Marcharlan's Profile
Hanger Steak...or Butcher's Steak...where
Lola's Metuchen has Hangar steak on the menu. Quite good as I had it last weekend. But a bit out of the radius. Worth the drive though.
Banh Mi Viet in Edison, NJ
after seeing this post, I stopped b y tonight. Great sandwich for a fair price. The location is kind of off the path so I hope our spreading their praises helps them flourish.
Lola's Latin Bistro Metuchen NJ
Went to the new location last night for the first time - food was still great. Hangar steak well cooked, rib .steak was huge. Also enjoyed the civiche as well as the tuna tartar on tostones. It is busy feeling with a happy vibe. I particularly like the fact that it is BYO which is enhanced by the fact that the wine store is open late. We took advantage of that fact and got a nice bottle to supplement what we had brought on our own. Heck, they will even deliver the bottle from the store to the table. (Frankly, it was the best of both worlds given that the $20 bottle would have been far more if Lola had a license.)
I will be returning.
White Manna
Over the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to eat at White Mana - Jersey City, White Manna Hackensack (and White Rose Highland Park). They present an interesting contrast in small burger - flat top cookery.
Of the two White Manna- I prefer the Hackensack post - the onions are whole loops versus dice and the bun a potato type versys the white bread used by Jersey City.
Frankly aside from the fact that the jersey city site has Worlds Fair history - I dont see the attraction.
What have I missed? Or did I get it right.
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White Mana
470 Tonnele Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07307
White Manna
358 River St, Hackensack, NJ 07601
Black Eyed Susan's LBI this pas weekend
My wife and I have eaten at BES twice this summer so far. Enjoyed each meal quite a bit. The style is clean and emphasizing local opportunities. I had a tile fish which was wonderful and local on one occassion and a great steak the second time. The salads each time were fresh and not over dressed (which happens far too often at restaurants).
I share the observation that the desserts could be better, but they were not bad. Just pedestrian.
Finally, while BES would not be the best of the best in NYC, remember this is the Jersey Shore where the bar (sadly) is much lower.
Lola's Latin Bistro Metuchen NJ
Went there last week with my spouse. Halojen's review is right on. Food was great and the portions were very generous.
Best of all, Nick reports that their new space (same street, closer to town) is nearly finished and they will move in August.
Weddings at Temple Emanu-el in Closter NJ
This is a really beautiful space. I have heard good things about the caterer though have not worked with them myself.
Blue Water Seafood Co East Brunswick - Anyone Been?
Quite crowded. Food is decent but not worth the wait. Last time we tried to go, the wait was so long, we just drove down the highway to New Brunswick. Pleanty of good choices there...
Kosher Wine at Trader Joes in NJ
In time for pesach, Trader Joes in Princeton has several Kosher/Mevushal wines for sale several of which are private label for them from Spain. (I realize these have been available for some time at other locals, this is the first sighting in NJ. I have been asking about them for some time from the manager.)
We tried the grenache/tempranillo blend last night. Once it had some time to breath it was drinkable. Considering it was $5.00/bottle made it taste better.
The other red I purchased is a cabernet/tempranillo blend which we will try tonight.
opinions on Kosher American cheese
Its been two years a whole lot of american cheese consumption here at my house since my post above: we go through two bricks a month. The kids prefer the Miller brand, and it certainly peels apart well. Coscto sells another brand which is also OK (the name of which escapes me).
One observation: Costco brand is fine during the year, but the Kosher LPesach run has a more mushy consistency and does not seperate well.
Daryl Wine Bar - New Brunswick - CLOSED
I hope it is ressurected. Under the gudiance of David Drake the menu started off well. But it stagnated to a degree, then abandoned the Tapas program in favor of traditional plating. That said, I enjoyed the bar and extensive wine offerings.
With all the investment in decor and wine apparatus, I would hope that it can continue to offer the exentseive wine menu in its next incarnation.
I enjoyed being able to sample a number of choices as opposed to having to buy a bottle or be limited to glass pour offerings as is the case at other New Brusnwick establishments.
Frog and the Peach behaving badly.
Once is a fluke - twice starts a pattern. And while I can accept a rogue server. (and having worked in the industry appreciate how compensation is driven for servers.) I cant accept that the management took such a tone in response.
