njfoodies's Profile
Jamesburg (Monroe Twp) NJ
Fiddleheads is a great rec. Spent a few birthdays and anniversaries there and it is still good. Need to get back soon, but with spending so little time in Jersey these days, it makes it tough! -mJ
Looking for great crab cakes
How is that possible? What was binding it together? ;-) -mJ
Looking for great crab cakes
I had the crab cake app at Ruth Chris the other night as I am staying right here at Embassy Suites. While they don't use jumbo lump, they are still pretty damn decent and tasty. No idea what percentage of filler is in there, but there is definitely more than I like to put in mine.
Living in the DC area during the week now I am very spoiled with so many places with great crab cakes right in town. -mJ
Cinco de Mayo --- WHERE????
I have yet to find really good authentic Mexican in Central Jersey. The old Tortuga's in Trenton is a decent substitute, as well as a few places in Lambertville. But none of them are either really good, or really authentic.
Ended up at Palate in Newtown, PA last night for another lovely dinner. -mJ
Best Authentic BBQ
Rudy's is damn good, and I frequent anytime I am down in San Antonio at Joint Base Lackland. I'll also drive the 70 miles or so to Lockhart as well when I am there to hit my favorite 3 places there as well! Kreutz, Black's, and Smitty's are as good as they IMHO... -mJ
Alexandria, VA suggestions?
Thanks for the tip. I still haven't made it over to that side of town yet, but will have to check it soon! Can't beat half price! Cheers! -mJ
Best Authentic BBQ
Local Smoke in Cookstown is my go to as well, though I don't frequent nearly enough now that I am living in the DC Metro Sunday night-Wednesday night. Weekends however when I am at Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst however always require a lunch on Saturday or Sunday there. I will however say that their brisket doesn't have nearly as much bark as I like to do on mine, but theirs is still damn good! -mJ
Alexandria, VA suggestions?
Burger at Overwood was actually pretty damn tasty, and cooked to a perfect temperature of medium. I enjoyed their fries at all. Will definitely visit again sometime, but for now, there are way too many other places to check out. We'll see where I hit next when I get back into town on the 29th! Cheers! -mJ
Alexandria, VA suggestions?
I'm sure Virtue has some great dishes, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back. Next time I'll definitely order something different. I enjoyed the bar and the bartenders there, and will be back soon. Probably stop there for a cocktail on my walk back home.
Havent had the Wellington at BGR yet but saw it. I'm a burger fanatic and if I were on death row, I'd probably ask for a burger. On the hunt for the best burger in this town.
We have Elevation Burger in NJ and it is good as well. I haven't seen in here yet. We also have Bobby Flay's "Bobby's Burger Palace" which
Is good as well...
Someone told me that the burger at Overwood is the best in town, so I'm sitting here now, skipping my usual hanger steak or Monday night angus special and giving the burger a whirl. We'll see how it is! -mJ
Alexandria, VA suggestions?
I'm actually a bit shocked to see that many people thing that the restaurant scene in Alexandria is mediocre. I've lived in Jersey the last 10 years, and done the foodie circuit throughout New Jersey, New York City, and Philly, and I have yet to be disappointed with anything in Alexandria.
I just moved to the area 3 weeks ago, and I have yet to be disappointed. I moved 2 blocks from King Street, and I am in absolute heaven. The scene in Old Town and the proximity to my offices going against traffic was perfect, hence the reason I chose to live in the area.
In those 3 weeks, I have visited many of the restaurants mentioned. So far, my favorites include:
Restaurant Eve
Brabo Tasting Room
Vermilion (loved my fish and the bartenders were awesome)
The Majestic (meat loaf rocks!)
The Formagerie (great place and very close to me)
Grape and Bean (I snack here twice a week)
Evening Star (Del Ray) (decent burger and Goose Island on tap)
Cheeserie (Del Ray) (love the cheese boards, flatbreads, and grilled cheese)
Columbia Firehouse (great tuna tartare and great bartenders)
Some of the restaurants I would consider on the mediocre side:
Virtue (good drinks)
Union Street Public House
The Wharf (decent crab cakes, service was a miss)
La Tasca (decent tapas)
Bistro Lafayette (tartare was uninspiring)
Tiffany's Tavern (decent burger and fun music)
BGR (similar to Five Guys and pricey for the quality)
Rock It Grill (fried food for when you are hammered)
Those are the ones that I can think of off of the top of my head. I'll chime in more on this area soon as I absolutely love it in Old Town! Cheers! -mJ
Pizza Help
I couldn't agree with the Delorenzo's reference more, however if he is looking for something reminiscent of Brooklyn, this is not the place. But I would take Delo's over a Brooklyn pie any day of the week! -mJ
Possible to find good, reasonably-priced eats near Rittenhouse?
