Ted in Central NJ's Profile
Halfway Between New Haven and Philadelphia - Late Breakfast/Lunch Near 95?
It would be hard to find a better place than the Skylark Diner!
Mastoris is also good, but they feature more quantity, whereas Skylark is more gourmet-oriented.
Best Olives?? Central Jersey Area
Whole Foods also has a very good olive bar. I find the quality of the olives at both Wegman's and Whole Foods to be superior to those at Shop-Rite.
Terrible Service--Bland Tasteless Food
A "fressor" (sic) is someone who overeats.
In Yiddish (and German) "essen" means eating.
"Fressen" refers to overeating.
Best Supermarket In USA: your nominations
Wegman's for sure!
I prefer the one in Bridgewater, NJ to the one in Lawrenceville/Princeton.
In addition to having a great selection in every department and wonderful produce, MANY of their prices are lower than the prices at Shop-Rite, Stop & Shop, and A & P.
New Greek Restaurants in Bridgewater/Somerville
I had lunch at Kyma today with one of my friends, and I have an overwhelming positive report.
The decor is very clean and fresh looking. Some of the newish interior decoration of Splash of Thai has been retained, but the overall color scheme is now Aegean Blue and white--as you might expect in a Greek restaurant.
The service was good, efficient, and attentive--without being overbearing or fawning. Ergo--the type of service that I like.
The food, overall, was very good.
A plate of pita and toasted baguette-type bread, accompanied by a yellow pea spread, was brought to the table, and it was very nice.
The Avgolemono soup was excellent.
A shared plate of Dolmades was pronounced by my friend to be "the best that I have had in a restaurant". Since she is more of a Greek food aficianado than I am, I have to assume that she is correct in her assessment of the very yummy stuffed grape leaves.She did state that a Greek friend of hers makes somewhat better Dolmades, but that these were the best resto version that she has tasted.
My friend had the Baked Grouper (Plaki), and she raved about it. I sampled it, and agreed that it was very good. I like my fish slightly undercooked, and this dish was done that way, leading to a "melts in your mouth" texture, as well as a wonderful taste. The Plaki is accompanied by something that is described as a type of pilaf, but instead of a rice dish, it turned out to be similar to Ratatoille, at least IMHO. Very tasty!
I had the Lamb Shank, and--aside from the temperature, which could have been a bit hotter--I thought that it was great in terms of taste and texture.. It comes with a generous portion of orzo in a nicely-seasoned home-made tomato sauce. Very satisfying!
My friend ordered the Baklava for dessert, and she commented that, while it tasted very good, it was a bit soggy.
While we were dining, the staff filled a stainless steel vessel near the door with an assortment of fresh fish, on ice. In back of the fish were some baskets of fresh vegetables that looked like a still-life oil painting because the effect was so artful.
I will definitely be returning!
Incidentally, I recommend using street parking when visiting Kyma. The parking lot in the rear is shared with Verve resto and with the Veda Grille. The result is much congestion and aggravation in that lot. Perhaps it is better in the evening when some of the other businesses that share the lot (a graphics firm, a dance school, a gym, a welding supply company, and The Dessert Plate) are closed, but during the day, the rear parking lot is best avoided.
New Greek Restaurants in Bridgewater/Somerville
Actually, the name is KYMA, and they are now open.
I stopped in today to pick up a luncheon menu and to take a look at the place.
It appears that they retained much of the interior decoration that had been put in place a few years ago by Splash of Thai, and the overall effect is pleasing to the eye.
The menu features two pages of luncheon entrees in the $10-12 range, including Avgolemono (did I spell that correctly?) soup. I plan to have lunch there on Friday with a friend, and will report back afterward with our findings.
Harold's New York Deli Restaurant In Edison
Harold used to own those other locations.
His usual method of doing business is to take over a failing coffee shop in a motel, turn it into a deli featuring oversized portions, and then--once the business is booming--sell that location and open another one.
When he opened the location on Rt 18 in East Brunswick a few years ago, I assumed that he was selling the Edison location. However, the one in East Brunswick failed to attract sufficient clientele, and is now...Hooters (?)...or something of that ilk.
As far as I know, the Edison location is the only one that he currently owns.
Looking for Greek Food and Falafels in Central/North NJ?
Seven Hills of Istanbul closed...awhile back.
Its replacement, a Middle Eastern restaurant named Zaina, is now also gone. Apparently the newest tenant will be an Italian restaurant.
