Cheesesteaks and Jersey have not always been perfect together.

Apart from South Jersey, of course, where Chick’s, Gaetano’s, Donkey’s Place and others serve steaks equal to — or better than — the Philly cheesesteak legends.

Now comes Garden Steak NJ Cheesesteak Co. in New Brunswick, and if you’re expecting staid steak sandwiches, you’re in the wrong place.

Sure, you can get one with American cheese and onions, but why not explore the cheesesteak outer limits with the Grover Cleveland (beef, pork belly, cheese sauce and pepperoni), the Buzz Aldrin (habanero cheese sauce, mac and cheese, bacon) or the Jersey Shore (white American, avocado, lettuce, tomato, raw onion, chipotle mayo).

The dizzying menu choices should come as no surprise to followers of the equally envelope-pushing Destination Dogs, which formerly occupied the space; the owners of DD, including Sean Hasty and Jimmy Cronk, have shares in Garden Steak.

"It’s a really good niche no one’s doing," explains Wayne Mascola, manager and co-owner of Garden Steak. "You can’t get a good cheesesteak in Central Jersey. You can go to a pizzeria and get a frozen puck of meat or a Steak-Umm."

Garden Steak’s choice of meat is strip loin. Rib eye may be more popular in cheesesteaks, but Mascola and company found strip loin packs more flavor.

My opinion? These are better steak sandwiches than pretty much anything you’ll find on the Jersey boardwalk (if one more person raves about legendary Midway Steak House in Seaside Heights, I will scream).

I tried five steaks — a plain (no cheese) with raw onions and roasted pepper; the Grover Cleveland; Harry’s Original (provolone and grilled onions); the Jersey Devil (habanero cheese sauce, onion, avocado, pickled jalapeño, cherry pepper relish) and the Raritan Center (goat cheese, curry steak, onion, zucchini, steak sauce).

Only the Raritan Center didn’t work — curry, I quickly discovered, doesn’t belong on a cheesesteak. Goat cheese? Give it a chance.

The other four steaks rocked, especially the Grover Cleveland and my roasted pepper/raw onion/no cheese combo.

There are 17 cheesesteaks on the menu, all with some Jersey connection; you can also custom-make your own with the selection of cheeses, toppings and sauces. All steaks run from $7.50 to $9. You can get chicken cheesesteaks, too.

One thing you won’t find at Garden Steak — Cheez Whiz, that Philly cheesesteak standard. Garden Steak uses a cheese sauce made from five cheeses, including Monterey jack, cheddar and American.

Nope, this isn’t your average cheesesteak joint. There’s also cheesesteak and potato soup; chili; mac and cheese; and house-cut french fries.

My only quibble: the bread. It’s not substantial enough; the meat and cheese and juices made a flimsy roll even flimsier. Upgrade the bread, and there’d be no reason to head to the nearest boardwalk.

Garden Steak opened in early December, so Rutgers students haven’t had much of a chance to discover and evaluate it.

I’ll say this: You won’t find a steak sandwich like Garden Steak’s on any of the infamous Rutgers grease trucks, now scattered to the campus winds.

Garden Steak NJ Cheesesteak Co., 9 Spring St., New Brunswick. (732) 993-0202, gardensteaknj.com. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays; closed Sundays.

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