Curlz

Anthony, Your note made me realize that I neglected to say that service was much better on my visit this past weekend. I think anyone who dines out a lot knows how hard it is to come by good servers, and I don't envy you that! Your staff did a great job on Saturday, though. As for the onions, WOWSA. Don't care if Ryan won't share the full secret--I'll just have to get back for more of them! Thanks again--and also for filling in the blank on our chenin blanc--YOU wrote down the wines that night, but I didn't...I must have been too busy drinking! Curlz

Please do, and report back, Jo-mel! This sure sounds like it except for the rind part...

Jason, thanks for clearing that up...scallion bread it is/was! Of course, I think Chinese foccacia is a much more creative name, but so be it. Jo-mel, I did try the pork dish, and I'm sorry to say that I can't be of more help...the bacon (which was thick, btw--not bacon as we know it, but it did have the 'waves' of meat and fat, which is why it looked like it) definitely wasn't deep fried--it was more like a slow-cooked/BBQ style, very dark in color, and VERY tender. And what I'm saying were onions may well be something else! It had a very strong pork flavor and a spice I couldn't i.d., so I passed a piece of the meat to my dad. Iirc, his question was "Are you tasting camphor?" I'm still not sure, and then we were interrupted by the delivery of the pea shoot dumplings (a do not miss!!) and I moved on. I'm not sure that I liked the pork, but it was certainly interesting.

What about China 46??? I'm sure Cecil would work with you to come up with a menu that has all of the items you want, the price is certainly right, and they have plenty of parking!

Okay, so WHY? Is it their location? Not enough advertising? Decor? I'm completely with you, Hank...and it's not like there's a lack of word of mouth via eGullet!! Separate of how great the food is, I live about 15 minutes south of C46 and each time I go I'm reminded of what a ridiculously quick and easy ride it is, which is another reason why I keep going back--and dragging friends with me! I even (GASP) got a friend who lives in NYC (and has a car) to meet me and he was surprised to see how easy it was to get there off of the GWB. For those of you living further north in Bergen, what keeps you from going to Ridgefield Park? Traffic? Something better closer to you? Out of sight, out of mind?

LOL! Sorry...should have made this clear...they ALSO had scallion pancakes out, and I know those (too well). This was more of a bread, about 2-3" tall, and cut in big squares, with sesame seeds on top--hence the comment that it looked like Chinese foccacia!! So I'm still wondering... Cecil? Jason? Anyone? And I forgot to mention one funny yesterday; I went back up to the buffet and found a brand new dish up there that I couldn't i.d., but it looked like it had slices of bacon laid on top of a pile of carmelized onions. I asked one of the women who works at the front of C46 what it was, and she said "Pork." Then she proceeded to tell me what it was IN CHINESE. All I could do was smile and laugh!!

I've certainly done my share of supporting C46 this week! Having been there last Sunday night for Chinese New Year, I was back today for brunch. I swear, we must have had at least 6 different kinds of dumplings, but the absolute favorites were the pea shoot+pork ones and the soup dumplings. With as much Chinese food as my family has eaten, nobody had ever had the soup dumplings before, and they agreed that they're terrific. In addition to the buffet for the six of us, my dad and brother ordered the squid and turnip (?) with peppers...VERY spicy, but very good. I ate one piece of squid, but they were busily scarfing down the whole dish and (happily) sweating. Along with many of the regular brunch dishes, there was a cold salad of julienned turnip with carrots and a spicy sauce that was great, as well as what I can only describe as a Chinese focaccia with scallions. Anyone know what that is? We also enjoyed the (small) ribs, and while my dad said they were too sweet for him, the rest of us thought they were a good balance to the spicy stuff. I'm happy to say that there were 5-6 tables occupied while we were there, and more people arriving as we left around 1:15. I hope that everyone is helping to put spread the word...it's always a nice alternative to the traditional brunch!

