FoodFetish's Profile
Dinner Suggestions Hayward,CA and South of there
We are going to an opening of a photo exhibit in Hayward (east bay) tonight and want to have a nice, somewhat upscale dinner, preferably Italian, Mediter., etc. afterwards, say 9:00 PM. Try to explore something new in the area.
We live in Santa Clara so anything on the way from Hayward back would also be interesting.
Any suggestions?
Thanks and Ciao
Brunch at "A Toute Heure" in Cranford.
This is an update to a recent thread about about "A Toute Heure" in Cranford, NJ.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/438216
We have been there a couple of times in the last few months and truly enjoyed the food as well as the excellent service.
Before, they were only open for Dinner, but a few weeks ago they started to serve Sunday brunch between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. And really good brunch it is.
I would call Andrea Carbine's creation's French Breakfast Fusion. Classic breakfast recipes and ingredients are combined into some innovative, tasty and very pleasuable dishes.
More in my respective blog post:
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/brunch-at-toute-heure.html
When you are looking for an creative brunch experience in a refined atmosphere around Westfield, A toute Heure is by now my first choice.
Northside Trattoria in Westfield is now "16 Prospect"
And old reliable favorite in Westfield ("Northside Trattoria") closed for a few weeks, remodeled and just re-emerged as "16 Prospoect Wine Bar and Bistro".
I checked out the bistro section (i.e. the restaurant part in the back of it) and not much has changed. Same type and quality of food and service. The menu has fewer choices. Prices are the same and I thought in some cases even lower.
More Details in my blog entry.
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/northside-trattoria-is-now-16-prospect.html
I'll go back soon to check out the now nicer and larger bar to see if it is truly a wine bar or just a bar that offers a few more wines by the glass.
Finally, I absolutely don't understand the appeal of naming a restaurant for street number and street name. In particular, if you have a well established name like "Northside Trattoria" why would you give it up for something essentially meaningless like "16 Prospect"? Imagine all the place in restaurant row (Elm Street) would do the same.
Mario's Italian Deli in Westfield - Anything Happening?
I just drove by this morning. Mario's Italian Deli in Westfield is now open. It took a very long time, so I hope the quality of the food is worth it. I will try to check them out for dinner in the next few days. I'm curious to get input from other chow hounds.
oktoberfest in NJ
cmarie, the "Deutsche Club Clark" (German Club Clark) has almost a monthly fairly authentic Octoberfest (very nice Biergarten, Festhalle with Band and Dance, German Food) during the course of the summer. There is one more October 13th. Most of them are open to non-members for a $5 or so admission fee.
If you like the idea of "Oktoberfest" you will absolutely enjoy these.
http://www.deutscherclub.com/program.htm
CoolVines now Open in Westfield
Early June jnk speculated about a wine bar coming to Westfield where once there was Planet Smoothie. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/408305
Then for a long time nothing happened. Finally a couple of days ago "Coolvines", a specialty wine store (not a wine bar) has opened.
I got a chance to check them out at their opening night and from what I have seen so far, it looks pretty promising. You won't find a lot of the mainstream brands, but a nice selection of less known wine makers, unusual varieties or locations that invites you to explore. More in my blog: http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/coolvines-stylish-competent-wine-source.html
In addition to the good selection, they also know what they are talking about. Arnaud, their sommelier has not only tasted all the wines in stock but is also knowledgable and fun to talk to.
Supposedly, they will have tastings and for the BYOB crowed a selection of wines specifically matched to the different profiles of Westfield restaurants.
Mario's Italian Deli in Westfield - Anything Happening?
Some news on Mario. And I thought it would never happen.
When I drove by the store this morning, they had removed the paper covering the windows and they were working inside. From the brief glimpse I got it looked like they had made some progress and are getting closer to the finish line.
I'm looking forward to their grand opening.
NJ Restaurant Weeks: Details anybody?
I just got an e-mail from the Frog and The Peach about them participating in the "Third Annual New Jersey Restaurant Weeks".