And, as to the place in New Brunswick mentioned by curtinaa, the name of the establishment is EFES, not Effe's. It is named for the city of Efes, in Turkey, which was previously named Ephesus during the Greek era. Its name has nothing to do with a woman named Effe, as curtinaa apparently surmises!
Anyway--Efes has good food, even if the ambiance is seriously lacking.
Doris & Ed's Closed
In view of this iffy status for Doris & Ed's, it's truly ironic that they are featured in an article in the latest issue of Inside Jersey magazine, titled, "30 Best Meals in NJ"...or something to that effect.
Skylark Diner
Yes, I have been there subsequent to Craig's departure, and yes, I do believe that the quality has slipped a bit. While there is no question that the type of offerings, as well as the preparation of the food, are far superior to typical diner fare, I don't think that it is quite as good as when Mr. Shelton was still there.
Will I still dine at The Skylark?
Yes, without question, but since it is a bit pricey for this type of ambiance, I will do so only occasionally.
Splash of Thai in Somerville - CLOSED
Business at Pithari is "loose"?
Then they need to tighten it!
On the other hand, I would also hate to see them lose business.
;-))
Heirloom Tomatoes?
You might want to check out the farm market at The Griggstown Quail Farm in the southern part of Franklin Township. For the past two weeks, when I went to their CSA for my weekly allotment, I was given some big beautiful Heirloom tomatoes, along with lots of "conventional" tomatoes and other produce.
I can't guarantee that the farm market will have the same items as are given to the CSA members, but the items are frequently the same. And...the quality is superb!
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Griggstown Quail Farm
986 Canal Rd, Princeton, NJ
Is it me, or is Fairway in Paramus taking a turn for the worse?
"Corrado's is a different experience than Fairway. Lower quality means lower prices. I haven't been to Wayne, but the Corrado deli in Clifton looked poisonous last time I was there..."
Amen
A few years ago, I decided to visit the famed Corrado's location in Clifton. Although the prices were good, the produce looked...not so fresh, and a lot of the packaged goods seemed to be very low-end products. However, I would still have spent additional time in the store hunting out bargains if not for the offensive smell permeating the store.
I couldn't quite nail down the exact nature of the smell (it was not cheese!), but it was definitely unpleasant and it seemed to echo the overall unclean appearance of the store. Based on that experience, I don't plan a return visit to Corrado's anytime soon.
How do you pronounce "OYSTER"?
Hmmm...Well, if "alcohol" is the explanation, then there are a few newscasters in the NYC area who are frequently drunk while on the air!
Trust me, this strange substitution of "sh" for an "s" sound is fairly widespread in the NYC area, and I doubt that all of this mispronunciation can be chalked up to alcohol use.
How do you pronounce "OYSTER"?
"Someone needs to help me out here with an explanation of how the "sh" could get into the word oyster in what I assume from these posts is likely a cajun influence."
Some of these added sounds are really inexplicable, IMHO.
In a similar fashion, why do so many people in the NYC area add an "SH" sound to words that merely have an "S"?
For instance, "strong" somehow morphs into "SHtrong".
"Straw" becomes "SHtraw".
And then we have one of my pet peeves that actually relates to food and to menus.
Why is Rollatini (as in Eggplant Rollatini) so frequently pronounced "RollaNtini"?
In fact, I have seen this gaffe in print on many menus!
How do you pronounce "OYSTER"?
Like you, I also pronounce the word as, "oy-ster".
However, as a result of having spent my formative years in Hudson County, NJ, I can tell you that many old-timers in Jersey City pronounce it as "er-ster".
Along similar lines, those same Jersey City folks pronounce the word, toilet as, "ter-let".
"Voice" is sometimes pronounced as "verse" by these unique linguists.
What is sometimes referred to as a "Brooklyn accent" is actually a Jersey City accent.
Go figure!
Filipino Cuisine in Jersey City
Actually, I just did some googling and I found out that there will be a Jollie Bee opening on Danforth Avenue in the near future. They are now hiring.
So, inadvertantly, you were correct!
Filipino Cuisine in Jersey City
There is now a Jollie Bee in Jersey City?
Really?
The JB website does not list a location anywhere in NJ.
Ye Old Cottage Inn - Keyport - has anyone been there recently?
As was already stated, you should only go to Ye Cottage Inn if you are looking for a place that caters to extremely old folks who crave essentially tasteless food. IMHO, many diners serve better fare than you are likely to be served at YCI.
