hitmanoo

Reminds me of a dish I was served that had minced garlic. Not a real problem except that the garlic was not yet peeled.

As "the previous poster" I'd like to add that I also enjoyed the rice crackers. Very light and refreshing without filling you up like bread. I don't like when plates are removed before the entire party is finished. I don't recall that being a problem for us. I'm sorry you had a problem when you went there. I agree that the prices are on the high side, and you can probably get more bang for your buck. As for sushi, I'd much sooner go to East Tokyo in East Hanover. Their sushi has always been fresh and delicious, and their prices are much lower than Ekko.

Just went there last night. I'd describe it as Japanese and European fusion with influences from Chinese cuisine. They have a regular restaurant section, a Sushi bar, a Hibachi area, and a large bar area. It is tastefully decorated. The service was a bit spotty at points, but overall was satisfactory. I was overwhelmed by the menus... They brought a drink menu, a sushi menu, a wine list, and the main menu. In fact, when I was reading the main menu, I never got to the second section as I didn't realize there was a second section until after I'd already ordered. The food was very good. Appetizers Steamed Shumai and Shrimp Spring Rolls. Both were very tasty. The shumai were standard more or less, but with a pleasant flavor. The spring rolls were excellent. Not your typical steamed "eggroll" style wrap, but an open faced tempura style wrap. The ginger soy dipping sauce was tasty enough, but for some reason I kept hoping that it would be a peanut sauce. I think that would have been a better complement to the dish. Entrees: Black & White Sesame Encrusted Tuna. Seared rare and cooked perfectly. Really a great cut of fish that was succulant and flavorful. Enjoyed every bite of it. Grilled Beef Short Ribs. Nicely done. The beef was very tender, and it was served with a flavorful soy sauce. Very tasty. The entire meal with tip was about $95. We ordered one cocktail and one soda. I'll go back sometime. I think the price was a tad high, but not remotely unreasonable given the quality of the food. In all, a very positive dining experience.

The answer that I realize you already know is that you can't. A Philly steak has to be eaten on-site if to be properly judged. In all honesty, this experiment is bunk.

Use a cutting board on my table top without first placing a towel under it. Simply placing a towel will keep the cutting board stable and prevent any slips that lead to cut fingers.

Chicken Holiday on Bloomfield Ave in Caldwell makes some outstanding wings! Keep in mind, "outstanding" is not a term I throw around loosely.

What about Hunan Taste in Denville? I've been there and it was very good. Does this restaurant not rank right up there? Keep in mind I've been to China 46, but not Hunan Cottage, so I can vouch for the former, but not the latter.

Decided to check out this place last night. I'd seen it a few times, and we were in the mood for Asian food last night. Dinner for two: 2 wonton soups Shrimp with Spicy Salt and Chili Pepper Pork Chop with Peking Sauce The wonton soup was decent enough with a chicken style broth and tasty wontons. Not too doughy. The Shrimp was the highlight dish of our meal. Not really spicy at all like I was expecting. When you see a dish marked as hot and spicy and it even says spicy in the title, you expect a little kick. I'd describe this dish more as a salt and pepper shrimp with a twist of lemon and lime. Very tasty, but not what I was expecting. The Pork Chops were tasty and well cooked. A little too sweet for me. Very meaty, with very little bone. While very good, I've had a far, far better version of this dish at Phoenix Garden (PG) in NYC. Being that PG's version was far and away superior, it's tough for me to give a more positive review of this dish. It was very good, but potentially so much better. The servers were friendly, prompt and attentive. The meal, with tip was just shy of $50. I may or may not go back. If I do return, I think it would be with a larger group than 2 so I could try more dishes and give the restaurant a better chance. While I wouldn't avoid this place, I don't think that there was too much to distinguish it from any other standard Chinese restaurant in the area. Come to think of it, does anybody have some Chinese restaurant suggestions in the Montclair/West Orange area? Almost went to Hunan Cottage last night for the first time, but didn't feel like driving over to Fairfield.

A Whole Foods would be great there for me, as it would be so convenient, but I can't believe that they'd put a Whole Foods at that location. There's already one on Bloomfield Ave, in Montclair and Millburn Ave in Millburn. They'd be competing with themselves. Then again, if the Home Depot can do it...

