phaelon56

It's not as veratile as some others but my fave is "Beyond Belief Horseradish Mustard" from Jasmine & Bread of Vermont. They sell mail order and in a few stores but I just stock up direct at the Saratoga Jazz Fest where they usually have a booth. It has jalapeno, garlic, horseradish and honey wiht a combo of whole grain and traditional brown mustard. I've tried duplicating it with my own blend and can't come close. For versatility I like blending Maille Old Style whole grain Dijon with a smooth Dijon that's sharper. Very good for sauces etc. The whole grain by itself just doesn't have enough bite for my taste but I love the texure and the pop of the grains on the palate.

I tend to agree with you on Terra Nova based on the price/value ratio although that's based on only one meal there. I'm still amazed at Makeda's prices. Queen of Sheba in NYC has atmosphere not as nice as Makeda but far better than the other Ethiopian restaurants in NYC. An appetizer and a single sampler could definitely feed two people and no sharing charge. Total would be less than half the price of Makeda. I can understand a 25-30% increase for atmopshere but double the price? Regardless, I will try it at some point to see for myself. By the way, do they offer the Ethiopian coffee ceremony?

It was hot... we were tired... it was late. We were just wiped out and ready to go home - didn't chat to get any details. I will find out as we plan to go back. They just started offering Sunday Brunch and also have a nice and IMHO reasonably priced catering menu. My GF's sister-in-law might be using them for some delivered food for a cocktail type party Labor Day weekend. If she does I'll report on that later (but it will be second hand as I'm out of town that weekend).

Forgot to mention.... we walked after seeing the prices and tried dinner Terra Nova instead - report posted in this forum).

We stopped in here this past Sunday expecting to stay for dinner. It's a large and beautiful room with subdued lighting and traditonal (Ethiopian traditional). It was empty at 6 PM or so and we were seated immediately. I was truly shocked when I saw the prices. Entrees that are typically $9-12 in the Ethiopian restaurants I've been in previously were $20-24. The sampler platter that typically runs $12-14 for one person in most places was priced at $46 for two people. Also very surprising was a $7.00 sharing charge for all entrees other than the sampler (which is already for two). Every other place I've been in simply served all entrees for a group on a large platter with one piece of injera and all at the table could share as desired. Hey... yes I'm frugal but I also don't hesitate to spend a fair amount of money on a really good meal. Is there something special that they offer or is a whole lot of money for atmosphere?

The GF and I tried a place I'd seen many times and always thought might be worth checking out. It's on Walnut one door in from the corner of Grove - this is about 4 blocks east of Bloomfield Ave, near the railroad tracks (Marzullo Brothers Deli is diagonally across from them on Grove and is a very popular evening spot for espresso and desserts - haven't tried them yet). Two nice but small rooms, noise level a bit high even though it wasn't crowded - probably due to the pressd tin ceilings. We sat outside at one of the two four tops on the front walk area. Nice spot... fan noise from the AC unit above the door is a given and nothing anyone can do about that but easy enough to carry on a conversation. Really nice menu with pasta, chicken fish and beef dishes, all with an Italian slant. Service was friendly and relaxed. one waiter took the orders and another delivered them. The guy delivering the food never knew who got which dish - a minor issue that could easily be corrected with some front end training. Both dinners served with a very small mixed greens salad. The two tomato wedges in each were cold, tasteless supermarket type tomatoes but the greens were a very nice mix - not too much bitter stuff, good variety and a really tasty balsamic vinegarette that appeared to be house-made. She had two appetizers - I had soup and an entree. Hers: Baked brie with apricot preserves and walnuts. Served with a nice little pile of filed greens with the same vinegarette, some of it drizzled over the brie. Chopped walnuts were atop the brie and preserves and it was served with a half dozen or so brochettes (these are the toasted slices of baguette - correct?). Mussels and shrimp with a sambuca sauce. generous portion for an appetizer and she pronounced them the best mussels she's ever had. Mine: Wild mushroom soup with bits of portobelllow floating in it and a half dozen brie "croutons". These were small speheres (3/4") of battered and deepfried brie. Absolutely incredible soup - a generous bowl and the best myshroom soup I've ever had - nicely speckled broth with an intense but not overpowering flavor. Tortellini with caramelized onions, prosciutto, peas and gorgonzola/parmesan sauce. Sorry I can't remember the name of this dish but it was excellent. Once again a very generous portion. I'm not a big eater and took most of it home. The above came to $45 total including tax and tip - no beverages or desserts. I think this place represent a great value and I will return. Also - they allows sharing of entrees for a $2 plating/sharing charge - a nice option that allows you to enjoy more appetizers. Entrees ranged from $15-25, apps from $5-10 and can't recall other prices.

