Al1's Profile
Chinese near Quakerbridge Mall
The menu at this location:
301 N Harrison St
Princeton Shopping Center
Princeton, NJ 08540
is the same as the one in Highland Park. It has been many years since I was at the Princeton location, but when I did go there the dishes I mentioned were as good as the Highland Park location.
Chinese near Quakerbridge Mall
Don't rule out the Super Star East Buffet in Nassau Park because it is a buffet. There are surprisingly good dishes there. You will see many Chinese people eating there, which is a good sign.
Also, Shanghai Park (at least the location in Highland Park, now named Hong Fu) has superb Xiao Long Bao (called Pork Steamed Juicy Bun on the menu). Be careful eating them! Also try Spicy Eight Treasures Pork in Bean Paste Sauce Noodle Soup, or Shredded Beef with Hot Pepper Noodle Soup. Pass on their Szechuan dishes.
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Super Star East Buffet
311 Nassau Park Blvd, Princeton, NJ 08540
Shanghai Park
239 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ 08904
Best Mexican in New Brunswick?
I'm looking for what people regard as the best authentic Mexican restaurant/taqueria in New Brunswick. I'm not interested in Tex Mex, Cal Mex, or otherwise Americanized restaurants. I've been going to El Oaxaqueno 2, but am looking to branch out. I can speak a little Spanish (and have lunch companions who are native Spanish speakers), so places where English isn't spoken are fine.
Princeton to New Brunswick Corridor (Rt 1, Rt 27, Rt 130)
I'm not a big fan of Pad Thai, although many of my colleagues really like it. Balance is the issue - dishes seem too sweet, or too one-dimensionally spicy - rarely tart enough, or enough deep background flavor. Manhattan is also filled with restaurants with this issue. Sripraphai in Queens remains my gold standard (although I am told by Thai friends that even though it is the best they've tried in the US, it is still a far cry from what one can get in Thailand).
Princeton to New Brunswick Corridor (Rt 1, Rt 27, Rt 130)
Thanks for these recommendations - I haven't been to any of them and I look forward to trying them!
Princeton to New Brunswick Corridor (Rt 1, Rt 27, Rt 130)
I still really like their Xiao Long Bao (pork only version, not the pork and crab). I find the skin thickness to be just right for my taste, and the flavor is nice. I have had many worse Xiao Long Bao in Manhattan, including the overrated Joe's Shanghai. Their noodle soups are decent. Several of my colleagues order mostly chinese-american food and seem happy with it - I would order that stuff with light oil, since it seems a bit too oily. I personally don't think their Szechuan offerings top notch.
Princeton to New Brunswick Corridor (Rt 1, Rt 27, Rt 130)
I've recently moved to this area from NYC and I am seeking some good restaurant recommendations. I am aware of a few decent places (see below), but I am in need of some recommendations for:
Pizza
Cantonese Roast Meat
Dim Sum
Korean other than Woojeon
Sushi (good by global standards, not local - I've been to several ok local places, but none that compare to the better mid-range NYC sushi places)
Authentic Thai (poor, one-dimensional Thai seems to be common in this area)
Israeli
Doner Kebab
French (Bistro, brasserie, and high-end recos all appreciated)
Spanish
Mid to high-end Modern American
Mid to high-end authentic Mexican (not interested in Tex-Mex or Cal-Mex)
Authentic S. American (would especially like to find Peruvian & Brazilian places)
Cuban
Some places that I think are pretty good:
Hong Fu in Highland park for great Xiao Long Bao and decent other chinese food
Szechuan Ace on 27 (it isn't in the same league as Grand Szechuan International or Spicy and Tasty, but at least one can get some ma la food)
Super Star East buffet in nassau park (off 1) for chinese buffet
Woojeon on 1 for Korean
El Oaxaqueno 2 in New Brunswick for authentic cheap Mexican food (tacos, tortas, etc.).
Due Mare in New Brunswick for Italian
Pho99 on Rt 27 for Vietnamese
Desi Food Galaxy on Rt 27 for a variety of cheap indian
Dosa Grill on 27 for S. Indian veg buffet
Hoysala off Easton Ave for S. Indian non veg buffet
Khan Baba on 27 for grilled Halal (Indian? Pakistani?) meats
Blue Point Grill in Princeton for Oysters
Makeda for ok Ethiopean
Any advice is much appreciated.
Dining in Ireland
If you happen to get to Malahide (a very nice small town on the coast in County Dublin), go to Kajjal:
http://www.kajjal.ie
It was by far my favorite restaurant when I spent a month working in Swords. (Note: be cautious choosing eastern/asian restaurants in Ireland. Generally, the asian food made to Irish tastes is almost as terrible as the asian food made to American tastes. Most places I tried do not serve remotely authentic cuisine).
I can also recommend going to Howth on a Sunday - the pennisula affords a pretty day hike, and you can choose from grazing at the famer's market (note: the crepes are better than the falafel), getting some fish and chips from Beshoff's and eating by the water, or eating at a pricey seafood restaurant like Aqua or King Sitric.
It may be a touristy pub, but I had decent (if overpriced) food at Johnny Fox's pub after hiking in the Wicklow mountains (which are absolutely beautiful!). About 30 min from S. Dublin.
