Philip

We had dinner at Hamilton's Grill Room on the 14th of October last year and although I can't completely agree with Chefb2057, the meal was only average at best. I expected much more after reading the reviews. We had the sheared duck and grilled swordfish, which were okay, but nothing to write home about. We'll give it another try when we're in the area again, possibly next month. That said, I have to disagree with m(a)ce. We consider service a key ingredient in the overall dining experience. No matter how good the food is, if the service is below par, for any reason, the meal looses some of its pleasure. It may be that I'm more used to dining in France and Spain than New Jersey, but regardless of where you are, service can make or break a great meal. I'm not in the food industry, I know a few good, if not great, chefs and service is a prime ingredient in the success of their restaurants. Service brings people back time and again.

Kaixo! I just came across this discussion about the Harvest Vine and would like to add that it is quite possibly the best pintxos (tapas) bar/restaurant you'll find anywhere in the country and comparable to some of the best in the Basque country. One of the things that sets the HV apart from other Spanish/Basque style restaurants, besides their dedication, is that Chef Joseba insists all of the ingredients be authentic and as fresh, and organic, as possible, importing what he can from the Basque country and Navarra. Joseba trained under Juan Mari Arzak, the renowned chef and owner of Restaurant Arzak, and Maestro Jose Juan Castillo of Restaurante Casa Nicolasa, both in San Sebastián. He has also worked with chef Adoni Luis Aduriz, the 32-year-old culinary wizard of Restaurante Mugaritz recently featured in the New York Times Magazine. These are some of the best chefs in the Basque country. A side note for those who might be interested. Joseba is arranging a gastronomic tour of the Basque country for next April which will include cooking demonstrations at Restaurante Casa Nicolasa, Zallo Barri in Gernika and Restaurante Marixa in Laguardia, the medieval walled village in the Rioja Alavesa wine region of the Basque country. It will also include lunch at Restaurante Mugaritz, Restaurante Eneperi in Bakio and Restaurante Zortziko in Bilbao.

The Basque Kitchen by Gerald Hirigoyen is very authentic, but is written for the American market. A number of his recipes also reflect the French side of the Pyrenees, including the use of Espelette pepper, which is generally not available in the United States. You might also want to check out “Chorizos in An Iron Skillet” which is a collection of traditional Basque recipes and cooking tips from Mary Ancho Davis. Both books should be available through Amazon.com and are available on-line at The Spanish Table. http://thespanishtable.hypermart.net/ Edit: link not working properly. Fixed.