Tried two new places this weekend (new to me). Nova Terra in New Brunswick and 77 Walnut in Montclair. Also went to Dev's Jamaican Cuisine in Bloomfield on Friday night. Will report in this forum on all three.

Don't know. She only mebtoned the tasting menus by price, not by description.

I mentioned this thread to her when we were dining out last night - she expounded for ten minutes on how much she loves this place and how surprised her clients are to find such a gem outside of NYC. She took a friend last week and they had the tasting menu for dinner at $55. It's also available at $80 with four wines served. They chose to have Cosmos instead and were liberal with the drinks (3 or 4 each). Total for dinner for two was $168 before tip and tax and she says well worth it.

My GF works in New Brunswick and she LOOOOOVES good food (in addition to being an incredible cook). I haven't been yet as it's not convenient to my location but she takes clients to Frog and Peach regularly and also takes her employees on special occasions. She continues to rave about it and insists that I'll have to try it soon. I believe that with a glass of wine and dessert it typically costs about $40-45 for lunch - not sure if that includes a tip but I think they usually get appetizers. I'm guessing that she's been a few dozen times in the past 5 years and says she hasn't had a bad meal or service experience yet - that's a strong recommendation.

On a recent trip to Belize I tried Marie Sharp's (famous for their hot sauce) banana jam. It was incredible on pancakes or biscuits - flavorful but not overly sweet. Don't know any recipes but it's worth considering - doesn't seem like it would be to tough to make.

I guess I'll have to put in a plug for a merchant from my hometown of Syracuse NY. Go to www.hotshoppe.com Despite my practice of avoiding businesses that use the word "ye olde" or "shoppe", I find them to have the best selection of hot sauces that I've ever seen (over 3,000 if I recall correctly). I prefer the Marie Sharp's Hot rather than the Fiery. The Green is good on certain dishes, especially with egg dishs like Huevos Rancheros but I find the Hot to be the most versatile. I also agree that Belize has a limited number of interesting food products. Marie Sharp's also makes a truly excellent Banana Jam if you can find it. I'm not a drinker but I brought back a bottle each of Lighthouse Lager and Belikin Beer for my dad - he pronunced them both to be very good. It's the fresh fish dinners with rice 'n beans on the side that make Belizian food worthwhile. Mostly have to be on the coast or the cayes for that. Inland it's stewed chicken followed by more stewed chicken and if you don't like that there's always stewed chicken

It really does depend on circumstances. If I see a multiplicity of problems, e.g. slow and/or unfriendly service, cleanliness issues, bad food across the board etc..... I'll be inclined to judge based on one visit. If there was a specific thing or two that wasn't right or perhaps a number if things not quite right but I think they're sincere and trying to do the right thing, I'll generally give them another try. One of the things I look for is management that seems to care about the experience they're trying to offer customers. I just tried a new French-Moroccan place in my NJ town (Medina in Rutherford). It's just not hitting it yet on the service or the food but one of the appetizers was outstanding, they're nice people and it's a lovely room. I'll try them again in a few months. I tend to be very careful about passing along negative reviews as word of mouth can get so distorted but if I get treated shabbily and have a bad experience that management made no attempt to rectify after it was brought to their attention... I dont' hesitate to share that info here or elsewhere. I ate dinner once at Mexicali Rose in Montclair, a festive, noisy and popular Mexican restaurant whose food is good. Had a great meal but the waiter informed us he could not sell us dessert because the manager said "we need the table". We had been there a total of 45 miniutes or less and had all order full entrees and drinks (we weren't just taking up space gabbing or eating salsa and chips). That was such bad business on the part of management that I never hesitate to share that experience with others. I have not returned there and will not do so unless it changes hands

