665240 Fri Nov 06 12:06:28 -0800 2009 26 20 Tristate Region 0 5161496 I am heading to a friend's house on Saturday to watch the Knicks game with a bunch of old friends and I am in charge of bringing Italian Heroes. I am coming from Manhattan, so there are lots of places I could bring them from, but I prefer to just get them fresh in NJ. I will be in Alpine, but I have to go to Mahwah first, so anywhere in between is fine. Any suggestsion? I remember from growing up in the area that Lotitos, Italian Riviera and Lastrada could all be good choices, but it's been a while. Suggestions would be much appreciated. This would be a bunch of 1 footers. Thanks Fri Nov 06 12:06:29 -0800 2009 133413 offthebeatenpath1 1 5161581 I'd like to help, but a there are questions that must be answered first. The Knick Game is in the evening, so what time were you planning on coming into New Jersey....and which Hudson River Crossing are you planning to come over on. Also, to get to Mahwah, are you taking Routes 4 & 17.....and returning to Alpine, will you be taking Routes 17, 4 & 9W, or will you be coming via the north and I-287 , The PIP and 9W? The time of day is important because many Italian Delis will close before 3:00 PM. Last, are you looking for soft Italian Bread, or crusty hard Italian Bread. Some places only carry one or the other. Fri Nov 06 12:25:19 -0800 2009 5161496 123497 fourunder 2 5161614 Sorry, forgot to be precise. I will be heading to Mahwah first to visit family then heading to Alpine at around 2:00(so i will get sandwiches on the way to Alpine). I was planning on doing 17 to 4 to 9w to get to Alpine. Would prefer to go someplace closer to 17 than 9W because I know the area around 17 so well. The game starts late, but we are catching up, playing poker, eating our sandwiches and then watching the game. Thanks Fri Nov 06 12:35:08 -0800 2009 5161581 133413 offthebeatenpath1 3 5161666 One last thing to consider, please. Since there is going to be a number of hours before you purchase and enjoy these sandwiches, are you willing to make them yourselves? There are some great places that make their own breads, peppers and cheeses......you could probably purchase sliced tomatoes and lettuce if needed too. I ask this only because I would not like a sandwich that has been soaked with oil and vinegar 5-6 hours earlier. Fri Nov 06 12:51:59 -0800 2009 5161614 123497 fourunder 4 5161691 don't want to make them- we are going to eat them an hour into when i get there, so that isn't a worry Fri Nov 06 13:00:28 -0800 2009 5161666 133413 offthebeatenpath1 5 5161780 I've heard good things about the Italian Riviera, but I have never been, and I am not familiar with their hours.Two places that may be convenient with hours and sandwiches are: Maywood Market Place 78 W Pleasant Ave, Maywood, NJ (201) 843-8361‎ Dantes Imports Inc 570 Kinderkamack Rd, River Edge, NJ (201) 262-3232‎ Two better Italian Specialty Stores are: Bartolomeo Italian Delicatessen 105 N Dean St, Englewood, NJ (201) 567-7002‎ http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2009/02/07/nj-dining-bartolomeo-englewood/ www.piccolosgastronomia.com 484 Bergen Blvd Ridgefield, NJ 07657 (201) 313-0200 http://www.piccolosgastronomia.com/ Jerry's Gourmet is also located in Englewood. Although I like the place myself, it's been getting hammered on here of late, and it's been a while since I have actually been back there, so I will let others comment on it as a recommendation or not. Another place I like is Valente in Fairview, but it's a detour from the GWB and back to Alpine. http://www.cubuma.com/cgi/f/lView.pl?li=EML0001257&vm=fo I think you will find what you are looking for at any of the places mentioned above, but personally I would go to Piccolo Gastronomia, Valente or Bartolomeo's....in no particular order....Bartolomeo's is the most convenient for you to go to overall. The Maywood Market has a very well regarded deli and prepared foods department and