Curlz

I just read the surprisingly few threads on this topic. Not nearly as much info as I expected to find, but maybe it's really just simple. Thanks to my pal upstate, I came home with more sage than I've ever used in my life (and it's goooorgeous), along with rosemary, thyme, tarragon and oregano. I'd prefer not to make flavored oils or vinegars b/c I just won't use them quickly enough. So you're telling me to mince all of this gorgeous basil I have (reg and purple, btw), add EVOO, S&P and then freeze it in ice cube trays? Any specific amounts, or just enough to make a paste so I can get it frozen? And are cubes better/worse than frozen pesto in Mason jars with a metal lid? And how long will these cubes be good? I'm just worried that I'll go through the effort of doing this and not use it soon enough. I'm likely to use a lot of the rosemary this week, as it's simply begging for lamb chops and/or a roasted chicken--it's all of the other herbs I'm worried about! Curlz P.S. How interesting to note the date when this thread began, and to see when it was bumped up and that it truly is an annual issue!!

Agreed, on both counts--but PC gets pretty tight over 200 people, and CP won't let an outside caterer in, as they're Kosher. But fwiw, CP does fabulous off-site catering themselves...and your guests wouldn't have a clue that they're Kosher! They used to cater my 600-attendee gala (held at the BLEAH Hanover Marriott, but we needed the space).

For those of you having trouble finding it, it's called Continental congress (sic) and the subhead is The Jefferson in Hoboken gives a presidental polish to fine Italian cuisine. It's in the Weekend insert (TGIF?), not the regular food section. Rosie, have you been there yet, or are you still waiting for a big snowstorm and a train ride with Lou?!?

Agreed that Brooklake is a lovely spot--but don't you have to be 'sponsored' by a member if you aren't one?

If you have an outside caterer already, s/he should have a list of places to give you, instead of the other way around! Having run many events in northern NJ over the past (aaack...just did the math) 15+ years, I can tell you that there aren't many venues that can hold more than 250. Agreed re: country clubs, museums (Newark Museum is beautiful, btw and has parking/valets) and private clubs (i.e. Park Avenue Club in Florham Park or the Newark Club, which has a great view of northern NJ and NYC). Universities also have some spaces that they will rent out (think Rutgers, FDU, Drew, Princeton). There is also a mansion in Montclair that is rented out for events. A little more info would help (i.e. they hate art, so museums are out--think baseball stadiums or farms) as would the area of NJ.

A co-worker just brought me a copy of the review; congratulations to Mike and the rest of the crew at The Jeff!! I was there for dinner this past Sunday, and was amused to hear a couple seated near us tell their waitress "Tell your chef he should open one of these in St. Augustine (FL)! We don't have anything this good down there." They had just been walking around Hoboken and said it smelled good, so they decided to try the place. Here's the review from NJ.com.

I'll chime in...it's not Mexican, but Cuban. La Isla, on Washington between 1st and 2nd. Terrific food in a tiny, tiny place, but worth the wait! No liquor license. Edit: Should have checked first...here's the La Isla website!

I was on the Cape last week (snif...), and have to say that my biggest disappointment was lunch at Clem & Ursie's in Ptown. We had just arrived, drove by the condo we rented, and had an hour before we could get in, so I was thrilled to try C&U's, as I had read about it in numerous posts and on a few sites. Maybe we just ordered wrong, but I had the WORST tuna steak (sandwich) that I had ever had in my life. Full of fat and muscle, I literally had to resort to a fork and knife to pull what little meat I could find off of it. He had a lobster salad sandwich that he said was just okay, and we were both flabbergasted by how small it was for the price. The place is really funky, and the market (seafood, condiments, cheeses, bakery) is really cute, but I was definitely turned off by the food, and found it to be pretty expensive to boot. We had a GREAT meal at Bubala's, which is on Commercial Ave. Big place, with tons of outdoor tables. I had the roasted beet salad and a rack of lamb that was perfectly cooked; it came with al dente green beans (YUM) and garlic mashed potatoes, and I got to savor it again when I had the leftovers the next day. Others had the seafood cassoulet, grilled tuna wasabi, creole shrimp and pasta, and the filet, and we were 100% pleased. Salads were large, so we shared a few of them. DEFINITELY worth the cost, and the setting is great too. Atlantic Spice, however, was WELL worth the trip! I saw it as we drove up to Ptown, and stopped on the way out, as we were headed for Dennisport and a full kitchen for the rest of the week. As soon as we pulled in to the parking lot, we both yelled "WOW" in unison, as there is an overwhelming mix of spices in the air. They have EVERYTHING. Cheap. As in, $2 per bottle for most of the dry spices. I bought dill, a curry mix, cilantro, and three others that I can't remember at the moment. Iirc, there is a 10% discount if you buy 5 or more. Also got a bottle of vanilla ($7). My only complaint was that it was very warm in the store (warehouse, really), and that kept us from browsing the gourmet stuff, cookbooks, etc. But definitely worth a stop!

I suddenly remembered that the Pickin' was this past weekend, so I logged on this morning to see the pics. Thanks VERY much for making me laugh numerous times! Jason's porn pics rule, as usual, and every once in a while a caption got to me too. But did you have to further torture me with this?!? I'm a huge fan of a good Arnold Palmer. I'm also a huge fan of Katie's Lemoncello, so this basically puts me out of commission. Thanks a LOT.

