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Curlz

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Everything posted by Curlz

  1. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    Taste is in the A&P mall...BD is in the one just after it--I think it's called Forest Hill. Maybe one of you can tell me about Taste...I noticed the sign, but haven't been there. Any good? It says it's a lounge and restaurant--what kind of atmosphere and menu?
  2. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    Wiener, It's on Belleville Ave...take Washington Ave to Belleville Ave, and it's all of about 1 1/2 miles up on your right--in the Forest Hills strip mall (just after the A&P mall). It's the first storefront on the far right as you pull in to the (always crowded) lot.
  3. Thanks, Rosie, but The Frog and the Peach is NOT an option that night--believe me! But I've been there and completely agree that it's a wonderful spot.
  4. I have a very hot date...with Jon Stewart (of The Daily Show)! He's at the State Theater in New Brunswick--rescheduled from a December snowfall. What I'm trying to figure out is if there's anywhere we can go for dinner that won't be a V.D. nightmare that night! I'd like to try the Ethiopian place, but even they have a special menu. Sigh...
  5. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    ...and even my takeout order of Pho Tai was DElicious today!! The meat we had last night and what was in my soup today was great; I must have had a bad piece or two on my first visit. I'm predicting that I at least take out from there once a week! Sigh...
  6. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    We should note that they are open 7 days a week!
  7. Curlz

    Oh, help...

