Gabbeh's Profile
Anyone eaten at a Tavola in New Paltz?
I totally agree with the other reviews. A Tavola has become our go to place for a special meal. The food is well prepared, the wait staff friendly and helpful. The meal can be very affordable with splitting portions of pasta ( the servings are quite generous)
Non-Vegetarian Indian in Central Jersey?
iSpice off of Aaron Road and Route 1 is wonderful--Andiran style food and really tasty tunduri
Great new addition to diversity in central Jersey--new Malaysia restaurant
Coco just opened at 1803 Lincoln Highway Rt 27 in Edison and is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. We ordered taken out earlier this week when it was just too hot to cook--and were pleasantly surprised at how good the good was. So good that we went back tonight. The restaurant is very pleasant--sort of orange walls and black tables and black and white prints on the walls. The tofu is homemade, and in the fried tofu with seafood dish and lots of vegetables it was crisp on the outside and creamy inside. The duck salad had a nice lime flavor to the shredded vegetables. The crispy squid was similarly crispy.
The restaurant has a nice range of food--some Thai dishes, Malaysian, and the now ubiquitous sushi. They have a lunch selection that is very reasonable--and it appears as if you can order the lunch options as take out throughout the day and evening.
We are anxious to go back with more people so we can try more of their food.
Peruvian in Central Jersey
Driving down Woodbridge Avenue in Edison I noticed a small restaurant with a sign out front "Pollos a la Brasa." Tonight I decided to stop on my way home for take out. The restaurant, really just a counter with stools, is called La Granja Azul. The food was incredible--much better Peruvian food than I had at an expensive restaurant in DC. They have many specialties--fabulous rotisserie chicken, excellent cerviche (we had the mixto which had crab, shrip, and fish), maduros--fried plantains that were crispy and not greasy, and papa a la huancaina--peruvian style potatoes. They also have various dishes with rice, and a variety of fried fish dishes. Next time we want to try the fried calamari with fried cassava and red onions.
This is a great small place. 2190 Woodbridge ave, 2 blocks frou Route 1. Phone 732-777-7311.
Venice: The Great Binge of '09
My husband and I leave May 16 (scored $350 pp tickets on Alitalia!), and will be spending 8 nights at a farmhouse south of Padua. Thank you for all this information. We have reservations for lunch at Le Calandre on May 20. Your advice about a la carte sounds good-- we often create our own tasting menu by ordering a number of dishes to share. Any other suggestions of dishes to try?
Central Jersey Indian
I am taking some friends out for Indian food and would like a place with atmosphere as well as good food. I was thinking about Akbar or Indigo. I haven't been to Moghul lately, but read on site that reviews places on Oak Tree Road that it has gone down hill. I have had some excellent meals at ispice near Aaron Road, but was looking for someplace with more atmosphere for this meal. Any ideas?
Anyone gone to Maize in Newark recently
I have heard conflicting reports on Maize since it changed its menu. We are going to a performance at NJPAC on Friday and prefer not to go to Ironbound for dinner. Anyone gone there recently? Any other suggestions
Best Indian Cookbook?
While I have looked at most of the cookbooks on this thread and they are excellent, my new favorite is-- everything I have cooked from this cookbook is amazing--it is a good complement to Jaffrey or Sahni.
Cuisines of India: The Art and Tradition of Regional Indian Cooking (Hardcover)
by Smita Chandra (Author), Sanjeev Chandra (Author)
Greek Restaurant - Highland Park
Second on Sabra--went there by chance a month ago and was surprised. Their chicken kabobs were carefully done with parsley and other flavors rolled into the chicken.
Best restaurants in Vienna, Austria
Following the advice here, my husband and I had lunch today a Mraz und Sohn and the 5 course tasting meal with wine (which lasted 2 1/2 hrs) was truly memorable with rare marinated beef in a kind of pumpkin sauce, cabbage soup with scallops on the side and ham and perigord truffles, venison with plums, a cheese course, and poached pear stuffed with a chocolate sauce. The service was attentive and each course was presented like a jewel.
Arriving in Paris New Years Day
I found a wek site www.ReservOresto.fr that is like OpenTable in the US--you can identify restaurants that take reservations on particular days and make the reservations. Of their hundreds of restaurants there are 34 that are open on NY Day and we made reservations at one that sounded good called L'Agassin.
Arriving in Paris New Years Day
We arrive in Paris New Years Day for a 5 day visit. Not wanting to miss a day of fine eating, I'd love some ideas of places where we can have lunch or dinner that day. I'm not sure how zonked we will be from jet lag, so suggestions for interesting, but not too expensive restaurants would be appreciated. We are going to be renting an apartment in the 2nd but don't let that limit your suggestions!
Hotoke~New Brunswick, NJ?
