hitmanoo

i'm a funny guy. i was wondering if they take reservations. i was considering this saturday night as well. ← Sammy's does NOT take reservations.

Actually, one of my patients was in the other day and told me that her cousin was opening the place. I wished her and her cousin luck, and told her that I thought the location was cursed. She laughed and agreed. Nothing ever seems to make it at that location. Hopefully Giambotta will turn it around.

Any idea if they are open on Mondays?

Yeah... that never works out for me. It's just one of those things in life I deal with. I didn't know they'd call your cell phone, so I may give that a try. Whenever I get the buzzer, unless I'm waiting at the restaurant (which defeats the purpose) I seem to wander out of range. After that happens a couple of times, you find yourself less willing to wander away, and you find yourself popping back into the restaurant to see if you've missed your page (which defeats the purpose). The cell phone idea is pretty great though. I wonder how that works out around the holidays when things are out of control...

I've seen you mention this in a couple of posts. In your opinion, what constitutes a good or a bad order at Legal Seafood? I so rarely go, but I am curious. I usually go if I find myself at the Short Hills Mall for some reason, but I find it tough to wait 45 minutes to eat at a restaurant. (edited for vulgarity) don't say the "C" word around tommy!

This is absolutely true. The clam chowder I had in Boston was far superior to the version I had in Millburn, NJ. The NJ version was still very good, but I was blown away by the Boston version. The chowder I had in Boston was as good a version as any I've ever had!

I thought that Amstel Light was in fact Heinekin light... From what I heard, Heinekin didn't want to discredit their name by producing a light beer under the label "Heinekin" so they made it under Amstel instead... Of course, I hear so very many things that turn out to be untrue... As for Legal Seafood, I'm a big fan of their clam chowder. I find it to be consistant, and as good as any version I've found...

I decided to try out Osteria Giotto last night for the first time. I must say that I had a good experience. The food was delicious. I went with an asparagus and artichoke soup that was unlike any soup I've had before. It was as fine a soup as any I've eaten. For an entree, I had the risotto of the day which was served with a touch of tomato and assorted seafood--scallops, clams, mussels and shrimp. The rice was very tender and the flavors in the dish were delicious. I was stuffing down that risotto far after I was completely full. In fact, everyone in my party enjoyed their respective meal, and all found the food to be exceptional. We didn't have any issues with the service aside from a brief wait for our table despite our reservation, and a busboy who obviously didn't have a complete grasp of English, as he called everyone at our table--male and female-- "sir." I'm not sure if word of the water incident got back to the restaurant somehow, but when we were seated, our server made clear that there was a choice of sparkling, bottled-still, and plain water. The service was friendly and attentive, the timing of service was on the money, and the food was absolutely delicious! I was pleasantly surprised by the positive experience, and I will definitely return. In addition, I was surprised by the packed restaurant on a Monday night--usually an off night in the restaurant business. Given the crowd on Monday, I would strongly recommend reservations if you plan to dine at Osteria Giotto. I'm not sure how far in advance you need to book a table. I was able to get reservations for Monday on Monday afternoon. I'd imagine that the weekends need a bit more advanced notice.

What is the difference between regular Coke and Kosher for Passover Coke, besides the little lable on the bottle/can? Just curious as to how it is made differently.

Isn't a dentist who gives out candy as gifts really just looking for business? ← I move that the above comment be stricken from the record!!!

Wow! This is a tough shop to find! I drove past it twice and didn't find it, then I parked right out front and ate my lunch and still didn't see it. I got out of my car and went door to door on foot until I finally found it. We discussed her need to put a better sign on her store, and she assured me that she'll be putting up a brand new awning. I bought 4 chocolate bars for my friend for his birthday. (Hope he doesn't read this before I give it to him tomorrow) I'll have to wait to get his review. She gave me a couple of samples. I tried a chocolate wafer with spicy pumpkin seeds. While I thought the chocolate was tasty enough, the pumpkin seeds did not really add much to the flavor. After the chocolate was done, all I was left with was a spicy aftertaste that I did not enjoy. Susan and I were of the same opinion on this, and I don't think she'll be stocking this particular item. However, she also gave me a roasted cocoa bean that I thought was fantastic! A nice texture with a tasty flavor... I wish I'd bought a bag of them, but that could get dangerous! I'm excited to try the chocolate bar that was blended with ginger. Sounds like it will be an interesting combo! Her website is not reflective of everything in stock, so be sure to stop in and check it out for yourselves!

Of those you asked about, I've only not been to Fortunato's. I'd have to go with either Fascino or Blu. Table 8 was exceptional when I went there, but I've heard mixed reviews about the service. Terrible service is the norm for me at Trattoria Fresco. They have good food, but I've had 5 times as many terrible experiences there as I've had good experiences, so I woudln't recommend TF to anyone. Both Fascino and Blu are a terrific blend of exceptional food with service to match. If it's a toss-up between these two places, I'd go with whichever place can better accomodate your party for your desired time.

So-so inventory is right! It's amazing how much more they have to offer in the Edgewater location than they offer in Montclair. In all honesty, the Montclair location needs to make a move on the space occupied by Starbucks. Starbucks would do just as well in another location nearby on Bloomfield Ave.

