jb_973

Didn't get to make it there this past Wednesday, although I'm going to try and get there next week. Looking forward to trying it out! Jason

In the midst of the torrential storm yesterday evening, I thought I'd pick up a pizza pie from the Star Tavern. We had a couple of friends around, and the weather had cancelled out any grilling. I'd searched a little on eGullet, and a couple of other places for recommendations for a local pizza joint in West Orange. I'd heard mixed reviews about the Starlite (corner of Pleasant Valley Way and Mt Pleasant), but some generally good comments about the Star Tavern (400 High St - in Orange, I believe). Now, I'm a pretty harsh critic when it comes to a good slice. My first exposure to New York-style pizza was when I first moved to NYC. I lived up in the Bronx, off of Gun Hill Road, and our local Pizza place, Nick's, did a good, reliable slice. Thin crust underneath, nice round crust at the end, with a tasty but not-too-sweet sauce. When we moved to Brooklyn, our new local became Pino's, 7th Ave in Brooklyn. Again, a good decent slice. They also did a great fresh mozzarella and basil pie. Where am I leading with this? Well, I guess I have to say that I'm still looking for a replacement Pizzeria for that NYC-style slice. The pie from Star Tavern had probably the thinnest crust I've ever seen, which didn't give the slice any support. I was missing the end crust (a must have - I'm not on Atkins, so I look forward to that piece ;). The sauce was pretty good, as was the cheese on top. So, in effect, if I could get similar toppings, but with a slightly thicker crust underneath, and a round end crust, I'd be on the right track. I'm going to continue my search for the slice (yes, I have a few food and restaurant searches going on right now!). Will report back here... Jason

Thanks for the heads-up on Gaffers - I'd been meaning to go down there to try out their burgers, but didn't know about the Fish night. Will give it a try and report back here. As for Pal's Cabin - we went there just after we moved to our house a few weeks ago. Tried out their 'famous' Mushroom soup, which definitely ranked up amongst my best, and had a burger as well. The Burger was pretty good - moist, in a good bun. The burger compared well to my favorite from Bonnie's Grill in Brooklyn. Rosie, I believe you may be referring to the Downtown West Orange Alliance WOVIP Card. This provides discounted dining and shopping for people who work or live in West Orange.

It sounds like an average Fish'n'Chips experience. If anyone out there has been to either of these places and to somewhere like A Salt And Battery in NYC, how would you say they compare? I'll probably do a taste test sometime at either the Argyle or the Thistle in the near future, and will be sure to post my review here. Jason

Susan, I ended up eating at Nori, in Caldwell. I posted a short review here on eGullet. Jason

Thanks for the heads-up. At $28 a plate, the Lobster Fish'n'Chips must be something special! I must admit, I'm really looking for somewhere informal - somewhere we can either eat in, or I can pick up and take home.

Thanks for the info!

Ok, now that my Sushi craving has been satisfied, I have another question for all you eGulleters! (is that the appropriate term?) I'm originally from the UK, and was fortunate enough to live about 10 minutes walk from a great British-style Fish'n'Chip shop in my previous neighborhood - The Chip Shop on 5th Ave in Park Slope (worth a visit in you're in Brooklyn). Now I'm in West Orange, I've heard that there are a few authentic Fish'n'Chip places in Kearny, which is not too far a drive down I-280 from our house. Does anyone have any recommendations of particular places to visit? Thanks again, Jason

I must admit we did not venture into the creative roll menu this time - however, I will say that they do have the most diverse range of 'special' rolls I've ever come across. I'll try one on the next visit! Any other rolls that you'd recommend?

That could be it. I had never seen a Spicy Tuna roll served with a spot of the sauce on top of each part. Certainly the spot of sauce did not have a prominent flavor, it blended in with the rest of the roll.

The sweet on the bottom left is my favorite - Kalakand. A mixture of paneer (cheese), condensed milk, and something else I do not remember! I'm fortunate enough to work 5 minutes from Moghul Express - I may have to make a sweet run. By the way, if you're in the Oak Tree Road area, I'd definitely recommend a trip to Swagrath (1700 Oak Tree Road, in the middle of a strip mall). They serve South Indian cuisine (pure vegetarian), and have a great lunch special. Some wonderful Dosas, and the Pancham Poori (sp?) is my favorite.

Following on from my last post, this past Saturday my wife and I ventured out to Nori in Caldwell. This will not be too long a review, but just enough to say that we were both pleasantly surprised. We had some Edamame to kick off - it arrived quickly (no complaints about the service) and gave us time to decide over our main selection: Highlights: Yellowtail (Sushi) - Smooth and velvety in texture. Heaven! Dragon Roll - larger-than-average, with a slight sweetness - very tasty. Not-so-highlights: Spicy Tuna Roll - While I enjoyed it, my wife said it was a little chewy. Had pink sauce on it that neither of us had seen before (any ideas what this was?) Overall it was a positive experience. The place is BYOB, and next time I'll remember to pick up some Saki or a couple of bottle of Sapporo before going there. I'm sure we will revist Nori at some point in the future, although we have a number of other places on the list to try first! Jason

Thanks! I will definitely post back with some updates. From the initial replies, we may give Nori or one of the ones in Montclair a try first. They are not too far away from where we live. Jason

Thanks guys for all the great suggestions. I look forward to trying some of these restaurants over the coming weeks! Jason

My wife and I have just moved to West Orange from Brooklyn. We've now survived a couple of weeks of separation from our old local Sushi joint (Geido, in Park Slope), and are looking for a replacement. Any suggestions for Japanese restaurants within a reasonable drive of the Pleasantdale area? Thanks, Jason p.s. This is my first post to eGullet - I was an active 'hound' on a certain other restaurant message board, and look forward to contributing to this forum!