MishyPoo

Yes Rosie, we have a stand in reservation for every Friday night at 8pm...for 4. If it needs to be adjusted we call ahead, sometimes a few days before and sometimes a few minutes before. Erin (the hostess) has always been very accomodating to us. I am also having them cater a private party for me in June. Michelle

Yes, Im sorry....Roz did say she would go back to Spargo. I read things fast and sometimes, when I do that, I insert words or mix them all up. I totally apologize for the mistake. So sorry for that mix up Roz, I am glad you will return to Spargo. I go to Spargo every Friday night with another couple. You are right about the regular menu (which is getting changed very soon) being not so exciting as to warrant exclusivity, but Chef Tim's specials every week are really ecclectic and his fish specials are superb (the fish is always very fresh). And I already mentioned about how he makes Foie Gras for us every week. He keeps it in house special for the 4 of us (who have been nicknamed the Foie Gras Brats). I do not go out to eat every night, mostly on the weekends. I happened to have gone there last Tuesday because I did not feel like cooking. (Long story short: I got 7 big pampered chef boxes from a party I had, and my friend Tanya helped me sort them...we had smoky apple martini's and I didnt feel like cooking. The husband was not happy! lol) I do frequent Spargo's quite a bit as I also go there for lunch at least once a week. Chef Tim also has cooking class/demonstrations the first Tuesday of every month, and next Tuesday's class will be on grilling and marinades. It is a pleasant evening, and the class gets to sample everything that is cooked, with coffee and dessert at the end. Unlike the other restaurants in my local area, which I used to frequent and dont now because their menus have not changed in the 5 years that I have lived here, Spargo's specials keep me coming back (we dont even look at the menus anymore) and the food is always pretty excellent (with very few exceptions). They know I like my cappucino's strong and they are happy to make them that way. I know not everybody is going to have the same experience that I have with them, but on Friday nights, it sure seems that every table is having an excellent time, especially my table. Michelle

Ah! What a shame! I was also there are Tuesday evening, but earlier. I am surprised about the steak knife having been used for the de-crumbing tool! I must clarify, although I did make a statement comparing Chef Tim to 4 star chefs, I dont think I said he was one. I will stand by that statement though, because Chef Tim has made foie gras for my party of 4 every weekend for over 3 months. Every weekend there is another new FG dish waiting for us, done creatively and tasting fabulous. I havent been to any restaurant save D'Artagnan Bistro in NYC that can pull off such a fete. Tuesday night isnt the best night to dine there, esp since Chef Tim doesnt cook on Tuesday's. He did, however, make my husband and I a FG appetizer for our dinner on Tuesday, and it was awesome! I also have to defend the service, because I have never received lax service at Spargo. I have always found them to be very attentive to our needs way before we even know what are needs are. I am sorry you didnt have the best experience on Tuesday evening. Im even more sorry that you wont try Spargo again. I, on the other hand, will be there every Friday evening at 8pm with my party of 4. Michelle

We went to Posillipo's on Sunday. I was certainly amazed at the very inexpensive, (but not doubt, great), early bird menu. For under $20 you got 4 courses from a set menu (very limited compared to the regular menu which is about the size of the Bible). We did not choose from the early bird menu as we already had in mind the kind of food we wanted and it wasnt offered on the early bird. Not that getting anything from the early bird menu would have been bad. We each had the tortelinni en brodo, with homemade tortellini. The entrees (veal saltamboca & veal milanese) were excellent and very filling. They add stuff to the cappucino, which I have to remember to tell them not to, such as whip cream, cinnamon, and some liqoury tasting thing. I like my cappucino's strong and dark, none of that sweet stuff. Im guessing they are just doctoring up what might be bad coffee. Both times Ive been there, the cappucino's were this way...6 mos apart. Michelle

Im a little surprised that you didnt mention Brigham's. They have/had the best vanilla bean Ive ever had, but then again, I was post partum at the time. Im talking mid 80's just like you said. I lived in Boston. Michelle

Oops...Maybe I am thinking of a differnt place. The place I am thinking of is a few doors down from Thomas Sweet Chocolates in Palmer Square , Cambers Cafe (or something like that). So sorry! Please forgive my faux pas. I must have been dizzy from the Thomas Sweet Chocolates, which are excellent, BTW. Did you ever have their freshly made raspberry or blueberry bark? It is soooo good. Michelle

You know what really shocks and surprised me?? That there are no good restaurants in Princeton. Not even a good place to grab a nice lunch. Maybe some of you know of a "good" restaurant in Princeton? Michelle

Ooh! I live so close to the Manalapan, NJ Wegmans! They do carry caviar, although Im not sure I would be purchasing caviar from them. They do carry many different D'Artangan products, including my favorite, Pate de Foie Gras. I would not ever purchase the slices of foie gras from them, as they look horrible in the packages, disintegrating inside. I made the mistake of buying them once or twice and have vowed to just get my foie fras at a restaurant with a qualified chef! lol In other words, Im not qualified to cook it. Besides, doesnt it taste much better when somebody does it for you? Chef Tim, over at Spargo's Grille comes up w/ creative FG dishes for us every week! Have I mentioned how much I love his restaurant? Michelle

Hello, Long Beach Island has a "ChowderFest" in October. It also gets very crowded. Ive never been to an actual "Chowder Fest" but Ive seen the traffic it generates. Michelle

