Tag Archives: food

Day Three Hundred and Eighty Two Bergecco-Parc Consulting presents “Breakfast at Primo Pizza at Bergen Community College (Late Morning) April 29th, 2026

Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.

This semester I taught two sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Spring semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.

In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.

The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus campus where I work.

Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.

Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:

In the Spring of 2026, I partnered with American Dining Creations, our on-campus leasee of our dining outlets with both the main cafeteria on the second floor and the coffee shop and pizzeria on the first floor.

We created a project three years ago in my Spring 2023 class entitled ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College-Breakfast , Lunch and Dinner’ when they were finding that the students did not know we had a cafeteria. The project was a huge success and gave the company insights to the identity problems the students had on on-campus dining.

The project ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College’ Spring 2023:

The Video Presentation:

This semester we tackled the issue of options for early morning quick dining. The coffee shop offered two options, egg bites and breakfast sandwiches plus pastries and bagels. I thought it could offer more by opening the pizzeria three hours early and offering a selection of breakfast themed pizzas, calzones and desserts that could transition to lunch. So I partnered with Jack, the manager, again and had the students create a new menu, set up the Social Media, create a new logo for the breakfast menu and plan an Opening Party to promote the new menu. The results were very interesting.

The Project Presentation Proposal:

Next I had a mandatory field trip to the pizzeria where Jack described the current business and sales of Primo Pizza, our pizzeria on the Bergen Community College campus.

Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Field Trip:

Jack, the manager of American Dining Creations, on the morning of our tour

My 11:00am Team:

The Team Field trip to Primo Pizza

My Teams at the end of the tour

Our Team picture on the Field trip

I broke the class up into five teams and for the next six weeks we worked on the Team project, creating a new breakfast concept that would work for the college.

Being in Corporate does come with its difficulties. Teams disagreed, team members disappeared and balances were shifted throughout the six weeks. It is amazing how much of the true Corporate experience they really have on this project.

On April 29th, 2026, the students presented their ideas to Jack and myself. There were some very interesting ideas on how to grow the business at an earlier hour and how to transition breakfast items into the early lunch menu.

I really liked some of the creative ideas that the groups came up with pizzas topped with eggs and various meats and vegetable toppings, the variety of cheeses and sausages and their use of spices. Some came up with Korean, Spanish and Italian themed flavors both as toppings and fillings. The parties they planned for the Opening went from simple to a little to elaborate with budgets that went into the thousands (this would not work). I liked all of their logos and though their ideas for the menu were very clever.

The PowerPoint of the Presentation:

The Website of the Project for “Breakfast at Primo Pizza”:

https://consultingbergecco.wixsite.com/professional-web-sol

The YouTube Presentation of the Project Proposal:

Each Executive Team has to find our Divisional Corporate Headquarters, and plan the Division’s Corporate party. One of the items of the party is the Corporate gift which is given to each Team Member at the party.

After the Presentation was over, we had a Q& A on the ideas the students had and Jack seemed very impressed with what the students had to say. This was a great way to get feedback from the audience the company was trying to reach.

The Presentation Reception

After every Presentation, I have a reception for my students with homemade cookies and brownies that I bake for the students, chips, waters and sodas. I do this after every presentation for a job well done.

Our Team picture on Presentation day

We finish each Presentation with our Team Corporate picture. My well dressed and polished future executives ready to conquer the big city. Then the final exam and then they move on to the next class.

Another successful project and another semester complete.

Day Three Hundred and Eighty Four Bergecco-Parc Consulting presents “Bergen 250: Touring & Marketing the Pascack Historical Society Museum in Park Ridge, NJ for Tourism” April 29th, 2026

Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.

This semester I taught two sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience.

The Spring semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.

I also taught Principles of Management, which came with its own set of challenges. It was the amount of people in the class and what projects would they be working on.

In the past, I have created these Team projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. All of these business concepts are simulated.

Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.

The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus campus where I work.

Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.

Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:

While my morning Business 101 classes worked on their ‘Breakfast at Primo Pizza’ project and my International Marketing students worked on their “The Historic Revolutionary War Graveyards and Cemeteries of Bergen County” projects, I had my Principle of Management students create a game plan to market the Pascack Historical Society Museum in Park Ridge, NJ to a younger, more modern audience.

When choosing a project for this class, I had had two other ideas that fell through, then I had remembered working with the Pascack Historical Society Museum the prior year for my “Bergen 250” Team Project. We had proposed a Farm to Table Dinner at the Wortendyke Barn down the road with the dinner starting with a Cocktail Party here with a tour of the museum. I asked the museum again to partner with me on this project.

The “Bergen 250” Project in Spring 2025:

The Video Presentation of the “Bergen 250” in 2024:

The museum had created a wonderful exhibition for the “Bergen 250” but when I went to visit it, no one was at the museum but myself. When I asked the volunteers that day how many people had visited the museum, they told me I was the first one. That got me thinking why people were not visiting this wonderful museum with its interesting artifacts and intriguing displays.

