Hatch 44 Cafe (or Hatch44) in Metuchen, NJ is a whole vibe. Formerly on Durham Ave, this quaint cafe moved to Downtown Metuchen into a space that’s almost triple its original size. Despite scaling up, the restaurant managed to get even more charming with no details spared. From mini dried table bouquets to high windows lined with live greenery to a beautiful blend of wood and turquoise accents – Hatch 44 is the perfect brunch spot. I started with my usual coffee choice and the latte art immediately put a smile on my face. Not only was the latte delicious, I loved the colorful cup and asymmet ..read more

Some people are happy with plain pizza from a food court. Me? I’m all about that farm-to-table, artisanal pizza. You may already think that any carby goodness slathered in cheese sounds delicious, but you haven’t tried an elevated pizzeria like Arturo’s in Maplewood, NJ. When we first moved to our new house, Arturo’s was one of the first local eateries we tried. We knew they were going to be at least decent with 700+ positive reviews on Yelp and close to 900 on Google. They ended up blowing us away. All of Arturo’s ingredients are seasonal provided by local farmers, and they make sure you can ..read more

Namkeen has been on my foodie bucket list for months. If the thought of southern hot chicken with Pakistani spices does not intrigue you, then you’re reading the wrong blog. The creativity and meshing of different cultural flavors is what keeps food exciting by tickling your taste buds and adding to the experience through a plethora of other senses. When talking about spicy chicken sandwiches, there’s been a constant battle over the last few years: Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, KFC, etc. It seems like every fast food chain and mom-and-pops shop has created their version of one to compete in the spicy ..read more

Pho Today Update: We got takeout from Pho Today during the pandemic, and it is still delicious. If you order pho, the noodles and broth are packaged separately so you won’t have soggy noodles. They take the virus seriously with takeout orders located on a long table in the foyer.  When Pho Today opened up off of Route 287, we were skeptical. Multiple restaurants and bars have occupied that location for the past decade. But as if the place itself is haunted by previous failed businesses, new ones are always doomed and brought to their inevitable end. Despite our skepticism, we waited a ..read more

For those of you who don’t know what Smorgasburg is, you’ve been missing out! It’s an open-air food market with locations on the east and west coasts. The food stalls are typically very unique, with innovative flavor combinations, providing a one-stop destination for a variety of cultural eats. Luis and I have been to the ones in Brooklyn and FiDi, but we were most excited for their new location this year: Jersey City, NJ! Due to Covid, we haven’t ventured into NYC for the past year, and I’ve been working remotely from Central NJ. We’ve been craving the snackable bites that Smorgasburg is know ..read more

Does anything else hit the spot as much as a steaming bowl of ramen on a cold, wintry day? I’m not talking about the $1 packets you get at the grocery store, but a long-simmered pork bone broth accompanied with fresh fixings. Lucky for us, a new joint opened in the Metuchen / Edison area called Menya Ramen House. About Menya Ramen House They had their soft opening in November and have been frequently selling out their ramen since. We had the pleasure of getting takeout from Menya twice so far, after we randomly found the restaurant while scrolling through Facebook. The owner Ryan personally ca ..read more

Princeton always evokes a sense of nostalgia for me. My first job out of college was in this lovely town. Years later, when I began migrating for my career, I found myself returning to Princeton for drunk nights, weaving in and out of bars, and ending up at Hoagie Haven in the wee hours of the morning. Although I now live too far from Princeton to have regular outings there, the town’s always on my list of options for a day trip. So, on the first warm day of the season, Luis and I decided to make a date out of it. We tossed aside our winter coats for tanks and tees, and made our way to Mountai ..read more

Brunch. I don’t know about you, but despite it being the most basic-bitch meal of the day, I can’t get enough of it. There’s something extremely comforting about eggs, carbs, and a generous side of meat. Plus, mimosas are a great source of my vitamin c. We’ve been to quite a few restaurants for brunch, but one that really stands out is Urban Griddle. Nestled in Elizabeth, NJ, it’s underwhelming on the outside. If it weren’t for Yelp, we wouldn’t have even found it. Its sign is combined with a run-down motel, and the few blocks around it appear to be residential. They have a small, shared park ..read more

Soup dumplings (a.k.a. xiao long bao, 小籠包) have finally reached mainstream taste buds, and it’s about time. These hot, juicy dumplings have taken a backseat to wontons, gyoza, and mandu for decades now. Truth is, the only thing soup dumplings have in common with the others is that they consist of a delicious meat filling wrapped in thin dough. The kicker: soup dumplings, well…have soup in them. The liquid within xiao long bao is actually thanks to aspic, a gelatin made out of meat stock, folded into the meat mixture. When the dumplings are steamed, the gelatin melts – tenderizing the meat fill ..read more