diva360's Profile
Dinosaur BBQ coming to Newark
Yay! I was just contemplating a trip to Harlem, but this location is much closer.
Need a date restaurant: Romantic but FUN!!
Mompou for tapas in Newark? They have a full bar.
Artisanal's Grilled Cheese Sandwich contest
How fun! Thanks for reporting back, and congrats on making it to the finals.
St. Louis--Downtown Convention Center/Union Station Area
Although I didn't get much of a response to my query, I thought I'd post a quick report, hoping that it may be useful to others. I was pretty much restricted to what was in walking distance of 9th St. and Washington Ave., and here are the places that I sampled. Sadly, I didn't get to try any St. Louis-style BBQ outside of a catered event sponsored by the convention, and that BBQ was way too sweet for my tastes (I prefer the more vinegary and spicy Texas style as I used to live in Central Texas).
Rooster: I went here for both a breakfast/lunch and a brunch. It seemed to be a lot of convention-goers favorite as it was convenient and overall quite good. The breakfast I ordered (black bean scramble) earlier in the week was better than the brunch I ordered on Sunday, because for the brunch I ordered the breakfast burrito crepe. The crepe was way too thick and eggy and was short on filling. My dining companion for the brunch felt the same way. We also felt that the pico de gallo (advertised as salsa) was kind of nasty as it was made with anemic winter tomatoes. It's so much better to make a winter-time salsa with either high-quality fire-roasted canned tomatoes or fire-roasted Romas and coal blistered peppers than with substandard winter produce. In the winter, the onions and garlic also get a huge flavor boost from being roasted rather than just chopped up raw. In any case, both meals I had here were pretty good, and I can see why Rooster is a local favorite, as it blew the breakfast I had to choke down at the Holiday Inn Convention Center out of the water. The waiters were also very charming.
A friend wanted to try dinner at Niche, and I was excited about that, but another companion nixed that because of the price. So we ended up at another Rooster-owned establishment, Bailey's Range. It was OK. I wasn't too adventurous and just got the basic burger, but my partner really liked the lamb burger, and we liked the fries that came with it, although I wouldn't recommend the wasabi ketchup that I ordered--it was too hot, and I love spicy food. This restaurant was really noisy and not very relaxing, which leads me to my next topic.
We also went to the Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar, which has a somewhat interesting menu. At that point, I realized we had been eating at the restaurants of a St. Louis impresario, who was apparently mining a similar concept all over the revitalizing downtown. I had an overly salty ham and gruyere sandwich with some stale homemade chips, and while I thought the space was quite pretty, I was overall unimpressed, though I liked it better than Bailey's Range. I don't want to sound too negative--I think all of these restaurants have great potential, and I am all for breathing life into struggling Midwestern downtown areas.
Some friends and I did have a quite good meal at Mango just off of Washington Ave. The crackberry cocktail was super-good, and my chicken sandwich with an excellent aiolli and sweet maduros and a toothsome bread was great. The tilapia with sauteed veggies a friend had and the lomo salatado were also very good. I was sad that Mango was out of the papa relleno when I went.
BTW, I was lucky enough to see the city museum of St. Louis. What an absolutely fantabulous place! I've never seen anything like it--it is so super cool!
It seems to me that downtown St. Louis has a vibrant and growing food scene, and every time I visit, I would love to support what you have. Feel free to message me about the scene in NNJ, NYC, or the Jersey Shore. I'll try to help you out.
St. Louis--Downtown Convention Center/Union Station Area
NJ hound here who will be traveling to St. Louis next week for a few days on business. I'm looking for some good places for quick breakfasts and lunches, nice happy hour deals, and dinners. I'm planning to take the Metro/light rail to get around, and I won't have a car. I used to live in TX, so I'm excited to try some MO-style BBQ as well as some southern cooking if it's available. I go to NYC often, so I have access to a wide variety of cuisines, but I'd like to know about what St. Louis does best. Please help me out with some recs. I'm staying at the Union Station Drury Inn, and I'll be taking the Metro up to the Convention Center. Suggestions around the vicinity of 8th St. and 20th St. and Market and Washington would be most welcome. TIA.
Taka Sushi-Summit
I'm also assuming that coldbeer is raising a freshness concern. To me, that would be more of a worry on a Sunday. However, my query to fellow chowhounders had much more to do with how restaurants in suburban NJ treat "late" diners than it did with the freshness of the fish, if we can designate those who arrive more than thirty minutes before the stated closing time as "late." In my opinion, if a table arrives well before the advertised closing time, its members should be treated courteously. There is no excuse for the unprofessional service we received.
For what it's worth, mr. diva and I were also treated poorly recently at Casa Maya in Meyersville when we arrived at 8:15 on a night that they posted a closing time of 9:00. I guess I'm sick of NJ restaurants' employees rushing people out who arrive within an hour of when said restaurants purport to close. Just another reason that I'd rather spend my dining dollars East of the Hudson.
