hitmanoo

I know two people who have had the same issue with Beans--one had a problem with both the coffee and tea purchased there, and when she said something, got a whole lot of attitude to boot. Needless to say, my friends have stopped shopping there. I agree with Susan that you should buy an inexpensive grinder! ← Guess I got lucky... There goes my motivation to get back to Beans...

Has the Town Hall Deli in South Orange reopened in its new location yet? I'd heard they were moving to Valley St.

I got some exceptional coffees at Beans during the summertime. I've been meaning to go back. I guess my only problem with Beans is the usual complaint in Montclair--Parking! Not the toughest place in town to get a spot, but it can get frustrating sometimes.

Is it possible that Table 8 excells during the week when things are quieter, but struggles on the weekend when things are busy? I had a great meal there. It's disappointing to read such negative reviews so soon after i went.

I'm probably in the minority opinion (what else is new? ) that if you're not open 24 hours, you're not a diner. If you're not open 24 hours, you are a diner themed restaurant.

Good idea. Has anyone ever tried Burnett BBQ on Sprinfield Ave in Maplewood? I've passed by a few times, but haven't seen much of a crowd, and I haven't braved it yet myself. Thought perhaps I'd get a heads up.

To clarify, it's not in Lackawana Plaza--the mini-mall with Pathmark and Dunkin Donuts, but rather it is on Glenridge Ave or Pine St?

I'm a huge fan of dark chocolate. I had no idea this store even existed. I don't ever really go to Lackawana Plaza as until now there was really no store to draw my attention. I'll be sure to check it out! edit: This weekend, my mother-in-law gave me a bar of 73% dark chocolate from Trader Joes. I thought that such a high percentage would be far too bitter, but I was wrong. I'm not sure of the price, but it was very tasty and not overbitter. If TJ wasn't so out of the way for me, I'd be sure to buy another.

Got to Michael's Roscommon House tonight. Had a calamari franchaise which I felt had a delicious sauce. The calamari was lightly breaded, but just a little chewy. I asked the waitress the difference b/w Buffalo and Jersey wings. She told us that Jersey wings were made with a cheese, garlic, lemon and oil sauce. So, we got an order of Jersey wings to try, and they were pretty decent. They were almost like a wings scampi style with a hint of Romano. Tasty, but not a "must order." The burger was excellent. Ordered medium rare, served just a touch shy of that with lettuce tomato and mushrooms. A side of better than expected fries. On top of everything the burger was served on a solid bun that did not wilt under the juice of the burger. --my problem with the burger at both Pal's Cabin and the Franklin Steakhouse is that they are both served on an inadequate bun. It's always a disapointment when the bun has sloughed away far before the burger is finished. This was not a problem at MRH. Accompanied by a glass of Guiness, I couldn't have been any happier. The servers were friendly and efficient, and they make a solid burger. Thanks for the recommendation!

We'll agree to disagree. While TJs may not be on the same level as WF, they both specialize in a higher quality product that is geared toward the organic and healthier shopper. I think that TJ is more of a competitor to the WF shopper than a conventional supermarket, or most other businesses that could take the spot of the Montclair location. I think this may all be moot though, as from what I've heard and read, WF will stay open both in West Orange and Montclair.

Anywhere in the world??? I had some fantastic traditional sushi at a restaurant called Ino in San Francisco. Very fresh, very straight-up no-frills sushi that was exceptional. Definitely not Americanized in any way. A little heavy on the wasabi--which I happen to enjoy.

I'm 0 for 1. I might be convinced to give Zen a second try, but I don't think my wife would be. She got far more ill than I did. Oh well, there are plenty of other spots.

From what I heard the WF in Montclair had no intention of closing. It would be odd to close a successful WF and allow one of your stronger competitors to take over...

