In keeping with unfortunate trends throughout the nation, the semi-sleepy suburb of Fort Lee, NJ has recently lost a landmark – Callahan's Restaurant. Situated in a standalone clapboard building on Lemoine Avenue for decades, Callahan's specialized in greasy culinary Americana – hot dogs, burgers, Italian sausage sandwiches – served in a two-notches-above-dive setting of clean formica counters and faux-Tiffany lampshades. Callahan's chief attraction, however, was not the food but is marquee. Overlooking the passing traffic in full color was a giant Weird NJ-worthy hot dog, accompanied by the delightfully campy slogan that read “So Big, So Good.”
Heading out of Fort Lee and East over the George Washington Bridge with J. one Saturday morning in July, my VW's windows rolled up and air conditioner on despite the early hour, it occurred to me that Callahan's owners inadvertently left us with a bit of advertising genius – nowhere else have I seen such a perfectly succinct description that captures the essence of so many things so well. Canada, for example. Who needs “The True North, Strong and Free?” Way too pompous. “So Big, So Good” is so much more to the point, and it holds the distinction of being translatable into French for the Quebecois without a single additional word. But I am getting ahead of myself. Before Canada, there was Maine to be visited, Acadia to be hiked, lobster to be eaten, and Bay of Fundy to be crossed.
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