PEC Challenge: Hungry Hobo Jersey

I haven't checked the Humane Hobo Society website in a while so I'm not sure if the term "hobo" was canceled or not but these days you never know.  If you're offended by the word, sorry, it's in the name of the place and they haven't been shut down yet.  I did, however, Wikipedia "Hobo" and found some pretty interesting facts about drifter life that I'm now going to share with you, so buckle up.  The term "hobo" is used to describe a migrant worker or homeless vagrant but don't you dare confuse them with "tramps" who only work when forced to, or "bums" who do not work at all. The origin of the term "hobo" is unknown but is thought to have originated in the United States following the Civil War as discharged veterans began hopping freight trains to return home or to work on the American frontier. A study in 1906 placed about 0.6% of the American population as hobos, at the time about 500,000 people.  That number rose significantly during the Great Depression.  Incredibly, there are still National Hobo Conventions held very year in Britt, Iowa (location of the Hobo History Museum) where hobo union members (yes, there was a hobo union created in 1889 to evade town's anti-drifter laws) review their ethical code (not joking) and tell stories.  It's a four-day event that includes poetry, a carnival, a flea market, and an auto show.  Though trains are much faster today than in the past, freight jumping is still an activity shared by hobos and adventure seekers alike.  In fact, I stumbled across a YouTube series from a British guy named "Brave Dave" who freight hopped across Canada and it looked incredible and uncomfortable at the same time.  Anyway, here's the pork roll, egg, and cheese from Hungry Hobo Restaurant in West Long Branch.  I had no idea this place existed, even with my google search of pork roll places, but they popped up on DoorDash under pork roll so here we are.  It's a bit diner a bit luncheonette inside and I'm sure the place buzzes during the weekends.   

Bread Rating: 6.8/10 (An average roll, toasted, pretty flaky, and light.)

Pork Roll Rating: 6.6/10 (Three big slices, the flavor was there but was a little dried out, might have been because of the pick up though.)

Egg Rating: 6.9/10 (Average fried egg, they give the option to do over easy and scrambled if that's your thing, but obviously has to be fried egg on a sandwich.)

Cheese Rating: 6.6/10 (American cheese on top, American cheese on the bottom, very standard single cheese, they do give you an option to put mozzarella or gouda on there though, which is pretty awesome.  For consistency sake, I went with American and it was average.) 

Sandwich Composition: 6.5/10 (No ketchup which might have hurt this one.  All the elements of a good PEC were there, light roll, cheese on both sides, ample pork roll.  It was average, I enjoyed it, but it isn't going to light the world on fire.)

Overall: 6.68/10 (Average, standard diner PEC.)

Price: $7, it's a diner/luncheonette so prices are expected to be a little bit higher than a deli.  

Hungry Hobo Jersey is located at 181 Locust Ave, West Long Branch, NJ 07764 

Taliercio's Challenge: The Windy City

After getting a taste of sunshine (and a start to my base tan) this weekend, I'm really hoping today is our final cold and windy day.  We need something to look forward to even if that something is spending the summer drinking IPAs while tanning in my parent's driveway listening to Southern Rock as disgusted families walk by.  Certainly not the summer any of us envisioned but hey we're trying our best.  Speaking of trying your best, let's talk about The Windy City, Chicago, a place that really impressed me during the five hours I spent there waiting for a flight back to DC after a wedding in South Bend.  I've always been enamored by Chicago, ever since I saw Ferris Bueller's Day Off, watched MJ and the Bulls win championship after championship, and marveled at Sosa cranking homers over the ivy and onto the rooftops across the street at Wrigley.  From what I gathered (again from my very limited time there) was a more chill version of New York (everyone's yelling at their computer screens at me right now) and I really liked it.  Hopefully, I'll be able to go soon but until then Taliercio's grilled cheeses are the closest thing I have to travel at the moment.   Today's rendition includes some classic Italian meats and cheeses.  Enjoy.  

