Talk about mission impossible.
Pick 50 great foods and/or dishes to represent the entire state, from casual to high-end fare; breakfast, lunch and dinner; appetizers, main courses and desserts, and not just restaurants, but markets, stands, specialty stores and food trucks?
Yikes.
I've sampled thousands of dishes, sandwiches, plates, etc., for work in the past two years alone, so picking a mere 50 was tough.
But when the going gets tough, the tough start eating, and get to thinking about what they've eaten. Here is my list of the 50 Jersey foods you must try before you die. It's not necessarily a list of the state's 50 best dishes, just the must-tries before you go to that great skillet pan in the sky. I skew to more casual restaurants -- it's what I do -- but there are quite a few fancy-pants places in my fab 50.
Call it the ultimate N.J. foodie bucket list. Every county is represented. The list also reflects the state's incomparable ethnic and dining diversity. There's mainstream American, Italian, Indian, Spanish/Portuguese, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Korean, Greek and many other cuisines represented here. It's a good jumping-off point for all you food adventurers out there, a tasty guide for a summer road trip. Food aside, many of these spots are great Jersey experiences on their own.
I'm sure you have your own favorites, so let me know below. Don't just say "Taylor ham sandwich'' or "fresh Jersey strawberries'' or "slice of thin-crust pizza,'' give me the place that does that food or dish the best.
For more detail and info about each item and place, check out the gallery.
Sicilian pizza, Bruno's Restaurant and Pizzeria, Clifton
Miss Dorothy's Skillet Fried Chicken, Magnolia Room, Chalfonte Hotel, Cape May
Soft-shell crabs, Circus Drive-In, Wall (The Circus was put up for sale late last year, but I'm still hoping it re-opens, or the new place sells those soft-shell crabs)
Pork chops, Augustino's Kitchen and Bar, Hoboken
Mint lemonade, Al Basha, Paterson
Mocha decadence cake, Grateful Bites (formerly Baker's Treat), Flemington
Carmen's special sub, Carmen's Deli, Bellmawr
Ripper, Rutt's Hut, Clifton
Mozzarella made tableside, Cafe 2825, Atlantic City
1964 pizza, Santillo's Brick Oven Pizza, Elizabeth
Pasta flora (shredded coconut-topped quince pastry), Argentina Bakery, Union City
Moroccan oil cured olives, The Greek Store, Kenilworth
Cinnamon sugar doughnut, Browns Restaurant, Ocean City
Beef tendon chicharrones, Mistral, Princeton
Caramel pecan cheesecake, Anthony's Cheesecake, Bloomfield
Spicy cabbage/Szechuan seafood delight, Chengdu 23, Wayne
Double dark chocolate fudge crunch ice cream, Cliff's Homemade Ice Cream, Ledgewood
Whole belly fried clams, Boulevard Clams, Surf City
Blueberry pie, Emery's Berry Patch, New Egypt
Lamb chops, Greek City, Ramsey
Roast beef and mozzarella sandwich, Fiore's Deli, Hoboken
Tender tuna sashimi roll, Mr. Pi's II, Warren
Taylor ham egg and cheese, Olde Towne Deli, Boonton
Rodizio, Fernandes Steak House, Newark
Rigatoni alla Disgraziata, Zeppoli, Collingswood
Pernil (slow-roasted pork), LaLa's Puerto Rican Kitchen truck, Old Bridge
Lemon ice, Di Cosmo's Italian Ice, Elizabeth
Rotisserie chicken, Yoder's, Amish Market at Mullica Hill, Mullica Hill
Taglioni alla Scoglio, ITA101, Medford
Double cheeseburger with onions, White Manna, Hackensack
Dry-rub ribs, Back Bay B-B-Q, Egg Harbor Township
Tokri chaat, Dimple's Bombay Talk, Iselin
Prime rib, Walpack Inn, Walpack
A dozen Cape May Salt oysters, The Washington Inn, Cape May
Empanadas, Division Cafe, Somerville
Sloppy Joe, Towne Hall Deli, South Orange
Rice pudding, Salem Oak Diner, Salem
Wings, Marley's Gotham Grill, Hackettstown
Sticky buns, Aversa's Bakery, Brigantine
Bulgogi (beef) and dak gui (chicken) tacos, MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos, Asbury Park
Orange cream swirl, Kohr's or Kohr Bros., Jersey Shore
Fat Roscoe, RJ's, Ewing
Chicken taverna, Pompton Queen Diner, Pequannock
Egg bagel, JT's Bagel Hut, Forked River
Philly Fluff cake, Natale Summit Bakery, Summit
Spicy lemongrass with chicken, Viet Bistro, Vineland
Korean fried chicken, Peck Peck, Teaneck
Chocolate habanero ice cream, The Bent Spoon, Princeton
Jambalaya, Drew's Bayshore Bistro, Keyport
Italian sub, White House Subs, Atlantic City
Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile. Find the Munchmobile on Facebook and Instagram.