Restaurant offers edible tour of Europe
Buffet Europa serves ethnic dishes for traditionists, newcomers
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff The buffet table at Buffet Europa features an ethnic selection of Polish, Hungarian, German, Italian and Spanish foods. Sit-down dining is also available.

NORTH BRUNSWICK - For a trip to Europe without leaving the Brunswick area, Buffet Europa onAaron Road offers home-style selections of Polish, Hungarian, German, Spanish and Italian food on a buffet or ala carte.

Eva Grodzki and Gaetano Valente opened the restaurant just after Thanksgiving, combining their Polish and Italian heritages, respectively, with their five years of friendship. With backgrounds in restaurants, banquet halls, hotels and corporate cafes, the two chefs decided to change a former Chinese restaurant into a mix of cultural foods.

"When you have a buffet, it is an easier introduction to food. Some people from different nationalities have a very slim chance they are going to order stuffed cabbage because they don't know what stuffed cabbage is. This way, they order it and try it," Grodzki said.

The lunch buffet, available until 3 p.m., has six selections including two or three well-known items. Valente said his specialties are soups, sauces and gravies, so he likes to make Hungarian goulash, lasagna, Swedish meatballs and blintzes. There is usually a starch, roasted vegetables and some type of meat.

"It's always a surprise," Grodzki said.

The dinner buffet has 12 selections including a different carving station each night. Valente said he cooks pot roast, prime rib, pork loin, roast beef, corned beef and London broil in his kitchen, which is what drew him to this particular site. He said Europa has even offered tripe on the buffet, as the nighttime offers more ethnic plates.

"The idea is trying this food and you can't forget it," Valente said.

The homemade desserts include tiramisu, cannoli, chocolate double fudge cake, rice pudding, favorki and zeppole.

Since it is only Grodzki and Valente who work at the restaurant, they said they try to make their customers feel like family and pay attention to them when they are not in the kitchen. Grodzki said that with a day's notice, she will try to prepare foods that residents remember from their childhood.

"The revival of recipes makes a great success. It makes me feel like I did something right," she said. "We try to know what repeat customers like. Some people want to see some things every time."

The pair cooks all day long to ensure customers have enough of the food they expect.

"It's always nice to have food displayed. You walk in and come for a sit-down dinner but you see some choices we offer on the dinner menu, how they look. And one day,maybe you come in fast for some food," Valente said. "Because it's home-style cooking, we want food always fresh out there. We are cooking food all the time."

For those who prefer a more traditional meal, the a la carte menu features an assortment of hot and cold appetizers, pasta, chicken, beef, veal, fish and seafood, along with hot and cold panninis, wraps, soups and salads.

"Everything is homemade and everything is made from heart. I don't have a standard recipe. I don't try my food. I just add spices and it tastes perfect. If I used standard recipes, I would be like any other cook," Grodzki said.

The hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch. Alcohol is bring-your-own.

Takeout is available per pound.

Private parties are held on Sundays, or a catering menu is available.

The address is 1000 Aaron Road at the intersection of Route 1 south. For more information call (732) 940- 1122.