I have a favorite old fashioned Ice Cream Parlour in Manahawkin, NJ called "Hurricane House." From what I gather, it has been there for many years although it was closed down a couple of summers ago, it re-opened last summer, with the same great ice cream and delicious whipped cream. The ice cream isnt super spectacular, but it is very good. I think the brand is Arctic, which I think they sell at Thomas Sweet, at least the one in Princeton. Michelle

Hello, Id like to share with you some of the better pizza places around my neighborhhod, that being Freehold, NJ. Freehold is pretty famous for Federici's which makes a really good thin crust pizza. Now, mind you...I was born and bred in Brooklyn, NYC...so I know from Pizza! Im telling you Federici's is good for *around here*, if you get my drift. I was pleasantly surprised when I took my daughter to a pizza shop in Red Bank called "Mr. Pizza Slice." This place was like walking into a Brooklyn pizza store, but in Red Bank. The pizza was actually very good, just like Brooklyn pizza. I really felt like I stepped into a time warp. Mr Pizza Slice is off of Broad Street, on one of those little side streets, cant remember which one. As far as my neighborhood goes, that is about it for pizza. I guess I just consider myself lucky that Frankie Fed's (relative to the regular Federici's) delivers. yay! Michelle

Hello, I do know that when Spargo's Grille first opened up a few years ago, Chef Tim was the chef, but he was not the owner. It was owned by the same people who own the Old Mill Inn in Spring Lake Heights. I tried Spargo when it first opened up and didnt go back for a long time....that is how bad it was. When my husband and I decided to try it again, the food was better, and Tim was gone. He went over to The Old Mill for a while. Then, I dont know exactly what transpired, but Spargo was closed for most of last summer, and when it re-opened, Chef Tim Murphy was now the owner and the Chef. I dont know what happened in that interim, but the food became amazingly much better and the service and ambiance improved a great deal as well. I can only guess that he is now able to run things his way, and his way is fine with me! Thank you for welcoming my opinions on the restaurants I have been to around this Western Mon Co area. I will be happy to share my thoughts with you on this subject, as food is one of my favorite subjects to discuss! I have been to Portobello, and did not like it very much. Again, this is a restaurant that started out with a great reputation, but did not keep up with it. Every time I go to 75 South, it is a big disappointment. They did start serving lunch recently, and I was disappointed again when I tried 75 South for lunch. The menu was very limited and the service was horrible. As for Marielles, I will probably never go there again, as I have always received terrible service there and when I asked to speak to the owner, Mark, I was ignored and dismissed. Another thing that really gets my ire up is a place that cannot make a good cappucino, and Marielles tries to pass off warm milk for cappucino. (Im Italian and was born in Brooklyn..forgive me! ) I used to go to Marielles quite a bit, but the menu changes very infrequently and the service isnt very good. Mainly, I cant stand going to a place and never ever seeing a menu change over a period of many months. 75 South has that same problem. SamVera, on Rt 520 in Marlboro, I found to be quite good, except I need to try it more to be more certain about that opinion. They have a great wine list, and are happy to be of service. They also have a party room upstairs, where my friend had her 40th bday party, and it was really very nice. And finally, I really enjoy Peking Pavillion when I have the yen for Peking Duck. The food there is better than your average Chinese food, but the service can seem harried. Michelle

Hello, Rosie, if you ate at Spargo's over a year ago, it was good, but now it is even better. Ever since Chef Tim has returned to the helm, the food and ambiance has just gotten a hundred times better. Spargo's re-opened (after a little hiatus) at the end of last summer, and I was so pleasantly surprised at how much better the restaurant became when he returned. Another MonCo restuarant that I really like is Posillipo's in Asbury Park. Although I do believe this place is well known, it is probably overlooked because of its location. It has been in Asbury Park for many years but I recently discovered Posillipo. The food, IMHO, was what I consider high quality Italian. It reminded me of what Ive seen Lidia Bastianich cook on her cooking shows...good old home style Italian, but a tad fancier. I found the service there to be friendly, yet very attentive. I also frequent La Cipollina on Main Street in Freehold. I also consider this place a high quality Italian restaurant. I often go there for the $19 prix fix lunch (3 courses). The food is great and the service is good. During dinner hours the service can be a little too good...by that I mean they have like one server for every course, and a separate coffee server, silverware changer, etc. I found it a little ovewhelming...too many waiters, if you get my drift. But at lunch there is usually just one and then the service can be a bit lax. Both Spargo and La Cipollina are BYOB. Ive often dined at the Main Street Bistro on Main Street in Freehold, but I dont like going there because their servers (a few of them anyway) are very arrogant. Main Street Bistro has good food, but I dont like eating at places that make me feel like they are doing me a favor in serving me. In case you cannot tell by the few restaurants Ive mentioned here, I reside in Western Monmouth County....Freehold Township to be exact. There arent that many great restaurants in this vincinity, hence my desire to tell you all about Spargo's Grille, which I find to be a top notch place. Michelle

Hello....I just have to tell you all about my favorite restaurant in Western Monmouth County! And, no...I am not an employee of this establishment, but I do go there to eat very often. I want to shout from the rooftops how wonderful I think Spargo's Grille on Route 33 in Manalapan, NJ is!!!! Chef Tim Murphy is one of the best in NJ (in my opinion). Ive been to quite a few 4 & 5 star restaurants around the US & in Europe, and although they are different, Chef Tim's food ranks right up there with me! He is creative and never boring. His nightly specials are just fantastic. Hostess Erin keeps everybody happy and smiling with her wit, beauty and great people skills. The serving staff also is top notch. I love this place and the food is fantastic. I just needed to tell you all about it. Michelle