Foody4life's Profile
More of a diner-style experience than EMP
This is a great option that we've enjoyed. Note that many vendors sell out so plan to arrive earlier in the day. There's an East River ferry stop right in front to get across the river.
http://www.brooklynflea.com/smorgasburg/?page_id=8
German Restaurants in NJ
The Blue Danube in Trenton has been around a long time and gets generally good reviews. It's a mix of cuisines from the countries along the Danube, starting in Germany. Neighborhood is a bit dicey.
http://www.bluedanuberestaurant.net
Red Bank, pre-Basie dinner
If Murphy's wasn't center block on Broad, it would have closed year's ago. Probably OK for a quick dinner for some and the sidewalk seating is a lure for others, but not what we're looking for. Last night at 7:15, place was empty, literally.
Red Bank, pre-Basie dinner
Thanks again everyone for the rec. Red fit the bill nicely. J and I enjoyed our pre-Basie dinner there last night. Shared everything. Started with the seafood martini and the filet mignon apps. Seafood was very good and the filet was excellent. Then we shared (3) rolls... the spicy tuna, the softshell crab and the lobster cuke roll. All were well prepared and enjoyed. Not OMG sushi but we were very happy with what we had. We struggled to finish the last roll and would probably not order 3 next time (the filet ap is pretty big)!
Service was excellent and the show at the Basie that followed was superb. A great evening.
Unique Cocktails in NJ
One 53's our weekly night out. Best on their current menu are the BLT skewers (pre-ap), chilled seafood salad (ap) and softshell crab (special entree). Their double cut pork chop is outstanding and if you get anything with fries, order the truffle mayo.
Also, if you enjoying dining at the bar, One 53 is your spot. J and I always dine at the bar, as do many others.
Unique Cocktails in NJ
Peacock Inn, Princeton - Christopher is a long time Princeton fav. Previously held court at Lahiere's. The lounge at the Peacock is a nice enough room with a large bar and a couple coveted booths for enjoying your cocktails and your company.
One 53, Rocky Hill - Craig is our favorite bartender between here and NYC. 13 chairs at his bar are always filled with people enjoying his cocktails, the very good food and each other's company. Not a lounge like Rat's or Peacock, but still our local fav for an enjoyable evening and well mixed drinks.
wd-50 - any recent reports, ideally from those who've been to other modernist spots.
We were there till they kicked us out (very nicely) around 9.
4-1-3 sounds like a great alternative to the tasting menu. Think we'll probably do something similar and order 4 apps, 2 mains and 1 dessert for our next dinner.
About those bagels - I asked Chef Dufresne if I could get a dozen to go and his reply was sure, but they probably wouldn't travel well! Maybe we'll have them for dessert next time...
wd-50 - any recent reports, ideally from those who've been to other modernist spots.
thanks RGR. My comparison of WD-50 to elements was less about the molecular nature but more along the line of using unique ingredients especially high end / difficult to source proteins, unique pairings, artistic plating with a willingness and desire to be outside the box. The result is a great success for some (me included) and disdain from others (those who typically prefer more traditional portions and plating). Chef Anderson can be polarizing to a degree but we're very glad he's doing what he's doing.
Prior to going to WD-50 we had the disdain perspective. We were happily wrong.
wd-50 - any recent reports, ideally from those who've been to other modernist spots.
Great report and as usual great pics!
We too had put off going to WD-50, expecting molecular gimmicks versus serious food. Well, I have to say that I concur with you. We really enjoyed our evening here and would return frequently if we lived nearby.
J and I along with another couple had a great evening at WD-50 this past Saturday. We all had the tasting menu as we wanted full immersion into all things Wylie.
Highlights were the Everything bagel, Foie-lafel, Poached Egg, Lamb loin and Menthol dessert. Midlights were the majority of other courses and the lowlight was the Milk Chocolate dessert (a disappointing way to end a stellar evening).
The highlights were great adaptations of favorites. The surprise preparation of the bagel, the light airiness of the foie, the edible cracked egg shell, the pine nut "red beans and rice" served with the lamb and the refreshing yet sublime menthol dessert.
