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hitmanoo

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Everything posted by hitmanoo

  1. Thanks for the heads-up... I was hoping that this place would have a dependable menu option, as it would be nice to have something local. If I find myself in there, maybe I should try the dish ejebud had! On that note, Reggianos, a few doors down from Fortissimo always seems to have a packed parking lot. Certainly a lot more traffic than Wish ever had. I hear this is more 'fine dining' than casual. Also, Primavera in the Wilshire Hotel is not too far a stroll, and I have still yet to go there. Jason ← Primavera used to be in the spot occupied by Reggiano's. They are doing the exact same thing as they used to do. They have a liquor license and are a little more expensive after the move. They do a pretty solid job. I get a chuckle because they have about 30 specials nightly that seem to be the exact same list of specials night after night. Reggiano isn't doing anything special. I find that they tend to oversalt a little bit, and several of my dining companions have complained about that far more than I have. They too are a little pricy, but they do a consistant job. Not quite sure why the lot is always packed other than the fact that in Northern NJ, many people feel that a pricy Italian place must be doing a good job, and with a liquor license as well, people are able to have a few cocktails. I'm not trying to knock Reggianos, but you can get the same or better food at far too many places to go out of your way to come here... Took my first trip to Fortissimo last night. Very reasonably priced and they serve a so-so slice of pizza that my wife felt was a little "doughy." I had linguini with red clam sauce that I felt was right on target. Nothing high end, but priced perfectly for what it is. I'd give it another try. It'd be nice to have a cheap local Italian place that is consistant enough to frequent.
  2. Curlz, that sounds like my usual experience at TF. Delicious food ruined by subpar service.
  3. "HAMBURGERS!!! The cornerstone of a nutritious breakfast!"-- Jules Winnfield
  4. I thought the Mango was particularly outstanding. I can't agree or disagree about the lemon, as that' not one of my favorite flavors.
  5. Wow! That looks absolutely incredible! What apparatus did you use to cook your paella?
  6. 8 months it took you?!? That's unlucky. I hope you've made it to the Belmont Tavern at least... Holsten's is about 2 blocks from one of my offices. Great to grab a cup during lunch and sit in the park when the weather is nice.
  7. Just went to Holsten's on Friday evening. I've never seen it so mobbed before. There must have been a 10 minute wait at the counter! Great coffee chip and some solid maple walnut--though this particular batch was nuttier than usual.
  8. Tried Brookside Thai tonight for the first time. Overall, I was very pleased. The dining room is a bit on the smallish side and we had to wait about 15 minutes, but when we were seated, our servers were friendly and courteous. Our waitress helped us to pick out a few dishes, and overall we were pleased. Appetizers: Curry Puff- This was the only dish I was not pleased with. I found it to be far too doughy. I found that the substance was overwhelmed by the dough. I did enjoy the taste of the cucumber sauce though... Spring Rolls- Pretty staright up dish. A little oily from the frying, but overall tasty. Exactly what I expected, and pretty good. Dumplings (I forget exactly which)--Not too doughy. and the meat filling had a delicious flavor. Very large and a little tough to handle... Definitely more than a mouthful which made them a llittle tough to eat without them falling apart a little bit. Yum Ped--Very delicious flavor with a spicy kick. Not overly spicy, but a fantastic blend of spices, sweetness and salad with that bite onion for contrast. Not quite like the Wondees version in terms of the duck itself. At Wondees they use only the crisp skin of the duck. Here they use strips of duck meat. Not quite so crispy. I think I prefer Wondees version, but only for that crisp duck skin... I think Brookside Thai makes a more flavorful version. Entrees- A forgettable seafood dish--a combination of shrimp, scallops and calamari with brocolli in an oyster sauce. Not a bad dish but nothing special... Pad Cee-Ew- Perfectly done. I enjoyed the flavor, the texture, everything. It was very delicate with a hint of sweetness. The crispness of the broccoli contrasting with the softness of the noodles. We had ours with pork which soaked up the flavor, and in my opinion worked well with the sweetness of the dish. Also a good chewing conistancy to bridge the gap b/w the broccoli and the noodle. The highlight dish--Gang Keaw Wan with chicken--Served Thai spicy. Too spicy for one member of our party, and almost too spicy for me, but despite that heat, the dish really worked for me. The flavor of the curry hit you in the back of the tongue, only to be replaced by the heat of the spice which hit against the same spot on the tongue. Very interesting sensation. I enjoyed the textures of the vegetables, and the red pepper added a refreshing sweetness. In all, I was quite pleased, and am looking foward to trying it out again.
  9. How long has this place been in business?
  10. There is a place on Maywood Ave in either Hackensack or Maywood just off of Essex St, but before you get to the train tracks. I think it may be called "Clyde's." They have some of the best Italian Ice I have ever tasted and is well worth the trip. The lemon ice is full of flavor and zest and everything that makes for perfect lemon ice!
  11. I heard that Whole Foods stopped carrying lobster because they're converting into a Kosher chain.
  12. hitmanoo