I didn't know there even were "New Jersey Restaurant Weeks". Unfortunately, besides what is in the e-mail from The Frog and The Peach there seems to be almost no information about this event available on the Internet.
Quoting from the e-mail there is "a long list of restaurants" that participate in that event to "to heighten your awareness of NJ’s fantastic restaurant scene." 3 course prix fix is $25 for lunch and $35 for dinner.
I certainly would like to know what other restaurants participate as this might be a good opportunity to try a few new places.
The event is from 2007-09-17 to 2007-09-22 and from 2007-09-24 to 2007-09-28.
Amex is supposedly a sponsor but I couldn't find anything there either.
Does anybody have a clue where to find more information about this or know about other restaurants participating?
Russian Tea Room: Lora's in Cranford
Another interesting place in Cranford Centennial Village that we recently discovered is Lora's Tea Room.
There are a few Tea Rooms in the area, most of them rather British, some pretty good and others rather underwhelming and often expensive.
Lora's is different. It is pretty successful in conjuring up the atmosphere and feeling of a tea room somewhere in Russian village. Service is friendly and attentive. We had breakfast there and the blinis with farmer's cheese are outstanding as was the vegetable omelette.
But what is really great is the tea service. For $3 you can get a large china pot of high quality open leave tea that his expertly brewed. More than enough for two people. If you typically drink lipton brewed from a tea bag in your cup, you will be pretty surprised how different and delicate tea can be.
More details in my blog:
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/breakfast-at-loras-tea-room-in-cranford.html
Cafe Paris Cranford
I would agree with AppleSpam. I have been to both locations, Cranford and Metuchen. Pretty solid crepes and a few other french type dishes. Nothing spectucalar or particularly creative but reliably good. Coffees and other drinks are also above average. Service was usually friendly and attentive although not always consistently so. If you like crepes this place is for you. Prices are reasonable.
Spectacular: A Toute Heure in Cranford, NJ
Sivyaleah, I called ahead when I left home and we immediately got a table. That was around 7:30. There was just one table left at the time. Around 8:15 most other guest had left and there were only two other parties there. They are open till 10:00. Seemingly after 8 or so it is a bit more quite.
Spectacular: A Toute Heure in Cranford, NJ
I just came home from a truly exciting dinner at A Toute Heure in Cranford. This is a very special place and in all likelihood will eventually become one of my top favorites.
Without any attitude or pretension they serve up the most amazing food creations and they do it with very fresh locally sourced meats and vegetables. From a food perspective - and that is one of the most important perspectives in my life - I haven't had such a pleasurable evening in quite a while.
This little French Bistro has a lot of potential. One great innovation are the "bites". Conceptually between amuse bouche and traditional appetizers, "bites" are a more refined French interpretation of tapas. Large enough to be sharable but small enough to order quite a few, they are an ideal set up for a flavor and texture joy ride. One example was the one with grilled peaches and ricotta that opened up new possibilities.
After a few "bites" we decided on the two steaks that were on the menu tonight. Both the hangar and flank steak were expertily cooked as ordered. The meat was clearly high quality, tasty and had the right texture. The sides were creative, well made and had their own flavor contribution to the overall flavor profile of the dish.
And for dessert I had something that my friend called pretty adventurous and that I never had before in my life: Goat Cheese Ice Cream. Yes, you got that right. This is not a gimmick, but quite enjoyable.
More details in my blog
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/toute-heure-in-cranford-nothing-short.html
We are planning to go there again this Thursday. If a fellow hound wants to join send me a note.
The place is small (30 or so seats). So during a busy time there may be some wait. They do not take reservations but you can call ahead and they put you on the waiting list. And it is BYOB.
Ciara's Cup O' Cakes in Cranford now Open
After they have been working on this place across the street from the Cranford movie theater for 6 months or so they finally opened today. Grand opening is upcoming Saturday.
I like independent coffee houses. There are already too many Starbucks for their own good. Ubiquity breeds mediocrity.
