pnapoli

The article "Great Escapes, No Beach House Needed" by Helene Stapinski on p.6 of the NJ section of today's NYT mentions a place in Paterson called Libby's. It is described as a "little barbeque shack that has been serving up Texas wieners and hamburgers for almost 70 years." I found some info via google but was wondering if any egullet folks have been here and if so, what do you think? is the menu limited to burgers and dogs or are they also doing 'que? thanks.

we went here on friday and had the sauteed shredded yellow eel shanghai style and the szechuan capsicum scallops. both were delicious but the eel was especially good. and i can't get those pork buns out of my mind...soo good.

the grilled quail (with sautéed mushrooms, bacon and cherry tomatoes) is incredibly good here.

i wonder what his plans are for wolfe's? i had a really wonderful experience there about 2 years ago (5 course tasting menu, iirc). the meal, the service, and the atmosphere were spot on. i was thinking about returning on an upcoming trip to NO, but now i'm not sure.

john: i googled this and found a few things that listed the address as 201 hirst ave. in rio grande (off of rt. 47). does that sound right? i didn't find anything on rt 9. thx.

we went here friday night and had a really good time. we arrived around 8:30 without a reservation, and they were quite busy, so we went upstairs to wait at the bar. the bartender was completely charming. we ordered margaritas, which were excellent (i asked him to pick the tequila, and i don't remember what it was, but i ended up having three of them...). we waited about 10 minutes and were seated in the upstairs room. despite the fact that there was a 20+ person party in progress, the service was very attentive and friendly throughout our meal. to start, we ordered a chicken tamale and ceviche 'mixto' (scallops, shrimp, octopus, clams, mussels) which was served in the same sauce that amanda hesser describes in her review. for entrees, we ordered mahi mahi with a toasted pumpkin seed crust and lobster pico de gallo, and a shrimp 'stew' with a smoky habanero sauce that had just the right amount of heat. for dessert, we shared a small chocolate cake with dulce de leche ice cream. all in all, we liked it a lot and will probably return.

oh my, this sounds good. i'm going to have to track down this recipe. how is this usually served (i'm guessing plain)?

i had this last friday night and agree with every word you wrote. BTW, if you like the atmosphere at Brigtsen's, and haven't yet been to Upperline, you should check it out. click here to check out their website. i am also eager to try Dante's Kitchen (across the street from Brigtsen's). anyone been?

uh-uh. it was much earlier--around 3, when i finally found their stand. i made up for it though...sorry i didn't find you MM--i tried!...but i may be heading back there in a few weeks so maybe we can hang out. had great meals at upperline (wine tasting menu) and brigtsen's, both of which i have somehow managed to not get to until this trip. i met JoAnn and of course mentioned egullet, which provoked a big grin. she laughed and said that she visits the site all the time and especially likes the media/news thread.

the space formerly occupied by 77 walnut has been renovated and the sign outside now says 'dolce.' looks pretty nice inside, but they're still working on it. any word on this? new owners, or just a new start?

sooo...when can we expect to see your smiling faces on our local cable channel guides?

Cook546, where in nutley is this located thanks.

it took me almost a year, but i finally got over to sharky's last night for some wings and pool. i was looking for a place where i could root for the red sox and not fear for my life. sharky's was not that place, but they did offer up some really fine wings. you have a choice of 6 sauces (mild, medium, hot, extra hot, bbq, and teriyaki), and iirc, a small order has 10 pieces and a large has 16. they had larger servings too. we ordered ours with 'hot' sauce, which was delicious and not overly vinegar-y, which always bugs me. i don't think the wings were floured first, but i could be wrong, because they really had an excellent crispiness. i'm going to be here a lot, i just know it. oh, and if you go, you should also experience their interpretation of a mini-burger. go soon, and go hungry.

i feel compelled to state that, after careful consideration, i like the white manna burger better than the white mana burger. which isn't to say that the white mana burger is not good. it is. and, in fact, i think it has a better bun-to-burger ratio than white manna's, where i find it necessary to order a double in order to avoid an unsatisfactory bun-to-burger ratio. but, the burger itself, i think, is better. and in the end, that's what matters.

also in montclair: royal india (in upper montclair plaza, behind the bellevue theater), and udupi village. and you've seen the wazwan thread below, right?

BeJam, just chuck it, dude.

went last night and had a great time. we didn't have a reservation, but we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. while waiting, i was able to see everything coming out of the [open] kitchen and it all looked great. for apps, we had french onion soup and a mesclun salad served with warm goat cheese (on thin slices of baguette) and slices of green apple. the soup was good, the salad was delicious. for entrees, we had 2 specials: fish stew (shrimp, salmon, mussels, swordfish?)served over saffron rice in a tomato broth, and 'chicken pastis': 3 pieces (leg, thigh and breast quarter) in a saffron sauce that was subtly flavored with pastis (like anise), served with red potatoes and green beans. we cleaned our plates. no dessert; we had to run. the service was a delight: very friendly, and surprisingly attentive given that the place was packed. one note: this is a small space and tables are really packed together, which didn't bother me because our neighbors were charming, but i could see how this could potentially be an issue in some cases. nevertheless, i will certainly return, and will be ordering dessert when i do.

yeah. even the *%# cat food sounds good...

ah yeah. you just gotta love the italian in-laws. hope you enjoyed every bite and you're now happily passed out on a comfy chair

yeah, i'm with you. i find that i don't enjoy coffee with cream anymore; even whole milk bothers me. i like to add just a little nonfat milk or otherwise have it black. i'm not into flavored anything.

Tom, that sucks! hope you are feeling a bit better. take it easy, OK?

great blog. i was curious about your own reaction to the shrimp? and, are there any foods that you can't get here that you especially miss?

that's right...a fine example being the shot dispenser. nothing screams good old fashioned fun like it. fill with your hard alcohol of choice, and you've got a party.

mmm, cornish pasties. here's a place: The Ship Inn. but it's practically in PA. what part of jersey are you in?

i understand why you wrote "here's what i remember seeing" rather than "here's what i remember eating" i hope for everyone's sake there was plenty of liqour at this party.