cranrob's Profile
Traditional Irish Breakfast??
The Blue Rooster is closed Mondays and Tuesdays... you'll probably want to reschedule.
Mercer Street Grill in Hightstown - anyone try it yet? (with fun backstory!)
Thank you Jethro... I went back to take out some of their grilled chicken. When I arrived to pick it up, they were just getting the charcoal grill going, and I saw them reheating my chicken, which I guess was cooked earlier, in the microwave (!!!). It was still very good (and still moist), but I can imagine how much better it would have been if it was grilled-to-order.
So, I suggest calling first to make sure their grill is fired up before heading over.
Another (small) nit: They have Tabasco on the tables, but in the kitchen they have the more traditional "Piri-Piri" sauce, which the places in Newark serve with their meals, and is so much better on the grilled items. When we asked, they gladly gave us some for our table.
Mercer Street Grill in Hightstown - anyone try it yet? (with fun backstory!)
Went here last night - this place is a winner. It's Portuguese-style BBQ, like the places on Ferry Street in Newark. We had a rack of pork ribs, which were delicious. They were marinated in Brown Sugar, Cumin, and other spices before cooking. These aren't fall-off-the-bone-style low-and-slow ribs (which is a good thing in this case). We also had a Skirt Steak, which was perfectly seasoned and cooked. Desserts (coconut cake and homemade flan) were surprisingly good.
Flood damage--let's report in
Update: The Blue Rooster is reopening Wednesday, October 12.
Flood damage--let's report in
Blue Rooster - Cranbury. http://www.blueroosterbakery.com/ Flood damage to cellar storage area and mechanical systems.
Where to buy Thai ingredients in NJ
There was a guy at the Princeton Junction Farmer's Market that sold Potted Kaffir Lime Trees (among other culinary plants). Not sure if he's still there though.
Where can I find Frogurt (plain, like they sell in Bloomingdale's in the city) in NJ? r/o
Mixed Greens & Grill (related to and in the same plaza as Mo Greens Roast House) has real Frogurt.
Istanbul ~ North Brunswick
We were here over the weekend. This place is a find. The food was great and we felt extremely welcome there.
We had:
- Hummus (Served with Turkish Bread)
- Chicken Combination, which consisted of:
Chicken Adana - Ground spiced chicken
Chicken Shish - Cubes of marinated breast meat
Chicken Chops - Marinated thigh meat
- Kusbasili Pide - Turkish "Pizza" topped with chopped meat
- Gyro Sandwich
- Baklava
- Fistikli Kadayif (Shredded phyllo dough w/ pistachio)
The standouts were the Chicken Adana and the Pide. The food really was wonderful and we can't wait to go back.
My Favorites List - Union, Essex County mostly
Their website ( http://www.fernandessteakhouse.com/ ) says:
We are currently closed!
Due to the recent fire we are temporarily closed for renovations.
Fernandes Night club is still operating on our regular schedule.
We will reopen soon.
Thank you for your patience.
Sfogliatella?
Italian Peoples Bakery makes a pretty good one. (multiple locations) http://www.bakeryfresh.com/
-----
Italian Peoples Bakery
63 Butler St, Trenton, NJ 08611
Indian Street Food in Plainsboro!
I haven't been to Saravana Bhavan in years, but have been to Chowpatty in Iselin recently, as well as Udipi Cafe a couple of weeks ago. I only tried the Dosa at Cake Walk so far, and it compares reasonably well. Maybe not quite as good, but perfectly acceptable (especially since it's only a few minutes from where I live!)
-----
Udipi Cafe Restaurant
3029 State Highway 27 N, Somerset, NJ 08873
Chowpatty Restaurant
1351 Oak Tree Rd, Iselin, NJ 08830
Cake Walk
660 Plainsboro Rd, Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Vegan in/around Princeton
Masala Grill (Indian) is within easy walking distance. Mehek (also Indian) is a bit farther, but also will suit you.
-----
Mehek
164 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542
Masala Grill
15 Chambers St, Princeton, NJ
Indian Street Food in Plainsboro!
I just stopped for lunch at the new-ish "Cake Walk" on Plainsboro Road, in the same shopping plaza as the Asian Food Markets. This is the place that was formerly "Hot Breads" (which burned down a couple of years ago, taking a big chunk of the plaza with it).
It's a combination bakery and Indian Street Food restaurant. A few tables, plastic utensils, and styrofoam plates. I had a Masala Dosa (Picture attached) which was top-notch. It was served with the traditional Coconut Chutney and Sambar (both of which were also terrific). The menu is great - Chaats, indian-style sandwiches, Dosas, Idli, etc.
Can't wait to go back.
Menu and details at: http://www.cakewalkonline.com/
-----
Cake Walk
660 Plainsboro Rd, Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Jack Baker's on NJ33
We stopped by this past friday for dinner. We enjoyed it, and we'll be back. Service issues seem to have been solved - we had a great, attentive waitress named Erin.
We had a burger, a pizza, and a soup (Lobster Bisque). Burger was well-seasoned and done medium-rare as ordered. Pizza was surprisingly good with a Neopolitan-style chewy/crispy crust, however the sauce was nothing special. The Bisque was a bit too thick, but had good flavor and a generous amount of Lobster meat. My 5-year-old daughter loved it.
Rhong Tiam, Plainsboro, NJ
It's a pretty kid-friendly place - we go with our 5-year-old and 9-month-old... we do go on the early side though.
We've been here several times now... love it! I find the best dishes tend to be the southern-style ones.
More standouts:
- Roti Canai
- Southern-Style Chicken
- Massaman Curries
- Satay (just like on the sidewalk in Bangkok!)
My 5-year-old LOVES the satay.
Enjoy!
Chiliques in NJ?
