If you went to Rutgers—anytime prior to the mid ‘90s when Tony was forced out as RU grew—you remember Greasy Tony’s from just off Easton Avenue in New Brunswick. The food was greasy, really greasy, but the cheeses steaks were the greatest you could find anywhere, the hot peppers hotter and the fries amazingly crisp for the grease. The décor wasn’t much at Tony’s place but that didn’t matter. You probably weren’t sober enough to remember it anyway or you were only there for the take-out as you made the “grease run” for your frat or your dorm floor. And it might have been 10 PM or 2 AM, didn’t matter, Tony’s was there.
Now Tony’s is in Tempe, AZ on the edge of Arizona State’s campus and it has become a haven for the RU fans in town for the Insight Bowl.
If your memory is a little fuzzy, the Star Ledger has a nice little piece to help you out. It relates how Tony ended up in AZ and how his place has become a culinary legend. (And a gathering place for RU Alums from the west coast.)
Read it here.
My favortie line in the story: "You have to eat it fast, because the grease dissolves the bread like acid on plastic." True, but it tastes so great going down.
3 comments:
A thousand years ago, when my rock star boyfriend roamed the earth - which is to say toured - he brought back Greasy Tony's tshirts from Arizona. Either that, or drunken friends stumbled on it, posted it somewhere and I said, "HEY! Putting Greasy Tony's in a location less despair-y is just wrong! Mail me shirts!"
It could be either one. I will never forget the time the fry cook slapped a roach on the counter with his cleaver. I couldn't WAIT to eat my burger!
"I couldn't WAIT to eat my burger!"
Couldn't or wouldn't?
Greasy Tony's New Brunswick ruled. Even worked there for a couple of semesters. Great memories! lol
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