rozrapp

$4 is exactly what Kalustyan's Cafe charges for each order of nan and other breads. Tabla Bread Bar also charges for its breads. I have not been to that many Indian restaurants, but at all those I have been to, bread has not been served without a charge.

You are correct that Windnsea is in Monmouth County, specifically, in Highlands.

Rendezvous, in Manalapan, is a restaurant that serves Russian/International cuisine. At several lunches we've had there, the Russian dishes we ordered were really delicious. There is a bandstand at the rear of the large, attractively decorated diningroom. Entertainment is offered on weekend evenings and, according to the owner, the atmosphere is very lively. He showed me the special "banquet package" he offers, and it looked great. Prices overall are very reasonable. The one thing they don't have is a liquor license, so the men would have to BYO. Call for more information at 732-972-5959.

While Town is not considered hotel dining room, it is located in the Chambers Hotel. The New American cuisine is excellent -- two signature dishes, the duck steak main course and dessert beignets, are not to be missed -- and the subterranean space is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Service is fine. Veritas is a favorite of ours, and many other eGulleteers are also fans. Chef Scott Bryan's New American cuisine is superb, and the wine list is one of the most extraordinary in the city. Service is professional, yet cordial. The space has stylish, contemporary decor. Tocqueville is another restaurant we really like for upscale dining. The French/New American cuisine is delicious, and the exceedingly pleasant service staff works hard to ensure that the dining experience there is a success. This is another restaurant with minimalist contemporary decor that I find stylish and very soothing. Although Fleur de Sel is considered a bistro, the fabulous French cuisine that chef/owner Cyril Renaud creates is really in the haute category. (He was, at one time, chef at La Caravelle.) A few months ago, we had a truly sensational tasting dinner there. Service is friendly and capable, and the small dining space has charming decor.

This is really great. Since it's a less than 10-minute walk from our apartment, we won't have to shlep uptown. I haven't been to BLT Steak yet, but I may wait. And even though I had no intention of going back to UP after our last disastrous dinner there, since Chef Tourandel will be in charge of the kitchen until it closes, I may suggest to my husband that we give it one more try. Added to this is the fact that BLT Fish will be located in the AZ space, which is also only a short walk for us. Then, of course, there is also Devi. So, we will now have a new cornucopia of restaurant delights comfortably within reach.

Vatan's decor, something like a village setting, is quite charming. The booths do make for privacy and, as I recall, they all require sitting on the floor on cushions. (You are asked to remove your shoes.) They do have a few regular tables for those, like my husband and me, who prefer not to sit on the floor. One caveat about the food. There is a set menu, so absolutely no choice. Appetizers come spiced as the chef prefers, and I would categorize them as very spicy. With main course items, however, the server does ask for the diner's spiciness preference.

I can think of two small, charming and romantic French bistros that would fit your budget if you are willing to dine at an early hour. Both have delicious food. Chez Michallet, in the Village, is the smaller of the two (teensy, actually), and offers a 3-course prix-fixe for $22.95 between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Gascogne, in Chelsea, offers what they call a "pre-theater dinner," 3 courses for $27 between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. (If your $30 budget is supposed to include tax and tip, this would go a little over.) You don't say when you will be celebrating, but if it's soon and the weather happens to be warm, you can dine in Gascogne's lovely, romantic back garden. But as I said above, the interior is charming and romantic as well. Happy Anniversary!