The outside of the Pascack Historical Society Museum at 19 Ridge Avenue in Park Ridge, NJ

Then I looked at their website and their displays. I realized that the museum was not adapting to the cellphone age. There were no QR codes at any of the displays, not enough pictures of the display on their website and their scavenger hunt bingo game needed an update to engage a younger crowd.

https://www.facebook.com/pascackhistoricalsociety

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46713-d12610386-r1051662243-Pascack_Historical_Society_Museum-Park_Ridge_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

That’s when I came up with a Marketing plan for the museum and proposed it to their Executive Board. We worked together to come up with new ways to promote the museum and its collection. This was our combined idea and we looked at how to bring more traffic to the museum.

The Proposal for “Bergen 250: Touring the Pascack Historical Society Museum”:

I presented the project to my students after the Spring Break and then the next week took my students on a mandatory field trip to the Pascack Historical Society Museum in early April. The Board members of the Museum led us on a tour of all the exhibitions, then discussed their plans for the “Bergen 250” and then discussed some of the challenges that the museum faced with attendance.

Touring the museum

The students on their part took pictures and notes about the museum and their displays. Many would make various trips back to the museum to crest the QR codes for the displays and map the museum’s backyard for the Farm to Table fundraiser and a proposed afternoon tea.

Touring the museum

Touring the museum

Touring the museum with the Board of the museum

The museum’s Board members could not have been nicer and more helpful to the students and myself. We got a lot of insights on what direction the Board wanted to go.

Our Team picture at the museum

The tour of the museum took about an hour. We then had a Division Team Dinner at Pompilio’s Pizzeria in Downtown Westwood, NJ:

https://www.pompiliospizzeria.com

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46923-d4643410-r1053567938-Pompilio_s_Pizzeria_Restaurant-Westwood_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

Dinner with my Divisional Team

I find that these Team dinners and lunches are very helpful in getting the students together to get to know each other and we share a nice meal as a Team should. We asked the Board to join us so we could continue the conversation.

Dinner with both the Board and my Team

For the next five weeks the three Teams broken into Marketing, Historical and Foodservice created their ideas and game-plans to help the museum increase traffic by trying to bring a younger and tech savvy visitor into the space.

The Pascack Historical Society PowerPoint:

The Pascack Historical Society Corporate Website:

https://ekucevic4.wixsite.com/bergecco-parc-consul

The Pascack Historical Society YouTube Presentation:

The video of our Presentation to the Board of the Pascack Historical Society Museum on the evening of April 29th, 2026

On the evening of April 29th, the Board members of the museum joined us for the Presentation of ideas the students came up with including setting new QR codes for all the displays, a revamped Marketing plan to showcase the museum, a new historical walking tour, one aimed at adults and one to children and the ideas for the fundraising dinner, a children’s birthday party concept and a Afternoon Tea fundraiser.

After the Presentation, we had a Q & A on the ideas and after the Presentation was over, we had a reception for our guests and for the student consultants. Then we took our Corporate Team picture.

My Divisional Team the night of the Presentation

Our reception after the Presentation

It was another successful project accomplished and it looked like the Board went home with new ideas and the students learned a few things about themselves. I could not have been more proud of the students.

Day Three Hundred and Eighty One Bergecco-Parc Consulting presents “Breakfast at Primo Pizza at Bergen Community College (Early Morning) April 29th, 2026

Every semester for my Business Marketing, Management and Communications classes, I create one big Team assignment for my students. In a Commuter College, it is a lot tougher for students to get to know one another between their studies and their jobs, so I create these projects to foster learning, creativity and especially Teamwork.

This semester I taught two sections of Business 101-Introduction to Business, which is the entry level course to the Business/Hotel Management School. This is a tough course to teach as you always have students of various age groups and various levels of industry experience. The Spring semester was no different. This makes the class more interesting yet more challenging to teach. I still challenge them and test them to see what type of future executives they will become.

In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.

The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. concept is an acronym for Bergen Community College Paramus Campus where I work. I came up with it one night at three in the morning when I needed an idea for a project for my students.

Professor Justin Watrel, CEO Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.

Our Corporate site (created my one of my former President’s:

In the Spring of 2026, I partnered with American Dining Creations, our on-campus leasee of our dining outlets with both the main cafeteria on the second floor and the coffee shop and pizzeria on the first floor.

We created a project three years ago in my Spring 2023 class entitled ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College-Breakfast , Lunch and Dinner’ when they were finding that the students did not know we had a cafeteria. The project was a huge success and gave the company insights to the identity problems the students had on on-campus dining.

