2013 10 22 MY TRIP TO HONG KONG LAYOVER THROUGH NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

TYPICALLY, I LOVE TO EXPLORE IN AIRPORTS AND LOOK AROUND IN THEIR SHOPS.
HOWEVER, WE HAD ONLY LESS THAN 3 HOURS BEFORE OUR FLIGHT TO HONG KONG SO THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH TIME TO WANDER WITH AN UNFED GROWLING STOMACH.

THIS AIRPORT WAS PRETTY BIG AND THE FOOD OPTIONS THAT WERE NEAR OUR NEXT FLIGHT DID NOT SEEM TO JUMP OUT AT ME.  WE WERE AROUND TERMINAL C.

TERMINAL C HAD:

Quick Meal

· Americo's Pizza
· Au Bon Pain
· Asian Chao· Auntie Anne's
· Balducci's: good to-go salads, pre-made entrees, sandwiches.
· Ben and Jerry's
· Brooklyn Deli
· Crumbs Bake Shop
· Dunkin' Donuts
· Famous Famiglia Pizza
· Hudson News/Euro Café 
· Jake's Coffee House
· Jamba Juice
· Juan Valdez: airport coffee 
· La Tapenade 
· McDonald's 
· Smashburger: Growing burger chain Smashburger serves up a very decent fast food patty. When there's no Shake Shack or Five Guys around, this is the chain to hit (post-security, Gates C120-139).*
· Starbucks 
· The Grove
· Treat Street 
· Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen
· Vito's Deli 
· Wok & Roll 

Fast Casual/Bars

· Greenleaf's Grill
· Hamachi Sushi
· Ruby's Diner
· Samuel Adam's Brew Club
· Caliente Cab: tacos and margaritas
· Garden State Diner: The closest thing in this airport to a true New Jersey diner experience. 
· Guinness Pub
· Heineken Lounge.
· Vino Volo:. A nice chain of airport wine bar

Leisurely Meal

· Le Grand Comptoir: chain of airport wine bars serving a great list of vino along with snacks (baked camembert, beef carpaccio), salads, sandwiches, and heartier mains
· Gallagher's Steakhouse: New York's Gallagher's Steakhouse is transported to Newark, complete with checkered tablecloths and old photos. The menu features steak, salad, jumbo shrimp cocktail, onion soup, and other classics
· Grand Central Oyster Bar: Sure you're missing the ambiance that is 85% of what makes the original Grand Central Oyster bar so great, but hey, this is a great place for some crab cakes or fried calamari and a glass of wine pre or post flight. 

SPOTTED CRUMB'S CUPCAKES (IN WHICH I WANTED, BUT MY STOMACH WAS SCREAMING "REAL FOOD PLEASE!"

IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I WANTED BURGER FOR SOME REASON.
PERHAPS I WAS WONDERING IF I WOULD GET SOME REAL TASTING BURGER IN HONG KONG.  I'VE NEVER HAD A SMASHBURGER BEFORE AND WAS CURIOUS.  THIS COULD BE THE LAST "AMERICAN TYPE MEAL" BEFORE I GO ALL HONG KONG FOODIE ON MY TRIP!

                    

WE DECIDED ON THE MUSHROOM SWISS.  AND AFTER THE FIRST BITE, I THINK I YELPED OUT, "HOLY HEAVEN!"

TRUFFLE MUSHROOM SWISS

Truffle mayo, sauteed baby portabella mushrooms and aged Swiss on an egg bun.

OKAY.  I KNOW THAT MUSHROOM SWISS IS POPULAR AND SEEN ON LOTS OF MENUS EVERYWHERE.  BUT, WHERE IS THIS IN ORLANDO?????

FIVE GUYS AND STEAK AND SHAKE, PLEASE STEP ASIDE BECAUSE THIS IS BEYOND GREAT!  EVERY ITEM THAT MADE UP THIS BURGER WAS PERFECT.  THE TEXTURE, THE TENDERNESS AND THE JUICINESS OF THE MEAT, THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF BUTTER AND THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME THE BUTTERED BUN WAS TOASTED ON THE GRILL,  THE MAYO MELTED WITH THE CHEESE WAS A PERFECT BALANCE. AND THIS "TRUFFLE MAYO" HAD SOME SORT OF SWEETNESS TO IT.  THE OIL FROM THE MAYO AND MEAT WAS SOAKED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BUN.  I ALMOST LICKED THE BOX.  I WOULD HAVE ORDERED ANOTHER TO BE INDULGED LATER ON THE PLANE, BUT I KNEW THERE WOULD BE NON STOP SERVINGS OF FOOD ON THE FLIGHT UPON TAKE OFF.

I REALLY HOPE THIS GREATNESS IS NOT RANDOM BECAUSE I HATE RETURNING TO PLACES WHERE TASTES CHANGES AND MAKE ME QUESTION MY FORMER EXPERIENCE.

SIGH.....I NEED TO STOP TALKING ABOUT SMASHBURGER BECAUSE IT DOES NOT EXIST IN ORLANDO.  ACTUALLY,  I NEED TO WRITE TO THEM TO SEE IF FUTURE SMASHBURGER IS IN THE PLANS.

(SIDE NOTE: FROM PREVIOUS ORLANDO OUTINGS, RED ROBINS IS PRETTY GOOD TOO!)

FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES, ASIAN CHAO WAS ALSO ORDERED.  I FIGURED, THIS WOULD BE THE TEMPORARY FAREWELL TO THE "AMERICANIZED" CHINESE FOOD BEFORE THE REAL DEAL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. WAIT, WHAT ETHNICITY DO I SEE COOKING THE FOOD?  I GUESS THIS OFFICIALLY CONSTITUTES THE "AMERICANIZED" CHINESE FOOD.

EGG ROLL WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CRISP.  LO MEIN AND CHICKEN TASTED AS EXPECTED.  TYPICAL. SLIGHTLY ON THE SALTY SIDE.

EGG ROLL, BOURBON  CHICKEN, LO MEIN