Curlz

Sorry I haven't mentioned this place...I feel like I should have, since I live in town and so few culinary delights can be found here! I just don't cook fish at home very often, so I haven't been in yet, but I do drive by it almost every day. The thing is, I never see ANYONE going in or out of the place! I hope they can stay in business even if I'm not shopping there--this part of the world needs better shopping options--that's for sure!

Thanks for the link...I sent an email to all 3 of the politicians listed on the site, and will send the same one to my local pols.

I know that cupcakes are a big deal in NYC now, and $4+ for one wouldn't faze me there--but in Vineland, NJ, no matter how great it looked, I would think "$36 for a dozen?!?" But that's me--I hope some serious aficianados of baked goods will weigh in!

$2 for iced coffee doesn't sound too high (walk in to DD or Starbucks and look at the prices!), but $3 per cupcake does. I'm NOT a frequent bakery customer, though...is that the going rate these days? I realize these aren't your run-of-the-mill cupcakes from a box, but thought I'd ask. Maybe that's the reg price in NYC cupcake places, but will it sell in Vineland? Have you done any comparison pricing in the area?

Except that out of close to 90 places that the Star Ledger Hot Dog team tried this summer, Amazing Hot Dog BEAT OUT RUTTS HUT as best fried dog in NJ!!!

First thing you need to know is that you should avoid Rt. 78 at all costs...they're redoing the highway between the GSP and the airport, and I hear it's a horror show. SO...that said, you could go a little out of your way and go across the NJ Tpk in to Elizabeth for some Q at Front Street Smokehouse...or if you take Route 21 North from the airport, you could swing in to the Ironbound (Newark) for some Spanish/Portuguese food (you'd best be HUNGRY)...or cut over from 21 to Route 280 West, and go to Verona to Amazing Hot Dog...or...or...there's Denville Dairy...or...or...I'm thinking...Noodle Chu in Parsippany...or...?!? Come on, folks...we must have SOME recs!!

I was in the Up Montclair store on Thursday, and b/c of this thread, really took a look around. If I didn't know that they had made some cosmetic changes, I never would have noticed. The place wasn't packed, but it was frustrating as hell to get through those aisles with a cart. Poles literally in the middle of the aisles--worse than the Montclair WF, imo. Get me in, get me OUT--that's my mentality in there!

I didn't know they were more then a bagel shop, we'll have to give them a try one day. It's a bit of a drive, but may be well worth it. ← I'm sure they'd be sorry/shocked to hear you say that! Trust me--FULL deli + prepared foods, great chopped salads, and some excellent ruggelah! And now there's a large place to eat in, as well--you go through the line, though--it's certainly not a restaurant. L'Shanah Tova to all! Curlz

It would be helpful to know what you/he means by a seafood restaurant--lots of fish markets (Denville Fish Mkt comes to mind) have restaurants attached. Then again, Blu in Montclair always offers plenty of fish/seafood dishes (octopus, calamari, monkfish and mahi were all on the menu when I was there recently). SO...if you can give us more info, we'll try to help you out!

According to Table Hopping with Rosie: Harrar Cafe, previously in West Orange, has relocated to 11 Village Plaza, South Orange (973-761-8777).

Livingston Bagel on Northfield Ave near the intersection of S. Livingston Ave is always a good bet for take-out!

Ahem. For those of us who had never even heard of leaf lard until today, can you please enlighten us to how/when you use it?

I run in to the Upper Montclair store if I'm at my brother's and need something specific; they definitely did something there (new shelving for certain, as I saw that being installed), but it certainly doesn't look drastically different--probably b/c the place is so small. Then again, the Montclair WF redid their cash registers/stands--a MAJOR improvement. I think it all boils down to competition! Even the fecky A&P on Valley Road in Montclair just got a facelift.

Haven't been in it, but there is a big market on the corner of Ridge Rd and whatever the block before NY Ave is (north of NY Ave--closer to Rt 3). It has a green awning, and for some reason, I think it's an Asian market. Let us know what you find!