Oh yes... the hot sauce. I brought a couple bottles of Marie's back from Belize and it's the real deal... if you haven't tried it I highly recommend that you do. It's based on carrot juice and is the most flavorful hot sauce Ive ever tried (they also have a green variety based on prickly pear juice but the orange stuff is the best)

Aurora - I understand about the need for cutting the cornmeal now that you explain it. Is the dip in milk and or egg necessary? It seemed to have little to no effect on the outer skin and not sure if it even helped the mix stick to the rest of it (but the firmness was an issue). Will try the fridge and second dip method. Hopefully I'll be able to grab some more this weekend and try this again. I do recall having fried red tomatoes and they were tasty but a bit too sweet and soggy. the green ones really do the trick for frying (once you figure out how to do it!). In a separate note... I used to love making omelets with some sauteed red tomatoeas and carmelized onions, then drop in a few small globs of cream cheese before folding them over and serving... mmmm! Tried this combo again recently with some shredded lox but didn't have tomatos that morning and it was crying out for them...

Thanks Aurora - I think that must be the ticket. I considered putting them in a brown bag for a day or two but was heading out of town and needed to cook them then or never. I did find a recipe on epicurious (or perhaps a comment) that had the sugar suggested by first respondent but I'd prefer to get that hint of sweetness from the tomatoes themselves. have you tried it with just cornmeal? I;m thinking it would be a bit crunchier which I like...

I've had these twice before - a former GF grew up in the South and fixed them for me once - she cut them thin and used cornmeal as I recall. Very tasty and had a hint of sweetness. I've also had them at Marroon's on West 16th St in NYC as an appetizer. They cut them thick and the texture seemed slightly firmer but there was still a hint of sweetness along with the tartness. I picked up a few at the greenmarket in NYC Union Square on saturday and the only ones I could find seemed just a bit too green to me. Sliced 'em about 3/8" to 1/2" thick, dipped in mik, then egg and then in mix of 1/2 cornmeal and one half flour with some cayenne papper and a dash of salt. Oil was good and hot. Most of the flour/cornmeal mix stayed on in the frying process and they were not greasy but the hint of sweetness was lackign and they were way too firm on the inside - almost tough. Should I alter my techniques in some way or were these simply tomatoes that were a bit too green for this use?

Thanks Nockerl - we drove by there tonight on our way to the movies and I was just getting on to post back with the name. Cuban food isn't the topic here but my GF informs me that Mundo Latino on Bergenline Ave in North bergen (across from Hudson Park) is her family's favorite and they consider it to be the best Cuban food they can get outside of their own home. I was intrigued by a spot we saw yesterday in West new York or north bergen heading out JFK towards the GWB and Fort Lee (past 80th Street but can't recall the exact cross street). The sign said "Peruvian Fine Dining" and it looked like a nice place.

