Hungry Hungry Hank Volume 5
Taylor ham tour featuring Declan McCauley
My recent quest to eat some of the greatest hot dogs in New Jersey has inspired me to find the best of a Jersey classic: a Taylor ham egg and cheese. I decided to stay within Union County, but also venture outside of Westfield classics such as Bagel Chateau and Hershey’s Deli. This also means I didn’t travel to south Jersey where this classic sandwich has a different name: pork roll egg and cheese.
Accompanying me on my journey was senior Declan McCauley, avid eater and my teammate from football and basketball. McCauley spends his summers in LBI and his father is from the Philadelphia area so he uses the South Jersey name while I first learned about the sandwich while living in Westfield, so I call it the North Jersey name. We traveled to the Summit Diner, the Clark White Diamond, and the Bagel Cafe in New Providence to find the best Taylor ham/pork roll egg and cheese in the area.
The Bagel Cafe:
Located on Springfield Ave. in downtown New Providence, the Bagel Cafe surpassed all my expectations. The owner of the shop, Craig Bass, is a Westfield resident and immediately recognized us. He greeted us with a smile and took our orders personally and brought us the sandwich in the dining area adjacent to the kitchen. Our sandwich consisted of four slices of thin, well done Taylor ham, eggs, and one slice of cheese on a delicious everything bagel. The first bite sent sparks through my mouth making me want to savor every bite. What made this sandwich special was the bagel. It was large, but very light and tasted delightful, and it never overpowered what was in between. Declan and I both agreed this was a fantastic breakfast sandwich and we would be back for more.
Summit Diner:
When you think of an old-fashioned diner, I promise this is what you picture. Located in the downtown area on Union Place, the Summit Diner absolutely lived up to the hype. With only 8 small booths and probably 15 stools Declan and I woke up early to make sure we got a seat. Our food arrived in a timely fashion and with the big eaters Declan and I are, we were a little underwhelmed with the small size of the sandwich. There were two slices of melted American cheese on a brioche bun with two slices of thick Taylor ham and, of course, eggs. After tasting them, Declan and I immediately threw away our preconceived notions and were blown away with the quality of the sandwich. It was truly special and I recommend that people take the short trip and try it out. Declan and I concluded this was one of the best, if not the best, Taylor ham egg and cheese sandwiches we have ever had.
Clark White Diamond:
Another diner that we visited was the Clark White Diamond, which resides on the corner of Raritan Rd. and Central Ave. and is open 24/7. The sandwich had two slices of thin pork roll, one slice of cheese and eggs on a poppy seed bun. The best way to describe this sandwich is classic. Declan and I had no complaints. Clark White is a perfect quick bite or easy place to pick up food when heading to the Garden State Parkway.
Calories for this meal: 2,685 Calories
Total Calorie Counter: 11,002 Calories
Beverly Torok • Mar 22, 2020 at 9:53 pm
Hank – what a fantastic article. I, personally, love a pork roll , egg and cheese and I thoroughly enjoyed your tasteful words. Bravo!