The midlights were all excellent preparations of each course, using top quality ingredients with a deft touch. I guess I expected a bit more unique combinations or preparations and instead found each course to be very accessible and straightforward. Perfect in many ways.
The lowlight Milk chocolate dessert was simply disappointing. The plate was composed of a circular dollop of creamy milk chocolate flanked by a spooned portion of plantain gelato and small discs of soy(?) cookies. The chocolate tasted more milky than chocolate, the gelato and soy were both rather plain so the end result was a plate that I wish were something else.
The Rice krispy treats that followed with the arrival of the check quickly made up for the milk chocolate. The treats were excellent.
Service throughout was outstanding and pacing for the 11 course meal was perfect. Substitution requests of Crab for the Foie and Wagyu beef for the Lamb were graciously accommodated for J and gave us a chance to sample a bit more from the menu.
After desserts, we were given a brief tour of the kitchen and had a quick chat and pic with Chef Dufresne. He was very gracious and personable yet fully engaged in the details of the evening. Really great to see. We wish more of the greats would stick to one or two kitchens vrs the empire building and inevitable diluting of their passion/brand.
We compared our evening at WD-50 with the chef's table tasting menu we enjoyed at elements in Princeton. Both evenings were to remember and if I were to choose one to return to, it would be WD-50 to experience more of the menu.
After dinner, we stopped by The NoMad for a nightcap and to check out the space for an upcoming dinner. Loved it and look forward to dining there very soon.
Plymouth - in search of dinner
Agree that Solstice is the best in the area. Thanks for the recommendation.
Dinner last night was very good. Only hiccup was the servers refusal of a request to change the rice served with the tuna for cauliflower puree offered elsewhere on the menu. She said the chef wouldn't do it because it would compromise his dish?! OK, we'll play by the chef's rules and mind our manners next time. Look forward to future dinners here.
Red Bank, pre-Basie dinner
Thanks everyone. You've all confirmed our suspicion that Red Bank has similar dining options to Princeton - a great variety of mediocrity, with flashes of brilliance on those rare nights when the moon and stars align. : )
We'll be taking the recommendations of bgut1, seal and others that we follow closely and will be dining at Red. Looks inviting. We look forward to grazing thru a couple apps (filet mignon included) and a few rolls.
Thanks again everyone.
Red Bank, pre-Basie dinner
We passed by Temple on Friday and were curious as it was packed (as were all the Broad St places). Older reviews here looked like it started strong then settled to mediocre?
Red Bank, pre-Basie dinner
Thanks. I was looking for more on Bienvenue as older postings here were not very favorable, yet recent yelpers rate it 4stars. Appreciate the much more reliable postings here than on that other site.
How were your entrees and how was the service (noted as unwelcoming on older posts)?
Red Bank, pre-Basie dinner
Searching the board for an update on options for pre-Basie dining.
Our preference is to park in the White street lot, walk to dinner and walk to the Basie. We like to enjoy a bottle of wine with dinner and not worry about driving and parking before the show.
So we've dined at Dish last year and Via 45 last year and again this past Friday. Both were fine, but Via 45 on Friday was not as good as before. Super sloooow kitchen with only a third of the dining room occupied, entrees were good (dijon crusted salmon and grilled ribeye) not great and just OK service.
Looked at Monticello and Bienvenue as options for an upcoming April dinner. Neither have sparkling reviews here.
Any suggestion for a stellar dining option, greatly appreciated.
Za reopening
Za Restaurant
147 W Delaware Ave.
Pennington, NJ 08534
(609) 737-4400
http://zarestaurants.com/
yep, unique name. Been open a few years. Building was damaged by H. Irene and needed to be rebuilt. BYOB. Nice alternative for the Princeton area.
Hamilton's Grill Room, Lambertville
Have to say, HGR is good but could be so much better. We eagerly returned in January for dinner after a GREAT October dinner noted above. Sorry to say, January's visit was not as good.
