CubanBee's Profile
New Jibarra's
So, the million dollar question... do the dinner tonight, or the brunch over the weekend (and save the dinner for another day)? I'm torn -- everything looks good! :o)
New Jibarra's
I made a reservation at Jibarra for Friday night (yay, restaurant week!)... bu should we hold off and do the brunch instead? It looks delicious...
Looking for go-to spots in Raleigh
Thanks, rockycat! -- I'll definitely check 'em out!
I grew up on the Jersey side, surrounded by great places like DiPalma Brothers (North Bergen) and Benny Tudino's (Hoboken). I figured I'd be hard pressed to find "real" NY pizza here... but I figure there has to be something better than *gag* Sbarro-style hell! :oP
The Pit now opened in Downtown Raleigh for BBQ!
The bf and I just hit The Pit night before last...
We're new to Raleigh -- recent transplants from the NY Metro area -- and we had seen The Pit on Man vs. Food, so we decided to give it a go before sampling some of the more local joints that have been recommended to us. Apparently The Pit was also recently featured (as in a couple days ago) on Bobby Flay's Throwdown... which helped to explain how crowded the place was!
Anyhow, I'm sure I'm echoing other people's sentiments in that our first impression was that the place was far "fancier" than we'd imagined it would be. We were told there would be an hour and 20 minute wait, but a couple of minutes later a hostess pulled me aside and clued me in that a table on the side patio (which is first come, first serve) had just been vacated. Needless to say, I bolted to grab it and we were seated within 5 minutes. Score.
On to the meal... I had a glass of the Scupperdine Sangria (middling to fair) and the bf had the wheat beer flight, which he enjoyed. We shared an order of the Vidalia Onion Rings, which we definitely enjoyed -- the batter had a nice kick to it, and the onions were thick and sweet within. The dipping sauce was mustard-y goodness. For entrees, the bf and I both got the double combo -- his was fried chicken (white meat) and chopped-Q with baked beans and seasoned veggies, and mine was Carolina ribs and chopped-Q with mac n' cheese and sweet potato fries. The word of the day here is RIBS! They had a delicious smoky flavor and subtle seasoning, and fall off the bone is an understatement. Even the bf, who is generally not a rib guy, gave these a major thumbs up. The chopped-Q was tasty, as were the sweet potato fries. The mac n' cheese was a little bland for my liking. For some reason we didn't get any biscuits or hush puppies -- I don't know if one needed to ask for them or if our waitress (who was swamped, but still attentive enough) just forgot. Nonetheless, the meal was enjoyable. Our only regret was that they were out of the banana pudding that I read so many great things about -- apparently there had been a baby shower there earlier and all 27 ladies wanted their own pudding, so we were out of luck.
We'll probably go back again -- there's a good chance this is where we'd take visiting family -- but probably not until we try some of the more "local" spots first.
Looking for go-to spots in Raleigh
We're new to Raleigh -- just moved here from the NY Metro area, so I figured since I can't seem to find specifics elsewhere on the board I'd ask the question: Where can somebody who grew up on North Jersey/ NY pizza find a decent slice in Raleigh?!
We've hit the Mellow Mushroom which we enjoyed, but it's obviously not your classic, NY style stuff...
Best Mac & Cheese in Monmouth-Ocean Counties NJ
Three words: Hinck's Turkey Farm
Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing!
Fort Lee Here I come
Your three picks are all excellent... been to all three... in fact, DiPalma's is literally 2 blocks away, around the corner from us! Be sure to try their sister restaurant Tarttoria La Sorrentina (on 79th and Bergenline in North Bergen) for some amazing brick oven pizzas and overall excellent food. Beware -- they usually close pretty early (like 9:15-ish).
Anyhow, one of our favorite BYO spots (we're in North Bergen... howdy, neighbor!) is Daynin Yeri -- it's a hole in the wall Turkish spot on Palisades Ave. in Cliffside Park.
Hit up Las Palmas in West New York (make sure to sit in the new upstairs dining room) for an AWESOME (and affordable!) churrasco steak. Get the small unless you're crazy hungry... it's only $16 with 2 sides, and it's pretty darn big.
Meson Espanol on Kennedy Blvd. (not to be confused with Madrid) has some of the best Paella you'll find in the area.
Finally, Mojitos (North Bergen... Bergenline and 77th-ish... right on the corner) makes some mean... well... mojitos! :o) Go figure!
Best Sushi in Northern NJ
I'm a fan of Miyoshi in Hackensack. I've been going there since I was a kid (and it's the first place I ventured out of shumai territory and into the actual sushi offerings... awww...). It's always fresh and delicious!
You also can never go wrong by hitting the eateries within Mitsuwa, the Japanese market on River Road in Edgewater...
Good Jersey Bakery?
Argentina Bakery in Union City has some pretty rockin' empanadas (filled with more or less anything you can imagine) as well as fantastic Argentinian cake called Balcarce. To excerpt NYT coverage of the bakery a while back:
"Balcarce starts out as a simple yellow cake. Then it gets dressed up -- with peaches, caramel, walnuts, whipped cream and, most special of all, a layer of meringue. The result is a tower of taste sensations.
