Good Things at Gregory T's

This weekend we stopped in at Gregory T's Family Grill & Tavern  for a late lunch. We've previously been here for dinner and adult beverages with some friends and let's just say the dinner crowd on a Saturday is just a bit more lively than the lunch crowd on a Sunday. If you're unfamiliar, Gregory T's occupies the former location of the Arthur's Tavern on Kinderkamack Rd in Emerson. We'd never been inside Arthur's, but it doesn't seem as much has been changed inside. Not that this is bad, the atmosphere is simple comfortable, with a lovely exposed wood ceiling above the bar and some of the dining area. We found service to again be friendly and attentive without being overbearing, though at times on the slower side. Not a deal breaker by any means. 

Now let's talk about food...

Mozzarella Sticks (sorry, we ate 2...)

We started (as we would) with an order of mozzarella sticks. In fact, if there's ever a time that we sit down to eat any kind of tavern/grill/pub and we DON'T start with an order of mozzarella sticks, we're not feeling well. $7 gets you an order of 5 sticks. Can't say we're much of a fan of odd number mozzarella stick orders and $7 for only 5 seems a bit steep, but they're quite large. The breading is crispy and somewhat flaky with a mild seasoning. Mozzarella inside is fresh and not too salty. Overall, yum, but wouldn't mind a sixth stick to round out the order.

Jen

Milano Panino - $9

The lunch experience is always different from the dinner. Depending on the location this could be good or bad! In our case, Gregory T’s has always delivered.

For lunch I ordered the Milano Panino (and to be a grammar snob for a second, Panini is plural and Paninis is redundant). It was full of fresh ingredients and came out hot, almost to hot! The Mozzarella cheese was a perfect melted blend of awesome and all the vegetables were throughly cooked but still retained their individual flavors. The house Pinot Grigio was sub-par. I’m not sure what it was, but it was just missing something. I will admit that I was not well the night before and my taste buds may have been off their game. Either way I am definitely not above having another glass…. or three.

The service was decent, a little slow considering how empty the place was. The waiter was not too harsh on the eyes, which helped (ha sorry Mike!!) and had a good personality. This was the second time we have been here and each time has not been a let down. Gregory T's is certainly nothing spectacular, but it is definitely a place that will not let you down.

Mike

Canadian Burger - $9

When the burger craving hits, you must abide. And that's just what happened when we got to Gregory T's. I tried to subside it by concentrating on the other sandwiches and wraps, but it was to no avail. So I opted for their Canadian Burger which comes topped with monterey jack cheese and two nice slices of Canadian Bacon. The burger came cooked nicely to my requested medium-rare, however the burger to bun ratio weighed a bit too much in favor of the kaiser bun. It fully enclosed the patty, which was a nice a sized and well formed burger. The bottom bun also didn't hold up well to the burger's drippy juices, but I managed. It was pretty solid, beef wasn't seasoned too intensely which I can appreciate, but seemed a bit lacking. The jack and Canadian bacon made up for that though. Fries were good, nothing to write home about but did their job for sure. I would order it again.

My first Guinness took a while to come, but I didn't mind much. The head was a bit lacking though and it came served in standard 16oz pint glass rather than the appropriate 20oz imperial tulip pint glass. Normally I'd let that fact slide, as I can understand hesitation toward buying so many special glasses just for one beer. However the $6 price tag on these pints was a bit of a turn off, as I can tell you a handful of places to get a proper imperial pint fot $5... But hey, it was still a decent pour and didn't stop me from ordering 3 of them. At the end of the day, Gregory T's will  give you a great meal for a decent price in a comfortable environment. Cheers. 


Gregory T's Family Grill & Tavern
214 Kinderkamack Rd
Emerson, NJ 07630
201-262-5003

The 101 Pub - Bogota, NJ

The 101 Pub is place to which we are no strangers. We moved about 75 feet away from the pub last May, and have been going there regularly since. From our first visit we felt welcomed and at home, and had our new neighborhood spot. We come here for more than the food and drink, but those are certainly some selling points! 

Disclaimer: We would have included a photo of the breaded in crack mozzarella sticks, but we ate them all before the iPhone could load the camera app. Fact. 

And now! For the reviews... 

Jen

One of my favorite Pubs of all time… if only for the homemade breading on the mozzarella sticks. I swear they are made from gold dust and angel crust! The service here is fabulous as well. The staff clearly appreciates regulars and foster a very welcoming environment. Everything is made-to-order and obviously at that. Nothing here is ever frozen and all the ingredients are fresh and flavorful. 

As a non-meat eater the menu is kind of sub-par though. I usually alternate between grilled cheese (with lettuce, trust me try it!!), tuna-melt and the occasional special menu item (eg: shrimp wrap) or a salad if I’m feeling really adventurous. One of the times I am glad I at least eat the fishes or else would be extremely limited. Since moving back to New Jersey I have accepted that the “vegetarian trend” hasn’t quite trickled down yet, but hopefully one day.

And for the drinks… a personal favorite with every meal, the White Wine Spritzer (with Pinot Grigio!). A refreshing alternative to a standard glass of wine. The glasses are always poured to them brim and the price 100% reasonable (about $6 a glass). Keep the drinks flowing here and it will always be a great time!

Mike 

I wish we could eat and drink at 101 every night. We became regulars rather quickly and for good reason. We felt like we'd been coming here for years within a week and the Guinness pour is excellent. Menuwise it's pretty standard pub fare, but a real step above the norm. I've yet to be disappointed with a meal here, and your glass is never left empty.

Being a burger fiend, I usually opt for their excellent pub style bacon cheddar burger or signature 101 Burger (bacon, cheddar, onion rings & chili) to satiate the craving. The burgers are cooked perfectly to my requested medium rare, the bacon is thick, crisp, and flavorful, and the burger-to-bun ratio is spot on. Hands down one of my favorite pub burgers in Jersey.

Lately though I've been opting for the "healthier" side of the menu and enjoying the various chicken sandwiches, such as the flavor-fest buffalo chicken sandwich or the bacony chicken supreme. All are always fresh and HUGE, with enough for leftovers. Pair it with a side of their excellent fries, you're set. I decided to forgo my usual Guinness as well recently to sample the Samuel Adams Alpine Spring by recommendation of a friend. Excellent beer with a fresh hoppy mouth and sweet, dry finish. 

Oh did we mention the mozzarella sticks are coated in crack? (We know we did...) Yea, no photos of those. They didn't have a chance in hell. Maybe next time?

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich 

Blackened Shrimp Wrap

101 Pub

101 Queen Anne Rd 

Bogota, NJ 07603

201-343-9802

Welcome to The Spoon & Fork!

Welcome to The Spoon & Fork! We are a couple in our mid-20s living in Bogota, NJ with VERY differing palates and preferences when it comes to grabbing a bite. We recently moved back to our motherland of New Jersey after a sojourn in Brooklyn and Queens which provided us with plenty of food options for us. 


Jen loves fish and Italian food, doesn't eat red meat and loves a glass of Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. Mike on the other hand prefers a giant burger topped with sharp cheddar & bacon and paired up with a pint of Guinness or a strong IPA. Luckily, we always find a common ground on where and what to eat, and would love to share our experiences on what's good with dining out, ordering in, grabbing take out or just getting a few slices here in Jersey. We'll post reviews from both our perspectives, include photos (who doesn't like food porn?) rate everything on a scale of 1 to 5 sporks (gotta get on building that system...) Hopefully we'll help you find your new favorite place!