So I'm excited to see one opening in Cranford. I only had time for a quick coffee. But that was good, reasonably priced and the service friendly and efficient. The place is comfortable and invites to hang out.
I will certainly be there for the grand opening and check out the food. A few more details in my blog.
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/ciaras-cup-o-cakes-in-cranford-is-now.html
Cheeseburger Cheeseburger-Westfield
I haven't been there recently, but over the last couple of years since they opened I have been there probably 6 times or more.
I agree with jnk. Certainly above McD and BK. Comparable to Johnny Rocket's. The retro theme is somewhat original. It attracts a lot of families with children and groups of teenagers. The one in Westfield can be pretty noisy at times. Service is typically friendly and trying hard but not always refined and particularly effective. Food quality, although not spectacular, has been consistently good. For the price level actually pretty decent.
They have different sizes of burgers including a "famous pounder". It gets you a photo displayed in the restaurant if you actually finish it. I find the idea of competitive eating and the wasted food it creates abhorrent. But that's just my take.
They also allow you to fully customize your burger, i.e "Create your Own". There are 30 or so toppings you can select from. Most are free, for others you pay extra. For some people that is reason to go there. I like the idea of predefined burger combinations where the toppings work together well and the burger becomes more than the sum of its parts much better.
But then there are seemingly people that create a juicy burger monstor with all toppings available.
One good thing about Cheeburger is its proximity to the lawn in front of the station. During the Summer Jazz Festival on Tuesdays in Westfield you can sit outside (it is typically easy to get a table) and enjoy the bands playing at the stage there.
One drawback: They do NOT allow BYOB. A full-bodied Zin goes so well with a great burger. ;-))
Burger Alternatives in Westfield: Jeffery's (Very good, they even have kobe) and you can get the matching Zin, Jolly Trolley is actually not bad on burgers (good beer selection), Xocolatz also has a pretty decent one with good fries (again nice outside seating during jazz festival).
Has anybody been to "A Toute Heure" in Cranford, NJ
The menu sounds so interesting. So I convinced one of my friends who likes to explore restaurants (but wouldn't call herself a chow hound) to go there tomorrow (Tuesday 2007-09-04). We will be there around 19:15 to 19:30 hours. If another hound wound like to join us, feel free. I will be wearing a blue levis and an orange t-shirt.
Has anybody been to "A Toute Heure" in Cranford, NJ
More by conincidence, I recently saw this new french bistro in Cranford's "Centennial Village". The "Centennial Village" is a little one block main street type neighbor hood south of Cranford that I didn't associate with upscale french cuisine.
A Toute Heure seemingly opened in May already, but I never realized they were there till a few days ago. The menu looks very interesting and prices seem reasonable. Unfortunately, they were closed when I stopped by to check them out.
http://atouteheure.com/
Has another Chow Hound been there? Anybody interested in having a Chow Hound outing to this place?
Heart & Soul Cafe - A Hidden Secret in Westfield, NJ
Another visit to the Heart & Soul Cafe. This time for lunch. Our first very positive impression was more than confirmed. They have very well made deli sandwiches with good bread and high-quality tasty meats. More details in my blog
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/heart-soul-cafe-is-truly-special-place.html
If you are looking for a breakfast or lunch in Westfield, be it a quick bite in and out or more relaxed to linger a bit, I would strongly recommend to look beyond Panera, Cosi, Jersey Mike's and the other chain places. They are the same no matter where you go. The Heart & Soul Cafe is unique.
Tosca, Kenilworth
Nyebaby,
I went there in may this year and it was actually pretty good. Prices are a little on the high side for Kenilworth. But the good service and the quality of the food justified.
Based on that I would certainly recommend it, in particular if the weather is pleasant and you can sit outside.
More details in my blog post from that time.
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/friday-is-yoga-day-and-al-fresco-at.html
I have not been back since, but two readers of my blog told me that they had been there independently recently and they had similar experiences.
