Hungarian Food in Central NJ

[hipmama]

Does anyone know if Charda's in New Brunswick is still around? We are looking for local (New Brunswick area) Hungarian food. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[CTMcEnroe]

For the best Hungarian food in the area you must visit with Margaret and Peter Pulhac's place. Food is very good at a equally good price.
Check it out at - http://www.bluedanuberestaurant.net/

[The Professor]

Will have to check this out.
So sad....at one time, so many Hungarian restaurants in New Brunswick, and not a single one left!

[arpad]

Barbara's Hungarian Kitchen in Ewing is well worth a visit .

[arpad]

And don't forget the Hungarian Festival is June 6th on Somerset St .

[Passadumkeg]

European Provisions on Old Bridge Turnpike in E. Brunswick has Hungarian sausages

[arpad]

There is a Hungarian Deli a few blocks west of where Cszardas was . Somerset and Oak is the intersection .

[ambrose]

arpad, thanks for the info. I'll make it a point to check out this deli when I'm in the neighborhood.

I'm wondering though.....what differentiates a Hungarian deli from, say, a Polish deli or a German deli or an "east European deli"?

[arpad]

Mostly the types of sausages and pastries . Polish and Hungarian kolbas are different . Hungarians make a sausage - hurka - from kasha and organ meats , with or without blood , that I haven' t seen in Polish places . To my taste also I find Hungarian filled pastries to have more filling while the Polish equivalents are drier !

[ambrose]

Thanks again Now I'm going to have to do some taste testing! Oh well, someone has to do it.

[Ted in Central NJ]

Yes, Chardas (no apostrophe!!) still exists, at 214 Somerset St, in the shadow of the ever-growing Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. It is apparently the last remaining Hungarian restaurant in New Brunswick.

[flourgirl]

That's a shame that the Hungarian food scene is apparently dwindling in NB. I went to Rutgers (many moon ago) and lived downtown. I still remember being pleasantly surprised when I learned about the large Hungarian community in the area. Previously I had never encountered such a phenomena as an ethnic neighborhood (though I had heard plenty from my parents about growing up in one...) Anyway, I believe I am going to have to make it a point to take the family to Chardas while it's still there.

[Passadumkeg]

Isn't there still a bar named Budha, Pest or Magyar in the same area?

[arpad]

Yup the Buda Bar is still there !

[Passadumkeg]

Mom was in Robt. Wood last Oct. and I hit the Budha Bar after seeing her (She was in poor shape and died 3 wks later at nearly 93), pretty crummy and no Hung food, but the Istanbul del next door had NJ Sloppy Joes.

[arpad]

The building still exists but the business is gone . There was a deal in place for Csardas to move to another building owned by a local church but that building had a fire and the NB Fire Marshal vetoed any use of the place barring a total rebuild .

[Ellen]

I went to a Hungarian festival there a few years ago sponsored by the local Hungarian/catholic church. I don't recall the name but if you look it up they may be able to help you.

[val ann c]

That Hungarian Festival was in early June. I missed it this year. I went two years ago and the food was outstanding.

[njeggy1]

Do baked goods count as food? Their part of my food pyramid :) Anyway, there's a cute little pastry shop in Cranbury called Cranbury Delights on North Main Street. It is run by a hungarian young lady and she has baked goods AND ice cream there right now. mmmm.

[shabbystorm]

This is a little gem! Thanks for posting!
She has homemade chocolates - homemade Linzer Tarts, she makes some of them in the shape of Pop Flowers!! Homemade desserts and homemade Ice Cream!
I can only eat so much everyday but it is close to home and I will be back!

[arpad]

Stopped at Cranbury Delights today . Very good carrot cake and cherry strudel .
They have homemade bread twice a week - tuesday and I forgot the other .
I'll be back to sample their ice cream .
While I was there the Owner told me about a new Hungarian place in Ewing - a deli Barbara's Hungarian Kitchen located in a mall on Parkway - address is 1400 .

[shabbystorm]

The happiest thing happened in Cranbury at that little shop Cranbury Delights on main street.
On Saturdays only, they set up outside the store under a canopy and make Hungarian Crepes, Palatschinke. You can have them filled with a choice of fruit or nutella!! Had mine with Nutella and two baby scoops of that cinnamon ice cream. It was heaven, 5.00 and worth every penny.