Really enjoyed my time on Kauai, and 2 restaurants in particular stand out in my memory. 1. The seafood buffet at the Princeville. We made a reservation and had a gorgeous table overlooking the sunset and Hanalei Bay. Such a good variety of food, so fresh and tasty. If I'm not mistaken, they only do the seafood buffet once a week. 2. The Beach House. Some of the friendliest service of my life. I couldn't decide what I really wanted, so our waiter guided me through step by step. Narrowing down my general preferences and then breaking things down to specific flavors, textures, etc. By the time I decided, I was so pumped for my meal that I swore I could taste it before it arrived. Absolutely delicious! Our waiter took us outside afterwards for pictures by the water with a breathtaking view. Definitely my best meal in Hawaii. Wish I could remember more of the particulars, including what I actually ate, but I was there in September of 2003! That being said, these two meals must have really been special if I'm remembering them a year and a half later and posting about them here on egullet.

Ok, so I went to Wish last night as planned for Valentine's Day. It was a most pleasing meal. The restaurant was not too crowded for our 7 PM reservation... in fact, I don't think it was so much as half filled. We were promptly seated, and our bottle of champaign was opened and put in a table-side bucket of ice. Our waiter told us the specials of the evening, and was courteous to answer all of our questons. We were seated only about 5 minutes when the chef popped out of the kitchen and made his way to a few tables. He came over to greet us and was both kind and pleasant. Overall, the meal was solid. Even the three different types of bread were fresh and flavorful. Appetizers: Calamari/Zucchini--not too heavy and quite tasty. The sauce added a nice complement of flavor and did not drown the dish. The calamari was light and tender. Mushroom risotto--very well prepared. The rice was neither too tough nor too mushy, and the mushrooms really absorbed the creamy flavor of the dish. I don't have an abundance of experience with truffles or truffle oil, but there was certainly a delicious flavor that I couldn't quite place, and that may have been it. Main: Filet Mignon--ordred medium rare and cooked to perfection. A filet can be a fairly standard dish, and is easy to ruin by overcooking. This piece of meat was cooked to order, and the combination of the vegetables and wine reduction gave an added tasty flavor. Snapper--I ordered the Snapper from the specials...potato encrusted with a roasted red pepper salsa. I've been on such a roasted pepper kick lately, and this dish did not disappoint. Very tasty. The fish was flaky and fresh, and the combination of flavors of the sauce, potato crust and salsa were extraordinary. Definitely my favorite dish of the evening. I told our waiter that I'd be posting a positive review here, and sure enough the chef popped out for another chat. His name is Bret, if memory serves me correctly. We chatted for a few minutes, and he was very animated. He seemed very passionate about his food. (He did NOT appreciate your microwave comment, Rosie ) To finish the meal, they brought over some chocolate covered strawberries, which were perfect with our champaign. In fact, I don't recall getting strawberries with such a thick coating of dark chocolate. As a dark chocolate fan, I was loving it! Our waiter brought a single red rose over to my wife at the meal's end, which was a thoughtful Valentine's Day touch. I truly couldn't have been more pleased with our experience there, and I am excited to return. Edit: Forgot to mention, the price of dinner (keeping in mind it is a BYO), with tax and before tip was about $75

That's funny. We passed by Sonny's but we didn't have anytime to check it out at all. First Choice turned out to be a solid choice for BBQ. I wasn't a huge fan of the pork, as I found it to be a little dry and more of a chicken- or turkey-like consistancy. The sausage was superb! Of what I tried, it was the highlight of the restaurant. Smokey, full-flavored and delicious. The brisket was pretty tasty w/ a sweet aftertaste. I only got a bite or two of the ribs, but they were tasty, and if ever I were to go back, I'd order them to give them a full chance. I really enjoyed the BBQ sauce. wrek gave a good description of the flavor with which I agree. Such an inexpensive meal as well. I got 1/2 lb each of pork, brisket and sausage, w/ some fries and water for about $15, and there was plenty to take home after the meal for a late-night snack. Thanks to the Gifted Gourmet for the recommendation!

This is from one of my earliest posts. Moonfish in Orlando was solid!

