Joe and Charley's Aunt Chatham. Steve
2 Comments
Charlie Sears
2/6/2018 09:28:28 am
How would you compare their prices to other restaurants?
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