Devil Gourmet

igins circulate. My legendarily hideous physique has generally been attributed to poor decision-making on my mother’s part. Some claim I was a handsome little devil when I was born in the first half of the 18th century, but that changed almost immediately. I became horse-faced and bat-winged, and stumpy arms protruded from my serpent-like body. My legs, scrawny as a crane’s, terminated in cloven hoofs. I also developed the regulation devil-gear: luminous red eyes, horns, and a forked tail. My frightening countenance is allegedly surpassed only by my vile temperament. If anything goes wrong—maybe the corn crop goes bad, a blaze kicks up in the Pinelands, or the tolls on the Parkway go up—I get the undeserved blame. I admit I was fairly angry in those early years, but today, I’m fully evolved. I stopped swiping the occasional farm critter more than a century ago, and I no longer stomp on rooftops deep in the night. Plus, I’ve resolved my mother issues. Instead, I indulge in a range of creature comforts. For example, I like walking on the beach in the rain (no, my presence is not an omen of imminent shipwreck), painting, reading, and listening to jazz. Primarily, though, I love visiting New Jersey’s many fine restaurants. I can now travel all over the state—transportation has really improved over the centuries—and I’m dazzled by the number and variety of fine eating establishments. I slip in and buy myself any number of good meals without attracting attention, though I won’t tell you how I do it. I will, however, provide all the details of my adventures, which include visits to the most elegant eateries, casual dining spots, and everything in between. You can find full coverage of my escapades on this website. I hope it entices you to go out and taste all the treats the Garden State has to offer. Oh, and when you do visit these wonderful places, please speak of the Devil Gourmet.