Back when I wrote my audition piece for this column, a new restaurant had recently opened in place of the old Bombay West restaurant at 9th and Washington. They advertised an experience similar to a classic New Jersey “boardwalk” restaurant, with burgers, fries, milkshakes, and even fried Oreos. That restaurant, Boardwalk Burgers and Fries, was pretty good. Time passed, and strangely, I had yet to actually review them for my regular column. This week, craving something close to campus that would sate an appetite on Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day, the time had come.
While Boardwalk advertises itself as classic Jersey shore boardwalk fare, I’ve been told that unless there’s some pending health code violation, it isn’t quite the true “boardwalk experience.” Adding to that, while my experience along the various boardwalks of New Jersey is somewhat limited, I would describe the decor and modernity of Boardwalk as something closer to the newer areas of Pier Village in Long Branch than an older area of Seaside. Everything is clean and bright, and the dining area is very well-lit. In an interesting twist, the video screen menu boards had for some reason inverted, making placing an order slightly more difficult; fortunately, they also had a plethora of paper menus to peruse before ordering.
Boardwalk’s menu includes burgers, cheesesteaks, hot dogs, fries, and milkshakes (all your typical burger joint items, but better). After placing our order, we were given a number so they could deliver our order in person once it was ready (maybe 5-10 minutes, certainly nothing unreasonable, especially given how busy they were). First, for a burger, we opted for the avocado bacon burger. While a bit on the smaller side, it was extremely satisfying and well-prepared.
The Italian cheesesteak, my personal favorite, was also plenty delicious, especially with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese from Vito’s Deli, just a short walk down the block. In past visits, the roll had been a bit more firm, but when it comes to cheesesteaks, I like a roll that can mold to support the contents inside, so I was very happy. The chicken tenders, seemingly the largest entree portion in the group, were on par, but nothing phenomenal to report.
As good as the “entree” items are, the real treats of Boardwalk are the side dishes. First, the fries. Boardwalk has a variety of fries, dips, and platters. While the fry platters with gravy and cheese are normally pretty drowned in cheese, gravy, and the like, those aren’t necessarily my speed. While delicious at the beginning, at the end, all you’re left with are soggy fries and the desperate need for a fork. While a couple of the typical platters are subject to this conflict, the Garlic Parmesan fries, my favorite of the platters, were absolutely perfect. The fries, drizzled but not overwhelmed with oil and seasoned with garlic and spices, were coated such that I could truly enjoy every single one.
As for the milkshakes, there are a variety of flavors, including peanut butter and coffee, but my personal favorite was the cookies and cream shake. My first time at Boardwalk, the shake was true to advertising, but my straw was getting clogged with cookie pieces; since then, that problem has been long since resolved, and the shake went down smoothly, without being creamy to the point of losing flavor.
Finally, the fried Oreos, the staple of any county fair carnival, or boardwalk experience (but not normally a restaurant in Hoboken, until now). Fried Oreos are always delicious, and that lies in their simplicity: batter an Oreo, deep fry it, top it with powdered sugar, and call it a day. That being said, while it’s not necessarily hard to make a solid fried Oreo, even after they cool off, Boardwalk’s are just the thing if you’re craving something sweet and fried.
Additional worthy note on the dining experience: while we were eating, an argument arose between a couple of tables over whether or not the so-called “hump day” of the week was on Wednesday or Saturday. Keeping in mind the holiday, this debate quickly escalated and almost reached a head until a Boardwalk staff member calmed the group down. While that debate may still be raging, one debate is almost certainly resolved: if you’re looking for a more upscale version of what you’d expect from a foodstand by the beach, Boardwalk Burgers & Fries may be just the thing!
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