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rozrapp

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Posts posted by rozrapp

  1. Roz, what did you eat that was so superb?

    Pan, I ordered off the a la carte menu. I started with Parsnip Soup, White Truffle & Roasted Chestnut Ravioli, which I've had before. Chef/owner Cyril Reynaud's soups are uniformly excellent, but this is probably my favorite. Ambrosial! My main course was Sullivan County Squab, House Smoked Fingerling Potatoes & Black Truffle Jus. I love squab, and this was a first rate preparation. For dessert, I chose one of Chef Reynaud's signatures: Granny Smith Apple & Caramelized Brittany Crepe With Devonshire Whipped Cream. I had had it only once before, the first time we ate at Fleur de Sel just after they opened in 2000. It's still delicious. We've eaten lunch and dinner there many times. Always an enjoyable experience.

    I haven't been to Fleur de Sel in some time (2 or 3 years), but I distinctly remember a rude host when I was there last. Is that problem corrected?

    We have never had anything other than very courteous service.

  2. Is the prix-fixe lunch available on weekends?

    Yes. They are available on Saturday and Sunday. There are actually now two prix-fixes: 3-courses for $25 and 4 courses for $42. We had lunch there a few weeks ago on a Sunday. As always, the food was superb.

    Menus

  3. Just read about them today - must have been in the Times.  Will check them out. Do you know the street location?

    Acc. to the NY Times article:

    On Monday they will open Dirty Bird to Go, a tiny fried chicken takeout spot at 204 West 14th Street with a few seats.
  4. Mount Laurel store opens this Sunday at 7 a.m.

    Cherry Hill tentatively scheduled for June 11.

    Yesssss!!! clap.gif

    I'm due to go grocery shopping this week. I'm going to see if I can hold out until the weekend just so I can make the trip to Mount Laurel.

    Just be prepared for the place to be a total zoo!! When the Manalapan store opened (also on a Sunday, which is the day of the week the new ones always open), my husband and I decided to go just to have a look at the place. We got there just before 7 a.m., and the parking lot was already full. Once everyone was let inside, it was practically impossible to move around in the area where the bakery, prepared foods, deli counters, fresh fish and meat counters, and fruits and vegetables are located. Interestingly, when we headed over to the grocery aisles, there was hardly anyone there. For my first actual shopping excursion there, I went back later in the week when things were not so insane.

  5. As someone who lives in the area I consider Lamberville, Trenton, Princeton and its enviorns Central Jersey. South Jersey begins somewhere south of Bordentown. It is not possible to pinpoint the exact geographic line but it can be sensed.

    OK, so you see NJ as having 3 sections? "Central" NJ is a new wrinkle...

    The town where I live is in neither North NJ nor South NJ. Ergo, we're in Central NJ. And it's definitely not a "new wrinkle" as we've been describing it that way since moving here 36 years ago.

    Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the topic:

    New Jersey is broadly divided into three geographic regions: North Jersey, Central Jersey, and South Jersey. North Jersey is within New York City's general sphere of influence, with many of its residents commuting into the city for work. Central Jersey is a largely suburban area. South Jersey is within Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's general sphere of influence. Such geographic definitions are broad, however, and there is often dispute over where one region begins and another ends. Some people do not consider Central Jersey to exist at all, but most believe it is a separate geographic and cultural area from the North and South.
  6. I think at issue here might be that "fine dining" is so subjective.  For example, lots of people on egullet don't agree with my opinion that a BYO cannot be fine dining, no matter how great the food is.

    Mark me down as one of those who totally disagrees with your contention that there cannot be fine dining at a BYO. To me, it's all about the cuisine. Service and ambiance play important roles. Having a wine list is nice though for those, like me, who don't drink, that makes no difference.

    you do realize, of course, that with not drinking, you are in the minority, and therefore your views may not necessarily reflect those of most others. you are right though: it's not just about the food. atmosphere, service, are usually taken into consideration.

    i think an excellent wine program, one that is integrated into the food and experience, is a component for a top-notch experience.

    snip

    luckily when i BYO to jean-georges, the staff is already top-notch and knows exactly how to handle my wonderful bottle. i can't say the same for the staff at, say, Blu, or Venue, or, well, just about any other BYO. and i won't even mention the stemware that one encounters at these places. so yeah, the restaurant with the wine list in our little comparison wins out. i'm sure the other place is very good, though.