The project ‘Feasting at Bergen Community College’ Spring 2023:

The Video Presentation:

This semester we tackled the issue of options for early morning quick dining. The coffee shop offered two options, egg bites and breakfast sandwiches plus pastries and bagels.

I thought it could offer more by opening the pizzeria three hours early and offering a selection of breakfast themed pizzas, calzones and desserts that could transition to lunch. So I partnered with Jack, the manager, again and had the students create a new menu, set up the Social Media, create a new logo for the breakfast menu and plan an Opening Party to promote the new menu. The results were very interesting.

The Project Presentation Proposal:

Next I had a mandatory field trip to the pizzeria where Jack described the current business and sales of Primo Pizza, our pizzeria on the Bergen Community College campus.

So in early March, we had an in class field trip to the pizzeria and arranged for Jack to tell us about the business. It was an eye opener on how the company’s contract works with the college and the perimeters you have to work with space and menu.

Jack, the manager of American Dining Creations, on the morning of our tour

My 8:00am class on their on-campus field trip

The field trip to Primo Pizzeria

The morning field trip to Primo Pizza

The Teams on our field trip

My 8:00am class Team Picture

My 8:00 am Team picture

I broke the class up into five teams and for the next six weeks we worked on the Team project, creating a new breakfast concept that would work for the college.

Being in Corporate does come with its difficulties. Teams disagreed, team members disappeared and balances were shifted throughout the six weeks. It is amazing how much of the true Corporate experience they really have on this project.

On April 29th, 2026, the students presented their ideas to Jack and myself. There were some very interesting ideas on how to grow the business at an earlier hour and how to transition breakfast items into the early lunch menu.

I really liked some of the creative ideas that the groups came up with pizzas topped with eggs and various meats and vegetable toppings, the variety of cheeses and sausages and their use of spices. Some came up with Korean, Spanish and Italian themed flavors both as toppings and fillings. The parties they planned for the Opening went from simple to a little to elaborate with budgets that went into the thousands (this would not work). I liked all of their logos and though their ideas for the menu were very clever.

Below is the PowerPoint and Presentation of the project ‘Breakfast at Primo Pizza‘:

The PowerPoint created by the Executive Team:

The Website created by the Executive Team:

https://lladerach.wixsite.com/bergecco-parc-cons-8

The YouTube Presentation of the Project:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13RgKO_LhCpeqmJI_WF7GzBwaxRk5rEbM/view?ts=69f7cdeb

Each Executive Team has to find our Divisional Corporate Headquarters, and plan the Division’s Corporate party. One of the items of the party is the Corporate gift which is given to each Team Member at the party. This is the item the morning Team chose, a Beach combo with a beach towel, water bottle and sun glasses. I thought it was very clever.

The Corporate Present proposal

After the Presentation was over, we had a Q& A on the ideas the students had and Jack seemed very impressed with what the students had to say. This was a great way to get feedback from the audience the company was trying to reach.

The Presentation Reception

After every Presentation, I have a reception for my students with homemade cookies and brownies that I bake for the students, chips, waters and sodas. I do this after every presentation for a job well done.

Our Presentation Team Picture

We finish each Presentation with our Team Corporate picture. My well dressed and polished future executives ready to conquer the big city. Then the final exam and then they move on to the next class.

Another successful project and another semester complete.

John’s Caffe Pizza & Caterers 574 2nd Street Elizabeth, NJ 07202

John’s Caffe Pizza & Caterers

574 2nd Street

Elizabeth, NJ 07202

(908) 354-5260

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Thursday 9:30am-9:00pm/Friday-Saturday 9:30am-9:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46414-d6556551-r1058235386-Johns_Caffe_Pizza_Caterers-Elizabeth_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The front of John’s Caffe Pizzeria & Caterer at 574 2nd Street in Downtown Elizabeth, NJ

The inside of the restaurant

I enjoy coming to John’s Caffe Pizzeria & Caterer when I am visiting Elizabeth, NJ for various appointments. One of the office workers recommended the pizzeria for lunch and I look forward to eating there when I am in town. The food and the service are great.

The Pizza case of all the delicious pizzas

I know there are a lot of pizzerias in New Jersey and since 80% of the State has some form of Italian blood in them, there are different way s that people prepare their pies. This is the same with John’s Caffe Pizzeria & Caterers. There prepare pizza all different ways and each one of them is more delicious than the next.

The Chicken Parmesan and Cheesesteak pizzas

The location is just off Downtown Elizabeth NJ and around the corner from my doctor’s office so I stop there for lunch when I am in town. I love the pizza here. There are so many choices to select from in the pizza case.

The first time I selected a piece of the Trenton style pizza and a slice of Hot Honey Pepperoni with Ricotta Cheese on top. The woman at the counter highly recommended these and they were delicious.