Dante's is where my son purchases his 6-Foot Heroes for his Sunday Football Crew. All these places mentioned are easily accessible from the Route 4 and 17 corridors and are also on main or county roads....easy off and back on to your destination. Fri Nov 06 13:27:58 -0800 2009 5161691 123497 fourunder 4 5161888 subs soaked in oil and vinegar eaten on the beach hours after buying them from Mike's Subs like nothing else in the world. Fri Nov 06 14:00:48 -0800 2009 5161666 11892 tommy 5 5161903 Is that a Southern New Jersey Specialty? Fri Nov 06 14:06:22 -0800 2009 5161888 123497 fourunder 6 5162259 NJ has beaches well north of southern jersey. i'm sorry to hear you've never had the pleasure. the bit of sand that inevitably gets in your sandwich,and the overly warm iced tea make it near perfect. Fri Nov 06 16:12:42 -0800 2009 5161903 11892 tommy 1 5161591 go through the lincoln, stop at Vito's in hoboken, and call it a day. Fri Nov 06 12:28:02 -0800 2009 5161496 11892 tommy 2 5162983 This was going to be my exact suggestion! Great minds... Sat Nov 07 06:17:38 -0800 2009 5161591 104149 Curlz 1 5161625 Italian Riviera makes great, large, reasonably priced Italian heroes and it's not far from Mahwah. La Strada's are good too, but the Riviera's bread is way better. Fri Nov 06 12:39:29 -0800 2009 5161496 73192 zhelder 1 5161703 Marra's in Emerson is a terrific Italian-owned deli, great hero bread, and the sandwich helpings are LARGE. Nice homemade salads if you are interested. They are between 17 and Alpine on Kinderkamack Road, if you are taking Oradell Ave across, it's just 1/3 mile North on KKM Rd. Here's their website: http://www.marrasmarket.com/ Fri Nov 06 13:03:49 -0800 2009 5161496 21702 menton1 2 5161717 i have actually eaten at Marra's and wasn't wowed. Looking for something fantastic. Fri Nov 06 13:07:13 -0800 2009 5161703 133413 offthebeatenpath1 2 5169563 and the sandwich helpings are LARGE. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What's that.....like a FIXINS BAR? Tue Nov 10 06:02:09 -0800 2009 5161703 123497 fourunder 1 5162191 Grew up in Demarest...go to Ray's in Closter. First off it's seconds from Alpine. Second, they make excellent heroes with a well seasoned sauce and meats as well as generous portions. Third, they are pizza place prices. Finally, they deliver. Thank me later or buy me a chicken parm. Fri Nov 06 15:37:10 -0800 2009 5161496 27861 rifkind81 1 5162306 There is a place on the border of Englewood and Tenafly (a bit closer to Alpine than the heart of Englewood) that makes really good (and really big) heros, both hot and cold, called Roman Inn. Yeah, it's a pizza place, but a lot of people think of them as more of a sub shop, and that's why I go there. A caveat is that they tend to close up shop early, so I'd call ahead of time. The address and phone # is in this post from Off the Broiler: http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2006/06/02/nj-dining-roman-inn/ Fri Nov 06 16:37:09 -0800 2009 5161496 12713 TongoRad 2 5163176 TR, What are your favorite subs @ Roman Inn? Sat Nov 07 08:17:56 -0800 2009 5162306 123497 fourunder 3 5164745 I think they call their Italian cold cut hero the Roman In Special, that's what I was thinking of when I replied to the OP. That's definitely up there. I do also seriously like something a little more oddball that they call the Smoked Turkey Parmigiana. It's simple, really, just the smoked turkey and melted cheese, but it's also addictive. I never would have even ordered the thing myself originally, but some friends offered me half of one once and I was hooked from there. I see you mentioned Nonna Clementina's below. I really have to get there more often, but I am not around here much during the day. The times I have stopped in for a sausage and peppers hero have been quite good. I like how they offer a mix of different sausages- the hot, sweet and parsley/cheese are all on the same sandwich, giving you something different with