    The official report: I had a completely uninspired meal last night--at City Streets Cafe in Morris Plains. I've only been there for drinks/appetizers/lunch in the past, and it had been over a year, but I was reminded again that it's a restaurant with a menu that sounds good, but never delivers. Speaking of delivery, the service was awful. We had a waitress who barely paid attention to our questions or responses to her canned lines ("So, have you warmed up yet?" followed almost immediately with "So what can I bring you to warm you up?"). UGH. Used knives were placed on the table when appetizer and then salad plates were cleared, a request for a refill of bread was ignored (and that was after the basket sat empty through appetizers and salad and even after the entrees arrived), we had to ask numerous times for water (which the waitress heard as more wine for everyone--NOT the case), etc. You get the idea. Re: the food, we shared a completely tasteless grilled ginger/lime shrimp app over wasabi mashed potatoes. Tasty potatoes, tasteless shrimp. Maybe they keep the shrimp in the same kitchen as some ginger and some lime, but I assure you that last night, those three ingredients were never in close proximity to one another. Same for the honey-glazed swordfish special that I ordered--absolutely no flavor to the fish, which is usually a favorite of mine. The only brighter spots were in the side dishes--tasty mango and cilantro 'salad' with the shrimp, and the herbed zucchini and warm Yukon potato salad (mashed pots w/ large pieces of roasted Yukon in them) was also yummy, 'tho waaaaaaay too heavy on butter and sour cream for my taste. The only truly delicious dish on the table was the Maryland Lump Crab Cakes that Jim's mom ordered--delicious, but certainly not enough to redeem the kitchen. We passed on coffee and dessert. So to recap: a more than mediocre meal and terrible service, coupled with smoke wafting over the 5' wall to the bar area throughout the evening and a ridiculous increase in the volume of music in an already noisy room. I'd give the City Streets Cafe a solid C-. I guess I knew what I was in for, but was still holding out hope that I'd find something good to eat. Oh, well...at least the company was good! And PS, we chose CSC over Portofino is that Portofino wouldn't take a reservation for 4.
  8. Interesting that you say that Jim Dandy's is dirty; I've heard that their ribs are great, but have never gone in, as I think it looks like a cruddy place--and that's just from the outside!
  9. On my way home from Binh Duong last night, I noticed a Grand Opening sign/streamers on the outside of what was once a small dinerish spot--it's on the corner of Centre Street and Washington Avenue...sign says Stephanie's BBQ. Does anyone know anything about it?
  10. Just throwing in my .02 here...knowing what I now do about those two restaurants enables me to decide they're inappropriate choices for dining with some people (i.e. Jim's folks--see the thread titled "Oh, help.")! Granted, the reviewer could have said something like "Expect to hear colorful language from the moment you walk through the door," but that really wouldn't have conveyed just how colorful. Separate of knowing how great the food is (crucial!), I must agree that knowing about the full 'atmosphere' of a restaurant (including info on the staff, customers, dress code, decor) helps me decide whether or not I want try it, and with whom. Kimmyb72, please don't take these responses personally! One of the beautiful things about egullet is that you can express your opinion, hear what others think, and move on to another thread. Sometimes you'll learn something new, sometimes you'll disagree with other posters, but it's all good--or at least, that's MY opinion.
  11. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    I knew I liked you, Tommy!
  12. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    I absolutely ate most of the meat tonight, Tommy...and in general, like beef cooked medium or medium-rare, but there was something about this meat that just didn't appeal. Not sure why--maybe once you try it you can tell me what's missing!
  13. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    The OFFICIAL report (drumroll, please)...Binh Duong is the name of the restaurant; Tommy freaked me out enough that I had to go tonight! First of all, I just have to say that I had NO idea that there was enough of an Asian population in the Belleville/Nutley/Bloomfield area to warrant a small strip mall full of Asian stores/restaurants. What a pleasant surprise! The restaurant is a small place with all of about 10 tables--2 large rounds, the rest 2 and 4-tops. No decor, but the second I opened the door, I was hit with that wonderful smell of fresh basil, lemongrass, and all of the great spices; that + the revelation that we were 3 of only 6 round-eyes seemed like a good sign to me! I went with a couple that likes to eat, but she really isn't adventurous about food, and chose a chicken and broccoli dish. Of course, we mocked her sufficiently for playing it safe. Adam and I have talked about finding pho for weeks now, so he and I both knew we would order it. A caveat: I've learned that while I greatly enjoy good food, I'm not totally adventurous, so I played it safe with Pho Tai, the beef/noodle soup with Fresh Eye of Round. Adam went for th Pho Xe Lua, which, according to the takeout menu that I brought home, has "Combination Extra Big Bowl of Rice Noodles Beef Soup Six Differences Brisket, Navel, Frank, Omosa, Tendon & Eye of Round." Suffice it to say that there were many unidentifiable items in the soup, but he loved it. I found a few things in my soup that I couldn't i.d. and just removed them. More on that later. We also ordered two appetizers--an order of Cha Gio (Vietnamese Spring Rolls--5 to an order) that were very tasty, and one order of Goi Cuon (Summer Rolls), that basically tasted like, well, SUMMER. The peanut sauce went well with both, although it was served with the Goi Cuon. The entire bill was just under $28--unreal! I can't remember who mentioned the almost-raw beef in the soup (Jason?), but having only had pho one other time, this was a similar experience. The meat comes very thinly sliced; it reminds me of meats at a Mongolian BBQ place, and the first time I had it, was slightly frozen and quickly cooked as I sank it into the hot broth and noodles. Tonight's didn't seem to 'cook' nearly as much in the broth, but we were getting a bit of a draft from the door every time it opened, which didn't help keep the bowl very hot. By the time I was halfway through the bowl, I was picking out anything that didn't look totally cooked. Next time I'll probably just order the Pho Banh which is the identical soup but without the meat. Adam didn't have the same issues with his, although once he started really looking at things, he was picking some stuff out too. I don't know if we don't have enough experience with it or if it's our American taste buds, but that's the honest truth. My bigger issues are with the (lack of) service and more than that, with the language barrier. If someone had been able to answer our questions, it would likely have helped! The waiter just didn't understand us, no matter how simply we spoke to him. Pointing to the names of dishes and trying to say them was the only way we were finally able to order! And I was truly surprised that I had to request the plate of bean sprouts/basil/lime/hot peppers, even though I understand that's the standard accompaniment to pho. We also had to ask numerous times for water, and the tea pot was never refilled. However--there was a line of people (again, mostly Asian) waiting for tables, and lots of folks coming in to pick up food, so I have to believe they have some clue in the kitchen. All that said, I know I'll go back and try a few other things, and I'll certainly stop in to pick up a meatless bowl of Pho, especially for the giant $3.25 pricetag! And I'll be curious to hear about your experiences there too.
  14. Curlz

    Oh, help...

