Curlz

Just remember that Montclair is very close to the flagship AHD (like that, Eric?!?)...that might be the only legit reason for them not to open there. But it's not like Nutley is a shore town...there are still plenty of kids and families around in the summer! Drive past the BK, Carvel or Rita's for proof! :-)

Glad to see the duck sauce is now included! Fwiw, I've now seen the effects of high school "open lunch" in two places...Montclair and Nutley. I really think you should target one of these towns--between students and families, you'd rake in the $$. Starting around 11am, kids who have lunch or a free period FLOCK (on foot) to the local inexpensive places to grab lunch. Want to see what I mean? Go to the small strip mall on Valley Road that houses a Krauser's along with a Chinese place and a bagel shop. You literally can't drive in to the parking lot because of the volume of kids--and yes, most of them are eating. It's like an invasion! I know I've mentioned to you that Nutley also has an open lunch policy, and I've seen the hoardes there as well. But know where they go there? For pizza or to the Burger King. Why not give them another option?!? Curlz

What he said. Sadly, I just don't think there's that much happening IN Morristown, but you're certainly within reach of a lot of decent to very good food now! A few thoughts from a gal who grew nearby, worked in Motown for a few years, and still has friends in the area: Arthur's in Morris Plains (across from the MP train station where Speedwell Ave hits Rt. 202) for beer and burgers* Hunan in Morris Plains (corner of Hanover and Speedwell Avenues) has good Chinese food, a full bar, and a nice vibe Tiffany's in Morris Plains (2 doors down from Hunan) used to have good ribs Harry & David's Chinese on Rt. 10E in East Hanover is still a favorite when I'm in the area, but it's 'basic' Chinese--nothing wild in terms of menu items, but the food is always fresh and the place very clean Saffron in East Hanover is one of my favorite Indian restaurants--go for the lunch buffet (8.95 iirc) for lunch M-Sat; dinner can get a bit too $$$, imo And...and... Hunan and Tiffany's may deliver to you; likely depends on where you are in Motown, as it's pretty spread out. There are TONS of places in Morris County, and I'm sure others will chime in. Do an eG search for a few of the aforementioned as well as on other towns (Parsippany has lots of Asian food), as there is definitely some info on them. I'm sure I'll think of more for you. Congrats on the new place! Curlz *Tommy, would love to know if you've had their burger and what you think; haven't had one in 5+ years, but that's where we always went when the craving hit...

Been there, done that. that's how I ended up at Morrell's.. If you do find it, let me know. The bottle is almost empty.. ← Scary how that panic sets in, isn't it?!? I TOTALLY understand! Will keep you posted...the guy at Shopper's seemed sure he could get it. If so, we're going to be quite happy!

Cook, this is one of my favorite things on the PLANET! Where are you buying it around here? I always have to con my dad in to bringing it up from Maryland...of course, then I also don't end up paying for it, but that's another story! I've never seen it in northern NJ. Curlz ← Curlz, After looking high and low for it, including Shoppers Vineyard, I actually bought it in NYC at Morrell's. My cousin lives in Hoboken, and she had Sparrow Wine & Liquor order a case for her..Do you think we love this stuff, too?? ← My dad called this morning and said "I have a job for you...I can't get any Belle de Brillet down here before Saturday (when I'll see him). See if you can find it up there!" Trying not to get my hopes up too much, I stopped in to Shoppers this morning. Alas, although it's listed on their web site, there was none on the shelf. The guy who helped me was extraordinarily helpful, found it on their site, and said he could order it, possibly for delivery by Friday. Two follow-up calls from their staff later, no luck; maybe by next week. SIGH...

Cranberry Crunch is an OLD family favorite...an oatmeal/brown sugar crust with a cranberry compote in the middle. Great served hot with ice cream!!

So happy to have found this thread...I have a group of friends who are vegetarians (actually, vegequariums--they eat fish and seafood ), and I've been cooking more vegetarian food in the last 3-4 months than I ever have, despite my love of most vegetables. My Rosh Hashana dinner included brisket, but also a Turkish Chick Pea soup, a wonderful recipe for muhammarah (a roasted red pepper spread), roasted root vegetables, and a few other things I'm sure I'm forgetting. I also recently created a butternut/acorn squash and sweet potato soup with leeks, garlic, and vegetable broth. Very simple, but very hearty, as I don't puree the soup---just use the potato masher in the pot once everything is tender. I've been throwing wheat berries in to the bottom of the bowl, and it's just great, if I do say so myself! Hope to get some other good ideas from this crew...