Taka Sushi-Summit
Mr. diva and I have normally enjoyed this restaurant for serviceable sushi in the area. Last Monday night, though, we received sub-par service. You be the judge. This restaurant says that it closes at 10 p.m. We arrived at 9:25, not anticipating any problems. As soon as we walked in the door, we were told that the "last call" for food was at 9:45. We put our order in well before the announced "last call" time, but we were still very rushed. Our server dropped the check at about 10 p.m., and insisted on taking a card right then. As a person who has worked in food service before, I think that a restaurant should seat patrons up until the closing time. What do you all think? I am very inclined to lodge a complaint. We were treated as if we were imposing on this restaurant. If they want to close earlier than the announced hours on a slow night, then they should do so. We had a very unpleasant dining experience, and I would want others to avoid that.
Can you recommen a good Bar/Restraunt Area within 20 minutes of Newark Airport
Not so much. Many restaurants are BYO, and most close at 9:00-9:30 on weeknights. There are four or five restaurants with a liquor license in downtown Summit that I can think of, so I think you'd be better off just staying in the Ironbound.
Cheap Eats in the Village and Morningside Heights for one
Dinosaur BBQ is right on the northern border of Morningside Heights. Sandwiches and platters from there range from 8.00 (sandwiches) to 12-20.00 IIRC (platters), with the platters including cornbread and two sides (lots of food). I think they also have some big platter deals for two for around $30. The BBQ there is the best I've had on the East Coast IMO (lived in central TX for a while).
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Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
777 W. 125th Street, New York, NY 10027
portuguese restaurants in newark
I'd recommend Seabra's Marisqueria--everything fish or seafood related I've had there has been very good to excellent. I'm not as fond as the meat-fest type places, but of those, Fernendez seems to be the best if vast quantities of meat float your boat. A search here will turn up many recs.
Eating the Big Apple
It would be helpful if the OP offered more specifics, like where did he or she have bad fries and what was wrong with them? What was the problem with beer and wine? Just in the spirit of offering intel to other users . . .
Christmas Day menu. Any suggestions?
Another non-lettuce winter salad with some crunch can be made with blanched broccoli florets, red onion, maybe some dried cranberries, and almonds. Make a dressing like for coleslaw depending on if you like creamy or vinegary.
What's your favorite eateries in The Oranges , Newark, Irvington.... ??
You also might want to try Mama's Southern BBQ which is also on Springfield Ave. in Vauxhall.
Mompou in Newark is a Solid Choice for Tapas
Mr. Diva and I went to Mompou tonight, and we were pleased with the food, although the service was merely adequate because it seemed that our server was overburdened with tables. We had to flag her down for drink and water refills, and she seemed harried. I'm no expert on tapas, but we thought the food was good to excellent.
Here's what we had: we started with the charcuterie and cheese plate. This included some very garlicky marinated green olives and some cornichons, manchego, another cheese that reminded me of grano padano, and some other soft mild cheese that tasted kind of like emanthaler, as well as three types of Spanish ham, one of which was serrano, another which was kind of fatty like mortadella, and another tasty and spicy one I didn't know. Maybe someone else with more Spanish cured meat knowledge can chime in.
Next we moved on to three tapas choices: a marinated cold octopus salad with a tomato and herb salsa, spicy patatas bravas, and piquillo peppers stuffed with crab meat and a very mild goat cheese. Mr. diva devoured the octopus dish, and I barely had a chance to taste it. The octopus was prepared very well; it was tender, and the tomato salsa was well-seasoned with just the right amount of onion, garlic, and citrus. I couldn't stop eating the spicy patatas bravas with the very nice aiolli dressing. The stuffed piquillos were also very good. I was a little leery of the combination of the pungent goat cheese and delicate crab, but it ended up working because the goat cheese was mild, and the sweetness of the roasted piquillos rounded out each bite.
We shared a chocolate cake dessert with mocha cream. Mr. diva was more impressed with the dessert than I was, maybe because it was a little too sweet for me, although the chocolate flavor was good. This cake has a medium crumb, and I think it would be improved by a bit of ice cream, but that's a minor quibble.
Overall, we had a very enjoyable experience with just a few missteps. The atmosphere is very cute and cozy, and I think this is a solid choice in the Ironbound if you are looking to share small plates in an intimate setting. Just for points of reference, the only other restaurants I would recommend in the Ironbound are Seabra's Marisqueria or Fernendez, for seafood and meat, respectively.
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Mompou Tapas Bar and Lounge
77 Ferry St, Newark, NJ 07105
Penzeys?
There's one that's open now in downtown Summit, NJ, which might be the one nycsteve is referring to--I don't think there would be one in Millburn too. Anyway, it's a nice-looking and roomy spot, if anyone is looking to head west for spices!
Summit Restaurant News
In other news, a Penzeys Spices has opened on Springfield Ave. in Summit.
Best barbecue in Manhattan for Sunday brunch
This former Texan votes for Dinosaur. We enjoyed the ribs, brisket, and chicken there as well as the sides, including mac and cheese, bbq beans, Syracuse potatoes, and coleslaw. I think they open at noon on Sundays.
