I want to start off this post by apologizing. I’m sorry. I don’t want to come off as a food snob or think I’m better than some other chefs/cooks out there. But in this case, I can’t help it. Every industry out there has people that are great at what they do, and then there are the majority that are good at what they do, then the few that just can’t quite cut it, and then the last group, the group of people that just don’t give a shit whatsoever. I know not every restaurant out there can live up to NYC standards. I truly believe you should support your local businesses. Last night I ate at a Cuban restaurant called Casual Habana located in Hackensack, NJ. By golly, everything inside of me told me not to write this post, but I will let every reader out there know that with every last ounce of passion and respect that I have for this field, that I can’t wait to rip this place apart.
Let’s start with the dining scene in NJ. I am sure every person out there has seen an episode of “No Reservations”, featuring Anthony Bourdain. A few years ago Bourdain, who actually grew up in NJ, did an episode of No Reservations based on his home state. He was quick to say that the state that was located so close to the epicenter of dining in the world (NYC) could be such a culinary wasteland. New Jersey, the “armpit of America”, and the most densely populated state in the nation. The first half of the episode is so depressing. Bourdain makes a point to revisit some of the cheap eateries he spent most of his stoner teenage years at. First stop, a fried hot dog in Leonia, followed by an Italian sub at a strip club called “The Bada-Bing Club”, then ending with none other than a grilled cheese sandwich at a desolate beach in Asbury Park.
Although he finished the episode on some high notes dining at a Korean bbq restaurant located in an empty parking lot, showcasing fresh seafood down the shore, and even bringing Mario Batali into the mix to visit an Italian bakery, anyone that is new to New Jersey can’t help but think the state is nothing more than endless parking lots, industrial wasteland, strip malls, jug-handles, and round-a-bouts. Having lived and worked in NJ for a few years I can tell you there are plenty of great restaurants and dining destinations if you look hard enough. But Casual Habana is not one of them.