I happen to love Caribbean food and have been to Maroon's a few times. There are some Jamaican/West Indian restaurants in north NJ but none I know of with "nice" more upscale atmosphere like Maroon's. Rebecca's is definitely more Cuban than anything else and although I haven't been there my girlfriend went once and won't go back because she feels it's way overpriced for what you get. She is Cuban and admits to being biased on this account. Also serving Cuban food and having nice atmosphere (a bit less upscale but very nice) is a place a bit further north on River Rd in Edgewater. Can't recall the name but it's on a southwest corner of the street about 1/2 mile north of Rebecca's. It's a brown structure very close to the road and is owned by Celia Cruz (the Queen of Salsa). I have tried the Jamaican place in Hackensack - it's across from Bangkok garden and just down the block from Wondee Noodle. It's really just a take-out place with a few tables - no real atmosphere. Food is decent and portions very generous. I like his rice ' n peas but I've had much better jerk chicken. The owner is a guy who was laid off from his chef/cook job at a big hotel after 9/11 - went to work for the owner of this place and then bought it from him. real nice guy and I'll try him for take-out but zero atmosphere for dining in. The food could use a bit of improvement but it's not bad. In Montclair there's a place called Apple's Jamaican Food. It's a block or two south of Grove Street. As you're heading west on grove towards Bloomfield you cross some railroad tracks several block before reaching Bloomfield. Turn left and it's a block or two in - sorry I don't know the exact address. It's ac cute looking place with more of a "real sit-down restaurant" atmosphere but weird. They have beautiful dark wooden foramal style chairs and tables with lace/linen tablecloths but then put clear plastic covers over the, there are very nice wall sconces for soft lighting but then they have flourescent tubes on the ceiling also turned on. I waited for five minutes or more after the lady dropped the menu off (didn't ask if I wanted a drink). She said not one word to me and there was only one other customer there - he was waiting for take-out and the two ladies in the kitchen (door was open and one of them was the one who dropped the menu off) were ignoring him also when he spoke to them. Prices were almost as high as Maroon's but not nearly as nice an atmosphere - I left without ordering and wrote it off to experience. Best Jamaican I've tried in the area is on Bloomfield Ave in Bloomfield. You enter Bloomfield from the Montclair area and shortly after entering the downtown area there's a big bank on the left ona corner near a small triangular park like spot. This place is on the left just past it. The lighting is bright inside (think Chinese restaurant bright) but it's spotless and the family who runs it is very friendly. Food is excellent - we've tried the curry goat, jerk chicken and the ox-tail stew. Highly recommended and don't expect fancy sit-down atmopshere but it is far more than just a take out/pattie joint. There are a number of comfortable tables and chairs and it' s very clean. By the way... if you commute to and from the city on NJ Transit bus, there's a really good Jamaican take-out place nea PA bus terminal at 40th and 8th. Walkt in the door on 40th that says Barbershop and walk up the stairs and past the barbershop entrance. There's a place called Mr. B's - they have a restaurant and bar in Harlem area. This spot is just take-out for the Garment district lunch crowd but they're usually open until 6 PM and still have most dishes in stock (food is not prepared here - they bring iti in from the restaurant). I've tried the whole works and it's all good and reasonably priced - great dinner to take home to NJ!

I've been to Cafe Eclectic in Montclair several times and the desserts were better than average. Coffee drinks are a bit pricey but atmosphere is nice. There is LOTS of smoke but in this weather they have the front open to the street and it's not bad - very lively scene and crowded late at night. Mug & Bean Coffeehouse in Rutherford lacks the atmosphere of some other coffeehouses and has okay pre-made commercial desserts and decent cappucino drinks - prices are fair. Cafe Eros, also on Park Ave in Rutherford like Mug & Bean, has great atmosphere and a nice covered back patio. It's often lively late at night and is open until 1 AM on weekends. A trifle pricey and desserts are okay but once again the predictable commercial bought variety. I just spotted a new place on the main drag in Belleville - loolks like an Italian bistro but may have late night desserts and coffee drinks - anyone here tried it yet?

Haven't brrn to Lofti's but I'll try it sometime in the next few weeks and report back on this thread - thanks for the tip.