    I certainly will! 'tho I must admit, I think we're going to end up at Portofino. I have to defer to Jim's knowledge of his folks and what they'll go for, as it really could ruin what will otherwise be a perfectly pleasant evening (even with mediocre food), but I have forwarded all of your suggestions to him and promise to report back with the results. Thanks for all of your ideas!
  15. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    I'm waiting to hear back from a few friends re: tonight, but I promise to report back. As for Tommy and all things freaky, it was one of the reasons I was sorry you weren't at the C46 dinner--I was looking forward to meeting the man behind so many amusing posts!
  16. Curlz

    Binh Duong

    You're FREAKING me out, Tommy!! A coworker and I were just having a conversation about Thai food, which led me to ask if she had ever had Pho. She lives in Belleville and said "Oh, now I know what that is...there's a place near me with that on a sign." I logged on to egullet to look up the name of the place in Nutley that had the fire, and the first thread in the forum was this one. You've certainly weirded me out enough that I now have to go get some Pho tonight--thanks!!
  17. Happy Anniversary! 25 years certainly is something to celebrate. Depending on the ambience you're looking for, I'll chime in (as I have in the past) and suggest Tim Shafer's in Morristown. I've had great special occasion dinners there with both intimate and large gatherings. The caveat here is that it's hardly a quiet, romantic setting--but I like it because it's fun! And they really do appreciate foodies there. Their menus are on line, I think, although I'm not certain about all of the seasonal items. Worth a look if you don't want a quiet corner table where you can just sit and gaze into one anothers' eyes... The other suggestion is Il Mundo Vecchio in Madison, but I haven't been in YEARS; you'll have to depend on other egulleteers for more current thoughts.
  18. Just got an invite to dinner this weekend...it's dueling b'days for my best bud and I, and his folks want to take us to dinner somewhere in Morris County. They're not (I repeat, NOT) adventurous about food, partially due to routine, partially due to medical issues. Any thoughts on where we can go so he and I don't have to suffer through a bland, dull dinner? The only places I quickly came up with are Portofino in Morristown (BYO being a nice bonus and another way to keep us happy! ) and City Streets (?) in Morris Plains. Those two places would gain approval, if that gives you any idea. A place that serves seafood is always a good call, but something like South City Grill is out of the question--too hip for them! Any/all help is GREATLY appreciated! If they're not happy, it will NOT be a fun night.
  19. Now that I've been telling people about our meal yesterday, I realize that the two things I mention first are the soup dumplings and the flounder, which I left off my original list. I agree that the fish was just beautifully done--simple and delicious! And what great pics! Thanks again.
  20. Kudos to Rachel, Jason, Rosie, et al for choosing such a terrific menu for tonight's gathering...it was a great way to sample new dishes and see what C46 is capable of. I'll certainly go back SOON! I think my favorite items were the soup dumplings, the stuffed chicken, and the crab, but I really enjoyed all of it. More specifics to follow, but just wanted to say thanks again--it was great meeting so many of you!
  21. Now, THIS could be an interesting thread (if you haven't already done this)...a critique of DINERS! I say this b/c at the mention of the Park West, my first thought was that each time I've been there, I always think everything sounds delicious, and then I'm disappointed--salads included. Rosie---is this territory you've covered?
  22. The Tick Tock in Clifton, for one...they do a few different salads, some which are standard iceberg (for their chef salad, I think), but they also have one called Gourmet Blend that has tons of walnuts and blue cheese (you can also add grilled chicken) that's huge and always tasty!
  23. I haven't been there in quite a while, but Soho 33 in Madison had some delicious salads...not sure you can make a meal of one, but you certainly could if you tried two!
  24. There ARE a # of places owned by the Seabra family, but I have to say that I was NOT impressed by the one on the corner of McCarter Hwy (Rt 21) and Bridge Street (just diagonal from the Newark Bears stadium); you're likely better off going to one that's in the Ironbound! Just my $.02...
  25. Nori in Caldwell (on Bloomfield Ave) is WONDERFUL!!!
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