marybitt

Why can't restaurants give customers a daily Specials Menu, ala The Bernards Inn? The wait staff can still describe the items, but at least they are in writing, with prices, and if the wait staff are hard to understand, be it a room with poor acoustics or a foreign accent, it is almost a moot point to have to listen to them, remember what they said and finally make a decision!

1. Restaurants who will not issue separate checks for a table. 2. Parents who insist on bring small children to the restaurant and then expect the restaurant to be the baby sitters ... much like super markets today, and, sigh, more a problem of today's parents than their children! 3. Waiters who reach in front of me to refill a water glass or give me a fresh roll. 4. Waiters who hover in general.

One of my great regrets about moving away from the Summit area is the now relative inaccessibility of Hill City Deli in Summit. German oriented, they have (for me) the best home made potato salads, pasta salads, fish salads, ham salad and sloppy joes of any deli I've ever been to in the 45 years I've been living in NJ. Their cole slaw is the BEST! Their rye bread is superb, and their sandwiches are a real treat. Now that you have me started, I just may have to go to Summit today and stock up!!

Last night we went to one of my two favorite restaurants, Sezchuan Delight on Central Avenue in New Providence. I went there frequently during the last of my years at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, and Danny created a fabulous, reasonably-priced retirement luncheon for me that the memory of which still makes my mouth water. (And, BTW, I DO like "that orange sauce", for whatever that makes me!) We arrived at 6:00pm to a 99% empty restaurant. By 6:30 there was a line at the door, but never once were we hurried or pushed. 2/3rds of the patrons were Chinese, and regulars. One of Danny's talents is creating something that isn't on the menu, aka, salted fish, chicken and tofu in a wonderful sauce. I will say no more ... experience it for yourself! My other favorite is Hunan Taste in Denville. In both places, the noodles are particularly crisp and the fried dumplings are not greasy, among other pluses. And I do like the atmosphere at Hunan Taste, with the wonderful fish tanks and there is a bar with a decent wine selection as well. (BYO in New Providence, but next door to a liquor store!) Enjoy!