The Hot Honey Pepperoni and Trenton style pizza

They have all different types of lunch specials and one of my favorites (as of 2026) is the Specialty slice special with a Coke for $7.99. That is a bargain considering you get to choose the slices you want for lunch.

My selection of pizza slices for the lunch special

On my most recent trip I tried the Trenton style pizza, which was made famous the Little Italy that was once located in Downtown Trenton. This is when the cheese is baked on the bottom and the sauce is ladled on the top.

The Trenton style with cheese on the bottom and sauce on the top

The tomato sauce is a traditional sauce of fresh tomatoes, olive oil and garlic. The taste was amazing.

The Hot Honey with Pepperoni and Fresh Ricotta Cheese

The second slice I had was the shot Honey with Pepperoni and fresh Ricotta Cheese. I love the contrast of textures and flavors on the slice. It also has a pinchiness of the taste of the spices.

Yum!

When I came a second time I came in for lunch, I eyed the Sicilian pizzas in the case and had to have a slice of plain Sicilian. This was a full meal on its own.

The Sicilian pizzas plain and with pepperoni

A slice of plain Sicilian pizza

The slice was nicely sized and it tastes wonderful

The Sicilian slice has a wonderful taste and consistency

When I visited again, I had to have another slice of the Trenton style pizza and a piece of Pizza Bianco, a white pizza slice with Mozzarella and Ricotta Cheeses topped with Pepperoni. The pizza slices were spiced well and tasted wonderful.

The pizza selection on a recent afternoon

The Pizza Bianca with Pepperoni and the Trenton Style pizza

The Pepperoni Bianco slice

On all of my visits for lunch, the food and the service have been wonderful, the staff really nice and the restaurant has a nice neighborhood vibe about it.

The food and the service are really good.

The history of the Pizzeria:

(From the John’s Caffe Pizza & Caterers website):

In April 1968, Giovanni Cerullo and family opened up an Italian Caffe shop in a small Italian section of Elizabeth, NJ called “Peterstown”.

Over 40 years Johns Caffe’ was a staple of the Peterstown community and played many roles for the local people. Italian specialties, food, and pizza were some of the items Johns Caffe had to offer over the 40 years. Johns Caffe was one of the few vendors that participated in the famous Italian street fair called St. Rocco’s.

After many years of serving his customers Giovanni Cerullo passed in February of 2009. His son Gerry and grandson Giovanni decided to honor his legacy and keep Johns Caffe going!

In April 2009 they renovated and re-opened Johns Caffe Pizza & Caterers! They created an innovative menu that included their famous Paninis and other Italian delicacies such as focaccia sandwiches, thin crust pizza, wraps, salads and dinners, just to mention a few.

Green Village Deli 536 Green Village Road New Vernon, NJ 07935

Green Village Deli

536 Green Village Road

New Vernon, NJ 07935

(973) 773-1709

https://www.greenvillagedeli.com/menu

https://www.facebook.com/GreenVillageDeli/

Open: Sunday 7:00am-3:30pm/Monday-Friday 6:30am-4:00pm/Saturday 7:00am-3:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46475-d4623019-r1058921757-Green_Village_Deli-Green_Village_Morris_County_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Green Village Deli at 536 Green Village Road

The sign that welcomes you to this local breakfast and lunch establishment

I was visiting New Vernon, NJ for the annual ‘Pathways Tour’ that the Morris County Historical Board sponsor’s twice a year. While visiting the Tunis-Eckllis House around the corner, I passed the Village Green Deli, a popular local sandwich shop while driving through this small downtown area facing the Village Green. I made note of it as it was getting closer to lunch time.

After the tour, I stopped by the deli, read the wonderful TripAdvisor reviews online in the parking lot and headed inside for lunch. I really liked the vibe of this small town deli where the owners knew everyone by name and I felt like an interloper at a private party.

The inside of the Village Green Deli

The deli has that small town feel to it, with local art and sports paraphernalia in the walls. The woman who worked the register was greeting everyone by name and the guys that worked the grill seemed happy to see me.

Looking at the menu at the grill

I looked at the extensive lunch menu of popular sandwiches and some wonderful combos. You could even still get breakfast as I saw some of the guys at the counter devouring as I decided on what I wanted to order.

The deli has a wonderful selection of sandwiches, hero’s and other delicious sounding items.

There were so many things I wanted to try that day that it was hard to choose. Was it a breakfast sandwich with local sausage? The Thanksgiving ‘Gobbler’ sandwich with turkey, stuffing and cranberry relish, that sounded so good? I decided on an Italian hero sandwich with a selection of deli meats with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion. The hero was excellent!

The Italian hero with a pickle

The sandwiches here are huge! One half of a sandwich a normal person could eat for lunch and save the rest for another meal. The sandwich was loaded with salami, bologna, ham, Swiss Cheese and fresh veggies. I could barely fit it in my mouth.