Years ago, my old boss, Jerry, used to take his aged mother there on Sundays for dinner, and she apparently loved it, while the rest of the party tolerated it. The place has not gotten better over the years, and eventually I think that their target demographic will disappear due to mortality.
I recall that, despite the fact that my boss had majored in history, he always referred to the place as, "The Ye Cottage Inn", obviously not knowing that "ye" is an archaic form of "the". So, he was actually calling it "The The Cottage Inn". Go figure!
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Ye Cottage Inn
149 W Front St, Keyport, NJ 07735
Forno's of Spain in Newark
As long as you can endure some long waiting lines, FORNOS (no apostrophe!!!) is one of the better choices in the Ironbound/Down Neck area.
Brunch near New Brunswick
How about Sophie's Bistro, in Somerset. It is literally just a few blocks from the New Brunswick border.
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Sophie's Bistro
700 Hamilton St, Somerset, NJ 08873
Pre theater dinner in Rahway
It would help if you told us what price range you are interested in, and also what types of cuisine you are interested in, as well as what types of cuisine you want to avoid.
Also--
Will children be part of your group?
How will your group be dressed?
Does the restaurant have to have a liquor license?
Does it have to be within walking distance of the Rahway train station?
Re-opening for O'Connor's/Stage House Tavern in Somerset?
I returned to Stage House last week for lunch, and I have to say that nobody in my party was disappointed. Even before ordering, I did notice the acoustic panels that have been installed in various parts of the dining room. Hopefully this will help to control noise when the place is full. At lunchtime, there was no real need for noise control, although I would say that they had a decent sized crowd, even at ~1:30 when we arrived.
The Mushroom, Spinach, and Parmesan soup was a savory delight. I could have finished two bowls of it, if given the chance.
My brother and I both had the Tempura Tuna. As it had been previously, it was cooked nicely rare, and served with a tangle of sauteed peppers and green beans + wasabi sauce. Very good, although the portion is somewhat on the small side.
My SIL ordered the Rack of Lamb, and it is an incredible bargain--at least at this point, prior to elevating the prices to "Scotch Plains level". It was a generous portion of good-quality lamb, cooked nicely rare--succulent and memorable, as well as reasonably-priced at $19.95.
Cappucino and espresso were good, as expected. We will be returning!
Portuguese restaurants in Newark
A few weeks ago, my SO and I went to Iberia for a special occasion. Although we had liked Iberia Peninsula in the past, we were extremely disappointed in Iberia!
The Chorizo appetizer was just hunks of irregularly-cut sausage thrown on a plate, with no attempt at making it look appetizing. It tasted fine, but the appearance was off-putting.
My Swordfish was GROSSLY overcooked, to the point of being hard and dry. I put some butter on it in order to moisten it a bit, but this dish was not good at all. I would have sent it back, but it took an inordinately long time for our entrees to arrive in the first place, and we did have an engagement to which we needed to go in a little while, so I was essentially "stuck" with the Swordfish.
The whole Red Snapper that my SO ordered was marginally better than my Swordfish, but it was still not anywhere near what it should have been for the price. The Sangria was...okay, and the espresso was decent.
Overall, I have to say that I don't plan on returning to Iberia.
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Iberia Peninsula
67 Ferry St, Newark, NJ 07105
Stoney Brook Grille, Branchburg, NJ?
I have not been to this relatively new establishment, but until I have a clear idea of the type of clientele that frequents the place, I don't plan on going.
Why do I say this? Because there was a very dangerous incident there approximately one week ago, that began as a brawl inside the restaurant and morphed into a near-fatal knife fight in the parking lot.
Hopefully, that incident does not represent "business as usual" for this place, but it certainly gives me pause. For the details of this horrific incident, take a look at:
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110412/NJNEWS14/104120356/1198/NJTOWNS1504/Police-identify-alleged-participants-Branchburg-restaurant-stabbing
Re-opening for O'Connor's/Stage House Tavern in Somerset?
That is really good news.
I would hate to have to eliminate another restaurant from my go-to list because of oppressive noise levels!
D'Jeet ~ Overpriced and now poor food quality!
Where is this place?
When mentioning a restaurant, I always think that it is a good idea to at least include the municipality in which it is located.
Re-opening for O'Connor's/Stage House Tavern in Somerset?
Hmmm...if the noise level in the newly redesigned interior is as oppressive as was described, that will definitely keep me from returning for dinner--unless I can be seated in the porch area. As I may have implied in my earlier report/review, the dining room was very lightly attended when I was there on day 3. At most, there were five tables occupied at that time, and as a result, high noise levels were not apparent.