Despite my being a guest at my brother's, I'm making the following (love my s-i-l, but she can't cook many things well): Chicken/Apple sausage stuffing Cranberry Conserve (a chunky cran sauce) Purple mashed potatoes (for the kids' amusement) Cranberry Crunch I'm also making a 'raw' cranberry relish to take to the big(ger) family gathering this weekend, as my dad has fond memories of his mom's version. Happy T-Day, y'all! Curlz

It's been a while since I last checked, but neither Total nor Wine Library had it, nor could they get it for some reason. ????

Cook, this is one of my favorite things on the PLANET! Where are you buying it around here? I always have to con my dad in to bringing it up from Maryland...of course, then I also don't end up paying for it, but that's another story! I've never seen it in northern NJ. Curlz

Scarlet Knight, I can't answer your question about the RU football team (I don't think anybody can! ) but I can tell you about Marrakech. We were a large group (12-14), and my feeling that night still matches the one that I have now...Marrakech is a great experience, but it's not a standout in terms of food. It's a particularly fun time with a large group! The place is beautifully decorated, the owners over-the-top gracious, service is fine, and the menu is interesting. We had the Cigars Moroccain (ground beef-filled phyllo dough), and I felt we were off to a great start...the only other app I tasted was the lentil salad, which was also very good. They brought baskets of (storebought) pita, along with (one small dish of) an olive tapenade that was also very tasty, but never refilled until we requested more. A few friends had the scallop appetizer, which they said was good too. For my entree, I chose the duck with figs; having read about it on here and on the Baristanet thread, I knew that's what I was ordering before I ever set foot in the place, as those are two of my favorite things! The duck and figs were yummy, but I wish they had asked how I wanted the duck cooked, as it was overdone for me. The carrots and string beans that accompanied it were wonderful--cooked al dente, lightly seasoned. The mashed potatoes were incredibly salty. And I just couldn't believe that those were the side dishes! I'd be shocked to learn that they're authentic pairings. I got to taste the pastilla au poulet...for those who haven't ever had/seen one, pastilla is a huge (as in, fills the plate), fried, self-contained pie (like a knish), in this case, filled with a mixture of ground chicken with nuts and lots of cinnamon. It is usually sprinkled with confectioner's sugar--this one had way too much on top. My friend commented that she hadn't ordered dessert yet, and I had to agree with her. This is a heavy dish on its own, and the fact that it was loaded with sugar just made it seem all the heavier (think zeppoles that have been sitting in the bag, absorbing sugar, and add a LOT of meat). Another friend (who doesn't eat any meat) ordered the salmon, which she said was a good piece of fish, but it wasn't very interesting taste-wise. Others had the pastilla that is filled with seafood, and they agreed that it was good. Issues: $9 for a bottle of Pellegrino. Read that again...it's not a typo, nor is it on the menu. You just get the shock with the check. $5 for a tiny, tiny, TINY glass of 'tea,' which is actually fresh mint steeped in hot water with waaay too much sugar. I don't need to pay for the fancy pouring, even though it's part of the experience. It's neat to watch, but I'd rather pay $2, be offered the option of the level of sweetness, and I'll pour it myself. In the end, I just keep returning to my original comment...Marrakech is a fun night (even better if you go late, as they turn up the music) with a big group--just don't go expecting to be knocked out by the food. It's good, but for $40+ pp, if you're in it for the food, head to Blu. Or if you're in San Francisco, go to Aziza for a Moroccan dinner you shouldn't miss!

