Sweet, frothy drinks from Orange Julius.
Soft, salted pretzels from Hot Sam.
A burger and soda at the Woolworth’s counter.
For years, these — along with places like Sbarro and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs — were the hallmarks of mall dining. The food was basic, but we loved it.
But these days, there is a lot more to eat while shopping.
Malls have grab-and-go stands, food courts and sit-down, fine-dining restaurants serving everything from freshly baked cookies and multicultural dishes to crab cakes and salmon crepes.
Here are some dishes to try at malls at the Shore, and in Central and South Jersey.
Bowl You Need at Açaí Fruit Bowl, Bridgewater Commons
The Bowl You Need at Açaí Fruit Bowl.
The name of the Bowl You Need at Açaí Fruit Bowl on the lower level of Bridgewater Commons says it all.
The bowl is filled with bananas, strawberries, Nutella, granola and coconut flakes over an acai base.
It’s served in an eight-seat space where people often visit to enjoy a bowl or smoothie with their laptops, as the one-year-old shop — owned by Mike Elbatanony, the owner of neighboring Crêpes Du Nord — offers free Wi-Fi.
Go: Lower level of Bridgewater Commons near Sephora, 400 Commons Way, Bridgewater; 908-902-6009.
Brisket and sides at Daddio’s Rotisserie, Ocean County Mall
Brisket, macaroni and cheese and creamed spinach from Daddio’s Rotisserie at the Ocean County Mall.
The menu at Daddio’s Rotisserie is filled with comfort food you wouldn’t expect from a shopping mall.
There’s a mashed potato bowl topped with fried chicken and cheese, meatloaf with brown gravy, fries loaded with Buffalo chicken, a bloomin’ onion, fried cheese curds, and Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, among other items.
One platter of brisket is so tender, you can cut it with a plastic fork. It comes with creamy macaroni and cheese, and flavorful creamed spinach reminiscent of Boston Market’s version.
Not feeling that kind of food? Daddio’s restaurants fill the whole food court, including tacos, pizza and grill-style food.
Go: 1201 Hooper Ave., Toms River; instagram.com/daddiosnj.
Chicken kebab platter at Salad Bistro, Woodbridge Center
The chicken kebab platter at Salad Bistro at Woodbridge Center in Woodbridge.
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Salad Bistro has been serving American and Latin sandwiches, hand-tossed salads made with local produce, platters and breakfast items for more than two decades at Woodbridge Center.
But for a taste of owner Steve Tzorzinakis’ Greek culture, order the real star of the fast-casual joint: the chicken kebab platter with Greek salad, pita bread, and rice or fries. The chicken is marinated using the same recipe that Tzorzinakis’ father (who founded Salad Bistro) developed years ago and served in a 32-seat space decorated with photos of Greece.
Go: Across from Dick’s Sporting Goods on the lower level of Woodbridge Center; 250 Woodbridge Center Drive, Woodbridge; 732-596-0669.
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Cookie skillet at Da’Villas Creme & Cookies, Cherry Hill Mall
A chocolate chip cookie sandwich with vanilla ice cream from Da’Villas Creme & Cookies in the Cherry Hill Mall.
A day of shopping followed by a warm cookie skillet with ice cream?
Yes, please!
Find it at Da’Villas Creme & Cookies, an ice cream, gelato and cookie shop on the second floor of Cherry Hill Mall. You start by choosing your cookie flavor, like chocolate chip, sugar, red velvet or snickerdoodle. The dough is spread in a cast iron skillet and baked.
It takes about 20 minutes — there are table games to play while you wait — then the finished cookie is topped with a generous scoop of ice cream in flavors like classic vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, butter pecan, peanut butter, banana, and salted caramel.
Go: 2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill; davillascremeandcookie.com.
Crab cake sandwich at Bistro at Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill Mall
The crab cake Rockefeller sandwich and Old Bay fries from Bistro at Cherry Hill in the Cherry Hill Mall.
Dining at Bistro at Cherry Hill feels a bit like eating at a sidewalk cafe in New York City.
Located between the LEGO Store and Pandora, the large restaurant features counter seats set around a sunken open kitchen, which has a pizza oven. The menu, more refined than any mall food court stand, features coconut shrimp, wedge salad, a Gorgonzola bacon burger, pan-seared salmon and lobster ravioli.
Then there are half a dozen crab cake sandwiches including the Rockefeller, which is topped with bacon, creamed spinach and Swiss cheese. Served with horseradish Dijon on a brioche roll, it’s a decadent sandwich filled with crab meat. Don’t forget a side of Old Bay-dusted french fries.
Go: 2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill; 856-662-8621, bistrocherryhill.com.
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Lahmacun at Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine, Freehold Raceway Mall
Lahmacun, also known as Turkish pizza, from Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine at Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township.
Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine is a beautiful, 230-seat restaurant serving dishes heavily influenced by its Turkish owners and chefs.
In the kitchen, a butcher cuts lamb chops, a vertical cone slowly cooks meat for kebabs, and freshly baked pita is served with bowls of hummus, babaganoush, eggplant salad, labneh and muammara.
A delicious dish to try is lahmacun, known as Turkish pizza. It is made with a thin layer of ground lamb and beef, parsley, onion and tomato pressed between flatbread and baked until crispy. The flavor is rich and spiced, and the lahmacun comes with a salad of parsley, tomato and onion to brighten the savory dish. A squeeze of lemon is traditional, too.
Go: 3710 Route 9, Freehold Township; 732-808-2727, marmaracuisine.com.
Smoked salmon crepe at Crêpes Du Nord, Bridgewater Commons
Smoked salmon crepe at Crêpes Du Nord, Bridgewater Commons.
Crêpes Du Nord founder Mike Elbatanony is Egyptian, but he knows French crepes.
In Egypt, crepes are wildly popular, and once Elbatanony moved to the U.S. when he was 17, he became friends with tons of French locals.
“Crêpes Du Nord is my baby,” said Elbatanony, who opened the crepe stand on the lower level of Bridgewater Commons in 2012. “I grew up having crepes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
If that’s the case, then the namesake Crêpes Du Nord crepe is his grandbaby, with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, chives and homemade dill sauce.
The shop also sells sweet crepes — a favorite is the Bonanza, with bananas, strawberries and Nutella — as well as coffee, including a Colombian cappuccino made with organic Colombian beans.
Go: Lower level of Bridgewater Commons across from Sephora; 400 Commons Way, Bridgewater; 908-725-6400, crepesdunord.com.
Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to sgriesemer@gannettnj.com, follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to her weekly newsletter.
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, although she’s a lifetime Jersey girl who considers herself an expert in everything from the Jersey Shore to the Garden State’s buzzing downtowns. You can follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: New Jersey malls: food to try from crab cakes to brisket