My husband and I have eaten there twice. The food is innovative and tastes excellent. The main problem with the place is the noise level. Like many trendy NYC restaurants, there is a high ceiling and the sound bounces. The last time we went we were seated near the divider between the dining room and the bar and a loud group made talking impossible. We asked to be moved and were given a quieter seat at the other end of the restaurant. Even there it was difficult to talk--but we would definitely go back for the food--but probably pick a week night rather than the weekend
Cheese Shops in Brooklyn?
I think the staff at te Blue Apron are much more customer-focused
Alternative to Nyungya in Sunset Park?
My family regularly gathers at Nyungya for a biweekly gathering. After many many months it is time to broaden my father-in-law's horizens. But once he gets stuck on a place that is hard--and we don't want to experiment without advice. We have heard there is really good Vietnamese in Sunset Park. Any suggestions are welcome.
Real sushi in Highland Park
Highland Park seems to be turning around. The owners of Sushi Suzuki in Metuchen sold that place and opened up Midori Sushi on Raritan Ave (aka Route 27) in Highland Park. The sushi is fresh, the cooked food is excellent, it is BYOB...what more could one ask for? They have the traditional rolls as well as the more new-fangled style.
Restaurants in West Covina and Long Beach
We are staying near Bluff Park. Thanks for the help.
Restaurants in West Covina and Long Beach
Next week I have a work trip to LA which will take me to the West Covina area one night and then down to Long Beach. Any advice on interesting restaurants will be greatly appreciated--especially in the west Covina area!
New Japanese Restaurant - New Brunswick, NJ
It is fusion--stuff like short ribs cooked in mirin along with traditional and unusual sushi. The food is quite good, the service is very friendly, and a good range of sake.
Thai Nakorn closed for renovations--where to go?
After researching and reading so much about this restaurant I was heartbroken to drive by last night and see it is closed. What is the next best choice? We drove towards Long Beach and had good Vietnamese at Bentley. But would love some fabulous thai
A sushi find in Metuchen, NJ
This place has quickly become one of our favorite around-friendly atmosphere, excellent quality and imaginative rolls.
Chinese Noodle House in Edison, NJ Area ?
I have gone to Wonder Seafood many times, including about 2 weeks after the Chinese New Year when the place was bursting at the seams and our table of 12 was the only table of non-Chinese. The owner is very friendly, and we are always greeted by him. I find the dim sum to be on a par with NY Chinatown. We always let the owner order for us and have never been disappointed.
Istanbul dinner recommendations?
Yengech is excellent. Twenty years ago we ate at this restaurant in Izmir and were thrilled to find it this winter in Istanbul. Their mezza are terrific as is the grilled fish. Trust the waiter to make recommendations.
There is also a kind of cafeteria right at Taxim square where you pick your food for a steam table--one of the best meals.
In Cappadocia there is a restaurant that serves lamb stew baked in a clay pot that is quite wonderful as well--forget the name.
Where to Find the best Falafel in NY?
The NY Times had a receipe for Falafel on Wednesday. Tried it tonight. Soaked the beans overnight, drained them at 6:30 PM and by 7:15 had a stack of fabulous falafel. Not Azuri--but my husband, who is an Azuri addict--felt they came close.
Spaetzle maker uses?
DO you prefer the rotary type of the one that is rectangular with the box that goes back and forth?
desparate for dim sum
Second the recommendation for Wonder Seafood. We used to go to NYC regularly for dim sum but now rarely do so. Wonder Seafood's dim sum and regular menu match really hold their own for quality and variety. My son's girlfriend doesn't eat meat and usually suffers when we go out for dim sum, but at Wonder we ate our fill without getting anything she could not eat.
Kosher restaurant in Highland Park has good Persian Kabobs and rice!
My husband and I stopped into Shushan Grill today because we heard a rumor the owner was a Persian. To our delight we found he served some excellent Persian food- cubidah kabob (chopped meat) as well as lamb kabob and rice and some Moroccan dishes and exellent shawma. From the outside all you see if the sign marking the restaurant as glatt kosher and with sushi and kosher Chinese food coming--but the Persian and Moroccan food hides inside.
Shushan Grill
(Formerly Penny's Restaurant)
304 Raritan Avenue
Highland Park
(732)249-0609
Downtown LA Recommendations
I am going to be in downtown LA (New Otani Hotel area) for 2 nights next week on a business trip and would love some interesting recommendations. I know the hotel is near a lot of Japanese restaurants--which ones are good? And what other places in the area for creative food?
Range and dishwasher recommendations
I had a thermador dual fuel for about 10 years and just replaced it with a GE profile gas only convection. I don't miss the electric oven. The gas oven heats up very quickly and I prefer the gas broiler. And the extra high and extra low burners on the stovetop are terrific. I was cooking some sauce on the simmer burner and the low flame at its lowest was actually too low to maintain a simmer. And the 5th burner griddle is very handy--although I wish it were a bit hotter
