Cod Almighty Chippery

For the record, I loathe puns.

New Jersey had been seriously lacking a high quality fish shack since the closing of the beloved Chippery Fish and Chips in Fanwood a few years ago. Other than trips to NYC (see Atlantic Chip Shop 7/28/10), there are really no fried fish joints in this area. Sure you might find a seafood restaurant, but a chippery is hard to find.


Storefront

This week marks the return of one such a dining experience to Union County, NJ. Cod Almighty Chippery opened this week in Westfield, New Jersey right next door to the renowned Bagel Chateau. Despite the bar set up and small, but reasonable dining area, we opted for take-out.


Menu

We ordered the Family Special (8 pieces of fish and two sides - $30), Captain Fantastic (3 piece with fries - $10), side of corn ($2) and battered hot dog with cheese ($7).

When we arrived home we were immediately impressed with the absolutely massive portions of fish. We were equally as thrilled that the food stayed crispy for the 10 minute drive home. Typically, fried food will quickly become soggy as the steam escapes in the packaging.


Fish & Chips

The fry batter worked well with the cod and provided the precise flaky-to-crispy consistency you crave with fish and chips. The fish was well seasoned and the batter was light and crunchy. Dipping the fish in their delicious malt vinegar transformed it for me. Rich, evocative flavors made it even more appealing.

Many people enjoy, freshly-cut French Fries with the skin on. While I am not personally a fan, they were extremely well received by my wife and other dinner guests. The potatoes were crispy, warm and appropriately seasoned. I was surprised I ate as many as I did; certainly a testament to preparation.


Battered Hot Dog

The battered (i.e. deep fried) hot dog was my only disappointment in the meal. While it was probably a foot-long, it was missing the trademark "snap" you find higher quality dogs. This is the type of hotdog that is the reason I dislike franks; mediocre and not necessarily all beef. The cheese was probably cheese wiz, which would have been ok had the burger been better. In this instance, it seemed as if it were there to overcompensate for the lesser quality hotdog.


Side dishes

Accompaniments can often decide the meal's noteworthiness. We ordered baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and corn. I liked the baked beans. They were different and had the essence of barbecue flavor but it wasn't overpowering. The macaroni and cheese went over very well. It was creamy and cheesy. It may not have been as good as the Atlantic Chip Shop's, but it was better than average. While it did not have that carmelized rich flavor you often get from it being baked in an oven, it had its own character that made it unique. The corn was our least favorite. It was not fresh and tasted as if it were out of a can. This may have been a letdown, but it didn't take away from overall positive impression of the restaurant.

A few thoughts came to me while we were eating. I was curious to how it would perform next to the wildly popular Bagel Chateau. However, my wife was quick to point our that Cod Almighty will probably do tremendous business during the Easter season. I would not only agree but add that since this is one of the only chippery in the area, it will likely do well.

I am also interested to see if Cod Almighty will continue to give such massive portions as business improves. Often times, a restaurant will subtetly cut back on portion size to meet increasing food costs. If they manage to keep it this way, I am confident their business will thrive.


Chippery Fish & Chips Sign

Much like Dilbert would never be a replacement for Calvin and Hobbes, Cod Almighty will never restore the reputation of Chippery Fish and Chips. That location was legendary. However, the quality of fresh ingredients and good service have a good chance of making it suitable replacement. I also like the fact that Cod Almighty has hung the sign of Chippery Fish & Chips in their interior wall as kind of a respectful homage.

For 7 people, and a total price of $49, this was more than reasonable and a return trip is nearly guaranteed.

Rating: Recommended.

Mamoun's Falafel

For four years, I spent my life consuming ramen noodles and fast food, working at a restaurant, living off of pocket change and putting on pounds of which I have yet to shed the majority. Invariably, food consumption took place during odd hours and in locations that almost never served healthy food and had prices that were manageable to the broke college student. It usually was synonymous with alcoholic consumption, but still.

Perhaps I no longer have the pulse on what kind of fare is available to college students these days, but I wish we had places like this in New Jersey that weren't exclusively pizza places or food trucks that serve grease-infused sandwiches. New York City is full of them; taco trucks, hot dog stands, Korean bbq, French crepes, and Middle Eastern food.


