White Manna

Re:White Manna (DPuro329)

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:28:09 GMT

I think a big part of the experience is the anticipation. I went there on a Sunday aftenoon the day before it was featured on Diner's Drive-in's and Dive's and had to wait in line for an hour before I got my food. The smells off the grill were amzing and the jealousy I felt towards the customers ahead of me made the first bite once I got my burgers incredible. As for the White Mana in Jersey City, I've eaten there before and don't like it anywhere near as much. The burgers are the same small patties, but the rolls are way too big and the burgers get lost in them. I agree that the potato rolls at the Hackensack location make the burgers.

Dave

Re:White Manna (carolina bob)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:00:39 GMT

I just watched YouTube's White Manna clip and I'm really sorry that I did. Why? Because I've gotta have some of those burgers and the damn place is eight hundred miles away, that's why!

Re:White Manna (Pigiron)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:44:57 GMT

CCinNJ

Here is a youtube clip of White Manna...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEccdJKg7sQ

That's just about where I sat. A beautiful thing to watch.

Re:White Manna (CCinNJ)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:22:31 GMT

Here is a youtube clip of White Manna...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEccdJKg7sQ

I love White Mana in Jersey City. Maybe it is the lifetime of fun memories.

Re:White Manna (Pigiron)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:05:27 GMT

I'm very late to this discussion, but I recently visited White Manna in Hackensack, sat at the counter and observed the grill while I ate. My observations:

- Each burger is cooked to order, and starts with a lump of raw ground beef. Nothing special or artisinal, it comes from a giant commercial vaccuum packed bag (fresh, not frozen). A double is nothing more than a bigger lump of meat.

-The raw lump is pressed onto the griddle and flattened by the cook. If you want onions, he presses a handful of raw onion slivers into the raw lump. After a few minutes, the flattened lump is flipped, cheese is added, and the top of the bun is placed on top to steam. A few minutes later, the whole thing is flipped upright onto the bottom of the bun, and it's presented onto a paper plate with a handful of pickle slices.

-It's my opinon that reason these burgers are so damn fantastic has little to do with the meat. It's all about the soft potato bun, the onions cooked right into the meat, and the well-seasoned griddle.

-They do in fact have hard rolls. They're used for cheesesteaks. I can't imagine why anyone would EVER order a cheesesteak in this place, as they're nothing more than frozen Steak-umms, but one was ordered while I watched.

-The fries come out of an unseen location in the back room, and they are not worth your time.

This place is a gem. Hall of fame material. Roadfood personified. If I knew about this place way back when I got married in Hackensack, it would have been my first stop off the chuppah.

Re:White Manna (tommyeats)

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:31:49 GMT

Baah,

Tracey's is apparently known more as a catering hall than a restaurant. I've never heard anyone reference it as a restaurant in my years in Bergen county. That's not to say they don't have lunch and dinner service (although their outgoing message when you call makes no reference to this), but by God that is certainly not a place that gets its name out there. It doesn't even seem to have a working website (it's currently 2009, so this is, you know, odd).

Jessie's salad had better be one hell of a salad to be one of Jerry's specialties. I can only assume it's lettuce with "antipasto" on it. Meats, cheeses, maybe some roasted red peppers. Oil and vinegar, s/p/oregano. If so, is it that different than any other Italian American restaurant salad? Are they house curing their meats and getting their cheese from small local producers?

Re:White Manna (Baah Ben)

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:36:27 GMT

Yes..It's on East Rutherford Avenue. Like Steve's, this place is very successful and has been there for at least 35 years. Family owned and operated. Not cheap! Has a loyal following.

If you are looking for an Italian restaurant in that area, you might want to give it a try. "Jessie's Salad" is one of their specialities.

I'm still hoping someone will try Tracy's Nine Mile House in Little Ferry.

Re:White Manna (big g in joisey)

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:09:34 GMT

Baah Ben,

Never been to Jerry's is it close to Giants's stadium.

Re:White Manna (Baah Ben)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:00:49 GMT

Big G - You are correct.

Nobody can deny Steve's is successful. It has been there at least 35 years.

I just happen to agree with Tommyeats on this one.

