PEC Challenge: Dee Dee's Kitchen

After a four-month delay, Mets baseball is back! As you all know, I love this team probably (definitely) way more than they deserve.  Opening Day is always huge for me as it signifies the end of winter and the beginning of what I like to call tanning season.  Is it a little awkward to be enjoying Opening Day on a random Friday afternoon at the end of July with an empty stadium full of cardboard cutouts?  Sure, but I'm still going to enjoy the hell out of some Bud Lights and hot dogs while watching inside the safety of home instead of my usual spot in the Pepsi Porch at Citi Field.  Anyway here are the three ways this 60 game sprint will inevitably end in disappointment for me and the Mets.  Option A) The Mets start the season on a tear like they normally do only to follow up month 2 with a terrible record and miss the playoffs since there won't be any time to make up for lost ground.  Option B) They start the season like complete dogshit (think 2-14) and can't climb out of it (although they'll finish the season strong. OR Option C) They win the World Series, no one will say it counts, no parade or celebration, and it's the only time the Mets win in my lifetime.  #LFGM. 

Speaking of grilled pork product, I had an interesting time getting a pork roll today.  Thinking a place called Dee Dee's Kitchen would be a take out restaurant I was shocked when I arrived to find a bodega/convenience store set up.  Nothing wrong with that but interesting name choice for a convenience store.  Well, their card machine and ATM were both broken due to the storms so they gave me the pork roll for free.  (I'm going back tomorrow with cash to give them, I'm not some freeloader.) Pretty nice though considering the guy at the counter didn't start our encounter friendly (he probably knew everything was down).  Anyway, we turned a negative into a positive and found a solid pork roll in a place I didn't expect.  Also, shoutout to my Aunt DD, happy birthday! (This is why I chose to go to this place today.) 

Bread Rating: 6.6/10 (Convenience store roll.  Not the worst thing in the world but not entirely fresh.)

Pork Roll: 7.8/10 (Multiple slices of thin cut pork roll, well done.  This might have been the most well-done pork roll I've had on this quest so far.)

Egg Rating: 7.8/10 (Not going to lie, I was expecting a microwaved egg here.  That wasn't the case! And for that I'm grateful.)

Cheese Rating: 7.2/10 (Cheese was very melted, grilled cheese like melted.  Which is much better than a half-melted Kraft single.)

Sandwich Composition: 7.6/10 (A good composition here, SPK ratio was there, and everything was evenly balanced.  Nice)

Overall: 7.4/10 (Classic "never judge a book by it's cover" case here.  After a semi-cold welcome and a non functioning card reader, I figured I was in for a disaster of a sandwich. But I was pleasantly surprised by this one.)

Price: $4, which is an excellent price.

Dee Dee's Kitchen is located at 12 Merchants Way, Colts Neck, NJ 07722 

PEC Challenge: Old Time Bagels

It has happened.  The rat's nest also known as my "quarantine hair" has been cut and shaped back into what could be considered a "normal functioning adult." length.  Minus the good looks and fame, the transition has been almost like Vinny Chase in season 7 of Entourage.  You know, the season when everyone wondered if the show was still good because Vinny went through an existential crisis after performing his own stunts on a movie, got addicted to drugs, and dated Sasha Grey?  The only portion of that trifecta I've ever experienced in my life is the existential crisis and that's why my friends always affectionately compared me to the character Johnny Drama.  Other than being the oldest, most washed up member of my friend group (with the best calves), I don't see it.  Anyway, I won't bore you with any more details of a show that's been off the air for nearly a decade let's get to Old Time Bagels.  Coincidentally, this spot is right next door to the salon I go to get my haircut.  (Yes we've been through this my mom works at a salon and my girl Helen gives me great haircuts, get over it.) 

Bread Rating: 6.6/10 (The bagels here are just OK, on the smaller side, and not very toasted.)

Pork Roll Rating: 7.8/10 (True pork roll flavor, thin cut, heated to perfection.)

Egg Rating: 7.6/10 (A fried egg with the right seasoning can make all the difference between a 7 and a 6.)

Cheese Rating: 6.6/10 (Standard Kraft single.)

Sandwich Composition: 6.9/10 (Average composition for a bagel sandwich.  Good SPK application.)

Overall: 7.1/10 (With an average bagel and above-average pork roll, this isn't a bad everyday PEC)

Price: $5

Old Time Bagels is located at 3253 NJ-35, Hazlet, NJ 07730

PEC Challenge: Edi's Luncheonette

"The Dog Days of Summer," is that what we still call these times when you have zero motivation to do anything?  I must admit, I haven't been on vacation since my last post 2 and a half weeks ago.  My dumb brain is just conditioned by the American public school system to turn off during the months of December (winter break) and July (summer break), which is a little problematic since I haven't had a winter or summer break in over a decade and this condition prohibits me from thinking creatively or critically for a couple of weeks of the year. (Any psychologists in the crowd, now's your time to shine.  Please, evaluate me.)   Lucky for you, I'm back on my bullshit (after weeks of staring at a blank blog screen with only pictures of food and nothing to write about). I have a couple of new pork rolls from South Jersey and the big finale of our Taliercio's challenge coming up for you guys next week, as well as unveiling a brand new project to hopefully help quell my brain's insatiable appetite for distraction.  

Edi's Luncheonette is a cute little breakfast/lunch (but not BRUNCH) spot right off of Rumson Rd heading towards Sea Bright.  Located in an old farmhouse next to an incredibly old cemetery in Little Silver, Edi's boasts a long diner counter (only used for pickups these days) with a few tables outdoors for you to enjoy your food.  This is going to be more of a diner PEC than a deli or bagelry. (According to spell check bagelry isn't a real word, but guess what? It is now! Welcome to history.) 

Bread Rating: 6.8/10 (You know when a roll has a little too much flour on the top? That's what this one was like.  It might look like a little bit too much bread from the picture but the roll was pillowy and not heavy.) 

Pork Roll Rating: 7.2/10 (Two slices with a seasoned griddle.  Taylor brand for sure.)

Egg Rating: 8.4/10 (Fried egg medium over, was the star of the show.  When you have some run on the egg and it seeps into the bread, you know you're doing something right. This place did just that.  Magnificent.  

Cheese Rating: 7.4/10 (Some real American cheese, when mixed with runny egg yolk; melted into the tasted roll and hot pork roll; will start your morning the right way. 

Sandwich Composition: 7.6/10 (Love when the egg yolk goes into the bread.  Points off for no SPK.)

Overall Rating: 7.4/10 (A very nicely done PEC from a beloved luncheonette on your way to the beach.)

Price: $6.50

Edi's Luncheonette is located at 164 Rumson Rd, Little Silver, NJ 07739