The sandwich was excellent

I was able to eat about half of the sandwich before I told myself I was finished and not to push anymore. I wrapped the rest up to go and went back to study the menu before I left. I definitely want to come back and try more. The food and the service were both excellent.

The historic Village Green sign

https://vernonhistoricalsociety.com/

After lunch was over, it was such a beautiful sunny day and I walked over to the historic Green across the street and looked over the artifacts in the park. New Vernon is a very picturesque and beautiful little town.

The New Vernon Village Green in the early Spring

It was nice to have a place to walk and digest after that wonderful meal. It is worth the trip to visit this wonderful little deli in the small town. I really enjoyed my meal and the afternoon that followed.

The New Milford Village Green

I have to come back. There are so many sandwiches to try and I want to visit the Great Swamp which is a mile away. Until the next time.

Geordane’s Neighborhood Market 57 Main Street Irvington, NY 10533

Geordane’s Neighborhood Market

57 Main Street

Irvington, NY 10533

(914) 591-6911

https://www.geordanes.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g47953-d5485251-r1056359648-Geordane_s_World_Food-Irvington_New_York.html?m=19905

I had passed Geordane’s Neighborhood Market many times on my trips to Irvington, NY when I was visiting Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s Home right up the street or for Halloween or Christmas events in Tarrytown, NY. During the holidays the market is so nicely decorated and their diverse menu is very reasonable for both breakfast and lunch.

The front of Geordane’s Neighborhood Market during the holiday season

Their many sandwiches are reasonably priced and I can tell you from eating there are over-sized. The market has wonderful quality and looking over their hot line, everything is made inhouse.

The sandwich menu has a lot of choices

The hot food line at the deli has a lot of delicious choices

It was a cool Spring afternoon and since I was eating outside and I was starved, I decided to go with something hearty and ordered a Meatball hero (please note there is a difference in price between the sandwich and the hero). The homemade meatballs were large and meaty with a hint of garlic and parsley. The tomato sauce was spicy and rich and the perfect accompaniment to the meatballs. I really enjoyed my sandwich.

The Meatball hero with a specialty soda

The Meatball sandwich was over-sized and is enough for two hungry people to share

The sandwich was delicious

Some of the desserts are made inhouse such as these delicious Apple Cider Doughnuts that begged me to try them but for another time. Everything looked like it would satisfy any sweet tooth.

Their cases have homemade desserts that include in house made Apple Cider Doughnuts

The History of Geordane’s Neighborhood Market:

(From the store’s website)

Dani Diaz has built this landmark on a simple promise: “Quality you can taste, with a heart for the hometown.” Dani prides herself on a hands-on commitment to excellence, ensuring that Geordane’s delivers the best of a classic NY Deli with the high standards of a fine grocer.

For three decades, we have been more than just a neighborhood market; we have been the village’s gathering place and kitchen. We are the place where neighbors meet for coffee, high-schoolers get lunch, and where the community comes for quality they can count on.

hat dedication is evident on every shelf. From our fresh, organic ingredients and locally sourced meats to our famous grilled chicken, we believe in honest cooking. Whether you need a quick panini, a fresh chopped salad, or full-service catering to cover an event “from soup to nuts,” we are here to make it great.

After lunch was over, I walked around Downtown Irvington, NY, which is one of the nicest downtowns along the Hudson River. This downtown is lined with historic storefronts and buildings, unique independent businesses and an excellent view of the Hudson River. Being a rail town, there is a close proximity to New York City.

I then worked it off by walking around Downtown Irvington, NY

Downtown Irvington, NY:

https://www.irvingtonny.gov/

https://www.visitwestchesterny.com/discover/communities/hudson-river/irvington/

I had visited the store during the holiday season in 2025 after lunch at another restaurant up the road and loved their menu and wanted to try it on my next trip to the area. During the Holiday season it was beautifully decorated for Christmas and it was a very festive environment.

The inside of the store during the holiday season

The counters were full of holiday treats

The store was stocked with all sorts of foods and gifts for entertaining and for gifts to bring to people’s homes for the holidays. I loved the way things were packaged.

The front of the store decorated for Christmas

Downtown Irvington is like a storybook town at the holidays. Something out of Currier & Ives when you walk around both during the day and when the downtown is lit at night.

Downtown Irving during the holiday season

Downtown Irvington during the holidays

The decorations around the downtown were really cute

The signs for the holidays were very creative

Geordane’s Neighborhood Market is the perfect place for breakfast and lunch and the perfect place to pick up things for a picnic by the Hudson River. The food is wonderful and the prices are very fair. The service is very friendly and you know you are a local when they call you by name.

