DELFINO: Fritz’s on Easton Avenue promises fresh ingredients, unique menu
Column: Cameron's Crunch
Despite the fact that I eat out multiple times a week and have been going to Rutgers since 2019, there are still restaurants that I have vaguely heard of but have never been to. Honestly, that is one of the things that I love most about going to school here.
No matter how many times I go out to eat, New Brunswick has so much to offer that there is always something new to try. After getting a recommendation from a friend, I finally decided to try Fritz’s on Easton Avenue.
Established in 2015, Fritz’s has been a go-to spot for students who want something quick and delicious but also affordable and casual. From sandwiches to salads to soups and even breakfast, Fritz’s has a diverse menu with unique food combinations that will have your mouth watering from just reading the description.
After looking over the menu for a good amount of time, I finally decided to order General Tso’s crispy chicken sandwich, a turkey avocado BLT and the shaved brussels sprouts salad. While I knew that this was going to be way too much food for me to consume in one sitting, I wanted to try various items on their menu so I could truly judge their menu and flavors.
I started with the shaved brussels sprouts salad, which was recommended to me by a friend. This salad came with brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, smoked almonds, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and was tossed in a sherry-maple vinaigrette dressing. The combination of ingredients was amazing.
Everything was so fresh and each ingredient was nicely balanced by the others in the salad. The crunchiness of the brussels sprouts along with the fruitiness of the cranberries was complemented by the smokiness of the almonds and the nuttiness of the Parmigiano Reggiano. The dressing was also delicious without being overpowering.
I then moved on to the turkey avocado BLT. This sandwich came with herb-roasted turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado on two slices of toasted white bread. The turkey was extremely tasty and the lettuce, tomato and avocado were all fresh and provided a nice refreshing component to the sandwich.
The bacon was fried to perfection and provided an audible crunch when biting into the sandwich. If there is a model for how bacon should be cooked, Fritz’s should be the standard.
The last thing I tried from Fritz’s was General Tso’s crispy chicken sandwich. This crispy fried chicken that was smothered in their house-made General Tso’s sauce was dynamite. The chicken was fried very well and the sauce, despite smothering the chicken, did not make it soggy.
It hit all of the key flavors one looks for when ordering General Tso’s chicken and was elevated by including both scallions and sesame seeds. These elements brought in another level of crunch while also adding notes of onion and nuttiness. Their house roll held up fairly well for this sandwich as it was soft but able to handle the weight of the large piece of chicken.
What I like most about Fritz’s is that their food is genuinely so flavorful and delicious. Every menu item that I tried was fantastic. Each item that I ordered felt extremely well-balanced and you can tell that they genuinely put thought and effort into their flavor profiles and texture combinations for each dish.
Not only that, but also they have menu options that can appeal to anyone. With a ton of vegetarian and vegan options and even gluten-free bread, it is great to see that a place that is primarily focused on sandwiches and quick bites takes into consideration dietary restrictions.
I also want to applaud Fritz’s for their constant dedication to giving back to New Brunswick and the Rutgers community. I cannot count the number of times I have seen friends and strangers sharing on Facebook and Instagram that Fritz’s is running a fundraiser to donate proceeds to a certain organization. Whether it be greek life or any other on-campus organization, it is amazing to see how involved they are in helping out our community.
Whether you go out to support an on-campus organization for its next fundraiser or you are just looking for a place to grab a quick bite to eat, Fritz’s will not disappoint.
Cameron Delfino is a School of Arts and Sciences junior majoring in journalism and media studies. His column, "Cameron's Crunch," runs on alternate Thursdays.
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