BigBlue120's Profile
Couple of days in BMore
Just returned from Baltimore. Decided to get away with DW for a break. Headed down Thursday morning and just returned this afternoon. Did some research here, without posting. Thought I would share our food adventure.
Thurs afternoon - Thought about trying to stop for pit beef on our way down, but then figured we'd be better off getting checked in first. The Hotel Monaco was kind enough to upgrade us for a minor charge, and after a brief rest, we went down to the concierge to verify that Faidleys at the Lexington Market was a good choice. After hearing that it was stand up only, we asked for other options.
We ended up going to Regi's (http://www.regisamericanbistro.com/) Regi's American Bistro - 1002 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21230- PHONE: 410-539-7344 I don't think it popped up when searching the board before our trip.
Took the CCC from the hotel, and walked a couple blocks. Not crowded (early afternoon) and everyone was friendly. Buffalo Oysters were amazing, as was the crab soup. Caesar was good enough. DW enjoyed the crabcake sandwich, I really dug the smashed veal balls (sandwich special). Fries were wimpy and weak. I expect we'll eat at Regi's every time we go back down.
After lunch we checked out the Cross Street Market (nothing spectacular IMHO), and walked around a bit before grabbing the CCC back.
We skipped dinner, unbelievably, I wasn't even hungry despite skipping breakfast in NJ in order to get an extra BMore meal ;) Took a walk around the harbor at night.
Friday morning was Miss Shirley's for breakfast. The slider trip was good (not great), but the Affair with Oscar was outstanding. No waiting, service was good. Yes, a bit pricey, but convenient to the aquarium and hotel. Yes, I did walk more than anticipated :( A large enough menu, we'll go back again.
A trip to the aquarium, walked around the harbor marketplace, but decided to eat outside the aquarium instead. M&S was DW's choice. The food was good (not great), not cheap, but convenient again. Caesar and French Onion soup were classic chain... and the oyster po boy sandwich could have been great, but was too skimpy. Will likely choose another option next time.
Dinner was a difficult decision, we ended up at Bo Brooks. The cab ride wasn't bad (under $20 with tip). DW got her crabs. Another blah caesar salad for me. The seafood club was unremarkable. Dinner did not sit well with me, I suppose I chose poorly. I can't see returning there personally. Nice enough casual place, but there are sooo many options, there is no way that this was the best. Long wait for a cab back (10 minutes turned into 20), accident blocking the road on our way back.
Saturday morning we decided to head out to the Blue Moon Cafe, via our car, with hopes of hitting the zoo after breakfast/brunch on our way home. Got a later than expected start, and found BMC crowded with a line. We parked near the Broadway market and saw lots of other places, as well as several folks setup with tables/tents in a mini market. Left BMC and did some browsing. DW picked up some craft jewelry and a recommendation for the Waterfront brunch.
Waterfront looked cool, staff was friendly, got seated quickly and ordered. Tuna Hash for her, Sausage Hash for me. Coffee only, although there were lots of folks indulging in the $10 all you can drink specials (bloody mary, mimosas + 2 more). Poached eggs were very good, hash was quite tasty for both of us. Large portions too. Next time will ask for the hash well done (like I usually do at home). Strange to get a single piece of wheat toast. Not sure if they ran out of other options, and were running out of the wheat. No worries, I wasn't there for the bread. DW was fine and hit the waterfront and did some window shopping. I needed to hit the market place for a comfort break, unsure if last nights dinner was still to blame.
Plenty of great choices to eat in Fells Point. I'm sure we'll head back there, and try different places for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Amazing that the locals aren't all 400 lbs.
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Miss Shirley's Cafe
513 W Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21210
Lexington Market
400 W Lexington St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Blue Moon Cafe
1621 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, MD 21231
Bo Brooks Restaurant
2701 Boston St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Kavkaz Kebab, Freehold NJ
I've eaten at the EB location a couple of times. Short... Great food, high prices, mixed service options. My first visit, was a group of 5 or 6 men, during their 'soft open'. Arrived after 8pm, one or two other tables of people. One of the folks in our group is Russian. We let him lead the ordering, speaking to the owner/manager/waiter/cook in Russian and checking with us. We ordered some apps, they brought them out, as well as some complementary items. After 30-45 minutes, we were told they were out of a few items, substitute items were picked and 30 minutes later dinner arrived. All the food was delicious. For a restaurant that was not yet fully open, I can excuse the LONG wait. It was nice that they bought food out almost constantly while we waited. We were having a great time, and the length of the meal is something we still joke about, but we've been back.