    Penang

    The Penang in East Hanover is pretty good, and you get a tremendous amount of food for a very low price. It's not spectacular, but you get a pretty good meal if you order right. I can't recall any recommendations at this early hour off the top of my head, as I haven't been in awhile.
  13. Soft shell crab season is done already?!?
  14. I just read two different news articles about this (Whole Foods ban on live lobsters). Is there a discussion thread on eG about this yet? Rachel? Jason? I'm ready to sound off about this ... I can only imagine what Tony Bourdain would have to say about this subject, knowing his opinion about the foie gras ban in Chicago ... ← Really not much of a debate. Whole Foods is free to choose whatever they'd like to keep in their sales inventory. A private establishment choosing not to sell live Lobster is quite different from a city ordinance banning the sale of said product.
  15. That's a shame. I thought they did a great job with their authentic dishes, however, they rarely had any business. I had just started going there as well, as I had only heard about it recently. For whatever reason, no restaurant has been successful at that location.
  16. I'm always amazed by how much more business they do in Montclair than any of the other locations I've been to. I'm surprised they can even stay in business in East Hanover...
  17. A Little Saigon run followed up with some Applegate Farm for dessert... Sounds like my kind of evening!
  18. I don't really have anything to add, but I just wanted to bring this topic back to the top, because it is summer, and it is time to discuss our favorite new and old outdoor dining establishments. Wish I had an idea for right now...
  19. I can't say I agree with this, as everytime I saw people ordering large amounts of food, the food was always loaded up and ready to go before the transaction was processed. Of course, the largest orders I saw were about 10 plates so I could be wrong. I'm definitely feeling the effects of yesterday today. A return is questionable!
  20. From what I observed, the problems were not in plating the food, nor were they in particularly large orders. The problem was with the slow processing of the fast pass cards by the equipment. They had the food all plated and stacked onto trays for people to take away, but the hold up was in data processing. At one point, we gave our card, and they swiped it and it took at least a full minute to process the transaction. Multiply that by the 30-50 parties ahead of you online and you have trouble. If there were a couple of more registers dedicated to fast pass, or if they were able to speed along the few they had, things would have rolled along smoothly.
  21. Round 2 Many places were out of food by 4:30, but we hit one place and that was enough BBQ for one day. The Beef Brisket and Sausage from Salt Lick. The best combo I tasted all day. The BBQ sauce seemed a nice mustardy vinegar which went great with the brisket. The sausage was nice and spicy, and I really enjoyed it. What a beautiful (but windy) day, and a perfect day for barbecue!
  22. Taking a break after round 1. The Bubba's Fast Passes did NOT provide the speedy service we anticipated. Unfortunately, the machines were so very slow in processing the cards that it took at least a full minute from the time the card was swiped until each order was processed. Multiply that by the # of people in line, and you have BIG PROBLEMS It got so bad that a couple of places just stopped swiping cards and just gave out free food just to speed things along. That was nice, but it shouldn't have to be that way. We went to Southside Market to start off with a fantastic combo of sausage and brisket. Would have preferred the sausage a little spicier, but other than that it was dead on! Nice vineger based slaw on the side. The line for Big Bob Gibson was so long that we snuck in some Blue Smoke Ribs. The ribs were just ok, but were a nice filler until Gibson. Gibson's pulled pork was exceptional. The red sauce was recommended and is fantastic. I may buy a bottle or two for myself. Will head back for round 2 shortly...
  23. Romantico Restaurant I suggest Romantico in Randolph on Route 10. I think it's exactly what you're looking for. 399 Route 10 East Randolph, N.J. 07869 973-361-9048
  24. dude, for real on the VI burger? it doesn't seem like a place i'd necessarily eat (although the wings smelled damned good). dollar buds on thursday. c'mon. ← I've never gone to the VI for a meal. Some drinks, sure, possibly some snack food to accompany it. I guess I'd say that the food at the VI exists so you don't have to drink on an empty stomach.
  25. Some people hang out at hotels or bars hoping to chat it up with rock stars or athletes. Others try to sneak onto the lots in Hollywood to catch a glimpse of the stars. For egulleters, it's late night at the BBQ pits....
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