The Windy City: Salami, Pepperoni, Mozzarella, Provolone, Marinara Sauce

I know, typically people dip their grilled cheese sandwiches in a tomato soup.  That's nice and everything but let me rattle your cage a little bit.  What if, you dipped your grilled cheese in homemade marinara sauce? Oh, that's something you might be interested in? Good, because that's what we're doing here.  This is the grilled cheese from the gods (Roman gods like Jupiter and Mars, not those outdated Greek ones like Zeus and Ares.) Salami and Pepperoni sandwiched by mozzarella and provolone and pressed to absolute perfection with a cup of marinara on the side to dip it in.  Bellisimo! Is this really how you guys do grilled cheese in Chicago because if so I'm willing to forgive your past pizza transgressions.  (I'm cool with deep-dish just don't you dare say it's better than NY Style.) This might sound crazy to some of you, but this grilled cheese really reminded me of Pepperoni Roll Wednesday lunches in high school.  While the rest of the country was chowing down on disgusting frozen pizzas and picking the lunch lady's hair out of their days-old turkey sandwiches, we were living large in NJ with our pepperoni rolls (on Wednesdays only).  Sure, we pay almost double the amount of state taxes as anywhere else but what would you rather have? 

Overall: 9.4/10

PEC Challenge: Red Bank Diner

I know what you're thinking.  How could this be? I thought Red Bank Diner closed years ago and turned into Toast?  Well, you aren't seeing a ghost.  This is a PEC from Red Bank Diner, just not from the location you might be used to.  Red Bank Diner is now on Broad Street, way up Broad, past the bars, next to the Post Office you probably have never been to.  It's OK, I didn't really know it moved there either.  Oh, you didn't grow up in Red Bank and have no idea what the hell I'm talking about? Fair.  Well, many years ago, there was a 24-hour diner open in Red Bank. I'm pretty sure my friends and I have been there during every hour of a 24 hour period.  Looking for a place to hang out in high school after walking up and down Broad Street 100 times with the girls you were crushing on? Red Bank Diner.  Looking for a late-night grilled cheese (or in my friend Matt's case, a late-night fruit cup) after drinking all night at Taste? Red Bank Diner.  Need a hangover-curing brunch PEC (or in my friend Will's case, a chicken parm)? Red Bank Diner.  It might not seem like much, but a lot of life can happen with a 17-page menu and a chainsmoking waitress of 30 years.  If you know, you know, and if you don't do yourself a favor today and listen to the entire '59 Sound album by the Gaslight Anthem, it's an all-time album. 

Note: Please consider supporting all of these businesses going through these fucked up times.  You can order delivery through Door Dash or through their websites and go pick it up.  It could be a fun little activity since there's literally nothing else to do.  

Bread Rating: 7.2/10 (A toasted Kaiser roll that was light, not a lot of bread, which is a good thing.)

Pork Roll Rating: 6.8/10 (Not my favorite pork roll brand here, and it was cut pretty thick.  They do load it up though!)

Egg Rating: 8.2/10 (You can never, NEVER, go wrong with a fried egg from a diner.  They put two on here, making this a protein lovers dream sandwich.)

Cheese Rating: 7.7/10 (Melted cheese below the toasted roll, and more cheese in the fried eggs.  A masterful performance.)

Sandwich Composition: 6.8/10 (Apply your own ketchup is pretty standard at diners so I won't drag them too much over it, will never hate on the amount of meat on these, an all-around solid sandwich.  

Overall Rating: 7.34/10 (A diner PEC, you know what you're getting here, excellent fried eggs, very good cheese placement, and a solid breakfast sandwich.)

Price: $7

Red Bank Diner is located at 179 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701

Oh and seriously, listen to this eleven-year-old album.  