Second trip was another group of 5 or 6 guys. It was a Sat night, and there was a party going on. We were seated immediately, and began discussing options for the meal. Our Russian friend again ordered for us. The salads and apps were picked, and for the meal they put together a family style platter, so we could all try different items. Sounded good at the time, but perhaps we should have listened to one of the guys who suggested that they simply make individual mixed plates. It was dark and loud, and tough for all of us to pick out different items from the platter.
Finally, I've been craving a gyro, and decided to stop by to get one to go for lunch on Friday. One table was filled (office party), and I went towards the back. I ordered a gyro platter (with sides) from the manager (non-waiter). He punched it into the computer, asked if I wanted to pay, and then spent 5-10 minutes trying to get the drawer to open, questioning the waiter if he touched anything, and cursing under his breath. He gave up, and gave me change from his wallet. I sat a few more minutes before the food came out. I kept wondering if putting the order in first would have saved those 5-10 min? When I sat to eat, it was just the gyro, no sides. I was super bummed, as I sipped coke zero from a coffee cup (free soda with lunch order, no to-go soda cups). Looking back on the menu, I see I was charged for just the gyro. I'll be more specific next time. Yes, I will go back.
The Freehold location is closer to us, I have not tried it yet, but was thinking of bringing DW one night.
Sushi By Kazu in New Jersey, and why Zagat sucks.
Past few times I've gotten the hand rolls, wife loved the abalone dish. The oyster appetizer was great, as have the 'traditional' dumpling, gyoza, beef negamaki apps. I'm pretty regular in my ordering... hand rolls of eel/avacado, yellowtail/scallion and salmon skin. All excellent.
Restaurants near Long Branch
Kanji is excellent. Found it via reviews here and have been back multiple times.
Anything edible in or near Six Flags?
2nd for Java Moon. It's close, just over the 195 overpass on 537 East from the park. Sit down, casual, great food. Love the wings.
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Java Moon Cafe
1022 Anderson Rd, Jackson, NJ 08527
shanghai bun, matawan nj // gross ANY decent dumpling places in Central Jersey?
Agreed, we lost power this weekend, and took some takeout this morning.
I was thinking more of a soup dumpling, noodle soup type place... maybe tinton falls?
shanghai bun, matawan nj // gross ANY decent dumpling places in Central Jersey?
I thought I read about another place on Route 35 in/near Shrewsbury for similar dishes. Anyone know where? I couldn't find it when I just went back to look.
Thanks.
shanghai bun, matawan nj // gross ANY decent dumpling places in Central Jersey?
On Saturday, I was running some errands, getting some things for New Years and decided to pop in for some takeout. Got the soup dumplings, shanghai wonton noodle soup and some beef chow fun to bring home.
A nice bonus was getting a chance to check out the cigar shop nearby while waiting for the order (15 min).
My next errand took waaaay longer than expected, and the soup dumplings were consumed (quite quickly) in the car. The shanghai wonton noodle soup made it home, the soup spent a few min in the micro, then I let the noodles and wontons soak in hot soup before carefully pulling them apart (noted above). Beef Chow Fun was decent enough eaten later with dinner.
I think we'll head back as a family with plans to eat in.
Sushi By Kazu in New Jersey, and why Zagat sucks.
It's now 2010.... I've been to Kazu multiple times over the past few years. I enjoyed the meal each and every time.
I also think Jo Shu in Somerset was awesome, we don't head over as often since the DW doesn't work around that corner anymore.
The place in Princeton, in the basement Aheji (sp?) was also great, haven't been that way in a few years though.
Hit Koto in Jackson a couple weeks ago, really enjoyed the meal, not crazy about the location.
Made it to Kanji in Tinton Falls a week ago for lunch, it was spectacular and we plan to go back.
Hip, Cool and Impressive - Near B.A.M.
So we went early enough to grab a burger at 67 burger before the show. Juicy, tasty, great fries and a nice enough day to sit and people watch.
The show was great, but it started to rain. We planned to run to Frannys, but decide to shoot directly home instead.
Hip, Cool and Impressive - Near B.A.M.