Bachi 197 197 Hackensack Street Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075

Bachi 197

197 Hackensack Street

Wood-Ridge, NJ  07075

(201) 579-0881/(201) 728-4828

http://www.bachi197.com

https://www.bachi197.com/

Take Out & Delivery

Open: Tuesday-Sunday: 11:00am-10:00pm/Friday & Saturday: 11:00am-10:30pm/Monday Closed

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46937-d8464255-Reviews-Bachi_197-Wood_Ridge_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The first thing you should know about Bachi 197 is that if you blink on Hackensack Street, you will miss it. It is located in a tiny strip mall on the busy Hackensack Street in Wood-Ridge, NJ. It’s located next to Rita’s Ice Cream Store.

Bachi 197 at 197 Hackensack Street in Wood Ridge, NJ

Bachi 197 has the most unusual menu’s I have seen in a long time. It is a combination of Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Chinese and American that as the owner quoted in saying that it has something for everyone. The cooks are both Mexican and Japanese.

The diverse menu of items to choose from

The food, even with its odd combinations, does not get lost in translation. Everything I have tried on the menu is delicious, the prices are reasonable (everything in under $10.95 but a few items) and the portion sizes on most items can feed two people comfortably.

The dining room

The other side of the dining room

My first trip to Bachi 197, I tried their Beef Sliders which are rather large for sliders, you can eat these in six bites instead of the normal four. They are perfectly cooked with a sliver of sautéed onions on the top on a soft potato bun. They are seared and caramelized on the outside and juicy on the inside. Each bite has a salty richness to them.

The sliders are so good!

They were so moist and juicy

These were delicious

I also ordered a small Chicken Quesadilla that was filled with grilled Chicken breast, veggies and cheese and the tortillas are cooked golden brown on the outside and when you bite into it is crisp and gooey. It is a nice combination of chicken and cheese and the accompanying sauces add some extra tang to it.

Bachi 197’s Quesadilla’s are rather large and good to share.

This was the small Chicken Quesadilla

Yum!

My recent lunch where I combined my two favorites, the Beef Slides and the small Chicken Quesadilla

On my second trip, I came in starved and over ordered. I had one Beef Slider, an regular order of Belgian Fries and a half side order of Bachi Chicken which was served with steamed broccoli and a side of lo mien noodles.

Trust me when I say, the regular fries look like a large serving and the half portion of the Bachi Chicken is the size of a normal combination entrée portion at any Asian takeout restaurant so be careful when ordering. Their portion sizes are very generous.

Bachi 197 V

The Bachi Chicken is delicious

The Belgium Fries are fresh cut potatoes that are deep fried to a perfect crisp topped with sea salt and it is almost a sin to use ketchup on them. They would taste better with a little vinegar on them and some extra salt. You can taste the potato flavor in them. They came in a large bag and trust me, a small portion can feed two people quite well.

The Bachi Chicken is good and the sweet/spicy sauce is a combination cross between between a General Tso’s and a Sweet & Sour sauce. Even though the chicken was freshly fried pieces of white meat chicken breast, I thought the breading was a little tame for the dish. It was still delicious but not quite I had imagined. It is still a wonderful dish but I thought the coating would be more of a tempura coating.

The service is friendly and welcoming and the couple that run the restaurant are eager to help you make a selection and made some good recommendations to me. I wish they had let me know how big their portions were so I would not have over-ordered.

The restaurant does not skimp on portion size

No big deal to have the leftovers for the next day.

Kam Lai Chinese Restaurant-94th Street 708 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10025

Kam Lai Chinese Restaurant-94th Street

708 Amsterdam Avenue

New York, NY 10025

(212) 749-8990/(212) 749-2098/Fax (212) 749-8991

https://www.kamlai94.com/

Open: Sunday 11:00am-11:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d5052084-Reviews-New_Kam_Lai-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=69573

The front of Kam Lai at 708 Amsterdam Avenue

The inside of the restaurant

There are times you are walking around a neighborhood and there are restaurants that just stick out to you. It might be the number of people waiting to eat there, it may be the smell of the food cooking that drives you in or just maybe you are hungry.

The afternoon I passed Kam Lai 94 Restaurant, it was all of those things and I am glad that I stopped for a late lunch. The food and the service were wonderful in this tiny take out restaurant with just a few tables.

The delicious Beef and Broccoli with Pork Fried Rice with an Egg Roll

I ordered the Beef and Broccoli combination based on seeing another customer eating it at another table. It was excellent! The rich brown sauce of Soy and Hunan sauce really brought the flavor of the beef out.

The tender beef and the well cooked broccoli was a nice combination in a dish that will sometimes not work if either is not cooked right.

The Beef and Broccoli was delicious

The Egg Rolls were wonderful

The Egg Rolls were delicious. They were filled with lots of chopped roast pork and shredded cabbage and spiced perfectly. With a little Duck Sauce it made the perfect addition to this combination lunch special.