Tasting menu??? DO TELL, please! Is that something they offer all the time? This is officially a need-to-know situation! I wish I had taken my camera with me last week, as the five of us had practically everything on the menu. I should have posted sooner--will do my best to remember it all... Apps: seafood dumplings in coconut broth beet salad calamari with avocado/cucumber salad risotto simple green salad octopus with green apples and black olives (me) Asian salad with crispy duck and a fantastic (just-right) spicy peanut dressing Then Chef sent out tilefish over peas and scallions with a huge swath of black olive oil across the plate...YUM! Despite being full at that point, out came dinner. We did our best. hehe Entrees: Lamb sirloin with cauliflower puree Mahi over black beans and sweet corn in a tomato-ginger broth (me) Monkfish with snowpeas, asparagus and citrus-almond sauce ____ over red cabbage with roasted turnips (for the life of me, I can't remember! Hangar steak, maybe?) Then we did something we never do--we each ordered dessert. The lemongrass 'soup' was a huge hit (as I knew it would be), the chocoholics raved over the deep chocolate cake and the slab of fudge (as I called it) that the chef sent out, the apple with peanuts was delicious, as was the coffee, but the big winner was my choice...a black olive cake with orange mousse and basil ice cream. Been talking about that quite a bit since our meal there, and I'm not normally focused on dessert, and oh, btw, I'm NOT an olive fan! It was a stunning mix of flavors, textures, and colors. The mousse was heavenly, and the basil ice cream was phenomenal; I'm curious to know if they're making it in-house, but don't care either way! SIGH... Chef Zod is most certainly the most creative chef in the area, imo. Oh, and the bill for five of us? $227. Another wonderful reason to go!

I didn't eat at the place on Valley Brook; went there hoping to buy fresh pita, but no luck. They not only use pre-made stuff she informed me "we're not a store," but then told me that Ridge Market would have it. They didn't, but I didn't care after discovering all that they carried! Just wish I had known before today--when I was hosting a cooking group at my place. For Turkish food. I did buy a few pieces of baklava for dessert from the restaurant and thought it was tasty, but a bit drier/less sweet than most (not a bad thing, imo). BUT...I'm no expert. I'd like to try their food. I grabbed a menu--looks good! The place is tiiiiiiiiny, with maybe 6 tables, and there is a large cooler case (like what you'd see in a deli) that seemed odd alongside nicely set tables. I'm hoping it will turn out to be a great find...there just isn't any interesting ethnic food around here! (Sorry--I don't count all of the red sauce Italian places...)

Go figure...after years of living in this town, I discovered this place today. FULL of Turkish products--everything from canned goods to lentils and other grains to cheese, yogurt, Turkish sodas, etc. I only wish I knew what I was looking at! Would love to know if anyone has been here and if you have specific recommendations. I went in at the suggestion of the woman at Akasaya, a Mediterranean/Turkish restaurant on Valley Brook, as I was in search of authentic pita and didn't have time to get to Clifton or Paterson. Sadly, Ridge Market didn't have any, but at least now I know what they do carry! I always assumed it was just another drop-in market for emergency milk/bread runs...

I haven't been yet, but saw a friend yesterday who said he really enjoyed it last week. We didn't discuss specific dishes, but there is an article and some comments here on Baristanet. Ymmv.

Larry is right...Rutherford is a dry town, but Park & Orchard has long been known for its extensive wine and beer offerings. Are they in E. Rutherford proper? That might explain it. Portions there are large and the place is cavernous, so the noise level is high; if you're sensitive to that, you might want to shy away. I used to live in Rutherford, and have to say that I rarely go there for anything, especially food, as I've been disappointed one too many times. Mignon and Village Gourmet are likely the exceptions, but even so, I rarely cross Route 3 to go there--it just doesn't occur to me! It's a strange town, imo--they seem to want to have a cool downtown, but I'm still waiting for it to happen. My $ .02.

Enjoy! And please be sure to give us a report...preferably on the Fascino thread, which is here!

Anyone been to Compass recently? Is it still the same chef? Any/all comments appreciated... Thanks!

Interestingly enough, this is part of the Wegmans philosophy; that you can do your regular shopping at their store and not see a major difference. I have friends who are very budget-conscious who have confirmed that they don't spend more for the basics (milk, eggs, oj, bread, paper towels, etc) when they shop at Wegmans. Of course, it's the rest of the stuff that gets you! Too bad we don't have one within close enough range to add them to the list for your test! SIGH...

Thanks for the explanation, John...I completely agree on all counts, but esp the chili! I loooooooooove that chili.

Brasilia is definitely a good rec, particularly if you have some serious eaters on hand! Adega is 'fancier' in terms of atmosphere. Another couple of ideas that you can easily get to by cab: 27 Mix is at 27 Halsey Street (all of 2-3 blocks to walk if you're a big group); NJPAC also has its own restaurant, called Theater Square Grill, right in the facility. A bit overpriced for what it is, imo, but it doesn't get any more convenient. I just think you'll have more FUN in the Ironbound.

The light rail now runs between NJPAC and Penn Station in Newark, so you have EASY options! If you go back to Penn Station and walk about 4 blocks up Ferry Street (out the back door of Penn Sta), you'll be at Adega Grill, and within reach of numerous other places. Check out the Ironbound threads here on eG and you'll see you have lots of choices!