One of my pet peeves with restaurants is the abundance of hard surfaces, with minimal acoustic material. The net result--having to shout in order to speak with dinner companions, and having to constantly ask the waitstaff to repeat their recitation of specials--is just not to my liking.
Perhaps if I was a few decades younger, this type of environment might be to my liking, but at this point in my existence, my attitude is, "If you can't afford to install adequate sound-absorbing materials, I can't afford to patronize your establishment". For me, the surest way to ruin an evening is to have to be subjected to extremely high noise levels while trying to converse and while trying to enjoy my dinner.
Most likely, I will confine my repeat visits to lunchtime, unless I can secure a reservation for a table in the porch area at dinnertime.
Re-opening for O'Connor's/Stage House Tavern in Somerset?
I had lunch at the new place yesterday, and I have to say that I was quite impressed overall.
First, the parking lot (which had previously resembled Berlin after the Allied bombardment) has been extensively repaired. While it has not been totally repaved, it is no longer pockmarked with craters. That was a good start.
While there are no exterior changes to the building, the interior has been completely redecorated, and it looks spectacular. Most importantly, the HORRENDOUS wallpaper of old has gone to its rightful grave. Every time that I ate at the old O'Connor's, the quote from Oscar Wilde ("Either that wallpaper goes or I do") came to mind. Good riddance to bad taste!
The entry area features slate flooring and new partitions separating the dining area from the entry area.
The bar has been moved from its previous location to what had been the banquet room. The wall that used to close-off the old banquet room has been removed, giving a nice opened-up feel to the place. The windows in the old banquet room have been replaced with much larger ones. So--the overall effect in what had been the old bar area and what had been the old banquet room is much brighter and more contemporary-looking.
So--what had been the bar area is now the main dining area, and what had been the banquet room is now the bar/dining area. The bar itself is now a giant U-shaped structure, and is very attractive.
The "porch" area that used to serve as the main dining area is not yet open, but it is finished and appears to be ready for customers. That area, as well as the rest of the place, features dark wainscoting, wide-plank floors, and a 3-color paint scheme that is contemporary and bright. The seating in much of the restaurant now consists of high-backed black banquettes, along with cherry wood tables and chairs. Some walls in the dining area are now brick-covered.
What had been the salad bar area is now apparently a coffee bar, complete with some very large coffee-making equipment.
But, what about the food, you ask? No worries there, mate!
My friend and I both ordered the Tempura-style Fried Tuna. They apparently take a "loin" of Yellow Fin Tuna, coat it with Panko crumbs and seasonings and then lightly fry that whole piece. It is then sliced and arranged on the plate with Wasabi Aoli and a small amount of stir-fried green beans and peppers. It was artfully arranged, and most important of all, it was delicious and clearly of high quality. The tuna was properly under-cooked, and was nicely red in the center. I would definitely order this dish again!
My sister-in-law ordered the Short Ribs, which she pronounced to be very good. The waitress--who also works at the Scotch Plains location--even remarked that the Short Ribs are one of their best dishes. Just as with the Tempura Tuna, the presentation was very pleasing to the eye.
My brother ordered the Prime Rib. Again, it was clearly of high-quality. I sampled it and found it to be very tender and flavorful. This is one dish that had been available at the old O'Connor's, and had been one of their specialties. However, I think that the new management turns out a better Prime Rib than O'Connor's did.
Key Lime Pie was very good and was of the correct yellow color, rather than the artificial green that is the trademark of a so-so restaurant. Espresso and Cappuccino were both good.
The service was good, although one would expect good service in a lightly-attended restaurant. However, it was only the third day of business--with only word of mouth, rather than advertising--so I expect that business will pick up considerably once they advertise and once word of mouth continues to spread the good word. I think that the management was very wise to do a "soft opening" in order to get the kinks out.
I will definitely be returning to the new Stage House Tavern, especially since it is so close to my home. However, how often I return will be governed to a great extent by the future prices. Right now, everything is a bargain. Price increases would certainly not be out of line, but I just hope that the management holds the prices down to a level below those of their Scotch Plains prices. Otherwise, the old O'Connor's clientele will not return in droves.
Anyway--this was a very promising start for a new establishment, especially considering that I was there on their third business day!
Re-opening for O'Connor's/Stage House Tavern in Somerset?
Thank you, Chuck!
Yes, it does appear to be more upscale than O'Connor's was, but the prices are not bad.