    Yes, I am well aware that as a non-drinker, I'm in the minority. However, my husband does drink wine and knows a little something about it. Nonetheless, he agrees completely with my views.

    When it comes to handling wine at Lorena's, it is done quite correctly since George, the dining room manager, has some expertise in that regard, having spent the previous 5 years on the service staff at Nicholas, known to have one of the best wine lists in the state. As for the issue of stemware, I'm no expert, but when my husband has brought brought more than one type of wine (one time, there were three), he has been provided with different and, I'm presuming, appropriate glasses.

    As I said to Kim, go and check it out for yourself.

  7. I think at issue here might be that "fine dining" is so subjective.  For example, lots of people on egullet don't agree with my opinion that a BYO cannot be fine dining, no matter how great the food is.

    Mark me down as one of those who totally disagrees with your contention that there cannot be fine dining at a BYO. To me, it's all about the cuisine. Service and ambiance play important roles. Having a wine list is nice though for those, like me, who don't drink, that makes no difference.

    Have you been to Lorena's, the jewel of a restaurant, in Maplewood, that just received an "Excellent" rating from the NY Times? David Corcoran's final line says it all: "...one of the finest in the state." So, I dare you to go there and come back and argue that Humberto and Lorena are providing anything but a fine dining experience.

  8. Anyone know of any places in monmouth county where you can eat late? This area really stinks when it comes to late night food. :(

    I agree. None stay open late except maybe for diners. I believe during the summer many restaurants will stay open later especially during weekends.

    I guess you didn't notice my post a bit upthread about Pete & Elda's? Last I heard, Neptune is in Monmouth Country.

  9. In an article in the New York Observer about the landlord problem, the very last line quotes the reaction to the 3 stars:

    “We’re ecstatic,” said Mr. Bastianich. “We’re going to spend another year working to try and get four. It’s an opportunity and a responsibility.”

  10. bgut1, I don't know where in the state you live, but you might want to consider going to Drew's Bayshore Bistro, in Keyport, where chef/owner Drew Araneo is serving excellent Creole/Cajun cuisine. The last time we had dinner there, we had the bread pudding for dessert. It was delicious. I'm not sure if it's always on the menu, so it's best to call to check.

    Drew's Bayshore Bistro

    58 Broad Street, Keyport

    Tel.: 732-739-9219

  11. Here's my take on the recommendations so far. And I must say that it amazes me how different in many instances my views are.

    I've never been a fan of Doris & Ed's because I think the quality of the food is not worth the high expense. They do have a liquor license. We had several meals at Spargo's before giving up since none was more than just o.k. Main St. Bistro is another place we wanted to like, but after several tries, we stopped going because the food quality is inconsistent and the noise level can be horrendous. Our one dinner at Citrus was very disappointing. Nauvoo has a liquor license; however, while my one meal there was pretty good, and it's a spectacular looking place, from the mixed reports I've read, I think it's too iffy for a gift certificate. Dish's food is excellent, but tables are very closely spaced, the noise level gets annoyingly high when the room is full, they take reservations only during the week, there's no room to wait comfortably, and it's BYO.

    My suggestion would be SamVera, in Marlboro (10 minutes north of Freehold). Basic Italian, very well-executed and delicious. Liquor license. Good service. Attractive, comfortable atmospherics. Casual dress. They have gift certificates.

  12. I've been to Dish in Red Bank. The food's excellent. The restaurant is rather small, tables are very close, and when the room is fully occupied, the noise level is very high. There is absolutely no place to wait comfortably for a table, and they take reservations only during the week. It's a BYO and smokefree (the latter important to know until April 15).

    Dish's Website

  13. ... t's just too early to expect them to have ironed out the kinds of kinks Bruni mentions.

    This is precisely what really me bugged when I saw today's Diner's Journal. I know these are not considered full-fledged reviews. But couldn't Bruni have waited just a little while longer than the very first week after the restaurant opened? Not that I really care what Bruni thinks about any restaurant because I consider his reviews totally useless. In any event, I can't imagine that there is anyone who is not rooting for this restaurant to succeed.

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