EssexHound's Profile
Red Medicine. Wow.
Thanks - is it a comfortable place to eat solo or am I better off elsewhere?
Red Medicine. Wow.
I will be in town for work by myself for one night this Sunday. Is this place comfortable for the solo diner? If I do the porridge with uni, the brussels sprouts and the green gage plum dessert, will that be too much? I am a guy with a good appetite but not a glutton.
The other place I am considering is Salt's Cure in WH. Thanks.
Magners Pear Cider
Anyone know where I can buy this in NJ? It is supposed to be beyond delicious...
Breakfast in Soma/Mission area?
Any recommendations for a healthy but delicious breakfast near the St. Regis Hotel? Looking for great oatmeal in particular. Thanks!
Is Buddokan a good place to take suburban teenagers?
Thanks - looking forward to it!
Is Buddokan a good place to take suburban teenagers?
I have not been to Buddokan but it seems like it would be a fun, NYCish place to take my teenage kids next weekend. They would definitely like the food, but is it too much of a scene if we go early (7 or so) on a Saturday night? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Gas Light Brewery-So. Orange NJ
Skip its very uninteresting fare and go up the block to Cafe Arugula. Their regular menu is pretty good, but their specials are almost always terrific, especially the salads and pork entrees (they use heirloom breed pork and cook it beautifully).
what are the best farmers markets and roadside stands in NJ??
Robsons was sold, apparently. It is now called Burns' Market but supposedly carries comparable locally grown produce.
New Whole Foods in Union/Vauxhall
Have been there a few times since it opened on Wednesday. It is huge - around 60,000 square feet. It is beautiful and roomy, and all the corporate WFM folks were there to make sure all is running well. Lots of friendly, helpful staffers - let's hope THAT lasts, It has a rotisserie station like the one at Columbus CIrcle, and I am already hooked on the herbed turkey breast. The breads are very good, too, particularly the walnut wheat, which is great with cheese.
This place replaced the now-closed Millburn store. It's twice as big, much brighter and easier to navigate (although huge) and I really am happy to live within 10 minutes of such a place. I miss NYC less and less as places like this open in NJ.
Best New Jersey Steakhouse?
I am partial to Strip House in the Westminster Hotel in Livingston. It is very, very good, and not too far from Rt 280.
Passadis del Pep in Barcelona
Also agree that it was one of the best meals I have ever had. We were there in May 2007. We had been told that it was great, but no one told us that once seated, a parade of cava and plates of outstanding seafood would keep coming. So good! Particularly outstanding were the langostinos. The poster above was correct - don't pass on the Crema Catalana at meal's end.
If taking a taxi, make sure you know that the restaurant is at the back of a passageway, not facing the street.
Ford's Filling Station: A Review with Pictures
Lotta (ahem! LOL),
I can't do justice to your wonderful review above, but we were there for dinner Monday night and had a really enjoyable meal, as well.
Highlights:
excellent caipirinhas
sturgeon confit (succulent and delicious)
steak tartare that hinte dof mild chorizo
2 charcuterie items: lomo and a mild salami
wonderful fried calamari with an herb mayonnaise
banana split (worth the splurge)
We sat outside, somewhat off the street, and it was quite pleasant. The server, while admittedly new, took good care of us.
Cafe Monet - Millburn
Has anyone been there lately? If so, please list favorite dishes, and whether or not you recommend it. Thanks!
Impressions of Cafe Monet in Millburn, NJ?
Has anyone been there recently? If so, please give a quick thumbs up or down and favorite dishes. Thanks!
Opinions on craftsteak
Thanks, kobetobiko, for replying. Interesting analysis and you are probably right. My steak ideal in NY is the NY strip at Quality Meats, and that alone may disqualify me to many Chowhounders as a steak lover. Who knows? I like what I like.
As for the sides, I felt that the wild mushrooms were just OK and should have been superb for $22. The baby fennel was good, not great. I forgot that we did love the onion rings, which were admittedly superb.
As for the desserts, the cinnamon doughnuts were pedestrian, the banana chocolate dessert was tasty but not great and the mascarpone cheesecake already eludes memory other than I remember ordering it.
Maybe we ordered incorrectly. In any case, I think Tom Colicchio is guilty of too much time in front of the cameras and not enough time making sure that his restaurants maintain the quality his clients have come to expect.
Brgr
BRGR is decent enough. If you go for one thing though, it should be for the black and white shake, which is quite possibly the best shake I have ever tasted.
