AlwaysCravingThai

I go to the one in Clifton for breakfast and there's no line! I guess you're just going at the wrong time!

If the food is just "passable" that means that there's been a visible decline in quality since the place first opened. Since I haven't been back since my last post, and they've gone thru at least one change of chef, its certainly plausible. I have also heard thru one source that Kratiem may have switched owners recently as well, but I don't have that confirmed. ← I work in the Englewood area and frequently go to several of the restaurants there for lunch only. My favorite by far is Saigon. Their sister restaurant, Mo Pho, is in Ft. Lee and is open for lunch everyday as opposed to Saigon which now closes M, Tues. I have not been to Thai Chef yet only because I go to the one in Montclair closer to home for dinner. I think they will have to give it at least one warm weather season before being able to determine success. I don't think it has been open except for in cold weather. Additionally, when they first opened, it always looked closed at lunch. I think it was until they decided to open for lunch a few months later, but I don't know for sure. Kra Tiem is very good. It is ALWAYS empty, though. Not sure why. I agree with Jason that Bennies is quite good, too, if you're looking for the Mediterranean flare.

Sue the important question is are either of these 2 places any good? I'm craving good chinese take out, but it's probably cuz I can't stop thinking about The Egullet dinner tomorrow at China 46!! ← We haven't found anything as good as Asian Delight in West Caldwell. China 46 in Fairfield is very good and was the only place we went before we moved.

Morton's in Hackensack has two private dining rooms.

That, as you obviously know, is one of the restaurant's weaknesses, however, they have expanded their 'Daily Specials' menu. There are a few items that used to be specials that have been added to the regular menu, but not too many new items. They never seem to have my favorite: Panang!

Has anyone out there eaten at Napoli Napoli in the past? It was on Main Street in Little Falls at the beginning of the main strip that had Stanton Drugs. The food was absolutely spectacular! Since it was BYO, we would end each meal sitting with the owner and 2 waitstaff drinking Renwood ice zinfandel dessert wine past closing. The owner sold it to a German chef who studied in Italy about 4-5 years ago. I can't recall the current name. We tried it once, but after the hair in my salad, we decided it just wasn't going to cut it. It's still there, but... We were told that the original owner opened a restaurant in Lodi, but we haven't been there. It's been a few years and don't even know if it is still there or what the name of it is. If anyone knows, please let me know.

PF Changs was absolutely awful! I agree with the other posts. There are good chinese restaurants in this area, not great, but good. You have to go to Manhattan or CT to get really great chinese food. My favorite in N. Jersey is Asian Delight, West Caldwell. They have Chinese and Japanese, but concentrate mainly on Chinese. The salt and pepper shrimp and the Fruity Marty Shrimp are wonderful! They happen to make the best spicy tuna roll anywhere, too! China 46 is also very good, but since we moved away from that part of town, it's not as convenient.

My favorites, in order, for 2004: Aozora, Montclair Grissini, Englewood Cliffs Bangkok Kitchen, Caldwell Deja Vu, Montclair Stage Left, East Brunswick (Wine Dinners) Saigon Republic, Englewood (Mo Pho, Ft. Lee sister restaurant) Mortons Steakhouse, Hackensack (I know, it's 'boring' right? Well, it was the best rib eye I have ever had! Too bad they don't serve onion rings!)