jmoryl's Profile
where to eat when in Baskin Ridge NJ
I'm a beer lover but not a big fan of Trap Rock - I find it to be pretentious (e.g. valet parking) and overpriced for what it is. Beer is pretty good, though. If I were looking for some good NJ/regional beers in that area I would go to the bar at the Somerset Hills Hotel (really) or the Sterling Tavern (on the main drag in Sterling).
Arthur's definitely has a following - big steaks, okay quality, reasonable prices, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there.
O Paparico in Porto - Has anyone actually been?
Thanks for your report - O Paparico goes onto my list of places to try on my next visit to Porto.
I was gratified to see the photo of the wine you enjoyed was from Quinta das Bageiras, one of my favorite Portuguese producers. A white from 1994 no less! If you don't know, Portugal has a wealth of excellent grapes which are mostly unknown in other places. Current Bageiras whites are made from a blend of Bical and Maria Gomes, while the reds are mostly Baga, a notoriously tannic and somewhat difficult grape. Very traditional production - foot stomping (reds), large neutral oak, no filtration...tend to improve with age. You can actually find wines from this Quinta in the Newark/NYC area.
Lisbon trip report (long)
Well, I agree to a certain extent. There are nice vegetables around and I thought Portuguese restaurants are usually happy to be flexible. And I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of some of the fruits (e.g. pears). But even when vegetable courses or sides are offered, they can lack the creativity that one finds elsewhere, at least IMO. And not putting things on the menu is a bit of a problem for the average tourist.
Lisbon trip report (long)
Thanks for your report. As someone who spent much of his visit going to wineries in Portugal, did you have any particuarly enjoyable wines? This struck a chord: " ....really enjoyed the braised quail with fresh green peas, especially because it had been a while since I had seen a green vegetable.... " Too bad the Portuguese aren't better with vegetables, since they seem to have a climate that would (and does) lend itself to growing some tasty stuff.
Best Coffee Houses/Bars in NJ?
I empathize 100% with your dilemma. I live in Essex and good coffee bars are extremely rare (like totally absent). Here are some places you might like, although they are scattered around. Unfortunately, I haven't been to some in months, and things change:
Ridgewood Coffee Company: one of the places that takes coffee very seriously (Intelligentsia beans, good equipment, etc...), OK but not great for hanging out.
The Warehouse, Jersey City, Bay St.: stumbled upon this while badly needing a coffee and was pleased to find Intelligentsia beans, nice snacks and a comfy place to hang. Only open to 6 pm, however.
Drip, Main St., Madison: not much good coffee in Morris County either, but this is a nice little place using the excellent Gimme! beans from Ithaca.
I tend to stop in Rojo's whenever I'm in Lambertville and Small World when in Princeton. The former is a very serious coffee geek place, but for some reasons, their beans, while decent, don't thrill me. And I enjoy the college town vibe at Small World, they are serious over-roasters, IMO.
What is a good port wine?
Oh, I missed the fact that you were specifically asking about white port. Unless you live in a major market or an area with a Portuguese community, you will probably not have much selection in white. There are dry and sweet styles, and the Portuguese often use them as the base for spritzer-like drinks on ice in the summer. For the really sweet style, look for those labeled "Lagrima". There are some more serious white ports too, often with a year designation (like an aged tawny) or colheita types. A few years ago in Porto I had a glass of 1952 Dalva colheita which was very interesting, but this type of wine is expensive and rare.
What is a good port wine?
Here is brief a primer on port:
Real port is made in the Douro valley of Portugal and comes in a variety of styles. It is a fortified wine (has alcohol added) so it runs 19-20% typically. There are versions that can be ok from Australia, California, etc., but the real stuff can be had for a reasonable price, so give it a try.
A port house generally has a range that goes something like this: Tawny, Ruby, LBV, 10, 20, 40, etc. year old Tawnies, Colheitas, Vintage. If you aren't familiar with port, try a basic Tawny or Ruby from a good house. A Tawny will be slightly 'browner' from being made in a way that oxidizes it slightly and one gets nutty/raisinish notes; a Ruby will be 'redder' and less oxidized, stressing the fruit more. You should be able to find basic ports like these for $10-$20 bottle, depending on where you live.
The LBV (late bottled vintage)is a more deluxe version of a Ruby, from a single year, which sees aging at the winery, where a Vintage is normally the best of the non-oxidized style from a single vintage, which, to be at its best, is usually drunk 20 or so years after the vintage. American wine geeks like to talk about these wines. The dated Tawnies are aged and blended in the winery to mellow them and increase the complexity, while Coheitas are similar, but are single vintage wines. If you like the basic Tawny, then these might be worth exploring.
No specific brand recommendations, but most of the big port houses make some good products and have certain house styles. Depends a lot on what you have in your market. I'm leaving out a lot (e.g. white port), but try the basic stuff and you can get a idea. One nice thing about most port is you can keep it around after opening for several weeks and it will still be drinkable.
A Seabra Foods in Springfield?
Prices are good, but the Springfield location lacks some of the more obscure ethnic stuff you might find in the Ironbound locations. A good addition to the area though!
Port/Wine tasting with food in Lisbon?
In the Barrio Alto on Rua de Sao Pedro de Alcantra there is a place called Solar do Vinho de Porto, and it is a tasting room sponsored by the body responsible for promoting Port wines (the IVP?) where you can taste an extensive range of Ports at very reasonable prices. I can't recall if they had anything to eat; there may have been small bites, but certainly not meals.