Veggies, chips, dips... mini hot dogs Wings Anti Pasta platter w/ the Italian meats and cheeses Kosher meats platter with turkey, roast beef, corned beef, pickles, slaw, salads... A friend is making a surprise dish... rumors say a pasta w/ a vodka cream sauce. entenmann's cake--a birthday request cupcakes lots of beer, a small variety of liquor I'm sure some other items will turn up as well... SuperBowl Sunday! GOOD TIMES!!!

Have you been to Wish yet? The online menu looks good. I think there are about five of us within a couple miles of that place. scarlet knight's/Rosie's Wish recommendations will get me there soon. ← I have not yet been to wish, and I found the menu interesting. I'll be sure to give a review of my Valentine's Day experience. Wish I could try it for the first time on a different day.

Is this the place that used to be Spectators sports bar?

Not all people are food connoisseurs. Many people just like the familiarity of a chain restaurant. They like that they know the menu, it becomes "comfortable" to them. They figure that if the restaurant is all over the place that it must be good. Also, most chain operations have a standard mode of operation. They are family friendly and provide similar ammenities to their guests. There is an entire world of Asian food fans that cannot really tell top tier food from midgrade food. Whether or not these people will admit that fact is a separate issue. For some reason, people follow people. If they see a 30 minute wait at PF Changs, and no wait at Joe's Peking Duck House, they will think that the masses has access to some information that they do not. There must be some reason that everyone is flocking to one restaurant over the other. More power to you, if you can find a better restaurant with a shorter wait. Consider it your good fortune.

Wow, that sounds like an interesting place! Any other suggestions?

Heading back to Tampa the weekend of February 12th. Going to meet with a large group of friends, about a dozen of us. Any suggestions on where we can go for a fun atmosphere with great food?

I miss Poor Henry's in East Hanover, on the banks of the Passaic River on Eagle Rock Ave. On the same site now is Ravello's. Nothing particularly exceptional about Poor Henry's. My parents used to take our family there when I was a child. good times...

Fink is done?!? I'd hoped for a full recovery, but I guess that health concerns have taken their toll. This is disappointing. Get well soon!!! From Fink's website:

Town Hall Deli is in the process of moving from S. Orange Ave to Valley St just around the corner. Not sure if there has been a change in ownership. Washington Mutual put a bank into the former location of the Town Hall Deli. Forgot to mention. The Town Hall Deli claims to be the originator of the Sloppy Joe Sandwich. I wonder what other places make that claim, and who truly invented the sandwich...

I miss Grunnings so much. My favorite ice cream of all time. Can't believe somebody else posted about this place. I was just about to bring it up myself. There was one in Caldwell as well--where I used to go the most. I think it's the Rainbow Restaurant now.

The original owner (an old man) sold it to some new guys. The new guys ran it for awhile, but decided it wasn't for them. Reading through the books, the new guys told the old owner that if he didn't take it back, they'd report his discrepancies to the IRS. Reluctantly, the old man took it back. Too old to want to deal with the restaurant business, and unable to find a true new owner, Don's folded. It's now a children's preschool/learning center. Such a shame, Don's made a great burger!

Ate at Tuptim in Montclair last night. Not a bad meal. Tuptim Montclair, NJ. Started off with 2 orders of dumplings, both regular and vegetarian. I'll have to say that while the regular dumplings had a nice flavor, the vegetable dumplings were superior. We ordered the Royal Siam Duck Salad, which I thought would come out as an appetizer. Was a little overwhelmed when it came out with the rest of the entrees. While tasty, I've had a far superior version of a similar salad at Wondees in Hackensack. We had a special called "Just Noodles," which was three separate noodle dishes served on the same plate: A vermicelli, a pad thai, and a flat noodle. All three were good. The vermicelli was served a bit on the spicy side, and was exceptional. In addition, we had the seafood gra-tiam-a combination of shrimp, scallops and calimari, sautéed with garlic, pepper, and fresh cilantro. Tasty, but nothing spectacular. Finally, we had Tofu Pad Ped, a soft tofu with chili pepper and peas, served with a black bean sauce. Again, good but not exceptional. The only dish that really blew me away was the vermicelli. I wasn't disapointed with the meal, but I must say that I've had better Thai elsewhere. Perhaps I've just been spoiled by the consistant excellence acheived by Wondees.