NJ Food News

I agree with everything @CurlzNJ said about The Latin Diner. The food was good - not great - but it hit the spot and the price can’t be beat. The chicken was cooked perfectly - just could have used a little oomph. It was better with the onions. I’ll have my leftover rice and beans with an egg on top tomorrow. I’m in that neighborhood every so often but I’m going to have to time my forays so I can pick up dinner every time I am there. I am interested in trying their Cubano which has become something of a must order when I see it on a menu. Breakfast #3 looks interesting too.

@Roro1831 Sorry you missed the oxtail. Did you end up getting something else instead?

No, they had very little left and I wanted ox tails. So I went home and had some leftover chicken.

Maybe next time. The price point is low enough that I’m likely to try to pick up something to try on a whim.

International Bites looks like they are down to three restaurants inside. Was scrolling through FB marketplace and saw a listing for space in there

Thanks for the update . Nothing that’s still there seems all that tempting.

Exactly, while they had a great combo with Indian - Thai - Mexican etc. the last time I passed there the choices were fairly generic. Chinese and Pizza I think were two of the options, nothing that really caught my interest.

It was good for when everyone wanted something different. Now not so much

Haven’t heard of this place before, but it’s getting a name change (the article doesn’t say why)… anyone been? @gcaggiano? That brisket/gruyere sandwich looks fantastic.

The sandwich was SO delicious (and made on Benchmark Bread!) that I wish I lived closer than southern Ocean County. There will be an article online tomorrow morning, but the shop is owned by the family who runs Driftwood Cabana Club in Sea Bright, the Stavolas.

As for the name change, it’s due to the original name being too close to another place elsewhere (not in NJ).

Made it to Latin Diner for lunch/dinner today.

Chicken stew and pork stew. Each with yellow rice, black beans and plantains.

Chicken stew for lunch, very good.

Pork stew will be dinner before the Pretenders concert.

They had some fried pork chucks from yesterday’s special so grabbed a small order of those, excellent.

Grabbed a sprite as well.

17.75 and I will likely get four total meals out of it.

Place was pretty busy considering it was about 1:30.

Will definitely be back

Thanks. Odd that the paper chooses to run the same caption under every photo (which they do ALL the time, not just in the food section) and without an explanation… will look for the article tomorrow.

We vary the captions when there is something different to say about the photos. They aren’t mean to tell the entire story.

I’m glad you liked it. Definitely not haute cuisine but it’s hard to go wrong when you end up with 4 meals for less than 20 bucks.

I always enjoyed the Cuban cafe so this is pretty much the same

How was Pretenders concert? Saw them back in '80 , The Palladium NYC

They were great, her voice is still fantastic.
And to see them in a small venue was incredible

Yes Stone Pony great place to see a show!

A photographer friend was granted short-term access (which is the norm there) and then got to stand off to the side for the rest of the show. He said she’s as awesome as ever!

Do you have a link for that? Im not finding one.

Link for what?