Great Bread at Breadsmith in Cranford, NJ
We recently visited the newly opened "Breadsmith" store in Cranford, NJ. Breadsmith is a mid-western chain for upscale artisan bread. And Cranford is their first East Coast location.
The staff is very friendly and knowledgable. They explain the different breads and let you taste all of them. They have a few "core breads" every day and then a weekly rotation of additional specialty breads.
The focaccia that we got was quite amazing. Just the right texture, well rounded taste complemented by a few herbs.
The prices are bit on the high side even for artisan bread, but considering the quality and the fact that you can taste before you buy, I believe it is still worthwhile.
With really good and authentic (in particular European style) bread not that easy to get in this area, I'm glad they opened their first store in my neighborhood.
More details in my blog:
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/new-source-for-good-bread-bread-smith.html
Java's Brewin in Cranford, NJ: Good Concept - Underwhelming Excecution
We finally, managed to check out the recently opened Java's Brewin in Cranford, NJ. I had seen a few Java's Brewin before but I never visited one. I was curious as I'm all for alternatives to Starbucks. It's not that I don't like Starbucks, but a good idea overstretched will eventually lead to mediocrity. So any serious competition for Starbucks is actually good for them.
Conceptually, Java's Brewin could actually be a very dangerous competition for Starbucks: same focus on high quality coffee drinks and a pleasant environment to hang out or meet with friends. But in addition they have a much broader food selection both for breakfast and lunch and they do have free WI-FI.
Ok, good concept. Unfortunately, at least for the one in Cranford, the execution of that concept leaves to be desired. Getting a breakfast sandwich becomes a drama: remembering the order, finding the ingredients, operating the toaster without buring the bagel, not blackening the breakfast wrap in the contact grill and finally operating the cash register and getting things entered correctly was an amusing morning drama to observe. If we had been in a hurry we would probably have felt a bit different about this.
The staff is friendly and tried really hard, they just weren't trained all that well and were still struggeling with start up issues after more than two weeks. And management was nowhere to be seen. More details in my blog.
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/breakfast-at-javas-brewin-in-cranford.html
Overall, I think they have great potential and I would really like to see them succeed. Management just needs to get its act together and work hard get this place humming efficiently.
Thoughts on "Java's Brewin"?
A "Java's Brewin" has just opened in Cranford, NJ close to where I live. I haven't seen many of these around here but according to the web site it is a national chain, that seems to be a hybrid between starbucks and panera.
Although I don't mind Starbucks, I believe in competition is good for the consumer. So any viable alternative to Starbucks is welcome.
Has anybody had any experience with Java Brewin? How does the coffee and the food compare?
Looking for great bread!
You may want to specify a few more details and what geographic region you are looking for.
In NJ as a general direction Wegmans and Whole Foods are reasonably good sources with some selection of breads. In NY, Le Pain Quotidien has some very good breads. There is a mid westerns chain called "Breadsmith" that has now opened one location at the East Coast in Cranford, NJ. It claims to have very good, fresh artisan breads. We have tried only their Focaccia so far: Good but expensive. Finally, the local farmer's market often has some good bakeries represented.
Gaucho's in Westfield NJ - Any Details?
We had another Dinner there last Friday. And seemingly they fixed all the issues we experienced during the opening. Seems to be running pretty smooth now. They were somewhat busy that night but service was still friendly and effective.I tried the sausage BBQ platter that they didn't have the first time we were there. If you like Brazilian Sausage (firm texture, quite spicy and intense flavor), for $10.95 including salad bar and generous portions of sides, a really good deal. My wife was pretty happy with her BBQ rips. The only critique: The fries - although warm now - are still not spectacular.
They also had live music which was a good addition to a nice and enjoyable dinner. More details in my blog entry.
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/dinner-at-gauchos-with-live-music.html
Xocolatz in Westfield, NJ - Highly Recommended
Fully agreed. The bathroom situation is weird at best. I remember when we moved to Westfield in 2000 there was a Dunkin Donut in that space. For a restaurant, the very narrow but deep layout of the building is everything but ideal. That is probably also why the rent is reasonable and they can afford to offer great food at reasonable prices.
