# You know you're hardcore Jersey when you get these...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 7, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741 "2006-09-07T02:25:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/41 "2006-09-08T16:34:24Z")

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[QUOTE=What Exit?]

Who remembers the Haunted Mansion on the Long Branch Pier, for that matter who remembers the Long Branch Pier?

[/QUOTE]

Me!  
I loved that place and was so so sad when it burned down.  
My family had a beach house in Sea Bright and we’d spend a couple of weeks and most weekends down the shore during the summers.

I would be on the Long Branch Pier and in the Haunted Mansion almost every night. It was so awesome. The actors were much more brazen back then, they’d really jump out at you, touch you, etc. The rat tails at the exit creeped me out every time and I loved it. There’s a really awesome website with info on the mansion (including a link to the music that played outside!) [Dark in the Park](http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/History/lbhistory.htm) And we’d watch the fireworks on 4th of July from the pier. Fun times.

I’m sad about the Pony, lots of good memories of that place, and I was really sad when Palace Amusements closed. We spent every Easter in Sea Bright/Asbury Park, walking in the parade, riding the rides, playing games. So fun.

I highly recommend the book [4th of July, Asbury Park](http://www.amazon.com/4th-July-Asbury-Park-Promised/dp/1582345090), I thought it was a really interesting and fairly quick read.

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/42 "2006-09-08T17:51:59Z")

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[QUOTE=Draelin]  
I was just upset that they went all the way to New Brunswick when they could have got to the one on Route 17 in Carlstadt. Or even the one in Clifton. 🙂  
[/QUOTE]

There are those, but the huge one in Edison off Rt1 (Menlo park mall area) is probably what they meant. Of course, for real white castle goodness, you have to visit either the one of MLK Blvd in Newark or the one at Newark & Kennedy ‘On The Square’ in Jersey City.

PS- the one in Elizabeth is way too clean & shiny to be a real White Castle.

And the one at the corner of Pompton & Bloomfield Avenues is a Lexus dealership now.

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/43 "2006-09-08T18:07:40Z")

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[QUOTE=Count Blucher]  
There are those, but the huge one in Edison off Rt1 (Menlo park mall area) is probably what they meant. Of course, for real white castle goodness, you have to visit either the one of MLK Blvd in Newark or the one at Newark & Kennedy ‘On The Square’ in Jersey City.

PS- the one in Elizabeth is way too clean & shiny to be a real White Castle.

And the one at the corner of Pompton & Bloomfield Avenues is a Lexus dealership now.  
[/QUOTE]

The Rt 1 Edison one is the I mentioned earlier, it is really Metuchen.

The one down in Toms River is a little disappointing, but the one in Eatontown has always been good. The day it opened there was a huge line of us outside, I think we were all displaced New Yorkers and North Jersians. The line was downright silly, it looked like a movie opening in a large city.  
I also used to go to the one in South Plainfield and the one on Rt9 in Oldbridge.

Count, what part of Jersey are you in?

Jim

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**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/44 "2006-09-08T18:08:19Z")

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[QUOTE=Count Blucher]  
There are those, but the huge one in Edison off Rt1 (Menlo park mall area) is probably what they meant. Of course, for real white castle goodness, you have to visit either the one of MLK Blvd in Newark or the one at Newark & Kennedy ‘On The Square’ in Jersey City.

PS- the one in Elizabeth is way too clean & shiny to be a real White Castle.

And the one at the corner of Pompton & Bloomfield Avenues is a Lexus dealership now.  
[/QUOTE]

The better choice would be the White Rose System, Rt514 Highland Park. Think giant White Castles fried up by ex-cons.

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**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/45 "2006-09-08T18:20:19Z")

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[QUOTE=Ichbin Dubist]  
_House_ seems really un-Princetony to me, but I’ve only seen it a few times.  
[/quote]

At least the external shots are of the Princeton campus. The “hospital” is Frist Campus Center, and the white building with pillars is the Woodrow Wilson building.

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/46 "2006-09-08T18:20:28Z")

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[QUOTE=What Exit?]  
The Rt 1 Edison one is the I mentioned earlier, it is really Metuchen.

The one down in Toms River is a little disappointing, but the one in Eatontown has always been good. The day it opened there was a huge line of us outside, I think we were all displaced New Yorkers and North Jersians. The line was downright silly, it looked like a movie opening in a large city.  
I also used to go to the one in South Plainfield and the one on Rt9 in Oldbridge.

Count, what part of Jersey are you in?

Jim  
[/QUOTE]

I’m closer to the Clifton White Caste than any of the others mentioned, but I work in Jersey City. I went to school near both the White Rose and the Metuchen one. i learned to go exactly 25mph thru Highland Park.

Forgot to mention: there’s always some movie or TV show filming in Glen Ridge. This is ironic only because Glen Ridge is itself a movie set. Its one long road with big houses, and it hides all the poorer small ones on side streets behind them.