We went there just this past Thursday night and out reaction was much like yours, Rosie. Very nice room with sumptuous furnishings and pleasant service but the food was not outstanding. My only reference point is a few much less fancy Moroccan places I've tried elsewhere (which were better) and Tangerine in Philadelphia (which wins hands down over Medina for romantic atmosphere, has better, more authentic food and also has much larger portions that include cous cous on the side). Sources tell me that it's a couple from Verona who own this place - they also have an Italian restaurant in Secaucus. Supposedly they spent a few months in Morocco prior to launching this venture and I'll try it again in 6 months or so but won't be rushing back sooner. We had Harira, a garbanzo bean soup that was okay but a bit lacking in spices. Followed with Seafood Briouette (sp?), small phyllo triangles with garlic, minced seafood and angel hair pasta inside. They were good - light and not oily. The highlight was Zaalouk, an eggplant/tomato etc. puree served as a salad. It was at room temp and sort of a cross between Ratatouille and Baba Ghanouj. Very tasty and we both loved it. Entree was Lamb Tagine with onion, cinnamon and raisin sauce. It appeared to be a shank cooked in the tagine dish and was nicely done - pink enough to suit me in most parts. Again.... good but not memorable and the absence of cous cous as a side dish was puzzling. Moroccan entrees mostly run $15-19 and the french entrees run $17-26. We were not especially hungry and shared everything. For two lemonades, and one each of appetizer, soup, salad and entree it ran $50 with 20% tip. They were oddly slow in getting us the check and ringing it up when we were finished despite the small number of diners. Again - very pleasant and friendly staff and service was fine. Desserts were uninteresting to me to say the least - we walked around the corner to the Homemade Ice Cream place on Orient Way for dessert (that is not just a description - it's actually the name).

I was on a business trip in the midwest several years ago (perhaps Omaha or Kansas City region? - can't recall) and had dinner in the original Weber's restaurant that predated the current one. I recall it having an excellent reputation in that area for grilled meats and my dinner was good (it's hazy memory but it'sa the bad ones I really remember). Looking into that kitchen really is a trip - giant kettle style Weber grills - worth a trip in just to look at the kitchen.

A few more possibilities... Il Cafone on Ridge Road (Rte 17 South) in Lyndhurst just a few doors down from the intersection of Rte 3 on the right side heading south). Nice Italian menu in your price range. I had excellent Veal Saltimbocca there at $12 or $13 with a tasty side of al dente pasta and marinara sauce. Apps are $5-9. Teros Snack Bar - also on Ridge Road a bit further south. It's on the left across from the cemetery that starts at the corner or New York Ave (there's a Force gas station on that corner - easiest way to spot it). Look carefully - it's just a storefront of a two story building wiht brick on the front and a small sign. Lyndurst zoning/parking legal requirements dictated that they call it a "snack bar" but it is a restaurant with Portuguese food as good as any I've had in Newark's Ironbound. Small place and try to sit back from the bar if you're a non-smoker as it's just one big room. A few of the waitresses speak very little English but there will always be someone at the bar who can help you be understood if you're trying to clarify an order. Huge portions - be prepared to take home some left-overs.

Best ice cream I've tried here in Northe Jersey is Applegate Farms in Montclair. Their cones/dishes on-site and handpacked pinits and quarts are excellent product but their pre-packed stuff from the freezer is just average at best. Best gelato I've ever had was in Toronto's Little Italy - absolutely incredible and a way creamier feel to me than ice cream. I've had the same flavor gelato (Tiramisu) at Cones on Bleecker and found the stuff in Toronto to be far superior. Haven't been lucky enough to get to the Isle de St. Louis but had and insanely good fresh mango sorbet at Latitudes, the restaurant operated by Hilton on Sunset Key just off Key West FL. It may be owned by a chain but their sorbet was incredible. have been back there once since then and they had watermelon sorbet - very good but not in the same league as the mango. Hmmm... do you suppose she'll start an Ice Cream Club and pick some lucky viewers to join her at her palatial estate to eat ice cream and discuss its merits? Sign me up...