Have you been to Jerry's in East Rutherford?

Re:White Manna (big g in joisey)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:15:11 GMT

"if it wasn't such a crazy notion I'd say you are equating money with taste. "

No, that's not what I was trying to imply, these atheletes have the money to eat at
any restaurant,and in this area, being so close to such great steak houses as Peter
Lugers,The Palm, Wolfgangs,Smith & Wolenski,Ben Bensons,Flemings,Sparks and so on, a lot have said they think STeve's is great as well. Taste is very subjective and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Re:White Manna (MiamiDon)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:57:46 GMT

I had to go look up what is in Maggi Seasoning Sauce.

Ingredients: water, hydrolyzed corn gluten and soy protein, salt, artificial flavor

Re:White Manna (tommyeats)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:25:08 GMT

if it's not Maggi it's soy, or a combination. regardless, that's the flavor profile and that's what we're trying to get across.

if it wasn't such a crazy notion I'd say you are equating money with taste.

Re:White Manna (big g in joisey)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:23:24 GMT

Steve's Sizzling STeaks serves great burgers as well , Sorry guys the sauce is not A1 or worcestershire and not Maggis either, I guess multi million dollar athelete's who can afford to eat at any resturant and choose STeve's don't think it's that great either.

Re:White Manna (DPuro329)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:32:01 GMT

My wife and I went on a little roadfood adventure yesterday in North Jersey. We were going to stop at White Manna in Hackensack but ended up skipping it because of time (and full bellys). We did however stop at the White Rose system in Roselle. Wow that was a good burger. I got a 1/4 cheeseburger on a nice soft kaiser roll absolutely delicious.

Dave

Re:White Manna (ken8038)

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:15:48 GMT

Actually I read your post wrong, I was thinking of Worcestershire when I posted, as in "Extra Salty Worcestershire, if that's even possible".

OK, now back to the topic at hand....

Re:White Manna (tommyeats)

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:22:05 GMT

apologies for getting off-topic...

To my mind Maggi is more like soy sauce or worcestershire than it is A1. A1 is primarily sweet, whereas Maggi is without a doubt salty. Places like Steve's aren't great steakhouses. They don't serve Prime steaks, and for that reason alone I don't consider them acceptable.

Re:White Manna (ken8038)

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:35:05 GMT

<<The stuff is dreadful, but people seem to love it. >.

Not me, I agree with you, it's like an extra salty version of A1, if that's even possible. In fact Steve's was one of the worst steakshouse experiences I've had in the past 5 years. I've posted about it before, no need to go into it again.

Re:White Manna (tommyeats)

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:54:20 GMT

Baah Ben

The Hot Dog House? That one I do not remember. Is it near the little steak place? Another tiny building on Rt 17 (west side of the road) that's been there forever. They use A-1 steak sauce with their steaks. Near the Meadowlands Diner?

Steve's Sizzling Steaks actually uses Maggi Seasoning on their steaks (not A1). The stuff is dreadful, but people seem to love it.

Re:White Manna (big g in joisey)

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:11:47 GMT

I've eaten at the White Manna in Hackensack a few times, had the burgers with and without onions, never experienced a longer wait for the burgers without onions.

Baah Ben, the steak place next to the Dog House in Carlstadt is STeve's Sizzling STeaks one of the best in NJ ,IMHO, both are on route 17 South.

Re:White Manna (Baah Ben)

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:06:28 GMT

FoodFan - Thanks......

Re:White Manna (Food_Fan)

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:27:36 GMT

Baah Ben,

From Rt. 46 take Rt. 17 South and you will pass an open area on the right (Ball fields) and then a large restaurant.

When you see the large restaurant and parking lot on the right The Hot Dog House will be the very next building on the Berry St. corner. The Hot Dog house is the size of a one-car garage and in the picture below is the mustard yellow building with the long fence to the right of it.

You can see The Hot Dog House here and the large restaurant by moving this Google view.

Re:White Manna (Baah Ben)

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:11:07 GMT

I know Hank's Franks very well. It has been there for 40-50 years!!! Amazing staying power.