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Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
777 W. 125th Street, New York, NY 10027
Suggestions for a nice restaurant in Chatham, Madison or Summit
Rob's Bistro in Madison might work for you. We've only been once, but I enjoyed my fish (sole, I think), and mr. diva had steak frites (I think it was a hanger steak with a shallot demi glace).
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Rob's Bistro
75 Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940
Excellent Apple pie/other pies in Union County area
Have you tried Natale's in Summit? I'm a fan of their pastries, though I haven't tried their bread. They also make mini pies, which is a plus for me, as you can thus sample a couple of different kinds to suit different tastes. If your request is timed for Thanksgiving, you probably will want to make an order soon.
Goat Tacos In Austin Texas
I'm glad to hear that La Fruta Feliz is still going strong--used to love that place. You all make sure to enjoy the cornucopia of tacos you have available while you can. I've now been in the NE for several years, where there is excellent Italian and other options, but good tacos and BBQ joints are few and far between. Missing Austin this dreary morning!
Summit Restaurant News
Dabawalla has closed, and will be reopening as Bombay Bistro. I don't know if the ownership is changing. Summit Brick Oven Pizza has closed, and it will be taken over by the owner(s) of Zappia's Deli which is on the same block. I like Zappia's Deli, so I'm hoping Zappia's Brick Oven will be good too. Let's post reports when these new places open!
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Summit Brick Oven
21 Union Pl, Summit, NJ 07901
Dinosaur BBQ coming to Newark
Aww, guess I'll have to head to Harlem again soon. Thanks for the information.
Dinosaur BBQ coming to Newark
Does anyone know when Dinosaur is supposed to open? Someone said Novermber earlier; it's November, and I want some 'cue!
A Seabra Foods in Springfield?
It looks like a new grocery store is opening on Morris Ave. in Springfield in the old Food King location. Does anyone know when it's opening? Does anyone know if it is owned by the Seabras family that owns the Newark restaurants and market?
Their website says that they stock lots of "ethnic" goods from Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, and other South American countries, but other than that, it wasn't helpful. Just curious if anyone who drives by it has any more intel.
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Food King
288 Main St, West Orange, NJ 07052
Cafe Ollin
Thanks for the tip about Cafe Ollin. I tried the cemita with pollo as I've been avoiding pork lately. It was great with the addition of some of their tomatillo table salsa, a delicious blend of creamy, acidic, spicy, crunchy, smoky, and meaty, sandwiched within slightly sweet, soft and chewy bread. Mr. diva and I came to the NE by way of TX, so I've had oodles of TX-style tortas before, but had never tried papalo. By itself this herb is pretty strong, but with the other sandwich components it is delicious. I'd describe it as earthy, woodsy, and piney, with a slightly citrus note.
Mr. diva was happy to eat the tender lengua taco--something he's missed since leaving Austin--topped with only cilantro, onions, and salsa, as they should be. Thanks again, as we never would have found this cute little hole-in-the-wall without the help of Chowhound. Hoping to repay the favor in one of our upcoming NY adventures.
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Cafe Ollin
339 E 108th St, New York, NY 10029
Looking for restaurant in Elizabeth, Newark area
I like Seabra's Marisqueira in Newark for Portuguese seafood. For a party of four, I'd sit in the bar area at one of the tables up front--you might call ahead to reserve one. Everything I've had there is very good, from the cockles to the sole with lemon, potatoes, and vegetables.
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Seabra's Marisqueira
87 Madison St, Newark, NJ 07105
Friday night dinner for 4 in Summit--great food, no Italian
To be honest, I've only been to Food once, and the time I went it was very good. For Italian, we like La Pastaria for BYO, and Il Fiorino for more formal with drinks. We've not tried La Foccaccia.. I know it's outside of Summit, but would Rob's Bistro in Madison work? It's something other than Italian.
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Fiorino
38 Maple St., Summit, NJ 07901
La Pastaria
327 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ 07901
Rob's Bistro
75 Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940
Friday night dinner for 4 in Summit--great food, no Italian
Food might work too. It's new American.
Friday night dinner for 4 in Summit--great food, no Italian
Hmm, the "no Italian" specification makes it hard, as you can't throw a rock around here without hitting an Italian restaurant. Your best bet is probably Taka Sushi, which we've always enjoyed. It's a BYO within your price range. We don't like Roots Steakhouse: NYC prices without the NYC steakhouse quality.
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Taka Sushi Restaurant
95 Summit Ave, Summit, NJ 07901
Looking for Excellent Mid or Up Scale Mexican
I'll second the rec for Suenos in Chelsea, and also add that they make good margaritas, which can be hard to find in NY. I lived in Austin, TX, for over a decade, and Suenos does a great job with homey, clean, yet somewhat sophisticated Mexican food. There are deals to be had: Tuesdays and Sundays are taco nights, when $35 gets you three tacos with ample accompaniments plus a dessert sampler. There's also a prix fixe menu of three courses for $30 from 5 to 7, with happy hour running the same time period with 2 for 1 drinks. The bar menu is slightly different now than the times that I went--order the excellent chilequiles if they have them, and the guacamole is delicious. The corn tortillas are homemade as they should be, tender, and delicious.
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Suenos
311 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
