Curlz

What's the best NNJ Chinese now that China 46 is on hiatus? Chengdu 1 in Cedar Grove for authentic Sichuan Noodle Chu in Parsippany for real Cantonese (go for dim sum on a Sunday) Sidebar: If anyone is in touch w/Cecil from C46, there's a good-sized (overly ornate, imo) former Chinese restaurant sitting VERY empty right off of Rt. 17 N on Rt 120 in Carlstadt/E. Rutherford; if you take the Paterson Plank Rd/120 exit off of 17N, don't blink or you'll miss it on the right. What's the best Portuguese and/or Spanish place in the Ironbound? I have a soft spot for Casa Vasca b/c the food is great and it's really a place for the locals. And imo, you can't do this segment without hitting Amazing Hot Dog in Verona (right outside of Montclair)! They've been at the top of an awful lot of Best of NJ and Best Hot Dog lists since they opened, often besting 'classic' NJ hot dog spots. And I'm betting there aren't many places in NYC that can offer their selection or quality of toppings.

I was rooting for Symon b/c I've liked a lot of what he's been cooking throughout the series AND I like his personality a lot-esp in comparison to many of those currently on FN, not just on ICA. At the start of the episode, though, I really felt like either of them could have taken this. By the end, it seemed obvious that it just wasn't Besh's night, but I give them both credit. They made it fun to watch, despite the annoying editing--that's for sure! I will say that I found the (non) secret ingredient boring. Not sure why, but I did. Maybe they intentionally chose a mild-flavored protein so the competitors had the opportunity to play as much/little as they liked? Who knows. Considering we barely saw 30 minutes of actual cooking, I suppose it doesn't matter too much! Hopefully the FN will find something else for Besh to do; he seems like a good guy and a terrific chef. But Symon's cuter...

Thanks, Emily! This is exactly why I asked you to tell us what they are, rather than hit Google. Sounds like you had some great school lunches!

For the uninitiated (er...ME!), can you tell us what lahmajun are, Emily? Thanks!

Major bummer, I'm sure, SK! Hope you find something entertaining for them! (But hey--at least RU won last night...the weekend's not a total loss, right?)

There used to be a place right near Mitsuwa in Edgewater...let me see if I can come up with the name for you. Are you willing to travel that far? ETA: Here you go! It's right behind Mitsuwa. Matsushima 595 River Rd # 100 Edgewater, NJ 07020-1104 (201) 945-9450 I'm not seeing a web page, but I also didn't search for long. How did we EVER live without Google?!?

First thought: Il plan routes to/through central NJ just to hit Wegmans! When I'm out in Morris County, I often stop at: Raul's Empanadas (they freeze well, too!), Saffron, for their great buffet Denville Dairy (a few days ago I had their heavenly PUMPKIN ice cream, in fact)... I can't lie; sometimes I plan a trip for gastronomic reasons, as Brian suggested, but more often than not, I plan a gastronomic stop because of a trip to do something else!

Is this also (or formerly) known as the Columbia Inn? If so, I went once for a private party there and thought it was decent...but just that. Nothing that got me to return.

This seems like the best thread to let y'all know that Denville Dairy has some pretty phenomenal PUMPKIN ICE CREAM right now! Seriously. Forget that it's cold out. Your tummy called. It wants ice cream ASAP! ETA: As I was explaining to some friends tonight, if you close your eyes while eating the DD pumpkin, your brain might freak out. "It's pumpkin pie. No...wait, it's ice cream. But it's SO pumpkin pie-ish!" As I said, your brain MIGHT freak. Your stomach won't, though!

that's pointless once you throw in travel costs and time. ← I agree. But from what I understand, the point of this thread is to let those NYC residents who might be interested in coming to NJ to eat know some of our favorite places and reasons to try them. Maybe some New Yorkers know people in NJ who are sick and tired of spending time and money to come to your beloved island every time you want to get together. Edited by request

One major enticement I'd throw out is that dining out in NJ can be a great value because so many of our restaurants are BYO (wine/beer). Every time I go to Blu in Montclair, for instance, I am blown away by Chef Zod's cooking and presentation, and with a ridiculously large tip, it's still hard to spend more than $50pp. I don't know of any restaurant in NYC where I can get that quality and calibre of food with wine for that price!

I once had b'day cake from Gina's and thought the cake itself was wonderful, but the buttercream icing was just too dense for my taste--just FYI. Then I heard that this 8-9" cake cost FORTY bucks and I knew that I'd stick to their breads, jalapeno-corn muffins, and other items. I've heard mixed reviews about Flour Patch...usually that stuff looks great, but the reports on the cake itself have been both good and bad.

I've finally gone down to 2 subscriptions (Cooking Light and Gourmet this year) because I finally realized that side-by-side they were so similar each month! Do I really need 18 different cranberry sauce recipes every November? Hardly. CL has been a staple for as long as I can remember, and the other 1-2 rotate depending on who offers the best deal (i.e. Gourmet for $12/yr). As I read them, I turn down the corner on any page that's of interest, and then I try to get on the magazine's site and download those recipes so I can give away or toss the magazine. Despite that, there are still small stacks of them in the house--along with too many cookbooks and other food writing. No question where my interest lies when you look around my place, though! Food. And moose! (not that there's anything wrong with mousse, either...)

As an event planner, I'll just say this--I completely understand why both Wegmans and WS need to put all of these restrictions out; there are just better ways they could have done/phrased them! And of course, I know damn well that there will be a mob scene there. They just couldn't pay me to be part of it!