As a 'frequent flyer' of this restaurant, I will be taking my $$ elswhere and suggest that others do the same.
Frog and the Peach behaving badly.
Once is a fluke, but twice is a trend.
Ive been to the Frog and the Peach in New Brunswick twice in the last month. Each time the waiter, who I think was the same person tried to upsell us hard on beverages. Tonight in particular we were with our kids for an early dinner (6pm) and pointed out moderate bottles of wine as possibiities (45-55 range) only to have the waiter make three different selection suggestions in the $100 range. His behavior was clear given the repeat suggesions that were not being met by my dining companion.
This was the second time of such conduct. Several weeks ago we were there to celebrate a significant birthday. The waiter knew it and when the desert course was served made several suggestions, without promting to have a round of shots to celebrate. Then too it was clear he was pushing booze. Since we had already had a full meal with a bottle plus three single glasses for four, his behavior was overbearing.
Tonight we made a comment to the management which did not acknowledge our concern though we were not looking to have anything done but recognize our displeasure. I was not happy. I will be reluctant to return despite the fact that we have patronized the place regularly over the past 20 years
And as you see, I am not stanting quietly.
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The Frog and the Peach
29 Dennis St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Costco Food Finds - 1st QTR 2011 - Old
Under NJ law, the corporation can only own two licenses to sell alcohol. I know that Costco sells wine/beer/alcohol in the Edison store. There is likely one more. There are other costcos where there is a vendor selling alcohol right next door in a costco like setting, but they are not the same. That is the case in the Hackensack store.
BTW Edison Costco will soon sell gas too.
New Jersey's best burgers: Where Are They Now?
Ive not yet been to the one in Jersey City so I cant make the comparison.
That said, I was in Hackensack earlier today and can report they burgers are still good. Lots of shaved onions, cooked on the flat top on a potato bun. Pickles on the side with an order of fries.
Got goat - need suggestions
Jamaican Style Goat Curry is wounderful.
Goat, like Lamb has a very specific taste and it is not to everyone's liking.
New Jersey's best burgers: Where Are They Now?
So many to choose from:
For the opulent burger - both Steakhouse 85 and Stage Left in New Brunswick make gread burgers.
As mentioned by another Mosaica, (Vauxhall) Milburn NJ is well regarded for a reason.
But no list would be complete without the White Manna, Hackensack sliders and White Rose System, Highland Park burgers.
Finally, though not great from a culinary perspective, everyone should go to the Rutgers Grease Trucks at least once in their lifetime.
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Stage Left
5 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Mosaica
2933 Vauxhall Rd, Vauxhall, NJ 07088
White Rose System
154 Woodbridge Ave, Highland Park, NJ 08904
White Manna
358 River St, Hackensack, NJ 07601
Good Gyro and Greek salad in S Jersey?
Pithari Tavern, Highland Park is the best Greek food hands down.
but unless your from Passaic County, you know that Middlesex is not South - is central.
Chorizo...any Kosher substitute?
I don't know of any kosher Spanish style chorizo currently being made. Mexican style chorizo is somewhat different though the name is the same. Andouille is similar consistency though the flavor profile is quite different. Wikipedia is not the best source, but look at the Chorizo entry for a discussion of the topic.
The key to spanish chorizo is that they use smoked paprika in the sausage.
When I make pallela for my family at home which I do without any meat (I use tomatos and green peas), I use smoked paprika both for color and flavor.
This is the recipe from Mark Bittman complete with great pictures: http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2007/09/mark-bittmans-t.html
Chow worthy Kosher Food
Most interesting: a banquet of kosher foods not commonly eaten. Fish and fowl of many types.
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/locusts-swordfish-and-doves-all-the-fixings-for-a-gourmet-kosher-meal-1.304789
Any suggestions for Kosher food for a wedding near Trenton, NJ
Contact the Princeton Jewish Center or the Center for Jewish Life at Princeton University for recomendations of local caterers who regularly work in the area; there are no Kosher restaurants in Mercer County.
The closest are likely to be Middlesex County (East Brunswick or Highland Park) to the north or Monmouth County (Deal in particular) to the East.
Where is it possible to get kosher chicken hearts in NYC or NJ?
From my investigation we cant get kosher "levavot" (hearts) or "paws" (feet) here in the Garden State. I would make my mother happy if I could find the 'paws' though frankly I cant imagine eating them myself. It was a delicacy of her youth in the midwest.