The egg rolls here are amazing

I recently came for a late lunch after visiting a museum on the Upper West Side and ordered the General Tso’s Chicken combination platter with an Egg Roll and it was delicious. The food came out steaming hot and wafted the smell of honey, hot peppers and soy sauce.

The General Tso’s Chicken combination platter with a Coke.

The chicken was steaming hot when it came to the table

The General Tso’s Chicken was a wonderful combination of sweet and savory with hints of ginger, honey, hot peppers and Hunan and Soy sauces. It was crisp and crunchy and had nice pieces of tender broccoli.

The pieces were lacquered with sauce

I love the Egg Rolls here. They are fried to a crispness and are a bit greasy but crunchy and flavorful.

The Egg Rolls are so good

They are filled with chopped cabbage and nice sized pieces of roast pork. They are really good and the perfect accompaniment.

Yum!

Don’t let the appearance of this little hole in the wall restaurant fool you. The food is excellent and the family running it is really nice. You will have a good meal here.

Day Three Hundred and Seventy-Eight Happy Lunar New Year February 7th, 8th and 28th, 2026

Happy New Year!

I love the Lunar New Year with all its pageantry, parades, fireworks and crackers and especially the food. I spend most of my time running around Chinatown in Manhattan before the holidays began, where most of the main celebrations take place but now travel to museums to enjoy the festivities they sponsor for the holidays.

I start the holidays at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or as I say my second home in New York City) for their celebration for the ‘Year of the Horse’

The event sign at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

https://www.metmuseum.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d105125-Reviews-The_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

The Arts & Crafts in the Temple of Dendur Wing

Touring the Asian Galleries on the second floor for the ‘Year of the Horse’ celebration

The Met had created a display of all sorts of objects in the Asian Wing of the museum for the holidays. So there many horse themed pieces on display in the cases includes a series of zodiac figurines.

Some of the ancient horse artwork in the Asian Wing

Some of the artwork is so beautiful

The Scroll Room with the paper artworks. The collection is very extensive

The Chinese Shine tucked back in one of the galleries with its unusual stonework

Some of the statuary and stoneworks in the entrance gallery of the Asian Wing

The ancient stonework in the main gallery

The last event of the day in the American Wing was the Peter Lin Ensemble, who had played at the museum last year. The band was wonderful and played all sorts of jazz hits from all over the world.

The Peter Lin Jazz Ensemble

Video of Jazz tunes:

Video of Jazz tunes:

Mr. Lin then talked about the history of his group and introduced them to the audience.

After the break, the group performed more songs

Video of popular Asian jazz tune:

At the end of the afternoon, I stopped in the lobby at the gift shop. The Grand Hall was beautifully decorated with cherry blossoms.

The cherry blossoms in the Grand Hall on the first floor

The cherry blossoms decorated the urns around the Grand Hall

The weather that night was an unbearable 10 degrees and after all that touring in the Asian galleries, I needed some dumplings. So I took the Q subway and back downtown to North Dumpling at 21 Division Street in Chinatown.

The food had been so good the week before, I had to go back and try the fried dumplings. Even in the cold, it was well worth the trip to Chinatown. The food here is delicious and so reasonable. I can see why it is winning instant popularity.

North Dumplings amazing and reasonable menu

http://www.china-north-dumpling.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d33013722-Reviews-North_Dumplings-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

The Dumplings and Hot & Sour Soup

The soup was perfect on a cold night

The dumplings are excellent

The Spring Rolls are the perfect way to end the meal

After dinner, even though it was freezing cold, I had to try a soft serve cone at Mixue, a Chinese dessert chain that just opened on Canal Street. At $1.99 for a cone you can’t get a better deal than that. The Vanilla ice cream is really good even on that freezing night.

Mixue at 266 Canal Street

https://order.mealkeyway.com/customer/release/index?mid=3776416c63697a444161302f6f5044573232356f48773d3d#/main

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d34194159-Reviews-Mixue-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

The frozen treat was nice way to end the meal

I had to head home as the temperature dropped to 12 degrees. It had not been this cold in many years during the New Year celebrations.

The next day I visited the Newark Museum in Downtown Newark for the start of their activities with a performance of Korean dance. It was already over by the time I got there but they had a sampling of popular Korean foods and the door was excellent.

The entrance of the Newark Museum

https://newarkmuseumart.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46671-d217958-Reviews-The_Newark_Museum_of_Art-Newark_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

I went into the main hall as the entertainment was ending and everyone was taking pictures. I loved the outfits everyone was wearing.

The main hall of the museum just after the festivities

A sampling of Korean dishes including Korean Fried Chicken, Noodles, Dumplings and Shushi

I had to go back for seconds the food was so good

I toured around the museum but most of the galleries closed early that afternoon. It was a nice afternoon of just walking around the open galleries on the first floor.