Great Chilaquiles at Mi Mexico in Point Pleasant.
-----
Mi Mexico
1308 Richmond Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
Penang Malaysian coming to Plainsboro NJ?
See my first impressions in the topic entitled "Rhong Tiam, Plainsboro NJ"
Rhong Tiam, Plainsboro, NJ
Rhong Tiam finally opened at the beginning of July in the Shopping Center in Plainsboro that also houses the Asian Food Center Market.
Apparently, it is associated with the Penang group, who has Malaysian restaurants in NY, NJ, Maryland, and North Carolina. The menu consists of a mix of some Classic Thai dishes, along with some Southern Thai and Malaysian items. It's a very nice looking place, but not at all formal or stuffy. Service was very friendly, but we had the typical "new restaurant' problems, which I'm sure will be straightened out soon.
But let's talk about the food. We have to visit a few more times to try more of the menu. My overall impression is that the food is very good, and we're looking forward to returning soon. I actually feel a bit premature with this review - we really haven't tried enough of the menu to really judge this place, so please take this as a first impression.
Here are some of the more memorable items:
- Roti Canai (Which is Southern Thai/Malaysian). It never arrived, so I can't comment on it.
- House-made "Thai Chorizo" - Porky and delicious, but a bit uninteresting. I was expecting Northern-style sausage which is made with Kaffir Lime Leaves, Galangal, etc.
- Tom Yum - Cloudy White Broth - we thought it was Tom Ka, but it wasn't. Very good balance of flavors, but definitely needed more heat.
- Pad Thai - Excellent, well balanced, great noodle texture, best we've had in the area.
- Larb Gai - The only real miss. Way, way too sweet. I believe it had quite a bit of tamarind in it. Maybe it was a southern-style I've never had before. Very odd.
- "Two Lovers" (or something like that) - Minced shrimp and chicken, stir-fried with basil, garlic, etc. Terrific.
In general, they don't make the food very spicy here... We know to ask for them to turn up the heat a bit next time.
-----
Rhong Tiam
660 Plainsboro Rd, Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Penang Malaysian coming to Plainsboro NJ?
It's called Rhong-Tiam, but it's associated with the Penang group.
Rodizio - someplace that works for someone who doesn't eat beef
Glad you liked it, BeeZee. I always order off the menu when I'm there (not a huge Rodizio fan), and everything I've had has been wonderful. Mariscada is a great choice there. I also love their Camarão Grelhado à "Matozinhos", very large grilled shrimp in a wine/lemon/herb sauce.
Rodizio - someplace that works for someone who doesn't eat beef
Try Fernandes in Newark. Their non-rodizio food is terrific - true Portuguese. Check out the menu at http://www.fernandessteakhouse.com/
Olive Garden coming soon in Freehold, NJ
I actually stumbled upon Riserva Di Fizzano (where OG holds its "school") a few years ago. It's a beautiful place. According to the staff there, Olive Garden just rents it out now and then.
East Windsor, NJ: Another new Thai place opening
We've now tried this place a number of times, and are still exploring the menu. We're happy this place has opened. It's very much "toned down" thai (in terms of level of flavor), but good nonetheless. Some winners: Pineapple Fried Rice, Som Tam, Sates. Misses: Pad Thai (off-balance, noodles often overcooked), Curries (weakly flavored).
-----
Tom Yum Goong II
72 Princeton Hightstown Rd, East Windsor, NJ 08520
Philly opinion from Jersey chow hounds ?
I love, love, love L'Angolo, 1415 Porter St. in South Philly.
Like a mom & pop trattoria in Italy.
Gary & Lenny's New York Delicatessen, Lawrenceville
Finally made it here yesterday. The $5 bowl of chicken noodle soup was a disappointment - tasted sort of institutional. Pastrami was OK, but nowhere near Katz's or even Harold's. Nice to have a deli close by again, but I'll stick with Harold's for my cravings.
Where to get Irish-style Bacon in Central Jersey?
I ordered from Tommy Moloney's, and had Irish Bacon and eggs (from our own chickens) last weekend. Heavenly. We're lucky enough to have an indoor grill, so I cooked the bacon over medium heat right on the grill. Heavenly.
Best cupcakes in NJ?
I agree... the Bent Spoon has the best cupcakes I've ever had. They'll also make regular cakes using the same recipe. The frosting is amazing. Sugar & Sunshine in Plainsboro is pretty good too, especially their Lemon and Strawberry varieties. But, still no match for Bent Spoon.
Zinna's Bistro by Luca (Formerly Rolly's Bistro), Cranbury, NJ
Several weeks ago, we noticed the sign on Rolly's Bistro off Rt. 130 in Cranbury had been changed to "Zinna's Bistro". We gave it a try recently. A chat with the waitress revealed that some of the Rolly's owners found a new partner, and changed the menu and theme of the restaurant to an Italian Bistro.
I hate to say it, but our meal was one of the worst in recent memory. We started with a salad, which featured greens with a very odd in-the-fridge-to-long taste. We put our salads aside, hoping for better luck with the next course.
I ordered Chicken Risotto. I sent it back, and I NEVER send dishes back. The rice tasted like unseasoned boiled white rice. The texture was all wrong. There were pieces of flavorless, tough chicken mixed in. Even the grated cheese on the table couldn't save it. Really, it was a disaster.
My wife ordered a pasta dish with sausage, roasted tomatoes, and garlic. The pasta was cooked properly al dente, but really was a nothing dish. Raw garlic. Bland. We split it because I sent back the risotto.
We asked for the check and left quickly to cut our losses at that point.
Too bad, I had high hopes.
Rolly's Bistro in Cranbury
GONE. Now "Zinna's Bistro by Luca". Apparently related to Luca's Ristorante in Flemington, which I have not heard of. Let's hope this place is good.
