Rail Paul

Thanks, again, Mark for all the work. Dinner was delightful, and the company was voracious! I was impressed with how they handled the spicy / hot issue. There was a disclaimer on the menu that "mild" has significant chile taste. Medium is considered hot on many tongues, and hot should be approached with caution. When folks gave their soup requests, each was asked "You sure you want medium? It is hot, really." About 2 minutes after the soup was delivered, the server came out again to check on the acceptance level of spicy. I'm sure she reported back to the kitchen for final adjustments. I thought the pork was especially outstanding, with some elements of carne adovado (hot/sweet sauce almost crystallized on the meat, flecks of garlic and lime). The various duck preparations remained crisp on the skin side, yet some elements of fat and deep flesh were moist. Perhaps KimWB could summarize the duck items on the menu and we could dissect them in greater detail. Our end of the table (the "medium hot end") ordered the shrimp in chilis, two varieties of duck, the beef in red curry, and the pork jewels.

My parents now live in AH, which gets us down there ocasionally, and to the neighboring town of Highlands. I believe Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, Rumson, and Middletown are each separate municipalities, although there may be some overlap in the school districts. The ferry service departs from both AH and Highlands, and costs are comparable with the train when adjusted for time saved. PaulaJ - Indigo Moon is on the main street which leads to the municipal yacht basin, about two blocks in from the water. If you follow the ferry signs, you pass it on the right. It's just past the Memphis Pig-Out, which is on the left as you head to the water.

That sounds like a wonderful meal, Glenn. Is Indigo Moon a BYO? Atlantic Highlands is a very interesting town (pleasure boaters, lovely older homes, some obvious wealth), so I certainly hope this place is able to succeed.

There are a number of halal slaughterhouses in NJ, serving the growing numbers of observant Muslim people. One, located on Orange Street in Newark, also provides a school for the education of young people in the butchering tradition. Several school lunch programs now provide allowance for halal dietary requirements. A while back, NPR did a piece on the growing need for halal (and true kosher) butchers in college communities. One school (Univ of Michigan?) sources both meats from the same packing house, cooks them in separate but equal university kitchen facilities, and serves them from separate but equal stations in the same facility.

I walked down that block last Saturday, and didn't notice an open, new restaurant. There was a place on the south side of the street with the windows soaped, and obvious work taking place. Almost on the corner of Church, diagonally opposite City Hall?

There are several fishing camps based on the Campbell River, at the extreme northern end of Vancouver island (which puts us back in Canada). The location is highly prized by people who seem to be in the know. Fish may be eaten within minutes of extraction from the water. Cabrales - NPR did a piece a few weeks ago about a woman who specializes in the design of humane killing systems for cattle. Apparently, the fear and shock of the noise, etc in the slaughterhouse creates a surge of endorphins, which translates into tougher meat. Her system offers a lulling, comforting voyage, until the bop on the head. You may wish to consider whether the experience on the wrong end of a hook will provoke an undesirable fish endorphin release...

Mogsob offered good advice. I may take him up on the suggestion. You mentioned you have enjoyed California Cab Franc from time to time, I'd suggest you consider a Volnay for comparison. For $45, Fontaine-Gagnard offers a 1999 version (Clos des Chenes). I think F-G is largely a white wine house. Good wine, Gary's had it a few weeks ago. I think it's in reasonable circulation.

Yes, indeed! Welcome back, Suvir

The Newark Star Ledger's Munchmobile visited several rodizio sites for this week's report. (Munchmobile refers to a team of reporters and guests who gorge on a specific food item in a range of places, and write about it. It's a weekly event.) They liked Solar do Minho in Belleville, and had some good things to say about Brasilia on Ferry Street in Newark, Casa Nova on Ferry Street in Newark, Seabra's on NJ 21 (the one we DIDN'T go to), and Seabra's Armory in Perth Amboy. Atypically, they visited one place each night, rather than the all you can eat in one day routine which usually characterizes Munch trips. The Seabra's on 21 had chicken hearts (Wilfrid's already buying a train ticket!), and excellent sausage. Chicken hearts were much better at Solar. North Jersey Rodizio

I believe the Fresh Fields in Montclair also carries several different French butters. (Norman cows munching on salt air grass, milked by virginal French milkmaids, that kind of stuff.) I'm not especially enamored of the French butters relative to Plugra, which is half the price. Plugra is made by Keller's, I think. Many American butters are something like 80-82% butterfat, 20-18% water. The super premium butters are 85% bf, which means they have 1/3 less water content than the 80% version.

