#259: Romeo’s Pizza and Restaurant (Hazlet)

Other than P & P Sweet Shop and Yesterday’s, if there is a quintessential Hazlet dining establishment, it would be Romeo’s. I lived in Hazlet for more than 20 years, but because I was on the other side of town, my go-to was Giuseppe’s. It took moving the next town over to finally order from here, though I had their pizza several times at parties or functions and thought it was god. On another one of those too-lazy-to-cook nights, I wanted a simple sandwich. I ended up with a large Chicken Italiano, which is grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar. While there could have been more cheese (I always have that complaint), this was a good sub. There was so much chicken that I had to remove some—it was thinly sliced, well-seasoned, and flavorful. There was more than enough vinegar, giving it a nice bite, and plenty of peppers. With some restaurants nearby charging an upwards of $13 or more for a large sub, paying $11 for this was quite refreshing. 3 out of 5 stars, and I would definitely return for more.

#260: Golden Wok (Keansburg)

This is the only restaurant that Justin will order General Tso’s chicken from. There is just something about how this place makes it that allows it to stand above all others in this area, and there are many. The chicken is fried to a crisp, coated in that syrupy sauce, and no matter how long it sits in the takeout container, never becomes soggy. It has almost magical properties following a night at The Globe. I usually stick to chicken and broccoli with garlic sauce, which is more than serviceable here. Maybe the broccoli is a little too wilted for my liking, but its not really a big deal. I appreciate that their garlic sauce is more broth-like and not thick and sweet like most places do it. Their steamed dumplings are above average—good enough to warrant ordering. My only complaint concerns their egg rolls, which I found to be tasteless and limp. They don’t seem to keep them in the fryer long enough, and that makes them forgettable. They will end up with the same score as nearby Happy Garden, but are they better? I don’t think so. 3 out of 5 stars.