I know that you can purchase private cooking demos/classes/parties at Chef Central in Paramus. Last year, they offered a GREAT deal--something like $300-400 for 8 people, and you get a $100 gift certificate when you buy the class. Sadly, I couldn't get my friends together quickly enough to take advantage of it, but you should definitely ask if they offer that all the time! I also recently read about the Viking (as in ranges) Cooking School, which is at 4 Sperry Road Fairfield, NJ 07004 Phone: 973.244.1580 I've been curious to see what they're all about, but haven't called yet. Kings used to offer classes in their CooKingstudios, but I don't know if they still do. There's also a place in Westfield called ___ Thyme; I've seen their info out a lot. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

You know, that's not a totally crazy question, Rosie...when I was at the smoked fish counter (on the end of the Seafood Shack), I noticed that a guy eating at the counter was drinking what looked like a bottle of beer. Of course, this could easily be a bottle of IBC root beer, or some other such item. I fully intended to walk over an get a closer look, but it was at that moment that Scott offered up the nosh, and I got completely distracted. Anyone well-versed on the ABC rules?? I could seriously plant myself in the cheese dept with a baguette and some wine...and some prosciutto...and some of those roasted tomatoes that they sell in the cheese department...and...and...

I was there last night with friends (one of them on his 'virgin' trip to the new store), and we were thrilled to meet Scott, one of the guys working the counter at the Seafood Shack. My friends were trying to decide on which of the smoked fish to buy (whiting vs. whitefish vs. salmon vs. about 8 other choices); Scott was extremely knowledgeable about the differences between the fish, and when he asked "Do you want a nosh?" my friend nearly jumped over the case to hug him. As he was cutting the whitefish, he handed her a small piece in paper, and we happily 'noshed' while he finished getting the rest of their order. Then the virgin and I had some fun in the cheese department, where we again found friendly, helpful staff members. We tasted (and ended up buying) a gorgeous, rich semi-soft cheese with truffle oil (name escapes me, but it has a grey ashy rind, and runs $21.99/lb), a favorite of mine called Piave, which is a nutty, flavorful hard cow's milk cheese from Italy, a terrific Australian cheddar, and a few others. At some point, I said to him "All we need to do is open a bottle of wine over here, and we'd officially have a party!" Service like that is the reason it's worth the trip and the cost, imo. I'm officially 10+ miles from this store, but have NO issues with making the trip!

Sounds like you just need to find a restaurant supply store, Zoe! Someone must know of at least one in your area...

Ghost, I thought LC had a lifetime guarantee...my guess is that you could have sent that back to them for a replacement! Meanwhile, someone just told me that Target is selling LC-looking pots. Must. Investigate. Will report back...

Glad you were 'prepared'!!

Thanks, SK (and can I get a HOO RAH?!? Great week! ) I'm looking forward to trying it, and am thinking Prosecco is the answer!

Iirc, it's in the former Marc & Eric's space, across Bloomfield Ave from Sesame.

BUMP. Am going to Marrakech this weekend for a friend's birthday...anyone been? Is it a BYO? Any/all info appreciated...

Eric, I hope you have a glass of wine/cup of coffee nearby, and a serious amount of time to read. To whit: the BIG Le Creuset thread... There's also the Copper vs. Stainless Steel cookware discussion... And finally, the Cookware Recs thread. Happy reading/researching!

I was in the Whippany TM today, and just have to say that TM SUCKS! They literally had two pieces of LC in the whole store...one was a small saucepan with lid for $69.99, the other an odd-shaped piece that I didn't even bother to turn over. And when I asked the cashier if there was any more, she said no. My response was "Then why are they running tv ads advertising Le Creuset here? That's annoying." WHAT. EVER. I think I'd rather go to the LC outlet store, where I know I'll find LC, thankyouverymuch. Or better yet, get it as a gift!

Wow, Marie...that stinks! I saw the LC at the Costco in Clifton. It's on Main Avenue, across Rt. 3 from the Clifton Commons shopping center, where there's a big Barnes & Noble. Don't know how many of the other NJ stores are carrying it. Fwiw, Chef Central folks aren't usually so snotty--I'm surprised to hear that! But if you go in with a current Linens 'n Things or Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon, they'll accept those, so it might be worth it to take another trip up to Rt. 17 if you can get an additional 20% off!

I'm happy to hear that the new chef at CSC is good, as I have to admit that the place has been off my radar for a long time, even though I'm in Montclair a few times a week. I just hope they can do something to bump up the service to match the kitchen.

DLS, we DEFINITELY need to hear how you're making those short ribs!! Carrot Top, can you tell us what brand of ginger you bought (or where it came from)? Thanks, all! Great ideas here...