“The days of just hot dogs, pretzels and beer are gone,” declares Matt Gibson, speaking of the food concessions at the Prudential Center in Newark, home of the New Jersey Devils. “We want to elevate the experience.”
Legends Hospitality, which runs the arena’s restaurants and food outlets, is debuting several new options for visitors.
On the main concourse, the Chicken Coop is getting creative with that fan favorite, chicken tenders.
“We decided to embrace that and make it our own,” says Gibson, east coast regional executive chef of Legends. “We came up with some great sauces that we actually toss the chicken in to create a whole new thing.”
The sauces include sticky Thai and maple bourbon bacon.
“Bacon,” Gibson says. “You really can’t go wrong with that.”
Also on the main concourse, the Handwich Shop serves mini sandwiches, like Burke’s Bacon Bar Reuben, designed by celebrity chef David Burke.
The Burke’s Bacon Bar Reuben, from the new Prudential Center concession, the Handwich Shop.
Handwiches are small in circumference, making them theoretically easier to eat while watching a game and maybe holding a beverage with the other hand. They are, however, rather tall, so if you can open your jaw as wide as a snake you’re all set.
The Jersey Grind grills custom burgers, including the Jersey Burger, topped with grilled Taylor ham, white American cheese, a runny fried egg, cracked black pepper aioli and smoked ketchup.
The Jersey Burger, from the new Prudential Center concession, the Jersey Grind.
In conjunction with Goya Foods, Legends will pay tribute to the nearby Portuguese Ironbound section of Newark. At the Taste of the Ironbound District on the upper concourse, fans can savor hand-cut Cuban sandwiches as well as rotisserie chicken and beef. Latin specialties are also available at Goya Street Tacos.
Devils season ticket holders will have a wider selection of foods at the newly renovated Club Lounge buffets.
“It’s an all-you-can-eat atmosphere, but it is not a boring belly-up,” Gibson says. Season ticket holders and their guests will find a rotation of six different menus that could include alligator sausage, wild boar sausage, duck sausage, chimichurri beef tenderloin with rice and peas and lime crème, and a baked potato bar with toppings ranging from short ribs to marshmallows.
The Club Lounges will also offer Beertails: cocktails mixed with beer, such as the Angry Captain, made with Angry Orchard hard cider and Captain Morgan rum.
“The Stadium is beautiful,” Gibson says, “and we’re ambitious to do what it takes to make sure the guest experience is great.”