This recent January visit was marred from the start by the gentleman host not greeting us or even glancing at us to acknowledge our arrival. He was glued to the phone carrying on an inane conversation for entirely too long while we stood there before him and others piled into the vestibule behind us. Finally, his hostess partner made her way to the door and proceeded to check J and I in. He continued on his phone call.
Our waiter must have been new because he had no clue how to service a table, converse with a guest or structure the events of the evening. Luckily, we had the part time help of another waiter (a real pro and our favorite) working the room.
Our meal was just OK. J's delmonico was a very thin cut that probably required a minute or two per side to sear and plate. Really was a disappointing cut of beef. There was no flavor due to it being so thin. We joked that it reminded us of a cut you'd get at a Ponderosa way back when. I had the mixed grill of lamb. It was fine, though I longed for the rabbit I had back in October.
As we were leaving, I said "take care, have a good evening" to the gentleman host. He barely looked up from his stand and stared thru J and I like we weren't there. A strange but fitting end.
We'll return for sure, after this recent experience once again fades in our memory.
Plymouth - in search of dinner
perfect. thanks, will definitely check out Solstice as well.
Plymouth - in search of dinner
Thanks for the great reply. Very much appreciated.
I was curious about New Tokyo. Do they have a sushi bar or bar for drinks and dining - or is it all teppanyaki grill seating? Pics on their website only show the grill area. I was hoping for a place similar to Baba sushi in Worcester.
Plymouth - in search of dinner
Will be staying frequently in the Plymouth area this year for biz. Looking for a great place for business dinners with colleagues and other more casual places for fresh seafood, sushi, etc.
Prefer quality food first, availability of adult beverages and then, anything else.
Dined at Isaacs a couple weeks ago. Enough vintage bronze, mirrors and dirty carpets to make me want to do a 180 and leave. Stuck it out and enjoyed Ipswich clams at the bar. Not bad, but once is probably enough.
Considering East Bay Grill or Sabor for an upcoming business dinner. good/bad or others to consider?
Gary & Lenny's New York Delicatessen, Lawrenceville
Gary & Lenny's, Lawrenceville CLOSED - as of 2/15/12.
From their facebook page, they note they weren't making the numbers for the Lawrenceville location.
They also note, they still have their original deli (owned for about 20yrs) nearby in PA . . .
Moish and Itzy's Summit Square Delicatessen and Restaurant. It's located in the Summit Square Shopping Center on the boarder of Newtown and Langhorne - at routes 413 and 332 (Newtown bypass).
Dad's 70th Birthday
A fancy alternative with quiet dining and stellar cuisine would be the Peacock Inn - also in Princeton.
The Peacock serves a $58 3-course dinner. We have found their seafood selections to be our consistent favorites. The scallops starter and the salmon entree off their current menu are two of the very best preparations of either. I'd expect the kitchen could make any necessary alterations to accommodate your father's needs.
http://peacockinn.com/Three_Course_Dinner_Menu.pdf
Dad's 70th Birthday
The healthiest seafood dinner can be found at the truly excellent Blue Point Grill in Princeton. They serve a large selection of fish that changes daily based on the market. Most fish is simply grilled without butter, salt or heavy sauces. Really good for you.
BPG is casual dining at it's best, but they have one downfall - it's gets unbearably noisy as the evening progresses. Our experience is if you dine there early, from 5-6:30 you can enjoy a conversation along with your dinner. They also have dining on their sidewalk. This would be a much quieter spot once the weather cooperates. They have sidewalk heaters for the cooler months.
Note they are byob and there are two wine shops within a block or two.
http://bluepoint.jmgroupprinceton.com/about/
The Pluckemin Inn....not so good
RGR and ambrose - I can't dispute what the OP and others reported and their experience seems to have occurred when the chef transition was occurring. I will note that the OP's disappointing octopus carpaccio and steak frites are not presently on any menu.
Also, it appears that the current menus have recently been updated and installed. We were there very early on Saturday (when they opened at 5) and several staff members were observed studying the menus. Diners next to us who we assume were regulars were commenting on the menu changes/additions.