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**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/47 "2006-09-08T18:37:57Z")

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[QUOTE=Count Blucher]  
And the one at the corner of Pompton & Bloomfield Avenues is a Lexus dealership now.  
[/QUOTE]

That was the one we always went to when I was a kid. But I could have sworn it was an Acura dealership. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/48 "2006-09-08T18:39:26Z")

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[QUOTE=Hal Briston]  
You know exactly where the Quick Stop, Ice Palace and Secret Stash are located, and you know damn well that the mall in _Mallrats_ is nowhere near Jersey.  
[/QUOTE]  
I was just down that way about a week ago. I didn’t have time to go looking for the Quick Stop, but I went to the Secret Stash. Bought a Berserker “F\*ck Your Yankee Blue Jeans” tour shirt from Walt Flanagan himself.

But I have a Jersey question, and can’t think of any better place to ask it. The exit from the Garden State Parkway had two toll booths, one for transponders (whatever they call the system down there) and one for exact change. What are you supposed to do if you have neither?

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**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/49 "2006-09-08T18:39:39Z")

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[QUOTE=Shecky]  
You know where to get “real” blueberries in Ocean County.  
[/quote]

I’m blanking on his name, but my parents knew the guy who did the first significant work on developing commercial cultivation for blueberries (and they got u-pick berries at his farm, of course). Before that, the local term for blueberries was “swamp huckleberries”.

> [@](#):
>
> New Egypt ain’t a state like New Mexico, and it sure as hell ain’t Plumstead!

And it’s actually pronounced “New Egyp”.

> [@](#):
>
> East Windsor is MUCH different than West Windsor.

And they’re both verrrry different from Windsor.

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**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/50 "2006-09-08T18:40:49Z")

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[QUOTE=Loach]  
The better choice would be the White Rose System, Rt514 Highland Park. Think giant White Castles fried up by ex-cons.  
[/QUOTE]

Delicious, although their burgers are totally not like White Castles. There’s one in Roselle Park as well. White Diamond off of Exit 135 is also pretty damn good.

[QUOTE=Count Blucher]  
PS- the one in Elizabeth is way too clean & shiny to be a real White Castle.  
[/QUOTE]

A few years ago, they renovated this one and then the one in Union on Rt. 22. Both are equidistant from my house. What’s interesting is that they basically knocked them both down, moved them about 150 feet (to where the parking lot used to be) , and then rebuilt them without any noticable benefit. And then they moved the parking lot to where the old ones used to be. Whoever’s managing this has got to be fired. There has to be a substantially cheaper way to accomplish these renovations.

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**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/51 "2006-09-08T18:44:24Z")

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Ohhhhh, White Rose System. It’s going on “The List.” (I have a list of ‘must eat foods’ when I go back, pizza, cannoli, White Castle, subs, pork roll egg and cheese on an everything bagel, Dunkin Donuts, at least 2 diners (disco fries!) oh hell, it’s a looong list.)  
This thread is making me homesick and hungry!

I lived in Highland Park for a year (the view from my apt. was the US 1 Flea Market (across the Raritan River) featured briefly in Mallrats. I can’t even tell you how many White Rose burgers I have consumed in my life. Someone bought me a book called [Baked Potatoes](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385478372?v=glance) that’s about movies and, well, not the kind of herbs you usually associate with potatoes. The writers must be from NJ, because they ranked White Rose System number one on a list of ‘best munchies’ or something like that at the back of the book. Yum!

And I am SO going to buy a box of those frozen White Castles tonight. Not even close to the real thing, but they nearly satisfy the craving at least.

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**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/52 "2006-09-08T18:48:03Z")

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[QUOTE=Robot Arm]  
But I have a Jersey question, and can’t think of any better place to ask it. The exit from the Garden State Parkway had two toll booths, one for transponders (whatever they call the system down there) and one for exact change. What are you supposed to do if you have neither?  
[/QUOTE]

They used to have an envelope that you could take and make payment later. I don’t know if they still have these. Pretty much everyone’s got EZ Pass now. And everyone in NJ knows that you should always have ample change in the car.

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/53 "2006-09-08T18:59:53Z")

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3 posts eaten…

**What Exit** I’m closer to the Clifton White Castle, but work nearest the Jersey City White Castle.

\*\*Draelin’s \*\* right: Acura dealer. Right next to Famous Rays. (I just know there’s a Jersey Pizza thread coming…)

**What Exit** , I went to school close enought to have had Sliders at the one on Rt 1 and to have eaten at White Rose. (I always drove 25 mph through Highland Park)

Late Additions:

You’re from NJ of you’ve been on a camping trip to ‘Wawayanda’ or ‘Glen Gray’. (bonus points if you know the campfire stories)

…if you’ve gotten a sunburn on your left arm in traffic coming home on Labor day.

If you have a wine glass somewhere that says ‘NJ Wine Festival’ on it.

If you know the wine festival in Waterloo Village is better than the others and why.  
(hint: people bring corkscrews & share…!)

If you can argue ‘who has the best pizza’.

