dodge621

[ need for me to visit to make my comment, or ask my question] I know. You need not visit to comment. You just comment regardless. Nothing to back up your thoughts. Perfect sense.

Rosie - I have no idea what you are referring to. Which RESTAURANT are you referring to?[it is not unusual for a reviewer to do a follow up phone call with the owner/chef where they learn additional information about the restaurant.] - Mona Lisa is a PIZZA PLACE with a few specials. DO YOU HAVE A CLUE? or do you just comment

I have been to this place more than a dozen times. If you want to put in your two cents go ahead but why don't you visit it first.

[how many times would you suggest a reviewer return to a restaurant before he or she is "qualified" to determine if the place has a "following".] Rather, I would like you to answer your OWN question.

[she is pleased that the restaurant has attracted a following with its expanded and upgraded menu and likes to accommodate her loyal patrons.] - According to the Record they go there twice. So how is the Record qualified to say the place a following. As a recent former resident of Bogota (just moved out less than 6 months ago), I can tell you that the primary business this place does is PIZZA, which the paper fails to even mention. I did enjoy their pizza and did find the owners friendly. On the weekends they have a few specials which are good but extremely limited. They do very little volume in terms of people eating dinner.

as a former Bogota resident people in Bogota know for Italian food its La Famiglia for Pizza its Mona Lisa

HERE WE GO AGAIN The Record reviewed Mona Lisa Cafe today. I used to live in Bogota and I can tell you that this place is primarily a PIZZA PLACE. It has 6 tables and is only really busy with say 20 people on a weekend night most eating PIZZA, which the article fails to even mention. Here is a quote from the Record's review "She is pleased that the restaurant has attracted a following with its expanded and upgraded menu and likes to accommodate her loyal patrons. But let me emphasize that this is a small masterpiece: Inside, there are just six tables for four. A dozen more are set up outdoors in good weather, if you don't mind the exhaust from passing buses or the people loitering outside the nearby laundermat." a following, a place with 6 tables for 9 months in the year has a following. - (A small group of regulars ok, but a follwing? - I used to go to this place a lot and enjoyed their pizza which they specialize in, but to reveiw it and not even mention PIZZA??

Rachel or others - Is Finks better, worse than Indigo Smoke in terms of its food. I know Indigo is more formal. I have enjoyed Finks but have not tried Indigo.

My opinion this place is consistently good. not great

[i trust you aren't being derisive.] No, I am not. Just wondering what are your favorites.

[Have any recommendations??? Tommy, I am also waiting for your response.

Anyone been to Secret of Suzanne in Ridgewood? any good

Great, but your comment on being on the border is not correct.

[it does make sense to include some restaurants on the NY or PA border for those people who live near there.] Have you looked at a map? Garrison, NY is not on the border of NJ.

Rosie, the Record does a joke of a job at reviewing.

[the bergen record hardly rates when it comes to restaurant reviewing. ] well I think we are all in agreement with this. It is really too bad. Wish this were not the case.

Nick, excellent post. punctuation would make your posts read more easily. honestly, it can be difficult without periods and commas, as the internet is an inherently difficult medium through which to communicate. if you do not like the posts, skip over them. Honestly, you are not the monitor of this post.

msp thanks for giving me another reason to stop my subscription.

[who wants to drive to brooklyn?] or to Garrison, NY Piermont yes this is reasonable but Garrison Stamford, CT is closer than Garrison from much of Bergen County

[Regarding reviewing NY places, like Xaviar's, to me it is acceptable occasionally] you do not even subscribe I would suspect if the Record had reviews highly worthy of reading, you may have chosen to subscribe - or perhaps why bother as you can read it for free on the web.

[it is a destination restaurant for many of us] How do you know this? By the way, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn are all closer than Garrison. no axe to grind. I am giving my opinions which seems in part to be shared by some others.

[think of people new to our area, or generally not knowledgable about the restaurant scene who may see it all lit up at night and wonder] Marge, if you are thinking of people new to our area, why are reviewing restaurants in Westchester County? Seems like you wanted to go to Xavier's so you had the Record pay the bill and you reviewed it. Your review is largely self-serving (admittingly there are some in Bergen who may enjoy the review, but the majority could not care less about a place in Westchester) Do not try to tell me you you reviewed this restaurant for the people new to our area. Nice try.

I recall seeing Binghamton's ad in the Record in the past. I guess we should commend the Record for willing to give a bad review of a place that advertises in its paper.

It is exit 67 from 80 East. It is moderately priced.

I think it would be of use to NJ diners to hear about other peoples (service related) experiences in other restaurants in NJ.