Trendy NYC Restaurant
Avoid Fig & Olive. Pretty place, but food is lackluster. Perry Street, which was suggested above, is beautiful and its food is really good, but I think it is more "grown-up" than trendy. It will likely be a neighborhood fixture for years to come, whereas the trendy places are shooting stars. MEPA is already too popular for its own good. If you really want to go there, have drinks on the roof of the Gansevoort Hotel after 11.
Opinions on craftsteak
I was there last week, and was totally disappointed. Three of us shared three steaks, including the wagyu skirt steak, the NY strip and the corn-fed sirloin. All were cooked reasonably to order (medium rare), but all, including the wagyu, surprisingly, lacked any real, deep, beefy minerality. The skillet cornbread and oysters were top notch, but the steaks, sides and desserts were all disappointing. Not bad, mind you, but at these prices, Craftsteak cannot compare to the steakhouses among which it would like to think are its peers.
Dover Sole
Avra Estiatorio has a very tasty dover sole sold by the pound ($37.95/lb. last time I was there). It was cooked and seasoned perfectly.
Capogiro Gelato - which flavor?
I love the chestnut gelato and the pear & bourbon sorbet. Could not get better product in Italia itself!
Baumgart's- What's Good?
Certainly not the service. It sucks, to put it succinctly. I was at the Livingston one earlier this week, and the server brought appetizers, sushi and entree to the table all at the same time, even though we had clearly asked him not to do that. The waiter jut shrugged and walked away. Plus, our chicken and shrimp dish was 95% chicken, and when we asked the waiter about that, he again just shrugged and said that we should talk to the chef. After I complained to the manager, a bowl of delicious shrimp magically appeared. Overall, sushi and Chinese dishes were good, not great, and the service just really pissed me off. Plus they only take Amex and cash - what nerve! I will not be returning any time soon.
Wine Refrigerators: Marvel vs Liebherr
Has anyone purchased either of these manufacturers' 54-bottle undercounter model? Would love to hear about your likes/dislikes.
I am leaning toward the Liebherr based on looks alone, but have heard great things about both.
Thanks!
Wine Refrigerators: Marvel vs Liebherr
Has anyone purchased either of these manufacturers' 54-bottle undercounter model? Would love to hear about your likes/dislikes.
I am leaning toward the Liebherr based on looks alone, but have heard great things about both.
Thanks!
Electric Ranges
Unfortunately my building does not have gas hookups, so when I renovate my kitchen, I will have to settle for an electric range. I am looking at the Bosch ranges, which are priced at a considerable premium to GE Profile, Jenn-Air, etc. Has anyone purchased the Bosch electric ranges? If so, are they worth the premium?
Many thanks in advance for your feedback.
Eleven Madison Park Dinner Question
I went in May and they only had the tasting menu. It was a very nice dinner, but frankly I have had better meals in NY recently for less money (Esca, A Voce, Red Cat, others). But the pork belly is as good as you have read about (just too small a portion).
Electric teakettle recommendations?
I made the switch last year for those exact reasons. I have the Braun and like it very much - quick, efficient and looks nice on the counter.
Need good salad around 33rd + 8th!
Have you tried Just Salads on 37th between 7th and B'way? I work near the one on Park Avenue and it is always fresh and terrific (and has a long line out the door at noon showing that others agree). They have a ton of ingredient choices and make their own dressings, so boredom isn't a factor if you go a lot (I do). They have a lot of heart-healthy dressings like creamy avocado. Go and enjoy. http://www.justsalad.com/
Post-spa Luxurious but Dressed-down Meal in Chicago
If you want very something high quality and out-of-the ordinary in a nice, but not too formal setting, try Salpicon! in Old Town. I have eaten there 6 or 7 times over the years, and have always had wonderful meals. The have a wood-burning grill and make some of the most delicious lamb chops I have ever eaten anywhere. The margaritas are authentic and incredibly tasty, and the service is always warm and welcoming.
Incensed with Whole Foods: Enough Incompetence!
I love WF, but have noticed some slippages lately. I have had to return a number of cheeses that turned well before their expiry dates (Millburn,NJ store), and have pointed out to WF employees a number of items (usually in the dairy area) that were on the shelves past their sell-by dates.
I have not had any other issues other than an occasionally surly cashier at the Millburn store. I hope when they replace that store with a much larger one in Union next year that they indoctinate the much larger staff on customer service points.
Other than that, have been pretty happy eith WF and will continue to happily shop there, as no one comes close competition-wise in my area.
Food Franchises That Don't Suck
I like:
Houston's (esp. the one in Century City in LA)
Chipotle
PF Chang's
Legal Seafoods
Palomino's
Carrabba's
Outback
I do not like:
Chili's
Friday's
Ruth's Chris
Applebee's