If you notice that there’s always a film/commercial/TV episode filming in Glen Ridge. this is ironic in itself, as the town is a film set: One long street with big houses on it while all the poorer/smaller ones are hidden on small side streets behind them.

If you’ve ben drunk at least once at the Longbranch Saloon.

If you remember Ed Zaborer’s, Uries Frish Fry, and Two Mile Landing in Wildwood.

If you’ve taken the Cape May Ferry. (bonus points if you’ve read the ‘in case of nuclear war’ warning posted inside of it.)

If you’ve seen an Airshow at Maguire AF base.

If you know what bridge over the Delaware is the one that “Its a Wonderful Life’s” one was based on.

If you remember the Flemington Fair (or still go to the Sussex Horse Show).

If you can complain that your favorite fresh corn stand now sells crap corn because the farmland has all been turned into McMansions.

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**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/54 "2006-09-08T19:12:50Z")

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[QUOTE=Count Blucher]  
If you remember Ed Zaborer’s, Uries Frish Fry, and Two Mile Landing in Wildwood.  
[/QUOTE]

It’s spelled Zaberer’s. He had another in Mays Landing (Rt. 40 going toward AC) that burned down. I think I know the guy who did it.

Speaking of burning down, anyone remember the Brigantine Castle? Place scared the bejesus outta me when I was 12.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/55 "2006-09-08T19:14:47Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> If you remember Ed Zaborer’s, Uries Frish Fry, and Two Mile Landing in Wildwood.

It’s **Zaberer’s** , and I mentioned it in the thread about places where you had to wear a coat and tie. Most of their business was vacationers at the shore, so they loaned a _lot_ of suits and ties. They had a gigantic billboard of a plate set with lobster atop the Steel Pier in Atlantic City.

If you look, you can find a few photos on the 'net, but the place is, sadly, long gone. Like the Steel Pier.

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/56 "2006-09-08T19:15:11Z")

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[QUOTE=furt]  
It’s spelled Zaberer’s.  
[/QUOTE]

Hey, those planes pulling banners fly by so fast… 😃

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/57 "2006-09-08T19:19:24Z")

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Ok, next time I’ll stick to H.I. Ribs.

(try the sampler, but order a fresh beer as soon as the waitress drops off your plate. One of those 1/4 racks is the Cajun 1/4 rack, and if you don’t have a full beer, you’ll be a hurtin’…)

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/58 "2006-09-08T19:37:40Z")

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[QUOTE=furt]  
It’s spelled Zaberer’s. He had another in Mays Landing (Rt. 40 going toward AC) that burned down. I think I know the guy who did it.

Speaking of burning down, anyone remember the Brigantine Castle? Place scared the bejesus outta me when I was 12.  
[/QUOTE]

I don’t know Zaberer’s, but I was just talking about Brigantine Castle last week with my wife. I always wanted to go there as a kid and I never got to.

In Oldbridge is the Original Big Ed’s BBQ, they were once again voted the best Ribs in NJ. They are right on Rt 34. Great place with many all you can eat Rib deals. My BIL loves it. I’m on a diet so I got chicken instead. ☹

Jim

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/59 "2006-09-08T19:39:46Z")

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[QUOTE=What Exit?]  
…You know that it’s called Great Adventure, not Six Flags.  
You know that the state isn’t one big oil refinery.  
At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen  
You know what a “jug handle” is. (Not a fat roll on the body)  
You know that WaWa is a convenience store.  
You know that the state isn’t all farmland.  
[/QUOTE]

I grew up in “upstate” New York (just two hours north of the City) but I know these because Great Adventure was the closest amusement park to us, and I went to college at a place that surrounds a WaWa. And drove to get there. And we all jammed to Springsteen and Southside Johnny since I can remember remembering anything!

Re Trent’n: A friend from the Midwest mentioned how it was funny that Easterners drop the t’s in things like kitten and mitten (ki’en and mi’en for me). So I would say Tren’en and hardly pronounce the first n. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-hardcore-jersey-when-you-get-these/371741/60 "2006-09-08T20:07:36Z")

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[QUOTE=What Exit?]  
I don’t know Zaberer’s, but I was just talking about Brigantine Castle last week with my wife. I always wanted to go there as a kid and I never got to.

In Oldbridge is the Original Big Ed’s BBQ, they were once again voted the best Ribs in NJ. They are right on Rt 34. Great place with many all you can eat Rib deals. My BIL loves it. I’m on a diet so I got chicken instead. ☹

Jim  
[/QUOTE]

Big Ed’s is great too. All those beatles posters and never-ending ribs. But I an’t eat a lot these days so I dn’t go much.

HI Ribs was on the blackhore Pike, outside of AC…til the owners wife caught him with a waitress. There’s a new one on Rt31 (?) west of Trenton, but the ribs had cold spots last time I was there.

PS- Nobody tell **Psycat90** that the Rt 1 Flea Market has been turned into a Multiplex Theater. (You’d think the guys at the knife stand would have put up a better fight…) But, the grave in the middle of the parking lot is still there. :eek:

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