For me, there's more to Whole Foods than just the organic aspect. I think they have better/fresher seafood than most of the other grocery stores in the area, not to mention an interesting variety of prepared foods. Certain organic items like milk and apples are usually available at Shop Rite, and for much better prices.

i would have knocked him on his ass. ← Agreed.

A smart waiter would bring the sealed bottle to the table, and open it table-side for the customer. If the customer didn't want it--no harm done! The bottle could have been taken back, no money lost. Much like they do with a bottle of wine. They don't open the bottle in the back and then bring it out. It's very important to confirm the order while the bottle is sealed. Otherwise it is just a lack of foresight of the waiter and/or the restaurant at large.

It's a shame that Italian has become the standard cuisine of choice of so many in northern NJ. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Italian food, but there are so many Italian restaurant choices. Most of them are a dime a dozen, and price is no indication of quality. I enjoy your style of cuisine and the quality of your food. If your restaurant weren't a 30+ minute drive from me, I'd be there more often. I hope that if you do decide to go with a more Italian cuisine, that you'll still take the liberty of keeping a variety of American dishes--if only on the specials menu.

A Google search turned up their web site, which has dated info, but a contact form. Likely your best bet for answers! ← Thanks... I saw the same dated web site. I suppose my best bet may be to take a drive over there.

Thai Chef in Montclair is decent. It's a place I really enjoy dining at when I can get one of the outdoor tables when the weather is nice. I really tend to go more for the outdoor dining, as I don't really seem to wind up there in the winter time... As far as Thai dining goes in NJ, the best I've eaten at is Wondees in Hackensack. The food is sensational. The service and atmosphere are adequate--not spectacular, but the food is consistantly fantastic, and the prices are more than reasonable. The portion sizes are neither too big nor too small. In fact, it's been too long since I've gone to Wondees---I'll have to get back there soon!

um... Any world on the Town Hall Deli???

I'm not sure if you were addressing me, but my choice to go to a restaurant is based on the food. Liquor license or BYO doesn't make much difference to me.

While I agree that a good wine list along with a staff knowledgeable about pairing and selection can add to a dining experience, I disagree that a liquor license is "essential" to fine dining. Perhaps the pairing of wine and food for some is so intricate as to render a BYO inferior--to the point where ordering a bottle of wine based on the selected food is essential to the overall meal. I suppose that if I have a bottle of wine that I enjoy and I have to bring it to the restaurant with me that I just don't mind so much. But to say that BYO cannot be "fine dining" sets the standard a little high in my mind. Since there really is no set definition of what constitutes fine dining, I guess that there is no true answer.

How can you hold the liquor license policies of various municipalities against the quality of a restaurant? Certainly there is more to fine dining than an exquisite wine list or a bartender who knows how to make a stellar Manhattan. I find your tying of "fine dining" to a liquor license unsettling...

assuming, of course, that we like KC BBQ the best. i prefer central south carolina and eastern north carolina BBQ. to me they are true expressions of BBQ. and to a lot of other people as well. comparing KC BBQ to all other BBQ makes about as much sense as comparing it to dry-aged steaks or pasta. while they are related by name and smoke, they're totally different animals. if you'll pardon the pun. ← I'm not so sure that the point is KC BBQ or Carolina BBQ or Texas BBQ per se--I think the point is enjoying genuine BBQ at its origin where they really do it right vs having BBQ in NY/NJ where they can imitate but not duplicate genuine BBQ. ← perhaps i misread rich's thrust. "imitate" vs "duplicate"???!?! poppycock. on the notion that you can't make KC or texas or memphis or eastern carolina BBQ in NJ, that's just ridiculous. whether or not anyone actually is is debatable. but you can take a pit master from KC, hitch his smoker to a pickup, drive it up 95, and back it into my back yard, and he will be producing the same exact product. you could even buy a smoker up here instead of dragging it from KC. there's nothing magical happening inside of the essentially arbitrary borders of KC, no secret element inherent in the air or water or trees or pigs or dry rub, that isn't happening or doesn't exist in NJ. but i'll agree that NYC water is essential for a good bagel. ← I guess we'll just have to make a road trip to KC and a road trip to Carolina to get a basis of comparison, and then decide if anyone in NY/NJ even comes close. It's easy to say that something can be done here. It's tougher to confirm that it's actually being done. I know that I had a couple of dishes at the NYC Big Apple BBQ that blew me away... I can just imagine how well they are done in the actual restaurant in the native location.

assuming, of course, that we like KC BBQ the best. i prefer central south carolina and eastern north carolina BBQ. to me they are true expressions of BBQ. and to a lot of other people as well. comparing KC BBQ to all other BBQ makes about as much sense as comparing it to dry-aged steaks or pasta. while they are related by name and smoke, they're totally different animals. if you'll pardon the pun. ← I'm not so sure that the point is KC BBQ or Carolina BBQ or Texas BBQ per se--I think the point is enjoying genuine BBQ at its origin where they really do it right vs having BBQ in NY/NJ where they can imitate but not duplicate genuine BBQ. Kind of like having a NY style bagel in Florida. As best as they try to make one, it's just not as good as the "real thing."