We dined previously with Chef Felton in the kitchen on numerous occasions and always enjoyed. Never an OMG evening, but always left with thoughts of returning. We skipped the Chef Cuevas period so we have no comparison to more recent offerings.
My post above was more of counterpoint to LEOFONT's two posts above regarding "high prices and deceitfully small portions being deceitful to the customer". We ordered off both menus and found neither to be the case. The Pluckemin Inn is fairly priced considering their likely overhead and the quality of the food and drink served.
The Pluckemin Inn....not so good
So on our way to Nyack to meet a friend tonight for dinner at Velo, our friend calls to unfortunately cancel. Lucky for us, we were approaching the Pluckemin exit on 287 so we decided to stop in for an early dinner in the Plucky Tavern.
Here's the scoop - the Pluckemin Inn is as good as ever.
J and I grabbed seats at the bar next to the huge fireplace. Perfect. J ordered a glass of Katherine Hall Cab ($18) and I had a pint of Guinness ($6). We were given both the tavern and the dining room menus to order from and they are as printed on the website.
J ordered the bibb salad ($8) and the crispy fish sandwich ($14) off the tavern menu and I order the grilled octopus ($14) and Colorado lamb ($34) off the dining menu.
J's bibb salad was larger than most side salads and the included avocado, bacon and just enough blue cheese were well balanced. Her crispy fish sandwich was a large thick tilefish fillet lightly fried to a golden brown and served on a dark roll. Included were a large portion of seasoned fries, a small ramekin of fried pickle slices and LTO for the sandwich. All very good.
My grilled octopus was outstanding. The smokiness of the grill added a lot of flavor to the very tender octopus. It was as good as our favorites that we've enjoyed at Crispo in NYC and Blue Point Grill in Princeton. Portion size at the Plucky was comparable to the others as well.
The Colorado lamb was another winner. The dish was composed of two chops cooked to a perfect medium rare and a couple very tender portions from the leg. Cannelini beans were cooked to just past al dente and were well seasoned. While the lamb is the second most expensive dish on the menu, the portion and price were similar to a lamb entree recently enjoyed at Hamilton Grill in Lambertville.
Service by the personable bartenders and the rest of the staff was welcoming and efficient. Our take away is the Pluckemin Inn appears to be in good hands with Chef Lattanzio and we look forward to future visits.
The Pluckemin Inn....not so good
Agree with ambrose... he's been sous chef at Pluckemin Inn for "several years" so seems to me his elevation to EC should have ensured a smooth transition. Instead, reports above and from recent yelpers are concerning.
We love the Pluckemin Inn's wine list. They have one of the best wine selections in NJ, but are less likely to dine there with iffy cuisine.
The Pluckemin Inn....not so good
from an email today:
Pluckemin Inn announced today that Andrew Lattanzio is the new Executive Chef. He served as Sous Chef there for the last several years. CIA grad. Previously EC at Tewksbury Inn and Artisan Kitchen in Lebanon. Also Chef de Partie under Geoffrey Zakarian at Town in NYC.
Andrew's menu at Pluckemin Inn will feature the same fresh and seasonal ingredients, lovely presentations with a simple and rustic approach...
Date Place on UWS
We've enjoyed the bar at The Leopard at Des Artistes. It's tucked in a separate room to the back of the dining room. Great drinks and is a nice spot for conversation (active but not too loud). We haven't had dinner there since the change to the Leopard so others can comment on the food.
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The Leopard at des Artistes
1 W 67th St, New York, NY 10023
Ferry House in Princeton - Big Let Down
Great report. Agree with your comments toward the end.
What Is the Hottest Cuisine on the Planet?
agreed. some 20 yrs later I still recall a wonderful soup I had in some little Thai place in Paris. Just inhaling the steam from the bowl, produced instant beads of sweat on my forehead and blinding tears.
Recommended restaurants (with outdoor space) for wedding reception - Near but outside Verona City
http://www.villaquaranta.com/eng/restaurant/the-restaurant-borgo-antico
Here's a villa in the Negrar region to consider. From their website, grounds look lovely, a variety of services are offered and the onsite dining looks capable of handling your event.
