Going To Hell in a BLT and Loving It

Besides Insalata Caprese another good way to honor an excellent tomato is the BLT sandwich. On Thursday I picked up the nicest, biggest Brandywine heirloom tomato from the Teaneck Farmers Market. Tonight, just before heading out to Rascal’s Comedy Club in Montclair, we made ourselves a big BLT (with bacon we bought at Kocher’s) on two big thick slices of toasted challah bread.

Okay, maybe I’m going to hell for desecrating the sacred Chally. But I mean, how different really is a challah from something like brioche? Challah just begs for a rich and salty meat, with a juicy tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise. Why should brioche get all the love? I say liberate the challah from the French Toast and the shabbas motze, and use it for your favorite club sandwich. Because deep down a challah just wants to party on Friday night.

The Food Rorschach Test

From EdLevineEats.com:

Presenting the first annual ELE Food Rorschach Test. Your answers will provide a window into your inner soul (food and otherwise). But unlike other (psychologists and psychiatrists) professionals who administer Rorschach tests, I have no way of interpreting the results. And since this is a self-administered Rorschach, you can interpret the results any way you see fit. If it’s not too painful I would appreciate everyone who takes the test to share his or her results in any way you deem appropriate.

• 1) Haggen Dasz or Ben & Jerry’s?

• 2) Skippy or Jif?

• 3) Bagel or Bialy?

• 4) Whipped or Regular Cream Cheese?

• 5) Relish or Sauerkraut on your hot dogs?

• 6) Milk or Dark Chocolate?

• 7) Salted or Sweet Butter?

• 8) Pastrami or Corned Beef on a Deli Sandwich?

• 9) French Fries or Onion Rings?

• 10) Espresso, Regular Coffee or Latte?

• 11) Crispy or Pliant Bacon?

• 12) White or Dark Meat (on either chicken or turkey)?

Ed Levine Eats: First Annual ELE Food Rorschach Test (click for link)

My personal results: 1) Haagen Dazs, if there was ever any question 2) None of the Above, I prefer Peter Pan 3) Both. 4) Regular 5) Both 6) Dark 7) Sweet 8) Pastrami 9) Onion Rings, but only if they are a superb example 10) Turkish 11) Crispy 12) White

NJ Dining: Walla! (CLOSED!)

Note: Walla is currently closed and appears to be undergoing a change in ownership. 

Walla!
10 Jay Street, Tenafly NJ 07670

I was recently made aware of a new Kosher restaurant in Tenafly, which opened about three months ago on Jay Street, in the short alley across from the Honda dealership on County Road.

Walla! Differs from most Kosher places in the area in that

• It’s in Tenafly and thus the standards are a bit higher and
• The food is actually quite good.

In fact, I would say that their Middle Eastern offerings rival Bennies in Englewood in terms of quality, which is saying a great deal. The restaurant is owned by a young Israeli couple and features Kosher Meat items. The restaurant is certified by the RCBC and there is a Kosher supervisor there during all business hours (although he basically just sits there and reads the newspaper, apparently.)

In any case, the quality of the meat here is excellent and they know how to cook it properly. They have some unusual items here that you wouldn’t expect to find in a regular Felafel/Shwarma place, and everything here has a Yemenite spin on it, because one of the owners, Rosie, is a Yemenite Jew. She is incredibly passionate about food and is very much quality oriented. Plus, she’s extremely cute.

Storefront on Jay Street in Tenafly

Lunch Menu

Israeli Mango Nectar

Interior decorations

The Mise-En-Place area for the Sandwiches

Sandwich bar, close up

Condiments — Pickles for the Falafel, Tahina, and Amba, a very
strongly flavored mango pickle paste, which originates from Iraq.

Toasted Laffa Bread with Herbs and Olive Oil. Really good.

A creamy Israeli-style Babaghanoush.

Zhoug, a spicy dip/condiment.

Carrot Salad and roasted Pepper salad.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Falafel Sandwich

This is Malawach, a type of Yemenite griddle bread with scrambled eggs and tomato. Amazing and delicious, Rachel was talking about this for days.

The “Sabich” (Sah-Bikh) sandwich, which is a favorite of Iraqi Jews. It is composed of hummus, tahina, tomato cucumber salad, hardboiled eggs, onions and eggplant salad. Its meant to be eaten with the Amba pickle pictured above.

Shwarma, served on Yemeni Laffa Bread. Laffa is similar to Pita, but flatter and more wrap-like.

Shwarma, opened up. The sandwich is utterly huge and could feed two people if you ordered appetizers. It’s made from turkey meat that has been heavily seasoned with Sabah Baharat, a middle eastern spice blend that includes cinnamon.

Shwarma closeup.

Baby Chicken with Couscous plate.

French Fries, made of fresh cut potatoes

Turkish Coffee