As I said last night, when it rains it pours...Fascino was on my GET TO list for '05, and now I've had my second meal there in as many weeks! I am a lucky gal, indeed. My folks were up from Maryland and I got to schedule our meals for the weekend (whoo hoo), so I was thrilled to get them (US) to Fascino, and we weren't disappointed! We were warmly greeted by the staff (sans Mama, who (rumor has it) was out partying) and taken to the booth that is now officially 'my table' b/c it's where I sat on my previous visit. We immediately received an amuse of celery root and leek soup that was delicious, albeit in need of a touch of both salt and pepper. Three of us had appetizers...against my wish to try something different, I just had to have the foie gras again b/c it was SO wonderful last time. My bro had never tried it and he's now officially a convert as well! My dad had the scungilli and red onion salad which was very good, and my brother had the onion soup, which he loved, but didn't share. PFFT! For dinner, my dad and I both had the veal chop, which was a special. Can't tell you how much it cost b/c the price wasn't announced and we didn't ask, but it was fabulous--a nice sized (without being HUGE), perfectly cooked medium/rare frenched chop over their spinach with garlic (officially now a favorite of mine, btw) and half a dozen roasted (?) pearl onions. I don't know what they do to the onions, but if anyone does (ANTHONY? RYAN?), please share!! Amazing flavor. My bro had the sea bass Sicilian style (iirc), my s-i-l had the strozzapretti (sp?) with shrimp and peas, and my stepmother had the halibut. A few sides of broccolini and we were very happy campers. Desserts: two praline bread puddings and an apple crostata. We agreed that the bread pudding was incredibly light in addition to being clean-the-plate good. My dad always likes to prove that you can drink very well without breaking the bank, and last night was no exception; I can't remember the white but it was a chenin blanc. We had a Big House Red followed by a favorite of mine, Hedges CMS (Cab, Merlot and Syrah) and then a half bottle of Quady Essencia with dessert. Although I'm betting that there will be more than a two-week gap until the next time, I look forward to getting back to Fascino numerous times in '05!

From one curly girl to another, welcome to eGullet, CS! I've been roasting chickens since I was about 10 years old (Mom went back to work so she'd talk me through it after school)...it's really not as hard as some people make it out to be, and it sounds like you're off to a great start! I'd like to add another flavor to your list--Bell's Seasoning (note that the link is just for the visual). You'll find it in most supermarkets in the spice section--it's in a small yellow BOX. It's a blend of very finely ground spices and tastes great on roast chicken or turkey. An old family favorite of ours, but I think most people think it's only for use around Thanksgiving. One of my most basic (and low fat) roast chicken recipes is made with all dry ingredients. Put the bird on a rack and liberally sprinkle both sides with garlic powder, s&p, Molly McButter, Bell's, and then paprika. I cook it breast side up, starting out at 400 degrees for about 30 mins, then take it down to 350 for another 45 or so (depending on the size of the bird). Take it out, let it rest with a foil tent for about 10 mins, and I promise it will be most and tasty! I'd also suggest you try the lemon and FRESH rosemary combo some time; it's a wonderful, bright flavor combination. You can also cook some chunky cut potatoes with any of these. And one other hint, 'tho I'm guessing you won't need it as a baker--get an oven thermometer! Doesn't have to be an expensive one. When I got one, I discovered my oven was off by 25 degrees! Curlz

Now THAT'S funny...I see Schuyler Place and think of the old Green...house? OLD. That's me!

Not familiar with Orzo...where in Motown is (was) it located?

Wonder if Costco would sell you a full or even a 1/2 wheel...