Stone is not the ony one to have had the great good fortune of having a pre-opening dinner at Devi. My husband and I were there on Wednesday as Suvir's guests. Those of you who, like us, dined at Amma, will no doubt agree that the food Suvir and Hemant served there was sensational. It spoiled my husband and me to the point that it became near impossible to go back to any of the Indian restaurants that we had gone to in the past because, in comparison, they are so ordinary. When Suvir and Hemant departed Amma, we were crushed. Then, we heard that they would be opening a new restaurant, and we were thrilled, doubly so because their new location would be in our neighborhood. Now, Suvir and Hemant are back, and so is their sublime cuisine. Much larger than Amma, Devi contains about 70 seats on two levels. The main level has a bar on one side and banquette seating on the other. A curved staircase leads to a balcony, a smaller space with about 25 seats, which is where we were seated. Downstairs, the walls, painted red, are covered with sheer white drapes. There is a canopy over the bar also draped in the sheer white fabric with a red fabric underskirt. Suspended from the red painted ceiling are clusters of pendant chandeliers with bright, multi-colored glass covers. The entire space has a very pleasing soft rosy glow, with the chandeliers adding a splash of colors. While the fabric on the downstairs banquettes is subdued (navy blue with a gold pattern), the banquettes lining the perimeter of the balcony and the entire walls above are upholstered in a smashing pink and gold fabric. At the front of the balcony, there are attractive white trellises. Overall, this is a wonderfully attractive space and, despite its large size, there is a feeling of warmth and coziness, particularly on the balcony. The service staff’s excellent training was in evidence all evening. Our server was exceedingly well-schooled regarding every dish on the menu for that particular evening. There were six appetizers, eight main courses, two rices that can be ordered as sides, two additional sides, two breads, and three desserts. Only the names were listed, so he spent several minutes explaining each dish to us and answering any questions we had. We were encouraged to taste as many dishes as we wished, so we did something akin to a tasting and shared everything. The meal began auspiciously with a delightful amuse: creamy eggplant in a small pastry shell with a tomato couli that had a hint of spice. From the appetizers listed, we selected Bombay Bhel Puri, the Trio of Samosas, and the Manchurian Cauliflower. Having had the Bhel Pui at Amma, we couldn’t resist having it again. And it was as outrageously delicious as we remembered it – a sensational mix of crunchy rice puffs, cilantro, red onions, potatoes, mint, and tamarind chutneys. The samosas were perfectly deep-fried with not the slightest hint of oiliness. Each had a different, tasty filling, and there were two dipping sauces. Our server described the cauliflower dish as Sino-Indian. It was the spiciest of all the dishes we tasted. Cut into chunky florets, the cauliflower was coated with a fiery red sauce that got its heat, Suvir told us, from chile peppers. My husband, who relishes very spicy food, loved this dish. I have less tolerance for spiciness so that, while I liked the crunch of the cauliflower and the flavor of the sauce, I would have preferred the heat taken down a notch or two. It was really difficult to decide which main course dishes to choose since they all sounded terrific. We settled on four: Parsi Halibut “Paatra Ni Machi,” Farm Raised Basil Chicken, stuffed eggplant in a peanut sauce, and a squash preparation. When the halibut was served, I realized it had been on our tasting menu at Amma. Cooked exactly as I requested, the fish was delicate and light, topped with coconut chutney and accompanied by lemon rice. A brilliant combination of flavors! Showcasing Hemant’s master’s touch with the tandoor, the grilled chicken was moist and suffused with the basil flavor while not being overpowered by it. Tomato chutney was a fine companion, along with lemon rice. I am an eggplant fanatic, so I was completely bowled over by the flavor-filled stuffed eggplant balls that were immersed in the lip-smacking peanut sauce. The squash dish, sort of sweet and sour, was the only choice we made that didn’t float my boat though my husband liked it. We ordered onion kulcha, probably our favorite of all the Indian breads, and found it to be an outstanding version. Suvir had the kitchen send out a side order of Mint-Coconut Rice, which was very tasty. Having a side order of rice is good if one orders a course that does not come with rice, such as the eggplant with peanut sauce. However, since two of our main courses came with rice, this extra rice was a bit of an overload. In the only slight glitch of the evening, we had also ordered a side of okra with raita, but it never came. We mentioned this oversight in passing to our server. He apologized and said he would get it for us asap; however, we told him not to bother because, by that time, we were getting quite full and wanted to leave room for dessert. Good thing because desserts at Devi are phenomenal. We ordered the Mango Cheesecake and the Pineapple Cake with Pineapple Cilantro Sorbet. When we were informed that they were out of the cheesecake, we weren’t terribly disappointed because we had had it at Amma. (It was one of the best cheesecakes we have ever had!) So, instead, we substituted the Kulfi Citrus Soup. And were we glad we had it! Saffron-flavored Indian “ice cream” in a pyramid shape topped with gold leaf (!) sat in a pool of citrus liquid. The rich, creamy kulfi played against the bittersweet, tart soup. Unreal! As for the little cylinder of pineapple cake and the sorbet, as I said to my husband as we scarfed it all down, how can you miss with layers of fresh, finely diced pineapple, whipped cream, and thin disks of cake accompanied by sorbet? Hardly! I don’t drink, but my husband had shiraz by the glass with the meal. He plans to do some wine pairings during future visits. At Devi, as was the case at Amma, presentation is akin to that found at the finest upscale restaurants -- different ly shaped china and different colors to match or contrast with the beautifully arranged food on the plate. Despite the pressures of opening his new restaurant at the same time that his new book is being published (plus teaching a course Saturday evening at ICE), Suvir appeared quite relaxed. As always, he was the perfect host, delightful and charming, circulating around the dining room, making certain that all his guests were well taken care of. He stopped at our table a number of times to discuss the dishes we had ordered and to ask our opinions. To sum it all up, as my husband and I like to say in French restaurants when the meal is sublime, "Cinq etoiles pour le chef!" Devi will be serving dinner seven days a week, and lunch begins in October. You can see the menus and prices on their web site. Devi 8 East 18th St., between B’way & 5th Ave. Tel: 212-691-1300 www.devinyc.com

We've had good lunches at Garlic Rose, in Madison, and at Toscana Trattoria, in Chester (in nice weather, pleasant outdoor seating). Although it's been some time since we last had dinner at Pierre's, in Morristown, and Serenade, in Chatham, neither has ever disappointed us.