Of course, I read For gourmet chefs, sportsmen and stylish outdoor cooking. and tried to picture you doing some stylish outdoor cooking...

Ant, you beat me to it! WHY, WHY, WHY would you go for "disgusting" BBQ when you make it so well?!? Just b/c you have to stay up all night monitoring the progress? No excuse!! Now get that smoker cranking and let us know what to bring, willya??

Hey...she ONLY HAS 30 MINUTES, RG!! I've been using the plastic grocery bags as 'GBs' ever since I can remember--it's just more efficient than numerous trips to the garbage can (even if it's only 2' away). And for those of you with disposals, I say PFFFT! Keep in mind that there are a lot of places in the US where they're not allowed.

GOODNESS! Who knew?!? Note that the Brazilian place he refers to as Green Grill is Green Fields Churrascaria, at least according to the sign on their building. I went a few weeks ago. Edit: And I still haven't gotten my *ss over to Wondee's. What's my problem??

That's what I hear from friends in NYC, T. It's obvious that I must investigate! According to their web site (which is uber-cool, but took me a minute to figure out), they do NOT franchise, but are looking for places that meet the following criteria (this from their BIZ page): Urban storefronts, shopping center end-caps and pads, freestanding buildings Preferred size of 2,400 square feet (current sizes range from 1,800 - 2,800 square feet depending on trade area characteristics) 25 feet minimum frontage Patio seating preferred Zoning to accommodate restaurant use and allow liquor license (beer & margaritas) Parking adequate for restaurant use Building exterior to allow Chipotle standard storefront design and signage Excellent visibility and access If you know of a location they should consider, there is contact info for their NY/Northern NJ rep on the Biz page as well. I didn't even realize that they sold liquor--which of course, makes them all the more appealing to moi... Very, very interesting indeed.

Great thread for those of us in the area, Spinner! Proof once again that we need to venture a bit further for a great meal, though... One that you might want to add to your list is Fortunato in Lyndhurst; I haven't been there yet, but judging from some of the reports, I'm going to have to give it a try!

Don't know if it qualifies for "last meal" status, but I still think about the dinner I had at Aziza earlier this year...and wish I could find a place like it out here!

Ah, yes...the holidays. For me, this is always interesting, although it involves close friends more than family. Keeping in mind that these friends are family to me and/or I'm dealing with the issue of my brother's in-laws, it's still the same issue--I don't want to offend people, but come on, people! It's a FOOD holiday. I've found a few solutions that work for me for Thanksgiving: First and foremost, I always volunteer to bring something (often a few things), so at least there will be a couple of items that I really enjoy. Secondly, I agree--there MUST be leftovers! So I'll often host on Fri or Sat and just invite my closest crew and deal with all of the pre- and post- cleanup and space issues (I live in an apt). And let me tell you, they're happy to have my leftovers too! The next day, I make soup. And sometimes, you just have to say NO. As in, "Sorry, but I've already accepted another invitation." or "Sorry, but we're just not up for it this year." And you know what? The universe hasn't stopped once when I've done it... When it comes to the Jewish holidays, all I can say is thank goodness my dad is a foodie! When we go to visit, one meal is usually at their house, the other at their best friends'--and they're all about an outrageous meal regardless of the occasion, so that's an invitation I'm always happy to accept. My mom gave up hosting years ago (as soon as I had the space to do it), and thankfully, she's always a willing guest anywhere. "Staying in Annapolis and feast-hopping amongst the homes of my friends who are Damned Good Cooks" sounds like the perfect solution to me, Bavila! But if you end up guilted in to driving 5 hours (traffic--another reason I stay close to home for T-Day) because of the new kid, you've got to at least insist on a REAL meal. Even if you have to help make it happen.

This place is close enough that I could walk there; haven't been yet, but I'm thrilled to hear about the non-smoking bar! What were the prices like?

Yeah, he sure has a way, doesn't he? When I first found this site, I read thread after thread and laughed my *ss off, usually thanks to Tommy.

As I've mentioned on other threads, I like Adega Grill on Ferry Street, although it's certainly not a bargain as compared to some other spots. Better for lunch in that regard. Never eaten in their bar, but I'm sure you can. Friends have been going to Tony de Caneca and always rave, but I've never been. 72 Elm Rd 973-589-6882 Assaggini Di Roma (Italian, obviously!) is something worth experiencing, esp on a Saturday night when the singers are there! It's a hoot. Food is also good, esp their homemade sausage. They also make their own (house) wines and have a full bar. 134 Clifford Street 973-466-3344

Based on all of these posts, it seems like P&O could go over the top if they either stepped up their kitchen and menu, or converted completely to a WINE BAR with great tapas/apps. Something sorely lacking in this area, imo. Then again, not unlike lots of just-average restaurants, they've always been busy when I've been or driven by...

Let me get this straight, Rosie...you went to a steakhouse and had a SALAD? I certainly hope there was some meat in it!!!

Nizza, I'd love to know if you find a good place in Clifton as well, since that's also close to home. Thanks!

Jaleo, YES! Zaytinya, YES! Rosa Mexicano, NOOOOO. The bar at Palena, YES! David Greggory, YES! Just a few thoughts.

For those who haven't yet been to Melt (SHAME, SHAME!), trust me--Glenn has a tiny tiny kitchen. Some might even call it teeny tiny. If he says he doesn't have room for CHEESE...believe him!