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Anthony Bourdain’s only New Jersey visit on Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown continues to resonate in South Jersey. Several Atlantic City institutions featured in the 2015 episode were later folded into the state’s Anthony Bourdain Food Trail.
The renewed attention comes as the film Tony reaches theaters. It stars South Jersey native Dominic Sessa. According to a report, Bourdain appeared in 108 episodes of the CNN series and visited New Jersey just once. Much of that episode was centered on South Jersey.
Atlantic City Restaurants Remain Central to the Trail
Among the South Jersey stops highlighted were three longtime Atlantic City names: Tony’s Baltimore Grill, Dock’s Oyster House, and the Knife & Fork Inn.
Tony’s Baltimore Grill has operated since 1927. Bourdain called the meal and atmosphere “a taste of my youth.”
Dock’s Oyster House opened in 1897. The restaurant had survived Prohibition, the Great Depression, world wars, and multiple downturns. Bourdain praised its staying power, calling it “still here, still great.”
The 1912 landmark Knife & Fork Inn also made the episode. Bourdain said,
“A beautiful old restaurant with really good food is much more interesting than a glass box with good food.”
The source report also noted a 10th stop on the show: James Salt Water Taffy on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
Most of the New Jersey Episode Focused on South Jersey
The state Legislature later established the Anthony Bourdain Food Trail to showcase restaurants he visited in the episode. Seven of the nine Garden State restaurants featured in the Jersey episode were in South Jersey.
Beyond Atlantic City, the South Jersey stops listed were Lucille’s Country Cooking in Warren Grove/Barnegat, Donkey’s Place in Camden, Tony & Ruth’s Steaks in Camden, and Kubel’s in Barnegat Light. The two other New Jersey eateries mentioned were Hiram’s Hot Dog Stand in Fort Lee and Frank’s Deli in Asbury Park.
The list is a reminder that Bourdain’s New Jersey episode put several classic AC casino-corridor and Boardwalk-area dining institutions at the center of his lone televised trip through the state.
Source: As reported by WPG Talk Radio.