The cake, which should be ordered in advance, comes in an array of sizes, from a $15 balcarce that serves 10 to an $89 cake that serves 80. You can also usually buy it by the slice, for $2."
The cake is delicious and not overly sweet... if you've never had it, then MAKE THE TRIP!!!
Argentina Bakery Inc.
1611 Bergenline Avenue, Union City 07087
(201) 601-5801
Hours: Daily, 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.
Best Korean is in NJ?
That sounds wonderful! I definitely think you'd enjoy King Spa. Granted, it's a little more than the $11 you spent years ago, but given the facilities you have unlimited access to, I think it's still a major steal. I know of similar places in K-town that charge way more just for a 2 hour stay/ use of facilities, and those are far smaller and not as well maintained. From conversations with other spa-goers (and it's hard to find ones that speak fluent English... speaks to how much of the "real deal" this place is, methinks) I only know of one other spot as robust as this, which is in Flushing, but I have yet to have the pleasure of going. It's on the agenda for when the weather gets a little warmer, as I'm told they have a rooftop that's worth waiting for.
Best Korean is in NJ?
Hey fourunder! One steam room? No, no, no! MULTIPLE. Varying temps, different jewels and minerals and teas in the walls and on the ceiling and even a FREEZING room. Many a tub and a multitude of showers on the men's and women's floors.
Seriously, check out the website (linked in my original post), but it doesn't do it justice.
It's $25 to get in (with a coupon... just ask the guy in the valet kiosk and he'll hook you up) and you can stay as long as you like. Food is roughly $9-13 for entrees.
Top NJ Restaurants?
What an awesometastic list!!!!!
Any list that includes Joe Leone's is a list I like. :o) Anyhow, I'd like to add Hinck's Turkey Farm in Manasquan as a great Jersey Spot. They do turkey and all the trimmings, and they to everything right... and make a KILLER sandwich, to boot. One of my faves is the Thanksgiving Day (of course), which includes your turkey, stuffing, gravy, and ubiquitous-but-delicious cranberry sauce all on a hard roll. Their Mac and Cheese is also a MUST try.
Also try Jose's in Spring Lake Heights (fantastic Mexican... the real deal!).
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Hinck's Turkey Farm
1414 Atlantic Ave, Manasquan, NJ 08736
Best Korean is in NJ?
I'd agree with this. Flushing and Palisades Park (as well as some of Fort Lee) are Korean Food hotspots, for sure.
One of our favorite places to grab a bite (as well as log some R n' R time) is King Sauna in Pal Park. It's a newly renovated full-service traditional Korean spa/ sauna. The food is fabulous and relatively inexpensive, and I fully believe that all food tastes better after you've had a shower, a scrubdown, a massage, and have sweated out some nasty toxins. The octopus is to die for, and a pot bing soo is a great solve for any sweet tooth.
The total experience: Yum! and Aaaaaaah...
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King Sauna
321 Commercial Ave, Palisades Park, NJ
Turkish in NJ
1,000% agreed. It's all about Dayin Yeri! This is one of our go-to places.
The food is consistently delicious, service is familial and quick, and you never feel rushed (which is nice at a BYO spot). The place is always busy, but rarely overly so. It can get a little loud, as it tends to attract many locals/ regulars, but instead of being annoying it sort of makes it feel like home.
We actually were just there tonight... Lahmajun is usually part of our order, but we changed it up this evening.... We shared the large shepherd salad (with cheese, of course), then he had the Beyti Kebab and I had the Cop Sis. We finished up with Turkish coffee and Turkish tea, respectively. Everything was fresh and delicious, and we definitely had a doggie bag -- can't complain for $43!
BTW... we didn't have it tonight because we were too stuffed, but their Turkish rice pudding is KILLER!
Authentic Mexican in northern NJ (Bergen County)
My bf and I had our eye on Salsa for a couple of months, but had never had the chance to go... until tonight. I called ahead and asked until what time they'd be open, and was told ten. Perfect, right? So, we got our bottle and headed over, only to be told upon entering (literally around 8:30 on a Saturday night) that they were closing. They had run out of food. no rice, no chicken, etc.
How, pray tell, does a restaurant manage to run out of basic foodstuffs on a Saturday night?
I would understand if there had been a snowstorm, blah blah... but seriously. Now, as much as I was for trying the place, I sort of don't want to go back on principle. Methinks I'll stick to the more local, indigenous spots like Antojitos Chapines (90th just off of Bergenline... where Nungessers used to be in North Bergen). It's Guatemalan as opposed to Mexican, but it may have to do until we can get back to our favorite Mexican spot -- Jose's in Spring Lake Heights.
Has anyone tried Puerto Vallarta on Kennedy Boulevard in NB? It's been there forever, but I've never been...
Bergen County Italian
Indeedy -- DiPalma is literally 5 minutes out of Cliffside Park, and for food this good (and budget-friendly) at a BYO, methinks the short jaunt is very, very well worth it.
