I got the directions and knew exactly where he was talking about. It was in the same shopping center as the Cold Stone Creamery that I have been to on numerous occasions, but must confess that I haven't been there in quite some time.

This was a win-win situation for me. I get to try a new place to review and then finish it off with some cake batter ice cream. The Ranu-mobile was on auto-pilot as I entered the plaza and parked in my usual spot for Cold Stone. Not even really thinking about the potato place, I walked directly to Cold Stone to see what new creations await me. What I saw next was worse than being picked last in gym class--Cold Stone Creamery was now Good Earth Potato!

One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four...
...five potato, six potato, seven potato, more! There are actually eight different tater toppings and you also have the option of just getting a plain one. Here are your choices:

You can also add butter, sour cream or salsa AND you get a choice of American, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Pepper Jack or Swiss cheese to slap on top of your pimped-out potato.

Sample This
When I walked up to the counter I was greeted by a very pleasant woman who immediately sensed that I was a rookie at Good Earth Potato. She instantly offered me a sample of all the toppings--not just one topping--all of them. The last thing I wanted was to appear ungrateful, so I had about three different samples. This princess of potato explained to me that I should try before I buy and that she didn't want me to have a topping that I didn't like. I was about to ask her if we were still in Jersey, because the only samples I ever get are those damn teriyaki chicken pieces on a toothpick at the mall.

These Spuds Were No Duds!
After making my selection, the woman behind the counter cut open the generous-sized potato and started to separate the inside of the potato from the skin. As I watched this act of kindness, an Air Supply song popped into my head and I realized this is something only a mother would do for their child. I almost called her "Mama" when she stirred in the butter and sour cream until all the butter was melted.

Then came the toppings. On my first visit (yes, I had to go back a second time for "research" purposes), I had the Buffalo Chicken and Sloppy Joe. My second visit consisted of just the Beef Stew potato, although I did have some of the Meat Loaf potato that someone in my party let me taste. There really is no need to order two potatoes for one person, but I didn't realize that until I started my second one. You get a heaping ladle of topping that almost completely engulfs the potato. If you are still hungry, you can get a side salad for $2.00 with any potato purchase.

Taste Test
Everything I tried was very good. All the toppings tasted like they were homemade, although there was no mention on the menu of their authenticity. I think the key to finding a topping is to choose one that complements the potato. While I enjoyed the Buffalo Chicken, the spiciness was overpowering and detracted from the actual potato. It was very good on its own, but you don't even realize there is a potato under all that buffalo-ness. I would suggest blue cheese dressing as your cheese selection on this one and forego the urge to add blue cheese chunks. Blue cheese was not an option of cheeses to choose from on the menu, but my potato pal eagerly accommodated my request.

The Sloppy Joe and Beef Stew were excellent. These two toppings not only tasted great, but you could also taste the butter, sour cream and potato as well. More so with the Beef Stew than the Sloppy Joe, but I was happy with both of these selections. I also tried the Meatloaf and was not that crazy about it compared to the Sloppy Joe and Beef Stew.

Don't Forget The Salads!
My wife opted to have a salad instead of a potato. The place wasn't called Good Earth Salad, so I questioned her judgment--to myself. After seeing what went into her salad, they really should consider changing the name to "Good Earth Potato and Salad." For $6.25 you get a salad that most likely can feed two people. This same-sized salad would probably cost about $14.50 if you had to weigh it on a supermarket scale or ordered it at the new Yankee Stadium.

They start you out with what looks like an entire head of lettuce--it is actually a mixture of Iceberg and Romaine. Then you get a choice of five different toppings. I'm not going to list them all, but you can choose from grilled chicken, tuna, hard-boiled egg, walnuts, mandarin oranges and more! If you want more than five toppings, you can add them in for $1.00 per topping.

Once your creation is complete, the savvy salad server will ask you to pick one out of the nine salad dressing options. She puts a decent amount of dressing in the bowl and begins mixing all the parts together. About half-way through, she asks if there is enough dressing or would you like more? It is quite clear to me that this place is all about the service. They honestly seem to care--which is a rarity in today's society-well, at least NJ.

The End Result
Good Earth Potato is a welcomed treat in the world of fast food. The potatoes are above average in size and you get a filling meal for under $6.00. Their salads are fresh and plentiful and the service is unparalleled.

The one thing I am going to zing them on is the lack of nutritional information on their toppings. There are plenty of tidbits about how healthy their potatoes are, but those positive aspects have to get thrown out the window when you pile on a Sloppy Joe topping with melted cheddar cheese. Granted, I can't imagine it being nearly as bad as half of the fast food out there, but I don't like the way they tip toe around the nutritional info on the part that makes the potato.

Is this going to keep me from going back there? Hell no! The food is great for kids and adults, the prices are reasonable, there is plenty of seating and the service is outstanding. Plus, they have a nice, flat screen TV on the wall playing the Food Network. If they threw in Wi-Fi I would probably never leave and turn back into a couch potato.

You can check out the menu and get more info at the web site for Good Earth Potato.

Contact Info:

Good Earth Potato

West Caldwell Plaza

800 Bloomfield Ave

West Caldwell, NJ 07006

862-210-8387