While I agree with you about Veritas, (1) it's not a French restaurant and (2) they do not, to my knowledge, offer a tasting menu.

I've never been to Anthony David's, so I have no idea exactly how "tiny" the tasting menu portions are. But what I've found is that too many chefs make the mistake of making their tasting portions much too large so that, even though I don't have a tiny appetite, by the end of the meal, I'm straining to finish without feeling stuffed. From my experience, when it comes to perfectly-sized tasting menus, those chefs keep all courses small with the exception of what is considered the "main course," which they step up a little in size. Since you say you haven't returned to Anthony David because you fear that the portions on the regular menu might not be adequate for your appetite, why not just add a course or two on your own? So, for example, have an additional soup or salad and/or add a cheese course before dessert. That way, you can enjoy this restaurant's delicious food and not go away hungry.

Thanks for the preview, markk. My husband, the cassoulet addict, loves Chef Mark's version. Now that the weather is beginning to turn autumn-like and it's back on the menu, that assures another visit to Epernay in the very near future. We were last there a couple of weeks ago. We went specifically because my husband had a yen for the splendid bouillabaisse. Despite its gigantic size, he didn't leave a lick. Since it's not my cup of fish soup, so to speak, I ordered the roasted salmon. It was of the wild Atlantic variety, a huge piece that was done exactly as I requested -- cooked through but not dried out. Delicious! I have to admit, though, that I was a bit disappointed with the accompanying soup-like ratatouille because it didn't contain any eggplant, which I think is an essential ingredient in the perfect ratatouille. (I adore eggplant in any way, shape or form.) We began the meal by sharing the heirloom tomato appetizer -- excellent -- and ended by sharing the profiteroles. We've had the profiteroles before, so I was surprised that the chocolate sauce was not warm this time. I thought about mentioning it to Courtney or our server but, since we had already poured it all over the profiteroles and it all tasted just fine, we decided to let it go. Before we left, we talked with Courtney for a couple of minutes. During the meal, I mentioned my suspicions to my husband and she confirmed them -- she and Mark are expecting their second child in January. She said she plans to continue working at the restaurant after the baby arrives.

We had dinner twice at the Fromagerie last year. We were there first for a brokerage house presentation. Because this was a group event, we weren't expecting much from the cuisine. Surprisingly, the food overall -- the main course grilled tenderloin in particular -- was excellent. That prompted us to go back on our own. This meal was something of a disappointment -- at least so far as what I ordered. My husband, the cassoulet addict, was satisfied with Fromagerie's preparation. However, my duck breast main course was a total disappointment. Prior to these two visits, it had been more than 10 years since we had been there. You're right, Kim. The menu has been totally overhauled and updated. At this point, I think it would be considered "modern French," with no Swiss influence that I could discern.

A few days ago, we ate for the first time at Beyoglu, on the corner of Third Ave. & 81st St. We sampled 7 of the mezzes. Though all were very good, hummus, the eggplant salad, and spinach mixed with shallots, dill, & olive oil and topped with yogurt were outstanding. I did not think their shepherd's salad was as good as Turkish Kitchen's. My husband ordered the Doner Kebab platter. I tasted just a little of the very thinly sliced beef and lamb. They were juicy and delicious. The platter included rice and fried potatoes. P.S. No manti on the menu.

Turkish Kitchen is a real favorite of ours. It's only a couple of blocks from our apartment, we've dined there too many times to count (lunch and dinner), and the food is always consistently well-prepared and delicious. Sometimes, my husband and I make an entire meal of their mezzes. There are so many to choose from, both hot and cold. Two that we always include in every meal: Patlacan Salatasi - the eggplant salad Bruni mentions and Sigara Boregi - phyllo scrolls stuffed with feta, perfectly deep-fried, crispy and with never even a hint of grease. We also frequently order the excellent shepherd's salad. My favorite main course is the grilled baby lamb chops, and my husband's is the baked lamb casserole. When it comes to dessert, we favor the dried apricots stuffed with cream. Service is always pleasant and very efficient. If it's early in the evening, we'll go there without a reservation and not have a problem getting a table. But if you're planning on eating in prime time or with a group, reservations are a must. You can pass by some evenings as late as 11 -- particularly on the weekend -- and the place will still be jammed. Not that Turkish Kitchen needs any help from the Times' reviewer, considering how popular it already is, but it's nice to see that Bruni agrees with me and gives it the thumbs up.