I don't think yuppies would be a problem at McSorelys on St. Patrick's Day. If you're not actively drinking, they toss you out. ← Yuppies and frat boys have been a problem at McSorelys for a decade, not only on St. Patricks day but every weekend. It's a neat place but I'm not going to stand behind police barricades for 2 hours waiting to get in the door to stand shoulder to shoulder while drinking only as much ale as I can hold at one time. Will only go there on weekdays, afternoons preferred. Give me PJs, Fanellis or Old Town Bar instead... Same day as photo above we patronize PJ Clarkes... ← I think I've only been there for one St. Patty's Day, and our group arrived very early. We didn't have any wait, and by the time we rolled out, I didn't notice much of any wait. Though my memory of leaving is not on par with my memory of arrival. Of course, this was back in my college days when drinking was more of a common event, and many a day seemed like practices for St. Patrick's Day.

Nice! Being on the verge of purchasing a home in W. Orange, I'm very excited to have a new Whole Foods nearby!

A pub crawl! Now that brings me back to some good times! A pub crawl in Nutley sounds like a fun idea--if only I didn't have to work on Saturday I don't think yuppies would be a problem at McSorelys on St. Patrick's Day. If you're not actively drinking, they toss you out.

Usually dark, but after a few hours, it got very hazy....

If you're not going to McSorely's Pub in NYC, you may as well just go anywhere! No other St. Patrick's Day experience has ever come close to the one I spent at that "fine" establishment!

There's no problem with you ordering sushi at the hibachi table. However, if it's just the 2 of you, and you're both ordering sushi and not Hibachi, it would be a little rude to occupy the spots at the table if there is a decent wait for seating. However, if one or both of you is ordering hibachi, it's not a problem for one or both of you to order sushi. I just went last night, and the wait for hibachi was very long. We made a reservation for a regular table, but I don't think there would have been much of a wait for that. The sushi was delicious! I didn't even notice the name change of the restaurant.

That's a delicious looking steak!

I can't disagree with your take on quality steak. However, I do disagree that you can do a better job cooking it at home. Not to knock your cooking skills which I know nothing about, but most of us don't have the apparatus to cook a steak at home the way they can in a steakhouse. I certainly don't have a high end oven/broiler that can reach the temperatures they can acheive in a steakhouse. I guess the question is, which is better--a high quality steak cooked in subpar cooking apparatus, or a non high-end steak cooked in top notch cooking apparatus? On an unrelated note, I hope you do try Sammy's. I haven't been in several months, but I have been a great number of times, and it is exceptional.

Wow... I was planning to head over there after work for lunch in a little while. Glad that I checked here first, but saddened to read of this unfortunate incident. Best of luck getting reopened ASAP!

Okayama 4 Alvin Place Upper Montclair, NJ 07043 973-783-5680 I haven't done the hibachi here, but the sushi is exceptional. After East Tokyo closed in East Hanover, we were looking for a new sushi place. Okayama has fresh, delicious sushi. It's much tougher to get a table on the weekend, but it's well worth it. I think they do a better job than Dai Kichi, though I wish they'd change the specials more often. For other hibachi in the area, Ekko on Northfield Ave in West Orange does a good job, though I find them to be a bit overpriced. They also claim to do a French fusion, and while they do use some influence in their food, I don't find them to be a true fusion restaurant. Ekko 481 Northfield Ave West Orange 973-243-1020

That's a great call about the Franklin Steakhouse!!! I've often felt that the ladies tending bar were just shy of a pole. It's almost comical. My wife (LI native) calls it "NJ cheese," and it's tough to argue. They do make a fine burger though... Not to mention some tasty sweet potato fries.

it should be a great place. as it turns out it's not. haven't tried the burger yet (and it didn't look promising), but i will soon. i do like the young vibe they've got there. no doubt due to its proximity to a college. ← take two: one of the best burgers i've had in NJ. good enough to make me forget the mediocre pizza and barely passable BBQ. ← How does it compare to the Franklin Steakhouse? or Michael's Roscommon, which I still would love to try?