Completely agree, Tommy, and I imagine it can be a tough scene to manage, especially if the 'talent' has a tight schedule. Still, I found that list of rules and regs a bit over the top!

You think that's bad?!? Check this out! Talk about a great way to discourage attendance... 11/07/2007 Join us on Wednesday, November 7th from 12-2pm for a special book signing with Bobby Flay as he signs copies of his new cookbook "Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook". Bobby Flay will be signing up to 4 books per guest as long as one of the four books is his newest title and has been purchased with Williams-Sonoma: The Mall at Short Hills location. He will only be personalizing copies of his new book, Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook purchased at Williams-Sonoma. Receipt of purchase will be required. Bobby will not be able to sign personal items or memorabilia. No picture taking will be available with Bobby Flay and all cameras and cell phones must be placed away and not in hand while waiting on line. No flash photography permitted anywhere in the store. Bobby Flay will only be available from 12pm to 2pm and books will be signed on a "first come, first serve" basis. Not all guests may have the opportunity to visit with Bobby and have their book signed. The Author will make every effort humanly possible to sign as many books possible during the 12pm to 2pm timeframe. No books are guaranteed to be signed and no guest is guraranteed to meet with the author. We thank everyone for their understanding in advance. Link I assume that they'll be typing blood as well...and asking for a note from your mother...

Wondering the same thing about the water not boiling...and that's a perfect example of the frustrations I have with the editing of this show. Imo, it's far more important to answer that question than to show us more 'Coming Up' b.s.! Re: the $ they had to spend, I thought they had 2500 Euros, and I figured that much of that must have also been spent on the display that we (also) never got to see. Finally, I had the same reaction about the truffles; if you can't find them at the 'Chairman's favorite places to shop,' where will you find them?!? Very odd indeed. I find Michael Ruhlman's blog both entertaining and informative the morning after each episode, esp because he sometimes answers these questions.

Great. Just what Lyndhurst needs-another pizzeria. Unless it's A Mano, which I (sadly) know it isn't, why would anyone open ANOTHER pizzeria in this town?!?

TomDel-thanks for mentioning my clock; it's not a problem on my PC-it's on the eG board settings--I had to go change it there. Now that I/we have a better sense of location/$, I'll toss out a few of my personal favorites as suggestions, knowing that they're within easy reach of Wayne. I'll provide a few links as well (in blue) to the eG threads, but definitely Google for web sites and other commentary! Personally, I think of places like LuNello, Il Tulipano, etc. as lovely for a more mature crowd and stuck in a bit of a rut in terms of attitude, decor and menus. BUT. I haven't been to either in a very long time, so the food might be incredible--I just can't personally say so. Blu in Montclair is a fantastic choice; the food is seasonal, creative, and ridiculously underpriced, imo. I received a huge gift certificate to Blu from some board members when I left a job and six of us had a phenomenal dinner there as a result. Really. It's also BYO, which is a very nice perk, imo. Fascino, also in Montclair, and also BYO, is similarly wonderful. The chef is consistently recognized locally. Another can't-go-wrong option, as far as I'm concerned. Been too long since I've had a meal there, unfortunately! Further away, but very high on my 'must-try' list is David Drake in Rahway. Don't let the distance scare you/your sis--the place is getting wonderful reviews, and the pics on that thread will let you get an idea of the level of the menus/presentation. Recent reports about Highlawn Pavillion are great. It's certainly a lovely spot if you get a table near the windows. Very special occasiony. Those should get you started!

Is NEAR Wayne or within close range of Wayne okay? If not, your sis might have a problem (as evidenced by the ton of posts...)! Let us know; there is good stuff within a 10-mile range. Knowing how much she wants to spend would be helpful too!

If they did, that's VERY recent. As in, within the 7-10 days.

According to a post here, the Italian deli next to Il Villagio on Rt. 10 in Parsippany has pumpkin ravioli...

If anyone reading this thread is thinking "I want to run that show next year," Starchefs is looking for a Congress Culinary Director!

I'd suggest that you go to Raul's Empanadas in Morristown, and ask him while you're indulging in his delicious treats! He makes Cuban sandwiches too (didn't know this until I was there recently and heard someone order them), so maybe he gets his bread locally. I know there are numerous restaurants up the hill from him (on Speedwell Ave) that have everything from Puerto Rican to Dominican names/flags/signage, so there may be something close by.

Couldn't agree more, Warren...why bother with all of that when they're not only eating on the ground, but not even IN the plane? If it was too expensive to fly back and forth and serve the dishes in the air, they could have at least boarded the plane. After all, eating food when sitting in an airline seat vs. at a table with a chair could influence judging (as it did on TC, iirc). If something seems messy/dripping within those confines, it could have affected the judging, no? More than anything, I have major issues with the editing of this show. I love that we're seeing great chefs actually COOKING, but hate that after it ends, I'm wondering why, after praising 2 of Sanchez's 3 dishes, he's the one sent home. Less of Cosentino b*tching at the cameraman and more of the judge's comments would probably help with that problem, no? Once we saw him complaining, I think we got it--the Iron Chef will have to deal with cameras in his face, so this guy can't win. NEXT! I also hate the ridiculous recaps and previews that frame the commercials; stop wasting our time and show us FOOTAGE, people. More cooking, more judges' discussions. You know, the actual show.