Once again, I've dropped the ball. We're heading to Brooklyn on Saturday (BAM), on Lafayette Street. I was supposed to get reservations at Lugers, but waited too long.
2pm show = We should be able to get to dinner by 5 without a problem... avoiding a wait.
We're coming from, and returning to central jersey... so it would be doubly awesome to find a spot south of BAM.
Asian, Steak, Bistro, would all be top choices I think.
Thanks hounds :)
Favorite Luncheonette in Monmouth County
Just returned to Ocean Cafe, in Shrewsbury (Rt 35). My 3rd meal there in 2 weeks.
Soups are awesome. Pasta Fogoli (sp?), Mushroom, Butternut squash... all tried and great.
Went for the london broil wraps the first couple times... great meat and well dressed. Had the tuna steak sandwich yesterday, fantastic. She had the Vietnamese salad and REALLY enjoyed it.
We'll be back for sure.
Five Guys Burger and Fries coming to Shrewsbury
Heard the hype. Finally had one a few months ago... burgers were tasty (but sloppy). Fries are the real deal. Been back a few more times with similar results.
Really like the options to top the burgers, but it does make them darn near impossible to keep together.
Fries are fantastic, and I'm glad that I tried the malt vinegar with them.
The wait for food is a bit on the long side. I understand the 'cooked when you order' idea, but let's not call it fast food. I think the next trip could be 'fries only', to check on timing.
Breakfast along I-76 (Pittsburgh & points west)
Cruising to Cincy this weekend. Leaving Jersey as early as possible (7 am?) and hoping to reach Pittsburgh area before stopping for lunch.
Will shoot for something close to I-70? Garfields?
Cincinnati chowhound ideas?
Great thread. We're heading out tomorrow for the weekend. We're probably only getting 1 meal out (the rest with our hosts), and was considering Mongomery Inn... no longer considering it.
Heard nice things about the Precinct. Thoughts?
A Sunday afternoon trip to the Party Source is already planned. I'm on some cigar boards too and planning to meet some fellas over there. We're driving, so I've got room to stock up on some scotch and rum. Suggestions?
LBI in late September?
What a great week. We arrived on Labor Day Saturday for the week. Sorry in advance for the spelling errors.
Breakfasts
Chicken and Egg - Ordered ordinary stuff. Was fine.
Uncle Wills - Ordered ordinary stuff. Was fine.
Bagels from Spray Beach - Very tasty to-go
Marvels - Fresh donuts and cinnamon buns were awesome
Lunches
Pinkys Shrimp - Awesome seared Tuna sandwich. Great oysters/clams and salads.
Holiday Snack Bar - Burgers were good (as usual). Key Lime pie stunk, shoulda gone for the cakes or no name pie.
Daddy-O - Neat place. Food was very tasty and the waitress was great. Unfortunately, the fried foods did not agree with us. Next time we'll stick to salads and grilled items, if there is a next time.
Bills Mustache Diner - Very good lunch. Classic Diner. If you head to Barnagat Lighthouse, this is a good place to eat. Probably not worth a special trip.
Dinners
Sweet Vidallia - Good dinner. Nothing Special. We'll skip it next time.
Bistro 14 - Awesome bay views, great food. Service was slow. Oyster selection was great and quite tasty. Fresh fish prepared in a variety of ways. We had roasted salmon (meyer lemon version) and Fried Halibut. We'll go back for sure each time.
Howards - Great food. French Fried Lobster accompanied our Filet and Crabcake meals. All the food was tasty. I don't think I could do a whole order of FF lobster. Clams casino and oysters rockafeller were great apps. Will definitely go back, but maybe not every time we head down.
Tsuki Sushi - Small place, understaffed that night, running out of food choices. Sushi was excellent. Soba noodles rocked, as did the sukiyaki. Some broiled lobster dish for an app was awesome. We'll head there again anytime we get the sushi bug.
Yellowfin - Best meal we've had. We might head down during the summer just for dinner. Duck was the best I've had, Cod w/miso was as good as NYC. Soba noodles with BBQ Shrimp was great, and the Iceberg salad w/ bacon, onions and balsamic was great, despite being slightly overdressed. Dessert was lava cake (great) and one of the best Key Lime Pies I've tasted. Waiters were great. Service was awesome. If we had gone earlier in the week, we would have gone back.