Taliercio's Challenge: Ronnie Special

If you're also getting through quarantine like me, you're probably going through all the trash reality TV in your DVR from the past 3-4 months.  So you'll know that today is another JERZDAY.  I've already written about the cultural impact the show Jersey Shore has had on the world but today we're going to examine the wildest cast member of them all; Ronnie.  I have absolutely no idea if this sandwich is named after him at all but the inclusion of chicken cutlets and American cheese gives me a suspicious feeling.  You may remember Ron as the meatiest of the meatheads on the boardwalk.  The guy who got into a fight almost every week with any and all unsuspecting patrons of Karma, especially his roommates.  He famously coined the phrase "Never fall in love at the Jersey Shore" and then promptly did just that by getting into a five-year on-again, off-again relationship with housemate Sammi Sweetheart.  If you've never seen the show you'd love him.  This is apparently his sandwich, but really its everyone's sandwich.  What's not to love about a chicken cutlet sandwich?  The answer is nothing.  

The Ronnie Special: Chicken Cutlet, American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo

This is a Taliercio's classic.  I would bet if I polled (totally obsessed with polls now) most people that go to Taliercio's they would say that the Ronnie Special is their favorite sandwich.  Luckily for you, the free software I used to make the polls for our PEC Tournament has exceeded the number of monthly views allocated so no poll can exist.  A Taliercio's chicken cutlet with mayo and American cheese is leaps and bounds an improvement to ANY chicken sandwich you'll find at a national fast-food chain (sorry all you Chik-Fil-A stans out there).  The perfect layers of chicken cutlet.  The gentle application of the mayo beneath.  Lettuce, tomato, and of course, the Semolina bread.  A work of art in the chicken sandwich game.  

Overall: 8.6/10

Taliercio's Challenge: The Big Wisconsin

I know what you all came here for and it wasn't for a grilled cheese sandwich.  You want to know the results of the 2020 PEC Tournament Challenge.  Well here they are (if you want to continue onto the grilled cheese assessment I won't stop you.)

In perhaps the tightest matchup of the entire tournament, both Big Mike's Red Store and Fairwinds Deli went back and forth all-day, with Big Mike's taking an early lead and Fairwinds coming in hot during the afternoon returns.  A nighttime push and heavy, heavy blog poll presence catapulted Big Mike's to a three-vote victory (51-48) and is crowned our 2020 PEC Tournament Champion!!  

Fairwinds saw a 47-33 margin on the Instagram poll, but ultimately it was the 18-1 blog post poll that leveled the playing field and brought Big Mike's the win.  A huge thank you to EVERYONE who participated (whether you voted or not you were subjected to my Instagram stories for three weeks so sorry not sorry). 

Now onto the grilled cheese (blog don't sleep).  No, I didn't pick The Big Wisconsin today because they still went through with their primary election yesterday despite a global pandemic (OK, I did, but this is a politics-free zone).  Instead, I'll power rank all of the things I think about when I think Wisconsin. I've been to Wisconsin exactly (1) time and the lads and I had a great time watching baseball, drinking beer, and eating cheese curds in Milwaukee four summers ago, so I'm pretty much an expert.   Anyway here's are my Wisconsin power rankings:

1. Friendly-ness.  

I arrived in Milwaukee around 10 hours before all my friends did.  Not a problem! Milwaukee is known for beer, I'm sure I wouldn't have trouble finding a place to hang out all day.  What I didn't expect was to link up with a group of dudes who suspiciously had nothing else to do that day (it was a Friday afternoon) but to take a newcomer on a bar crawl in their city.  Was I almost lured and murdered by wannabe Dahmers? I don't know. But they were all very friendly and hospitable.  

2. Cheese curds.

Holy fuck do these people love cheese.  It's literally in everything.  Bacon on a stick with cheese.  Tots with cheese.  Brats with cheese.  But the delicacy that is cheese deep fried in batter really won me over.  You just don't find it a lot on the East Coast, unless you go to Hamilton's in DC, you'll thank me later.  