Xocolatz in Westfield, NJ - Highly Recommended
During Westfield's weekly summer jazz festival we had dinner once again at Xocalatz last Tuesday and I was reminded how good this small, often overlooked place actually is. Interestingly enough no other chow hound has posted about it before.
With its narrow storefront you might not even recognize it as a restaurant. The atmosphere inside is decent but nothing special. Service is attentive, warm, friendly but still efficient. But the food is what counts. At a very reasonable price level (in particular for Westfield) you get innovative, refined high quality dishes. They have a variety of innovative salads and sandwiches that you can get (at the same price) also for dinner. The entrees are often Xocolatz special version of traditional dishes. They do have a good selection of daily specials that are posted on their web site. The place is BYOB. They have lots of outside seating most nights. On Thursday when the store next door is open late, outside seating is limited however.
More details in two recent blog entries:
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/sweet-sounds-downtown-and-dinner-at.html
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/unexpected-visit-to-sweet-sound.html
UNO? You Know? Who Knew?
That is kind of what it is. Underwhelming, Nothing is really bad but nothing sticks out either. I have been to a few Unos all over the country while traveling on business. In a few places the service is really trying hard, at others it outright sucks. The food is what you expect. Designed in a corporate lab, made with standardized ingredients, cooked by a cook that is probably not particularly motivated to do something innovative.
If you are traveling out in mall country with no independent place for miles (which happens to me quite often), Uno is not a bad choice.
Heart & Soul Cafe - A Hidden Secret in Westfield, NJ
Recently, I discovered the Heart & Soul Cafe in Westfield, NJ (Corner of West Broad and Osborn). Today, I checked it out for breakfast and I have to report this is a great place for a hearty breakfast. Typical breakfast fare but very well made, with attention to detail and reasonably priced. Service is friendly, warm and welcoming. The place is really cozy, you feel at home. As the name says it has heart and soul.
The coffee is fresh, hot and has a pleasant taste. The food comes out fast and is very well made in particular the home fries are outstanding. They open at 6:00 AM. If you want a classic egg breakfast in a nice atmosphere with sit down service, this is a very good alternative to a diner.
You can read more details in my blog:
http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/great-breakfast-at-heart-and-soul-cafe.html
Birthday Dinner Update - Ristorante da Benito in Union
Yes, I agree, this is a pretty cool place. My former team took me there for my farewell party when I left my old job. It was a pretty memorable dinner.
Almost everything was excellent: great, innovative, refined, tasty food, outstanding friendly, caring and professional service, great atmosphere and a huge wine selection.
It is a bit on the pricy side in particular for the area and from the outside it doesn't look like real high-end Italian dining.
Unfortunately, the lunch menu is also quite expensive (Same dishes just a few dollars less than dinner). I wish they had a more typical lunch menu and I would go there more often with my coworkers. Even David Drake has a reasonably priced lunch menu.
Still, if you are looking for a real upscale dining experience around Union, you can't get around Da Benito.
Freshwaters in Plainfield, NJ
Sivyaleah, thanks for the recommendation. We went to Freshwaters today for the first time and we had a very pleasant meal. My wife is more into Cajun food then I'm. But nevertheless, I still enjoyed the truly voluptuous taste experience of the Cajun Chicken Pasta and the well seasoned corn chowder. My wife also felt the crab cakes and the pecan crusted catfish where pretty good (but not excellent).
The service is outstanding, warm, welcoming and friendly while at the same time attentive, professional and efficient. We did not perceive them as overbearing.
More details in my blog at http://westfieldblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/dinner-at-freshwaters-in-plainfield.html
If you like Southern/Cajun Cooking, I would certainly recommend the place.
Do I smell a wine bar coming to Westfield?
And here is a photo taken in front of their store. I certainly like their Philosophy about wine.