Though I am not sure about the kosher market, I know that exporting the trief paws to China is a profitable transaction whereas here they go for animal feed. See e.g. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/business/global/16chickens.html
ISO Sourcing of Kosher Meat at Trader Joes
Does any one know the source of the meat sold by Trader Joe's bearing the Triangle-K hasgacha.
With such a small number of kosher meat producers it should not be difficult to determine where this meat is sourced. Although, I asked last night at the Princeton, NJ store but the manager has no idea where it came from.
While I have read that folks think it is hebrew national, is that even possible? I have never seen HN branded fresh meat before, which leads me to question whether they would even have the infrastructure needed to distribute fresh meat that is packed as this line is. I suspect that it is another packer doing a sperate line for TJ's private label, but that TJ does not want to pay for the hasgacha that the rest of the products coming off that line may bear and hence the triangle-k stamp.
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT intended to spark a discussion of the quality of this rabbinical oversight and that is why I started a new thread aside from the already pending one.
Best Restaurant in New Brunswick Area for Business Meeting (10-15 people)
Due Mari does in fact have a private room downstairs adjacent to the wine room. It is quite decent sized.
All the suggestions here have merit. Have not had a bad meal to speak of at any of them (though I havent yet been to Katherine Lombardi's).
Top reasons cited for buying kosher
This sounds like a Family Feud question:
Richard Dawson: "100 people surveyed, top five answers on the board - why do you keep kosher?"
Contestant: "my wife makes me do it"
Anything new & notable near Boca (WPB to Aventura)?
Cant reply as to those two specifically. But:
Lula Cafe on A1A in Sunny Isles: Israeli style grill. 'O-k" Hashgacha. We had a good meal of well prepared grilled meats and salads. Service a tad slow. Would reccomend overall.
Pita Hut in the Waterways, Aventura. Can not recomend. The place has continued to slide since its Prime Grill days. Service was efficient and portions were fine but with other good options in this catagory there is no need to choose this one.
Pita Plus, Lohmann Shopping Center, Aventura: Consistently good shwarma and falafel. A fast food setting in a open air mall with outside tables so ambiance is not the reason people go there - its all about the really good food. A recomended choice overall.
Kosher Cancun
Family is going to Cancun shortly. I know that many products bear hasgacha and are widely avaiable. But does anyone have insight on the where to find kosher meat in the area?
Shochet for hire in Los Angeles?
If you dont need to remove the feathers before salting then why dont the commercial guys do it this way (eg Empire). The big complaint we always hear (read) on this board is the pinfeathers being left in the skin. In turn we learn that the fathers dont release well in cold water.
Good Jewish Deli in Mercer County area?
The closest deli (Kosher and 'Jewish') would be Lox Stock and Deli which is on Ryders Ln in East Brunswick. That is a bit of a drive. They make good corned beef and pastrami.
There is a deli counter in ShopRite for take out (also kosher) and Whole Foods does a good job as well (neither kosher nor 'jewish'). Both are take out.
Somthing else to consider is A&G Italian deli in Plainsboro Town Center. http://www.agfinefoods.com/ Not a jewish deli, and for sure not kosher or even kosher style. But they make great sandwhiches.
Folks here have commented on Harolds. Indeed it is good and worth a trip at some point. As for Jack Coopers, we went there recently and while it was good at one time. That time is long gone.
Hotoke~New Brunswick, NJ?
We dined at Hotoke last night. As others correctly note, it is best described as a Budakan wannabe in both menu and decor.
The food is decently prepared - the ceviche was acceptable, the miso black cod with eggplant well prepared, and the sushi passable.
The service however was disorganized and poor. When the hostess seated us she did not provide menus, and then when the server realized that we did not have menus she only gave us two for a table of four. This pattern continued - for example as the server tried to take plates midstream, while leaving empty cocktail glasses on the table for the whole meal. On the plus side, with their disorganization we were not rushed so that they could turn the table.
My biggest complaint was the noise level. The decor was nicely done but there is little to no sound deadening. With a full house and bass intensive music playing is was nearly impossible to hear my dining partners speak.
Overall, given the deep well of great choices in New Brunswick I am not likely to return for dinner though it is a good bar scene.
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Hotoke
350 George St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