3. Stadium Shuttles.

All of the bars have free shuttles to take you to and from Miller Park during games.  What's more,  these free shuttles also come with coolers of light beer for a more refreshing trip out to the stadium.  A genius move by the bars, by the way, who pretty much make it so you have to take a shuttle BACK to a bar after the game. (I guess you could Uber but why not enjoy yourself)

4. Cheap booze.

I think I had a bar tab of $40 USD over 10 hours by myself? That included multiple rounds of beer and shot combos.  Sure, I can probably sniff out a place with cheap booze anywhere but these places were actually kind of nice and not just your run of the mill dive bars.  They really, really love drinking and sports in Wisconsin which is exactly the vibe you like to see. 

5. Brewers fans.

I'd say some of the nicest in the country.  Sure, a drunk member of the Stephen Avery family tried to fight an entire section of Mets fans, but overall everyone was so welcoming and happy to see away fans (which is the opposite of the attitude you'll see in NY).  Tailgating is big at Brewers games and many people were inviting anyone who walked past to share in their tailgate.  Again super nice people.  Like suspiciously nice.  I was half expecting one of them to ask me to help them move.  

The Big Wisconsin: American, Cheddar, Bacon, Tomato

As far as the Taliercio's grilled cheeses go, this one was by far the most on-point.  Now, I only consumed cheese curds and sausage during my time in Wisconsin so I can't exactly verify the validity of its authenticity, but this was an amazing grilled cheese.  The kind that makes you think of snow days when you were younger.  An instant classic.  The combo of cheese, the white bread so perfectly buttered and toasted, and let's not forget about that bacon.  Some people like tomatoes on their grilled cheese, some don't, I could take it or leave it.   You aren't looking for much when ordering a grilled cheese except melted cheese and buttered bread and I got it with this order.  

Overall: 8.3/10

2020 PEC Challenge Tournament: CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

What will I do when this tournament is over and we're still locked down? Glad you asked.  Content will continue for those still interested.  There are still 15 Taliercio's sandwiches to go (they are offering curbside pick up).  And for those who only come here for the pork rolls, I'm thinking about buying a package of every brand available at the grocery store and subjecting you all to my own homemade PEC's (to which I'm expecting all of you to harshly critique and honestly I deserve it).  There are still some awesome local restaurants that make PEC's so I will be visiting those places for takeout as well.  Now sit back, relax, try to forget about the surreal life we're all living and vote for your favorite PEC of the 2019 season.  

2020 PEC Challenge Tournament: FINAL FOUR

I just ate leftover twice baked potatoes for breakfast, how's your quarantine going? We'll leave up the Final Four all weekend to vote on, with the Championship game being decided on Monday.  A huge, huge Fair Haven contingency has arrived on the voting bloc and they are propelling Fairwinds Deli to voting heights not yet seen in this tournament, gathering 100 votes last round in the only rout of day.  The rest of the matchups were very close with #3 Inbetween Cafe getting an overwhelming victory over Johnny Pork Roll.  Ultimately, Big Mike's and Summit Diner cruised to victories over their opponents.  Some insight I've gathered from voting is that people prefer the hard roll over the bagel method as hard roll PEC's have overwhelmingly won over their bagel counterparts.  But now the tough work will begin.  Four teams remain.  All with the potential to win.  Let's do it! 

Elite Eight Results:

#3 Inbetween Cafe (61%) over #1 Johnny Pork Roll

#1 Fairwinds Deli (75.7%) over #15 Brennan's Middletown (24.3%)

#1 Big Mike's Red Store (59%) over #7 D'Alessio's Bagels (41%)

#1 Summit Diner (57.8%) over #14 Bethesda Bagels (42.2%)

2020 PEC Challenge Tournament: ELITE EIGHT

We have made it to the regional finals! Through some close calls, all 1 seeds remain in the final eight.  But will they all make the Final Four? My predictions have quite obviously been pretty off throughout the tournament so who knows? It's now up to you, dear readers, to decide which Red Bank eatery will win the Red Bank Green region, which shore town will reign supreme in the Jersey Shore region, which Atlantic Highlands deli will take the Central Jersey title, and which pork roll outside the confines of Monmouth County take the Exotics title? All of those questions will be answered today.