Storefront

Mamoun's Falafel fits that mold perfectly. Opened in 1971 on a very famous block, Mamoun's Falafel has neighbors like the Comedy Cellar and Minetta Tavern. This made me optimistic about the visit. It is the oldest falafel restaurant in New York. Located on McDougal between West 3rd and Bleecker in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, this small Middle Eastern restaurant feeds the local NYU crowd and the like through all hours of the night. Known for their extremely reasonable prices, a friend suggested this place; and since it was a Lebanese eatery, I was unable to turn him down for a visit.

I am as persnickety as they come when Lebanese food is brought to my plate. I've been eating it my whole life -and much like a well seasoned filet, fresh sushi or perfectly cooked slice of pizza - I think I am relatively well qualified to determine it's up to standard.

Tripoli, Tanoreen, Sally's and George's Restaurant, three Middle Eastern restaurants all located in Brooklyn, are my benchmarks of good Lebanese food. Tanoreen has gotten tremendous press as of late, Triploi is satisfactory, and the third is a place I have been going to since I was a kid.

Much like with Indian cuisine, I think people have the same culinary apprehensions about Lebanese food. And since falafel balls are not necessarily aesthetically pleasing, I can understand why. But that never stopped me before.

My friend ordered a falafel sandwich ($5.00) and I ordered a smorgasbord of menu items; 4 grape leaves ($2), side of 3 falafel ($1), spinach pie ($2.50), shawarma($5) side of hummus ($1.50).


Shawarma sandwich

The shawarma sandwich was my "main course." As I waited for my order in their small two-tabled location, I saw that the meat (shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or a combination of any) was cooked in spices on huge rotisserie. Layers of flavor were sliced off into a warm pita and topped with lettuce, tomato and special sauce. It was very good. It definitely would hit the spot if I had the munchies. The sauce, similar to Greek tzatziki sauce that tops gyros, had a kick to it. But It was a good complement to the crispness of the lettuce and warmth of the meat. I did manage to sample their chicken kabob sandwich, which I would recommend over the shawarma. The chicken kabob was able to work better with all of its ingredients, where the shawarma's flavors get lost in the mix.

The grape leaves were the first major disappointment. I adore grape leaves. It's what I look forward to when I have Lebanese food. There are many variations of grape leaves. In Lebanese cuisine, grape leaves, sometimes referred to as dolmas or yabrak, are stuffed with cooked, ground lamb and/or beef, rice, garlic and spices. the Greek alternative, is typically meatless.

Mamoun's dolmas were meatless, which took me by huge surprise. They were substandard at best. The lack of meat created a weaker flavor profile and left me wanting more to the dish. But I did finish the dish, albeit dispassionately.


Spinach Pie

Sadly, I was knocked down another rung when I tried the spinach pies. I unwrapped the tin foil packaging to unveil a flimsy and soggy, rectangular disaster. The puff pastry/ phyllo dough was steaming hot but was a poor vessel for the spinach. The flavors disagreed and I was unable to finish it. These were, quite possibly, the worst spinach pies I have ever eaten.


Falafel

Fortunately, the falafel was good. Ground chick peas and spices are rolled into small spheres and deep fried. Mamoun's were slightly more spicy than others, but the kick is what made it unique and memorable. I topped it off with some hummus and sandwiched it between some warm pita.

The hummus, thankfully prevented probable misery and despondency, by merely not sucking. It was thick, rich and creamy. I could taste the chickpeas, olive oil, garlic and tahini in each bite. The warm pita allowed a pocket for me to mask failure of grape leaves with the spread.

Cheap eats go a long way for college students, or anyone on a budget. Middle Eastern can be a good option because this cuisine isn't necessarily unhealthy if you pick the right thing. However, I think a lot of time that people will sacrifice good quality to save a couple of bucks when it isn't always necessary. You can get a side salad from Wendy's.

If you're in the mood for cheap eats, this is a good place to slake your hunger pangs; particularly for the college or midnight bar-hopper crowd. Ultimately however, I'd say skip Mamoun's if you are after a focus on preparation and not in a rush. They may have been first, but they're certainly not the best.