Random Tater Pic of the Day #260

Today's image is another place I miss from South Jersey. My big sister sent me this pic of her lunch at Donkey's, home of the best and most unique cheesesteaks in the area, as well as some darn good chicken tenders and fries too.

French Fry Diary 707: Donkey's Place Too 2016

One of the places definitely on my South Jersey Farewell Tour was Donkey's Place. In Florida, it's doubtful I'll be able to get a proper cheesesteak, let alone the best and most unique cheesesteak in South Jersey, so before I move away I had to visit Donkey's again.

The Dark Crystal was in from San Francisco, and my GAR! Podcast partner Ray was also down from North Jersey, so, along with The Bride, it was time for another French Fry Diary road trip. Donkey's Place Too in Medford was crowded and hopping the Saturday afternoon we went, barely a place to sit and we briefly discussed finding somewhere outdoorsy to eat our lunch, when a table opened up.

We sat in the booth below the huge picture of the legendary Bob Lucas, who ran Donkey's Place in Camden. The Bride and I got our regular cheesesteaks with onions and cheddar, and introduced Ray to the same, while Crystal bucked tradition and got a chicken cheesesteak. We of course also got fries to share while waiting for our main course to arrive at the table.

I've talked about these seasoned regular cuts before. They are always especially good while hot and good with cheese on the side for dipping. The cheesesteak is fantastic, and unlike any other you'll find, and remember, I hipped you all to Donkey's long before Anthony Bourdain ever heard of it. I am really going to miss this place and this food. Donkey's is the best.

French Fry Diary 704: South Jersey Farewell Tour

As some of you may or may not know, The Bride and I are moving from the wonderful South Jersey/Philadelphia area to the Sunshine State of Florida. By the end of the summer we'll no longer be New Jersey residents. Before we go I will be eating and enjoying the last of such wonderful foods as cheesesteaks and soft pretzels for instance.

I have a number of places I want to visit one last time before we go, a farewell tour if you will. Favorites like The Pub, Donkey's Place, The Pop Shop, and Chickie's & Pete's are all on the list, but I want your input. If you were leaving this area, where would you want to go one last time? Let me know!

Random Tater Pic of the Day #213

French fries from our most recent visit to Donkey's Place in Medford NJ.

A Moment of Silence

With great respect, I'd like to ask for a moment of silence for Bob Lucas, the owner of Donkey's Place in Camden, who passed away on Friday after a battle with lung cancer. In recent years, I have discovered and been blown away by the food, the fries, and by all rights, the best cheesesteak ever, at Donkey's. The Philadelphia area, and the world, has lost a legend.

Details about the man and his life can be found here, as well as my reviews here. Condolences go to the family, and we'll see you soon as always.

French Fry Diary 560: The Treehouse, Audubon NJ

I love The Treehouse in Audubon NJ. They have been very good to us at the South Jersey Writers' Group. It's where we hold our monthly Blogfests as well as many other functions. They are really nice to us, and besides that, it's a terrific coffeehouse, and Rob always makes a killer chocolate milkshake that is just awesome.

We got to talking one afternoon and he hipped me to Donkey's, which is now my favorite cheesesteak place. I had also promised that sooner or later I would try the potato-ey product that he served up at The Treehouse, their hash browns. I finally got around to it one Sunday I arrived extra early for one of the SJWG's Blogfests.

The hash brown is a pretty standard frozen square variety, but it was served hot and was quite tasty. But look close at the picture - yeah, baby, grill marks. Grill marks are decoration, frills, and basically proof that a food item sat on a grill. It's that extra touch of cool. But really, it's the difference between a mediocre steak or burger and a great steak or burger - and in this case, a hash brown. The grill marks make this hash brown. It rocked.

The Treehouse, come for the atmosphere, come for the coffee, the service, the Blogfests, the milkshakes, and come for the hash browns. Great stuff.

French Fry Diary 554: Donkey's Onion Rings

Folks who read my first review of Donkey's Place knows I loved it. On my second visit, I got their huge unique cheesesteak with Whiz, plus an order of their onion rings so I could write about them here.

Wow. Like the sandwiches and the order of fries we got last time, they were huge. Big deep fried thick beer battered onion rings in an equally gigantic cup. The cup was roughly the size of a Super Big Gulp at 7-Eleven. Wow.

The sandwich was just as fantastic as the first time, and better with the Whiz, and the rings were among the best beer batter I've had in quite a while. Another terrific meal, I can't wait to go back!

French Fry Diary 544: Donkey's Place, Medford

Rob from The Treehouse in Audubon NJ, where the South Jersey Writers' Group hold their Blogfests, open mikes, and other events, recommended this place to me, and it has become my favorite new place. I'm talking about Donkey's Place in Medford.

The original Donkey's is on Haddon Avenue in Camden, in unfortunately not the best of areas. Started by former Olympic boxer Leon Lucas, whose punches were said to have the force of a donkey's kick, thus the nickname. Second and third generations of the family have since opened a suburban Donkey's in Medford where we visited. Joe, the owner, treated The Bride and I like royalty, and he gave her a rose because that's what they do on Sundays. Notably, we did not get special treatment, everyone got the very best customer service while we were there.

Donkey's II is a cozy little place, in one of the major crossroads in the woods of Medford. Sunday football was on flat screen in the corner, our table had a console Donkey Kong machine next to it, and we loved the simple menu with only a handful of items. Joe noted that the Camden location had an even simpler menu. There was a fridge with Mexican Coke, Sprite, and Fanta.

Regular readers know I have a weakness for Mexican Coke which has sugar instead of fructose, and is like tasting the 1970s. Mexican Sprite is incredible. Drinking it for the first time since I discovered the imported sugar Coke, was like having a Sprite for the first time in decades. I don't know what that crap I've been drinking called Sprite is, but it ain't real Sprite. They also had Slush Puppies, sort of a Slurpee, that The Bride was excited about, a piece of her childhood from the old Cherry Hill skating rink.

The cheesesteaks themselves are incredible, and unlike any other cheesesteak I, or probably you, have ever had. Served on a large poppy seed Kaiser roll, real pieces and chunks of steak, onions and provolone, this is a fantastic and different steak sandwich. I loved it. Rather than chopped beef, this is sliced, and there are so many onions, and also a wonderful au jus that makes the sandwich perfect. Be sure to specify cheez whiz if you want it. I loved the provolone, but like The Bride, I'm a whiz guy. I really loved this sandwich, and as I couldn't finish it there, I took it home, and it nuked perfectly.

Now the part you're reading this for, the French fries. These are standard regular cut frozen fries, deep fried, with a crisp seasoned coating. That would be the 'secret' Donkey Seasoning, also available at the table as well, good stuff, I taste some Old Bay, maybe paprika, maybe other seasoned salts, but very tasty. Crisp outside and soft and hot inside - everything a good fry should have, very good.

I gotta give Rob at The Treehouse thanks for hipping me to this place, and Joe at Donkey's in Medford. I have found my new favorite cheesesteak place. Awesome, and recommended. Get over to Donkey's and try the cheesesteaks, terrific food, and terrific customer service.