Otherwise, there are several good non-Port specific winebars around town - Nektar in the Baixo was quite nice.
Quorn in Buffalo Area?
You might try calling the Lexington Co-op on Elmwood Ave. Sounds like something they might carry.
fried chicken near essex, morris, or passaic county
I second this. Note this is not the chain Church's Fried Chicken, but a family run place. Also: takeout only, call ahead or be prepared to wait, as the chicken is fried to order.
Fado in Lisbon and the last meal on Earth (not really! :-)
Haven't tried all of bimbog's places but I will second his recommendation of Solar dos Presuntos and Galito. O Galito doesn't get mentioned much, but is worth finding - it is out of the center in a place called Carnide, but is just a short walk from a Metro stop.
Can you recommen a good Bar/Restraunt Area within 20 minutes of Newark Airport
Ironbound is probably your best bet, but don't expect a hopping scene. It is more a working class Portuguese/Brazilian neighborhood with a lot of bars and restaurants serving large portions of not very gourmet food. But it can be delicious and fun if you pick the right spots.
Fado in Lisbon and the last meal on Earth (not really! :-)
On Fado: the well known places in Barro Alto and Alfama struck me as tourist traps and, even though I thought it might be nice to see some Fado, I stayed away. But one night I was walking down the main street in Graca (Rua da Graca?) and came across a tiny place packed to the gills with locals listening to some Fado. I stood on the street and listened through the open front for awhile, and if it wasn't so packed, would have ventured in. I think this is a place called the Tasca do Jaime - maybe a local can chime in here?
I also spent some time on a warm evening sitting on a bench in the little park across from the Museu do Fado, listening to an excellent performance going on in the courtyard. The neighboring benches appeared to be occupied by others also enjoying the music.
Cheap and cheerful in Porto
Another thought: if you want to check out the Casa da Musica they have a restaurant with a pretty nice prix fixe lunch, which was about 10 euros when I was there.
Where to Find Pork Belly in Union County
Search out the closest Seabra's supermarket (I think Union or Hillside might be closest to you). They always have a lot of pig parts.
Cheap and cheerful in Porto
I enjoyed A Grade, Rua de S. Nicolau 9, right off the Ribeira. Very small family run place with traditional food. Only problem is getting a table - it is very small.
Kummelweck rolls in Westchester?
Do you have a Wegman's nearby? They are from western NY, so maybe....
Torontonian heading to Buffalo for the 1st time - suggestions, please?
Lots of bars in Buffalo have great wings. No need to endure the Anchor Bar just because it was first.
Torontonian heading to Buffalo for the 1st time - suggestions, please?
Shango is on Main St. up near the UB south campus and has excellent food and beer. You could take the subway from the south campus stop right downtown to the arena.
Torontonian heading to Buffalo for the 1st time - suggestions, please?
Personally, I like the beer at Pizza Plant, but not so much the food or atmosphere. My choice for good taps would be Cole's on Elmwood. OK bar food (e.g. wings and weck) and nice old bar atmosphere, best tap list in Buffalo. Take Elmwood south from Cole's for a couple miles and you are downtown for the game.
If you are going to hit Premier in Kenmore, then Cole's is about half way between.
P.S. The Sabres have been crap lately - if you are coming to watch the Leafs you may be happy this year (we had your number in the past).
? about LI wine
Might be OK, especially if the basement stays relatively cool: only one way to tell! My guess is the 2001 will be better than the 2003, which was a rough growing season for east coast wineries.
Moonshine Supper Club - Millburn
I sometimes feel that spot is destined to be forever occupied by overpriced, underperforming restaurants!
Mompou in Newark is a Solid Choice for Tapas
OK, Sol Mar gets mentioned. Stop in at Coimbra, Estrella de Ponderosa, Cervejeria Portugalia, Titanic, Primabel or Allegro and look at the specials of the day (not the regular menu). There you will find whole grilled fish, Bacalhau, Dobrada, Arroz de Pato, Cozidos, Chanfana de Cabrito, etc., not just surf and turf. And avoid the sangria in favor of proper bottle of Portuguese wine. All these places aren't great, but I have favorites at each and they are certainly less expensive than Iberia and the other mass feeding stations.
Mompou in Newark is a Solid Choice for Tapas
There are a lot of backstreet places that cater to mostly Lusophone diners and are hardly ever mentioned here. If you want real Portuguese food, these are the places to go. Judging by what people say they order at Seabra's, Fernandes, etc., it doesn't seem like they are after the more typical Portuguese stuff (e.g. just today someone raving about Seabra's scampi and steaks).
Montclair Happy Hour deals?
The food kinda sucks, but if you like microbrews The Office used to have very good happy hour prices on their decent selection of drafts. Probably the best selection in Montclair, FWIW.
Need some recs for xmas gift certificate: dinner for two in Maplewood area or nearby
The tasting menu at Arturo's is no more; apparently a victim of it's sucess. But Arturo's is still doing well. We tried Resto in Madison and, while it was ok, it didn't quite live up to our expectations (and it certainly isn't in the same league a Lorena's).
Wine Spectator #42 wine-Chateau Cabriz 2008
You shouldn't take WS top 100 too seriously! I'm sure a lot of it is driven by commercial considerations and an attempt to have some various countries and price points represented. But as to Quinta de Cabriz, the 2008 Dao tinto is really nice wine for the money - not the best Dao around, but speaks of the region. The white Encruzado is also a great value.