Panzones - My favorite cheesesteak. White clam sauce over pasta was very good. Soups were great, as were salads.
Most dinners were BYO, but we didn't.
Blue Water Cafe was the only thing we wanted to get to, and didn't.
LBI in late September?
Our house is down the street from Otts in Beach Haven Crest. I'm hoping they still have games on the tables, but who knows...
No more feeding the ducks at Morrison's? Say it ain't so.
No choc chip pancakes a la mode? I'm shocked.
Howards is gonna be a must try, too many raves about the French Fried Lobster.
I'm really looking forward to the week. Thanks for the update.
Good dining in Anchorage?
Had a great trip. Turns out our freinds cooked the rest of the weekend for us. Great eats and the price was right :)
Diner CLOSE to NJ Turnpike?
I'll second the Americana diner.
Exit 8, Route 33 West into Hightstown until you can't go straight anymore (not far).
Left at light (539?).
Right at first light (571?).
Right at light (130 North) and America in on the right.
Long Beach Island, NJ?
Awesome thread. We are headed down for Labor Day and the week after. Have already put in my request on another thread, and then found this one.
Thanks, and keep the info coming We'll be near Beach Haven.
LBI in late September?
We're headed down Labor Day weekend, to stay the uncrowded (we hope) week after...
We'll be in the Beach Haven area. Looking for:
Best places for a full breakfast? Morrison's on the bay, Pampered Pancake House
Coffee and snacks? Crust and Crumb?
I figure a trip to Marvels for lunches to make at home.
Best casual dinners?
Great seafood?
Places with great atmosphere?
When my family and friends went down each summer 20-30 years ago, it was some of the best times of my life. I've been back a few times for day trips and a couple of overnights in the past, but haven't stayed on the island for more than 2 days in 20 years.
Good dining in Anchorage?
Where did you end up?
We're here for the weekend. Looking for some authentic chinese, but would be happy with what we can find that's good. So far, 2 meals at the Capt Cook hotel... meeting up with local friends for the rest of the weekend, not sure what they know about.
Vancouver dim sum?
We read some recommendations last night and this morning. We planned to run over to Sun something or Flamingo. When we asked the Chinese bellman for a nearby recommendation, he knew we were thinking Sun and suggested Floata, in Chinatown. I expressed concerns (from CH) about low quality, greasy, old dim sum, and he told me it was a good place. He lied. It was a great place. As good, or better than most of the places we've been in NYC Chinatown. Our regret, ordering too much of the common stuff and not looking over the many special dishes that came out after that. Shark fin soup was excellent, as were all of the noodle dishes. Only uneaten dish was the stewed beef.
http://floata.com/index_main.htm
NY Hound with 8 year old-Vancouver
Just arrived ourselves... are headed onto the Island Princess Mon AM (see you there?).
Joe Fortes was a good lunch. Fresh and Fried Oysters were good. Halibut Fish and Chips were exceptional. Stay away from the cheeseburger, I thought it would be a nice chop steak, it was no better than a chain burger. Not cheap.
Some good sushi for dinner. Really good place Kamei Royale. Authentic, fairly priced.
We're off to find some Dim Sum this morning...
Conveyor Belt Sushi in Monmouth/Ocean County?
Nothing I've seen in the area. Check out Sushi by Kazu in Howell for great non-conveyer sushi.
Surf Taco in Jackson?
Cool. 21 Hope Chapel Rd in Jackson. I'll have to shoot over and give 'em a whirl. Good stuff at the seafood festival last summer. Haven't had a good fish taco since Mexico. Thanks for the post. I'm in the area ;)
Best Burger
OK OK OK.... now I gotta get over and check this place out. Crazy on summer weekends? When is the best non-benny time to head over in the summer?
cheap, good ethnic food in monmouth county, nj?
Yup... Bamboo Leaf in Howell. is good eats for sure. Had some french dishes last time... we'll stick to the asian dishes next time...
Sushi recommendations near New Brunswick
For takeout... I'd hit the Hong Kong Asian Market on Route 18 South in EB. There is a sushi place located in the mall, but not in the market itself. Great sushi to-go.
I enjoy makkoli for ayce sushi.
Also like Jo-su (sp?), on Cedar Grove Lane in Somerset (off Easton Ave). Pricey, but excellent.