I'm surprised Twenty Manning doesn't get more traffic on this board. Absolutely LOVE the place! From the food, to the drinks....it's my go to in Rittenhouse... -mJ
Hamilton's Grill Room, Lambertville
Foody4life: I can't tell you how many times I too have been in there and waited because the gentleman was on the phone. His name is Reed, and he is always dressed to the nine's in a suit with a bow tie. I know exactly where you are coming from though, and I too have been annoyed by this. Sometimes he seems a bit overwhelmed.
I've never had the delmonico there, but have always heard is explained as being a thin cut steak. Definitely not my thing, and I always hope they have some Kobe or Wagyu on the menu. If not, the cowboy steak is my go to, unless I am in the mood for something else.
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience though. There is no excuse for crap service in my opinion... -mJ
Looking for really good Chicago style deep dish pizza in Jersey
Here's a pic for you as well.
Looking for really good Chicago style deep dish pizza in Jersey
It's a great little spot actually. Nice little wine list, good draft and bottled beers, and genuine Vienna beef hot dogs! It's heaven, all the way down to the sport peppers, celery salt, and neon green relish! I've know about the place for almost a year, but didn't go until the last 2 weeks. Had I known they had Chicago dogs, I would have been there the day they opened. I'm sure I'll be back again one night this week...LOL! -mJ
cherry hill?
Nothing in Cherry Hill has ever blown my mind. I'd drive another 10 minutes and check out Blackbird in Collingswood, or perhaps Cafe Melange in Haddonfield depending on what kind of cuisine you are looking for. -mJ
Looking for really good Chicago style deep dish pizza in Jersey
D'oh, I forgot to mention it. It isn't actually really a hot dog joint, more of a restaurant and bar called 11 Front. It is located at 11 Front Street in Trenton, and is a great little spot to stop for a drink...and a Vienna beef dog! Heck of a great resource to have so close by! Note that they are only open lunch til about 8PM. I would get there by 7PM to ensure that the kitchen is still taking food orders. -mJ
Looking for really good Chicago style deep dish pizza in Jersey
By far one of the things I miss most about HOME is deep dish. Pizzeria Uno, as well as Due were my favorites. Lou's was always good, as were Gino's and Giordano's! YUM!
Definitely no true Chicago style deep dish in New Jersey, or anywhere on the East Coast for that matter...and least not that I have found. The Uno chains are garbage.
Even the thin crust out here is different. Don't get me wrong, there is good thin crust here, and outstanding tomato pies here, however, sometimes you just want some good old Rosati's from back home! Was so good when I had it over the holidays while back in Barrington, IL.
As for other delights, I finally found a true Chicagostyle Vienna beef dog in Trenton of all places. All genuine ingredients, with the exception of the buns, though the buns are poppy seed and baked fresh daily locally. I am actually talking to the owner to see if he can get Italian beef from the vendor he buys his dogs from, so stay tuned! More to come there!
TastesofChicago.com does indeed do the trick. I receive Lou's pies from there every Christmas from my sister, and it is the best option I've found to have deep dish here on the East Coast. Thank God for them, and worth the price of admission IMHO... -mJ
2.5-hrs to deliver very mediocre food and poor customer service
Never trust the electronic ordering on a website. Seems to be flawed so many times. Next time pick up the phone and place your order that way.
I have never ordered from this place, so I have no idea. I can say that I have ordered from My Kitchen via there website, and they are also located in this same vicinity. Never had a problem with their online ordering, and they send an e-mail when the order is received.
Most places that have online ordering have a service that actually receives the order, and then the service faxes the order in to the restaurant. There could be huge delays with this process, hence the reason it is easier to call it in. -mJ
Palate in Newtown
Cut and pasted from my blog at: http://jerseyfoodies.blogspot.com/
Having spending quite a few evenings a week over in Pennsylvania, it has given me the opportunity to check out some towns I would never have stumbled upon otherwise, and I have found some great restaurants in these areas. This was yet another trip to charming Newtown, and I stumbled upon Palate.
