As many of you read last week, I talked about some of the great old-school restaurants around my hometown of West Orange, NJ that have been around for decades. Funny thing is the same day I post this story, a friend sends me a picture of him and Buddy – aka The Cake Boss at Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken. My friend Jeff and I go back to when were kids. I asked him if it was worth taking a day trip out to Hoboken in the rain on Saturday. He said yes, but not to go to Carlo’s but to Fiores’s at 414 Adam Street.

The reason why Saturday was the right day is that every Saturday (and Thursday) they sell their special roast beef sandwich with their famous homemade mozzarella and topped (and dipped) into gravy. There was a “right way” to go about getting your sandwich. The Hoboken Guy who like me was a “Fiore’s virgin” documented his experience so well. Read his posting, it is a fun food trip. Along with my sandwich (pictured below)

I also got a pound of their homemade roasted peppers with garlic & one pound of the hot cherry peppers stuffed with provolone & prosciutto (sorry no pix of these, but they are to your left when you walk in). They also do amazing sundried tomatoes. It is about a 15 minute walk from the PATH Station but so worth it. READ ON for more Friday 4 the Foodies…

Just so you don’t think I passed up the opportunity, on the way back to the PATH I stopped by Carlo’s Bakery and waited outside, in the rain (I had an umbrella) for about 15 minutes.  They have a strict one person out, one person in rule when it is busy.  I bought some cannoli, rainbow cookies and biscotti.

In case you wanted to know, Buddy was there, signing t-shirts and sweatshirts and schmoozing with the crowd.

All in all a trip well worth taking.  I would love to check out more of Hoboken.  Suggestions?

By the way, there is another roast beef sandwich I am checking out in the next week or so.  Brennan Carr in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn.  Adam Richman of Man vs Food, shot this segment there.

Double Dip, I will be there soon…

Jon Hochstat

I created the weekly food column for Hidden Track. Currently working on my own food related website, details to come soon...It's a big world, someone's gotta write about it.