each bite. I wish it was a bit more 'stuffed', but overall I'd say it's something to get if you're in the area. Is there anything else they do particularly well? Sun Nov 08 06:29:25 -0800 2009 5163176 12713 TongoRad 4 5169559 Tongo, To be honest, I have not been to Nonna Clementina in a couple of years. I am usually only in the area on Sundays and they are closed on that day. When I did go there, I remember the store being impressive to the eye on the foods they had prepared for the day. In casual conversations with the owner, he was always pleasant and accommodating......unlike the mook that owns Amato's Bread in Northvale. I remember enjoying his meatballs, arancini and stuffed artichokes......along with his Italian Cold Cuts Hero.... Tue Nov 10 05:59:23 -0800 2009 5164745 123497 fourunder 1 5163173 For future reference, here are some other places for you to consider..... Dumont...............Denaro's. Good heroes, but domestic cold cuts, not imported. South Hackensack........Clemente/Central Bakery http://d-clementebakery.com/ Lodi............Visentini Brothers Garfield........Latona and Vitamia Fairview.......DePalma Brothers Closter........Nonna Clementina and Isabella's Sat Nov 07 08:16:14 -0800 2009 5161496 123497 fourunder 1 5163259 Quite honestly, otbp, the "italian heroes" at all these places are made with the SAME cold cuts! There are only about 2 companies manufacturing cold cuts in NJ, and all these delis probably use the same ingredients. So really, other than the bread, there ain't going to be much difference. Therefore, I don't know how you will be "wowed" by an italian hero, unless you can further clarify. I believe most of the delis use either Thumanns or Boars Head cold cuts, so that part of the hero will be identical... Sat Nov 07 09:04:00 -0800 2009 5161496 21702 menton1 2 5163282 bread, balance, amount of ingredients, seasoning, just off the top of my head, all go into what sets apart a good sandwich from a mediocre sandwich. just as with most other food. honestly if you can't tell the difference between a good sandwich and a bad one, I know to not consider your input on the subject, since you are acknowledging that you can't tell the difference between one sandwich and another. Sat Nov 07 09:17:13 -0800 2009 5163259 11892 tommy 3 5163328 It's Ok not to consider my input, however; I think you became a bit ethereal about what a "wow" sandwich is, when all these delis use the same cold cuts-- I agreed about the bread. Seasoning? Hmmm. Oregano, oil & vinegar, OK. Balance? Pretty vague. The #1 thing IMHO that sets a sandwich apart is the ingredients! And since they are all using the same ones, I feel the differences are small. The bread does make a large difference, as I previously indicated. When you get into more exotic sandwiches with homemade ingredients, the differences can be much more significant. But italian heroes? Differences are quite small to my thinking. And yes, those chain places' ital heroes (Blimpie, Subway) can be absolutely horrid, they use the cheapest cold cuts and pretty nasty bread. Sat Nov 07 09:49:24 -0800 2009 5163282 21702 menton1 1 5163603 It may not be a bad idea to just call ahead to King's grocery store in Cresskill and have a platter or 2 made up there. High quality ingredients that may or may not break the bank. Either way...it is in the vicinity and will provide delicious food. Sat Nov 07 12:38:02 -0800 2009 5161496 27861 rifkind81 1 5165517 It is out of your way but I love Casa Del Sole in Woodcliff Lake. http://www.casadelsole.biz/ Sun Nov 08 14:36:19 -0800 2009 5161496 179620 mpierce64 1 5166795 thanks for all of the great suggestions. I ended up getting 5 footlongs at Lastrada and 5 from Italian Riviera, for comparison. I liked Italian Riviera better, but the group seemed to like Lastrade. Both were good. Italian Riviera had more meat on them, but i would put them both in the same class. Mon Nov 09 07:39:13 -0800 2009 5161496 133413 offthebeatenpath1