I'm staying in Hackensack and so the WC in Hasbrouck Heights on Rt 17 is closest. I may or may not get to it this trip. I've made myself quite an agenda and plan in being in NYC most of the time or in Philly.

If I do go, I will see if they still have the microwave. I remember exactly where it was placed (to the far left of the counter area). It's been two years.

The Hot Dog House? That one I do not remember. Is it near the little steak place? Another tiny building on Rt 17 (west side of the road) that's been there forever. They use A-1 steak sauce with their steaks. Near the Meadowlands Diner?

Re:White Manna (Food_Fan)

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:21:51 GMT

Baah Ben,

Yesterday I called 1- 800- THE CRAVE and asked the woman who answered about microwave use – she had no clue. So today I stopped by the White Castle that’s nearest to me and they said they don’t use the microwave for heating the buns or hamburgers. They pointed out the two steamers that look like toaster ovens but have drawers instead of windows and said if people ask they’ll melt the cheese on the burger in them.

Since they sell frozen hamburgers there too, I’m thinking that guy might have been heating up frozen hamburgers and selling them as fresh.

Did you know that there’s a White Castle in Clifton? From where you will be it’s very easy to get to.

From Rt. 3 W you get on the Parkway N and get off at the next exit onto Rt. 46 E and stay in the right lane. As Rt. 46 turns to the left you keep going strait onto Piaget Ave. for two blocks and it will be on the corner of Piaget Ave. and Main Ave. on your right. If you want to go back to Rt. 3 from there you can hit Hanks Franks on 46 E. and then The Hot Dog House on 17 S. on your way back to Rt. 3

This map shows the Krystal’s & White Castle Locations.

Re:White Manna (MiamiDon)

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:02:33 GMT

The nearest Krystal to NJ is in North Carolina.

Re:White Manna (Baah Ben)

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:29:06 GMT

Food-Fan - are you referring to the little stainless steel boxes?

I only saw the microwave being used.  I said something immediately to the effect I did not want mine done that way and asked if they had changed their process. The manager came out and told me when they are busy at lunch time they did this. I said I would wait and that I wanted mine done the way I'd always seen them done.

This was two years ago so I have no idea what to expect this time...I only get to have them when I am in NJ. Some trips, I don't get to White Castle.

DPuro - I don't think they have Krystals in NJ? I think they concerntrate in the South.  I know they have a website and I'm sure they mention their locations.

They have good service at the one I go to.  If you go inside, you order, receive a table sign with your number, and they bring your order to you. There is a person constantly cleaning the tables and they are all dressed well.

Re:White Manna (DPuro329)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:42:04 GMT

Food_Fan,
You knowledge is very impressive. I enjoy White Castles on occasion, have never been to Krystals, enjoyed the burgers at White manna in Hackensack, didn't enjoy the burger at the White Mana in Jersey City (bun too big for the burger, but it was a single, maybe a double would have been better?) and I have to get up to Northern Central Jersey to try the White Diamonds and White Roses.

Dave

Re:White Manna (Food_Fan)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:08:09 GMT

Could they have been microwaving cheeseburgers to melt the cheese?

I don't order cheeseburgers very often and I remember the little steam boxes they had to melt the cheese on them. Maybe they use microwaves now?

Re:White Manna (Baah Ben)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:37:15 GMT

Food Fan - I'm totally with you on White Castles vs White Mannas..I love watching the White Mannas being made, but I love eating White Castles more.

Mazur's is heavy on wedding cakes as I did recall. They have a beautiful website, if you are interested. And, they are showing two of my very favorite bakery cakes..Seven Layer and Checkerboard. Sadly in Central Florida they never heard of either! I think they are too labor intensive for them?

I am going to try my best to get to Mazur's next month. I may have to do Rutts Hut instead of Hirums (not such a bad sacrifice since I can get their terrific onion rings) and on the way back hit Mazur's for a 7 layer cake.

I am going to check out their sheetmetal site. Yeah, that is a specially made piece of equipment; their griddles. Actually the entire kitchen is custom stuff.