Went to Minado for the first time this weekend...my friend's folks wanted to take us out for a belated birthday dinner. Having done a search before we went, I had seen the comments here, but was still blown away by the sheer size of this place! I don't think I've seen a restaurant and buffet this big outside of the casinos in Vegas! Jim's folks are not adventurous eaters, but find plenty to eat there (esp on a Friday during Lent)...I tasted a bite of LOTS of dishes, but my #1 was definitely the beef tataki, which was basically a carpaccio. Couldn't figure out what the spices were on it, but they were wondeful, and the meat was buttery soft. The balance of sweet and spice was just perfect. The tuna sashimi that they put out while I was standing there was stunning, but I wouldn't call it sashimi--it was uneven chunks of maguro tuna! Looked to me like they had leftover pieces and just hacked it up, but I wasn't complaining b/c it was so fresh. I wish I could say the same about all of the sushi. From what I could see, it came out very fresh, but if there were no takers, it sat for far too long. On our second trip up, I skipped the tuna sushi b/c it was getting hard along the edges. Other dishes I/we enjoyed: shrimp shumai, calamari with asparagus, pork gyoza, assorted flounder dishes, sweet potato tempura (when it first came out), and a VERY spicy but still tasty watercress salad. We all enjoyed the green tea ice cream, but the pre-cut (and still-frozen) dessert squares were disappointing. We didn't get in line for them, but those who were eating the individually made dessert crepes seemed to enjoy them. The weirdest thing about the dessert layout is that the ice cream is at the start of the buffet, the crepe station is in the middle of it (next to the Hibatchi station) and the desserts are on the end. I can see where this is a great bargain, esp for serious sushi eaters and those with big appetites...just be sure to take a close look at the sushi before you take it to be sure that it's a fresh batch!

Hit C46 last night for the final night of the New Year celebration. Although we were to have been a bigger group, kids and flu brought us down to two. Two who overordered, so I have lots of leftovers! The place was packed as this was the final chance to see the lion dance and the drummers---who started their performance with a different costume (a snake, maybe?), a dance and showers of confetti out in the parking lot! My foodie pal hadn't been to C46 before and he agreed that the food was great. We had the soup dumplings, ruby pork, Seaweed Dipped Flounder (flounder breaded with seaweed powder, then fried) and b/c I insisted we needed long noodles for the New Year, mei fun with pork. I told you we over-ordered! The soup dumplings didn't disappoint...I don't think I can go there without ordering them. The ruby pork was terrific as well, but I was a bit annoyed by the fact that they didn't come with the sesame buns. When I asked the waiter about them, he snapped "You had to order them," which I then proceeded to do; we got them a short time later, fresh and hot. We ordered the seaweed flounder because a platter was delivered to the table behind us and we thought it looked great. Warning--the JUNIOR platter is enormous; I think I brought home 6 pieces, even though we ate more than our share! My only complaint is about the service...we had to seek out waiters/busboys for everything--to open the Tsing Tao (numerous times), to get the special New Year's menu, and to get the check. While I realize that it was one of their busiest nights of the year, we were definitely a bit neglected--partially because of the location of our table, but mostly (I think) because we were a small party. Overall, a great meal, and the New Year's celebration makes it a lot of fun--there were probably kids at 9 out of 10 tables, and it's fun to watch them get so excited by the dancers and the costumes. The parking lot was full of confetti when we left; I hope it's a signal that the Year of the Rooster will be a good one for Cecil and crew!

Chai is indeed pronounced ch+eye (like the ch in church); Chai Tea is redundant, 'tho you see it all the time, but that's saying Tea tea (i.e. ATM machine, which drives me BATS ...ATM stands for automatic teller machine, so you're saying automatic teller machine machine when you use that!) As for quinoa, I've always been told it's keen-wah. My dad pronounces gyro as Yeer-oh and swears his Greek friends have told him that's the way they say it. Maybe it's a regional pronunciation?

Cay-peer-eenyah Tim-bahl-lay

Paella=Pie-A-yah; ll=y sound in Spanish! (that's a hard A in the middle, just as you call the letter A.) As for the French words, I rarely even try them. Prix fixe and foie gras I know, but that's about it! And really, do you need more than that...? :-) One that my friends disagree on is amuse bouche. I say it's amuse (uh-muze, just the way it is in English) boosh, one says it's uh-muze-ay, another agrees with me. Which is correct? And the whole Italian-American pronunciation discussion is cracking me up--I live in northern NJ, and you should hear people around here! Gabagool=Capiccola (sp?). Very 'Sopranos' indeed... Oh, and the die-hard NJ folks just call mozzarella MUTZ. Edit to make the pronunciation of paella make sense to others!