The exhibition of art by local Korean artists in the hallway off the museum’s main hall court

I unfortunately could not go in for the parade this year plus the weather was not the best to stand around and watch other parade goers freeze. The year before it down poured making two years of not the best conditions to attend the parade. On TV I did notice a nice sized crowd.

I managed to get to Chinatown after the parade and have dinner. Chinatown is becoming unrecognizable as many of the grocery stores and restaurants have closed to the change in rents and many of the old tenement buildings are being knocked down for luxury condos. I have never seen so many changes.

Chinatown in the afternoon

While Mott Street, like Mulberry Street, keeps up appearances for the tourists, the rest of the neighborhood is under gentrification. I have watched one business after another close including groceries and take out spots. I can see a lot of changes coming over the next five years.

As the snow storms peaked and did it snow this year with 18 inches coming after the holiday, the weather gave way to two 75 degree days during my Spring Break and hopefully warmer weather in the coming months. Spring is on its way.

Happy New Year!

Mott Street at night

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d181825-Reviews-Chinatown-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Pancake Cafe (formerly known as the Country Pancake House and Restaurant) 140 East Ridgewood Avenue Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Pancake Cafe (Formerly known as the Country Pancake House and Restaurant) 

140 East Ridgewood Avenue

Ridgewood, NJ  07450

(201) 444-8395

http://countrypancakehouse.net/

http://countrypancakehouse.net/nj-menu/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:30am-8:45pm

My review on TripAdvisor (Country Pancake House & Restaurant):

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46772-d458379-Reviews-Country_Pancake_House-Ridgewood_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

Review on TripAdvisor: (Pancake Cafe):

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46772-d26969984-Reviews-Le_Pancake_Cafe_and_Brasserie-Ridgewood_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Pancake Cafe at 140 East Ridgewood Avenue

I love coming to the Pancake Cafe (formerly the Country Pancake House & Restaurant) when visiting Ridgewood, NJ. The portion sizes are huge, the dishes are creative and the food is delicious. The service is really nice and very patient when you come in with a big group and the prices are fair.

I have been here several times over the years and the food has always been consistent and the quality is excellent. The one thing that does stand out with them is that their prices are very fair for the amount of food you are served. The breakfasts I have had here have lasted at least two other meals.

The inside of the restaurant at Sunday breakfast

The first two times I had eaten here, I had ordered the over-sized pancakes. I thought they were kidding when people who had eaten here before had commented that they are the size of large plates. They are larger than that as they fall off the plate. One of these large pancakes is more than enough for one meal.

The “Do it Again” Blueberry pancakes are excellent

The first time visit I ordered the ‘Do it again’ pancakes with pancakes and blueberries. I could barely finish one of these huge pancakes! They were fluffy, well-caramelized on the outside with the rich flavor of butter and loaded with fresh fruit.

The corn bread that comes with the meal.

The second time I visited, kept the complimentary chocolate chunk and plain cornbread that they bring to the table at a minimum so that I could enjoy the meal. I had the ‘Apple Cinnamon Pancakes’ ($9.95) with a side of sausage.

The Chocolate Chip and Corn bread is irresistible

This even was too much. The pancakes were light and fluffy  with a rich cinnamon flavor accented by the mashed apple in the pancake batter. It tasted almost like a turnover. The sausage was a pork sausage with the nice flavor of sage. These were over-sized and reminded me of the sausage we used to get from the Amish markets.

The most recent time I visited I had a Meat Lovers Omelet with sausage with cheese, which came with a side of hash browns and a side of pancakes. The omelet contained six eggs and was loaded with grilled sausage, bacon, ham and cheese. It also came with one pancake and I ordered the blueberry one again.

It was fluffy and well seasoned. It filled most of the plate and I could barely finish it. I ended up bringing part of the omelet home which was finished when I got home.

The Meat Lovers Omelet with a side of Hash browns and a Blueberry Pancake

The pancakes were breakfast the next morning. Just 250 degrees for five minutes on each side and they were just as good the next day. The restaurant gives you two nicely sized buttermilk pancakes on the side and the platter is enough to feed two people comfortably for breakfast.

Everything I have tried here has been delicious. The omelets you can barely finish and they even come with a side of Hash Browns that are a meal in itself

The service is always been very friendly and welcoming every time I have visited here. The breakfast menu also includes selections of waffles and French Toast and egg Frittatas.

Yum!

The selection of dishes for both lunch and dinner are extensive. The menu is loaded with gourmet salads, crepes, over-stuffed country sandwiches, steaks and chops and chicken dishes. The portion sizes are really large and can feed two people comfortably. The best part is most entrees are not priced over $20.00. This is a nice deal for an excellent meal.

The extensive breakfast and lunch menu

Author’s note: The long time owner of the Country Pancake House just passed away.

Ridgewood Icon ,Milan Pavlovic Owner of Country Pancake House Passed Away March 4th