We ate at Auberge Suisse once many years ago, but I have absolutely no recollection of what we ate or how good the food was. I don't think there are any Swiss restaurants in NJ. Even NYC is not exactly overflowing with Swiss restaurants. The only one I know of is Mont Blanc though it's not strictly Swiss. You can see their menu on menupages. http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails...d=9&cuisineid=0

It never ceases to amaze me what some diners will put up with (or, to coin Churchill's phrase -- up with which diners will put ). I'm referring not so much to the fact that they couldn't find your reservation -- admittedly not a good thing -- but to the hostess's rudeness. If my husband and I had been treated rudely, we would have been out of there like a flash! Actually, something sort of similar happend to us at a restaurant in NYC during the summer. We made the reservation only 2 hours before the specified time and asked to sit in their outdoor garden. No problem. When we arrived, the hostess couldn't seem to find our reservation. Rather flustered -- and with good reason -- she consulted another staff member. She then asked if we would be willing to sit indoors. Our answer was a firm "No!" (This was our first visit to this restaurant, and we picked it not only to try out the food but because they have a garden.) For the next few minutes, she alternated between consulting this other staff member and going back and forth from the front of the restaurant to the rear garden. My husband and I became increasingly annoyed and finally decided that if she did not seat us in another minute, we were going to leave, at which point, she came over to us, menus in hand, and led us to the garden. She wasn't gracious about their mistake, nor did she apologize (another reason we were considering leaving). But she wasn't rude. And when I didn't like the table she offered us and indicated one that I preferred, she gave us the preferred table without an argument.

I think Fleur de Sel would be perfect for what you have in mind. Even though it's considered a bistro, the food is really more haute than bistro. Chef/owner Cyril Renaud was, at one time, chef at La Caravelle, and the food he serves at Fleur de Sel is creative and delicious. The tasting menu we had a few months ago was superb in every respect. It's 6 courses for $75. For each of the first 4 courses, there are two choices. Since my husband and I liked them all, we ordered all eight and shared them. There were then two desserts which were served to both of us. That made 10 different items that we were able to sample. Portions, though not huge, were more than adequate, so that when we finished, we were not stuffed but very satisfied. As for the wine, I don't drink, but my husband had the wine pairings and was very pleased with them. 6 pours for $35. The dining room at Fleur de Sel is small with very charming decor, including artwork by Chef Renaud. While I'm not sure I'd use the word "fancy," it's definitely upscale. Though many diners come casually dressed, you can dress up, if you wish, without feeling out of place. I think Fleur de Sel is the kind of place where your friend would not feel in the least intimidated while offering him the opportunity to taste some truly excellent French cuisine.

Peter's Fishery, in Matawan. They just completed a total interior renovation -- a very attractive improvement.

Yes, Tossed is still on Park Av. S., b/t 22nd & 23rd Sts. They also have a second location at 30 Rockefeller Center Plaza Concourse, b/t 49th & 50th Sts. Also in the salads only category is Chop't, on E. 17th St., b/t 5th Av. & B'way.

Shun Lee West, on W. 65th St., has been around since at least the late 60's/early 70's because I remember having dinner there with my husband back then before seeing a performance at Lincoln Center. Another restaurant in that vicinity that dates back to at least that same time period, and where we also had a pre-Lincoln Center dinner in the early 70's, is La Boite en Bois, the teensy (they didn't name it a "box" for no reason) French bistro, on W. 68th St.

We've been to the Famous Dave's in New Brunswick several times and, despite the fact that it's a chain, we really like the barbecued ribs. They're very tasty, and there are several different sauces on the table for enhancement. We've tried all the sides, and all are o.k. I can live without the corn muffin that comes with the platters. As for dessert, we shared one once. I think it was some ice cream concoction which turned out to be huge and not very appealing.

Here's the link to the review in New York Magazine of Hummus Place, as well as Dumpling Man, which also qualifies for the single item category (except for the shaved-ice dessert). http://www.nymetro.com/nymetro/food/review...9596/index.html

Unless things have changed, I remember reading that it will near 5th Ave./B'way and 18th St.

"Dip," which opened within the past year, is on Third Ave., b/t 29th & 30th Sts. I've never been but, acc. to the menu on menupages.com, they specialize in cheese and dessert fondues; however, they also have a bunch of appetizers and lots of drinks. So, they don't really qualify for the single item category.