I had some decent pub food at The Quays in Temple Bar - nice lamb shank.
I didn't spend much time in Dublin city center, so that's the best I can offer.
Cheap, WHOLESALE Grocery Food Online (Student)
I do something similar, and usually end up with Amazon, but I check Google Product Search first. I've seen:
http://www.buythecase.net/
show up in a number of my searches, but I haven't ordered from them yet. They seem to have most of the items you are looking for. If you try them, please report back.
What makes a great coffeehouse?
I like great coffee, but don't like sitting around coffeehouses. I would think you need a lot of grab and go customers like me in order to make a profit, and that these customers would be as or more important than those that stay. So, I would say coffee quality is absolutely the critical item, with location being a very close second. I also appreciate getting my order executed fast, so I can be on my way. Good luck!
Grass Fed Beef?
Mail order:
http://www.meadowraisedmeats.com/
It is inexpensive, but it comes frozen.
Best place for pho in NYC?
Your post makes me curious about Vietnamese people's expectations, standards, and ideals for Pho vs. non-Vietnamese. If it is pretty hard to screw up pho, why do so many people say there is zero good pho in NYC?
Can you describe the characteristics of great pho from your perspective?
Denver with a 1 y/o
Great, thanks for these recommendations!
Any thoughts on places that do something that I'm unlikely to find a good version of back home in Manhattan? Perhaps Southwestern cuisine, game, locovore, CO microbrew, etc.
I should mention that my daughter has many food allergies and will likely be fed before we go out, so it is only a matter a restaurant being kid-friendly, not that it has kid-friendly food.
Thanks again!
Denver with a 1 y/o
Hello,
My wife, 1 year old daughter, and I will be in Denver for 5 days in a few weeks. We are staying at 15th and California. I'm looking for restaurants that are family-friendly and accept casual attire, but serve great food. What are your favorites (any cuisine, any price point)?
Thanks in advance
Starving Student in NYC
Or the superior Prosperity Dumpling House at 46 Eldridge - 5 pork and chive dumplings for $1, and a $1.50 "sesame pancake with beef", which is actually an extraordinarily delicious beef and veggie sandwich.
Liquor stores
According to www.vinquire.com, it is not available in Manhattan, but you can mail order it.
Al
Dim sum with babies
Hi,
I was at Dim Sum Go Go twice with my baby and it wasn't a problem. Once I had my stroller with snap-in car seat - we kept the baby in the seat on a chair and stowed the stroller. We've also held her on our lap.
I do generally go early to such places to get a favorable seating situation before there are crowds.
Al
Delicious, creative, and unpretentious
Hello,
I'm looking for a recommendation for dinner for 2 within the next 2-4 weeks. It is a special occasion, and we rarely get out for dinner (since we have a young daughter), so we would like to find something exceptionally good/interesting. We do get out a fair bit for relatively inexpensive weekend lunches, so we are looking for something a bit higher end. Any help would be greatly appreciated. A few parameters:
Price: not an object
Availability: I'd like to book for 2-4 weeks from now, and I'm not willing to jump through any hoops to get the reservation
Dress code: I'd rather not deal with one. I don't mind putting on a dress shirt and pants, but jacket/tie requirements are out.
Service: All I care about is that the service is competent, not looking for anything special
Other factors: I don't care if the restaurant is: fashionable, stylish, famous, headed by a celebrity chef, located in a a particular part of town, in an elegant space, etc.
What is important to me: the food! Flavor, aroma, texture, creativity, and to a very much lesser extent, presentation. I would like to eat a meal that I would never be able to cook at home due to my own lack of imagination or my limited technique. (Side note: molecular gastronomy doesn't excite me. My background is in physical chemistry/colloid science, so there is zero novelty factor in any of that for me. I'd rather not eat anything that I can find in the Sigma-Aldrich catalog!).
Thanks in advance!
Al
Delicious decaf coffee (beans)
I know, I know, decaf isn't very chow-ish. But I need to avoid caffeine for medical reasons. Where in NYC (or online) should I be buying my whole beans? Darker roasts are preferred, and I brew mostly via stovetop expresso maker, and occasionally with a french press (and more rarely cold brewed).
Al
Aceto balsamico tradizionale di modena
Can anyone recommend a true balsamic vinegar (aceto balsamico tradizionale di modena) that they believe represents a great value for the money (at any price point)? Must be available for order online or for purchase in NYC.
Thanks,
Al
Healthful food gifts? (for purchase in manhattan)
My original plan for a christmas gift for a cousin who is undergoing chemo fell through (dried fruit from Meduri, who hosed me when one item of a multiple item order was backordered). I am looking for a healthful comestible gift that I can pick up in the next few days, $20-$40. We usually exchange wine or sweets, but that isn't appropriate this year. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Al
Best Buche de Noel?
Hello,
I need to bring a Buche de Noel to my parent's place for Christmas. Does anyone have a suggestion for where I might find the best Buche de Noel? I was thinking of getting it at Silver Moon bakery (my local bakery) - I have enjoyed many of their baked goods in the past (especially scones and croissants).
Thanks,
Al
Casual UWS Brunch, 6ppl + baby
Any Upper West Side Sunday brunch suggestions for 6 people and a baby? We'd rather not make reservations.