Their web site, www.fascinorestaurant.com is definitely up and running...'tho the menus posted don't fully match the ones that were put in front of us a week ago.

Thanks, RP...I use Open Table as well, but the only res I could get for a Sat night almost 2 weeks out was 5:30pm. I can go there during the week, but the folks are visiting on the weekend only!

I finally got to Fascino...and I'm happy it didn't take me all year to get there, as now I can go back! From the moment I walked in and was greeted warmly by the DePersios to the minute we left (last ones out), I enjoyed it. The decor is great, although on the exterior, it's easy to drive past if you don't know what you're looking for. Five of us sat in a comfortable banquette, although some might find that less appealing than a regular table. I will note that I got a phone call from Fascino to let me know that's where we would be seated and to confirm that it wouldn't be a problem. That heads-up was much appreciated, but this group did fine. Besides, what's a little shuffling among friends when someone needs to get out? :-) We decided to have the Chef's Tasting Menu, which at $55pp was a bargain, indeed! The only request we made was for them to leave off the crab cakes, as two of us have had allergic reactions to crab. We began with an amuse of mushroom soup finished with a bit of truffle oil. It was served in a large shot glass, and was a good 3 mouthfuls' worth. A DELICIOUS, earthy start to the meal. The five courses: -Giant Prawn (complete with head, although it had been previously detached and then placed back on for show and for easy removal) over California spinach (iirc) -Seared Scallops in a very light broth with carrots and artichokes -Foie Gras over a PILE of julienned Fuji apples -Split plate of beef tenderloin over California spinach sauteed with lots of garlic + the gnocchi of the day -Desserts: Molten Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut Gelato and Hazelnut Praline, a banana something (didn't try as I'm not a banana fan) and a Seasonal (in this case, apple) crostata that I gave an A++ The soup, the foie gras and the crostata were my favorites. I can still taste that foie gras, the apples, and the wonderful wine we drank with it (a little help here with the name...?) The only real disappointment for me was in the service. We had to seek out our waiter or a busboy too many times to ask them to open the wine we had brought, request new wine glasses, more bottled water, or to ask a question about a dish. The servers were attentive and knowledgeable when they were at the table, but I didn't expect we'd have to look for them so often! It may just be that they need to hire more staff, as the place was 100% full. Both Ryan and Anthony worked the room throughout the evening, which is always a nice touch, especially from such affable folks. From what I could see and overhear, every diner is made to feel like a regular, and that goes a long way--especially these days! I called there this week to make a reservation for when my folks come up from Maryland, and it took all of a few seconds for Anthony to remember who I was. Looking forward to getting back to Fascino soon to try other items from the menu and of course, to see what changes with the seasons.

One of my recent weekend-long birthday celebrations took place at Saffron, where 10 of us had lunch on Saturday. For entertainment value, understand that it was a Princess Birthday Lunch--because of my 3 year-old niece and her addiction to all things princess. So we were a table of (mostly) adults + 2 little ones, ALL wearing tiaras/crowns, and all not acting our age. The staff at Saffron was, as always, completely accommodating and attentive. And the food, (in this case, the aforementioned 9.95pp buffet) was great! They are definitely a consistent favorite of mine for Indian food now. One new piece of info I gleaned is that Saffron is indeed BYO...they have a big bar when you first walk in, but I didn't realize that it's really just for show and for use as their front desk. So get yourself some King Fischer or Taj or an appropriate bottle of wine and get yourselves over there!

GREAT idea!!!

How about Costco? There's one in Clifton, just across Rt. 3 from the Clifton Commons shopping center...it's about 5 miles east of Montclair. If you're not a member, I think you can get a one-day free trial pass. Edit: I know that they sell HUGE bags of rice...you might want to call and ask about dry beans.

Sounds like David Greggory has a great HH! I've had a few dinners there when in town on business and will certainly try the HH if I have the opportunity next time I'm in DC.

If you get it, I hope you'll share! That's legendary mushroom soup in northern NJ. And PS, before you drive over there, you might call and ask if they can fax/email it! If it was in the Ledger, they probably get the request a LOT.