I actually first heard of Palate because of head Chef/Owner, Justin Kaplan, who used to work at Blue Bottle Cafe in Hopewell, which is another one of my favorite BYO's. I had heard that he opened Palate sometime over the summer of 2010, so when I remembered this, I had to seek it out!
That being said, a trip here was in order, and I happened in on a night that they were still serving their Valentine's Day menu, that they actually served it the weekend prior to Valentine's Day as well. Regardless, I wasn't that hungry, and there were items on the menu that I was interested in.
First out was a complimentary amuse bouche, which was a roasted red pepper cappuccino. This was absolutely genius, nice and frothy, and something that just makes you say, "Wow, who thought of this?" While it sounds odd, and even has odd texture in your mouth, it was absolutely perfect and delicious!
For starters, I just could not pass up the pork belly. Unfortunately, they do not have a description of the appetizer on their menu, but it was some nicely cooked, crispy skinned pork belly, with a maple glaze of sort and an apple slaw, I think. The flavors were both sweet and savory, and this was just a great appetizer. I would definitely order it again, and anyone who reads my blog and follows my Facebook knows my love for the 19th wonder of the world, pork belly!
For entrees tonight, I went with the Seared Sea Scallops with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Garlic -Potato Puree, and Pine Nut Brown Butter. If I had to nitpick here, I would say that the scallops were just a bit over-seasoned and salty, but this only applied to about half of them. Though I am not a salt junkie, I still didn't find it offensive, especially seeing as these were cooked absolutely perfectly, and there was ZERO grit to the scallops which is one of my pet peeves.
The brussels sprouts were nicely roasted, and what is there not to like about bacon and some butter with some brussels sprouts? These were awesome, and the garlic potato puree hit the spot as well.
Really couldn't pass up dessert here, and the Ginger Cookie Tres Leches hit the spot. This was served with a nice chill, was thick, dense, and flavorful. Definitely no complaints here.
As for the restaurant itself, it is simple, charming, and just looks clean. From the nice built in banquette, to the clean, dark tables and wood floors, it is just a great place!
The service was friendly and wonderful with a very attentive staff ranging from the Chef, to the bus staff, to the servers.
While I have only been to Newtown twice, and I am sure there are many other restaurants to check out here, I hope to visit this restaurant again, and hope that I don't have a HUGE gap like always seems the case with restaurants that I enjoy. Though off the beaten path, I think it is definitely worth the trip. Check it out for yourself, and let me know what you think. Hail to the chef! Cheers!
Palate
31 South State Street
Newtown, PA 18940
Phone: (215) 860-2898
http://palatenewtown.com/
Blue Bottle Cafe, Hopewell NJ
Another great review on Blue Bottle Tom246! Definitely need to get back there soon! Was trying to do a 2000 Bordeaux dinner there on March 3rd but they can't accommodate a group of 16 on a Saturday. Bummer! -mJ
Looking for private chef in Bay Head NJ Aug. 1-15
Check out: http://www.siobhanallgood.com/ She is a very talented Chef and super down to earth! Love her work! Hope that helps! -mJ
The Pluckemin Inn....not so good
He's probably still getting his feet when and familiarized with the kitchen/menu. I'll give it a few months and go check it out. -mJ
Houski Asian Fusion - Hamilton, NJ
Interesting info. I drove by there the other day to go to pick up some dress shirts and the place was dark with a big real estate for rent sign on the door and windows. I'll take a ride past this week and see if there is any sort of update. -mJ
Attire - Lacroix?
I have a group of buddies that I meet at the bar at Lacroix a few times a month and we always have nice jeans, a dress shirt, and jacket on. I don't feel out of place in the least, and have dined there in the same attire... -mJ
Farnsworth House, Bordentown, NJ
The coconut shrimp sound like a disaster, but I've never had them there, nor am I a fan. But who orders a steak au poive if they don't want it a bit spicy? Pepper always has a bit of heat to it. -mJ
Houski Asian Fusion - Hamilton, NJ
Unfortunately, it is now closed. Was a nice resource to have, but once it sold for a third time, it didn't see, to do well. The restaurant next door has closed as well. Times are tough! -mJ
Farnsworth House, Bordentown, NJ
I eat off the bar menu there constantly as there are some great deal. Regular menu is good as well, with good pricing. Had theTournados Eifel the other night and it was delicious! -mJ
Does your Costco have Screaming Eagle or other exclusive wine?
My Costco rarely has high end stuff like Screagle, but the only reason I go there for is the prime steaks for the most part. -mJ