Hey, one thing that really upset me the last time I was at the White Castle on Route 17..At lunch time, they were microwaving the buns! I asked the manager what the deal was? He said when they are in a rush...I said "I'll wait for mine the way you use to do it" So, I have no idea if this was a Rogue Manager or something you've found in other White Castles lately? I hope not! They do an amazing business at that Route 17 location...

Re:White Manna (Food_Fan)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:02:12 GMT

Hello all,
         Been busy doing some time consuming things. If you don’t mind I’d like to respond to various posts taking the last first.

DPuro329,
      I’ve only had the doubles at the Highland Park White Rose a couple of times. They come on a hard roll and pretty much taste like all the others to me.

The Highland Park, NJ White Rose was the first. Two brothers, Bob & Jack Hemmings and their cousin Jim Hemmings, founded it. They split up in 1971-72 and Bob Hemmings built the White Rose in Roselle, NJ and Jack Hemmings built the White Rose in Linden, NJ. The Highland Park one is much more famous because of it’s proximity to Rutgers University and New Brunswick.

Ken8038,
       I’ve never had a small (single) burger at any of these places so I went to the White Rose in Roselle and ordered 3 small burgers (Pictured on Pg. 1) just so I could take the pictures of them to post here for comparison to the White Manna small burgers. The double on the hard roll is a much better way to make a burger and really makes a difference in the taste. The only bad thing about the hard rolls is that sometimes they fit the burger and sometimes they’re too big.

Baah Ben,
         I was introduced to Mazur’s by an x-girlfriend and everything they made was superior at that time (Original owners). I can only hope that the recipes have been kept and are executed in the same manner. If they are, you will taste some really good bakery goods! I hope you enjoy your visit to NJ!

I think that White Castle is in a class by itself. I’ve investigated Krystal’s and can’t find a picture or video that shows the hamburgers cooking on the grill. Krystal’s bun is 1/3 thicker than White Castle’s bun but the hamburger seems to be the same thickness and shape. Like so many other chains, they’ve chosen not to enter the North East market.

Since White Castle was the first fast food chain they built their own bakeries and processing plants and even started a company that makes sheet metal products - PSP Company. http://www.psbcompany.com/aboutus.php

Bruce Bilmes & Sue Boyle,
          I have to say that I admire the fact that you would travel from Trenton to North Jersey to visit the White Manna and do your report on the Linden White Rose’s pork roll sandwich! (No sarcasm meant)

From looking at all the available pictures of White Manna hamburgers I see that they put doubles on the same small roll as the singles. I stand corrected. Out of the 8 similar diners they are the only one that does this.

Since I prefer doubles on a hard roll and have 2 White Roses and 1 White Diamond (and 2 White Castles) within a mile of me I don’t think that I would travel to Hackensack to stand in line at the tiniest of this type of diner to get what I’ve got right where I live. All my life I’ve eaten hamburgers that are prepared in the exact same manner as the White Manna in Hackensack and I guess that’s the reason that I don’t think so much of this highly publicized White Manna. Hey, no big deal, it just ain’t worth the trip for me

My point in challenging the revered status of the White Manna in Hackensack is that all the other 7 (Now 6)* diners that have the same physical set-up and cook the hamburgers in the same way** can’t be far off from the Hackensack Manna.

This is the same screen capture from page 1. I lightened it and I can’t tell what kind of roll the larger one is for sure. All I can see is that it’s larger by ½ in. than the rest. It looks like they’ve got some eggs frying under those same small rolls too.

.

I think that the White Manna in Hackensack’s hamburgers may well have a different flavor than the 7 others.
Those 7 other similar diners do not bury their hamburgers in huge amounts of onions, as does the Manna in Hackensack. The Hackensack Manna’s grill must be permeated with the massive amounts of onion that they use. That’s the only difference between Hackensack and all the others that I can discern.

* Steve’s White Diamond on Bayway Ave. in Elizabeth is gone so now there are only two White Diamonds.

** The White Diamond in Linden now uses fresh preformed round hamburgers. I took some pictures this past Sat. morning.

Re:White Manna (DPuro329)

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:14:15 GMT

Any thoughts/opinions of the White Rose (I think) in Highland Park outside of New Brunswick?

Dave