I had forgotten about the drive-thru beer places in NJ. If I recall, they can only sell warm beer, minimum quantity one case or keg. (As with other NJ hooch rules, this one isn't likely to be enforced, either) There's one on US 46 in Rockaway, and another in Lodi. In Arizona and New Mexico, there are real drive up places. "Gimme a quart of Jack D, two cold sixes of Beck's, and a coupla plastic cups." Not these wimpy Jersey drive thrus...

Rosie - Gary's has a caveat on the 20% off a case, they'll only discount down to the filed state minimum price. It's in their computer, so you can't slip it past a clerk. Wine Library in Millburn/Springfield is also an outstanding wine supplier. Very strong and deep on Australian, New Zealand, and some Alsatian. Thanks to Helena Sarin (I believe) for mentioning it here a while back. WL is about 100 feet in on Millburn Avenue from Morris Avenue, and about 90 seconds off NJ 24. Directly opposite the Short Hills Caterer. Paul

Cabrales - Perhaps Glenn might comment on how much individually identifiable info a restaurant sees. Perhaps it was in the demo he received. My reading of the article inferred that some information was available across the platform (e.g., in the top quartile of tippers, etc) but the article was not explicit on this point.

I stopped at Fink's Thursday night for take-out. Dee had an assignment which required her to work late, so I packed a picnic dinner. Since I was in Bogota when I thought of this, Fink's made sense. Nice place, has a very southern feel to it. It feels like the kind of place you'd see in Bennettsville SC or Toccoa GA. Ordered the chicken and rib combo, one breast w/ wing, one leg, seven ribs, two sauces. With a liter of diet coke, the tab was $15. Very helpful and attentive counter help. Food was ready in about 10 minutes, which gave me time to check out the Southern Pride smoker. Big sucker, prob 5 by 6 by 7 high. Soda coolers held Coke products, several vitamin waters, Stewart's (Cable Car) root beer, etc. Chicken was fine, pink, excellent smoke taste. I was very impressed. I didn't notice a sign about the pink ring, and Dee was concerned until I explained the process. She liked the chicken. I was less impressed with the ribs. They were just OK, but there was much more black on the ribs than I like, and I felt they were drier than I like. This was about 630, so possibly they had been waiting a while. They could have been meatier, too. I don't like ribs that have just a half inch or less of meat. The sauce was OK but not memorable, I don't recall being asked what I'd like. Overall, I definitely want to try it again. Chicken gets high marks, and I'd like to see whether I just got a bad draw on the ribs. From the descriptions other folks have provided, I suspect I did. Cute, bobbing-head pigs on the counter. Too bad they aren't for sale. Interesting neighborhood.

The Wall Street Journal had a piece on just this topic in Thursday's editions. How restaurants use opentable and AMEX to selectively dole out tables to "good customers" while maintaining their exclusivity.

I thought Jason mentioned the dual fan assembly at the Seabra's dinner, but he mentioned he wasn't sure it would fit. Have you tested the 900 cfm to make sure it doesn't let poodles fly? May I ask how satisfied you are with Expo, so far? And, which Expo did you use? Dee and I are considering having some work done, and I'd like to stop by the Union NJ Expo (which I think is closest to us)

In Albuquerque, you get a choice of the red or green salsa. And, it's the stacked method, with your choice of poached or fried eggs on top. I'm not a big fan of HR, it's far too heavy for breakfast.

I wonder if this is a characteristic of some Asian food shops? There is a little place on US 46W in Pine Brook which has a wide selection of produce, noodles, newspaper, etc but I've never seen more than two or three other customers. Do people shop in the middle of the night? Or in the middle of the day?

...plans for bergen County?... Bergen County could be an excellent demographic for Wegmans. Haven't heard of any plans, but Wegmans expressed an interest in a piece of property in Montville. Home Depot took that one.

Rosie - yes (Dee and I would like to go) and yes (I'd be happy to drive, thanks for the offer). I'll PM you with suggestions Paul

The electric powered train originates at Penn Station NY and runs through to the end of electrified territory at Long Branch. A connecting train (4xxx) carries passengers farther down the Coast Line to Spring Lake, Manasquan, Point Pleasant, and Bay Head. Trains which originate in Newark often run thru to Bay Head, without a change of equipment.

I saw the Record's review for Sabor, which they liked. River Road, just north of Edgewater. Is this the place which was formerly a Persian restaurant? It's on my list of places, but I have to get up to An American Grill in Randolph first. I didn't notice a second review. Record appear to rotate reviewers, with 3-4 people taking turns.

Weinhen- welcome to eGullet, and congratulations on your anniversary. Your choices offer starkly different experiences, which make it difficult to comment on which is more "spectacular." perhaps you could elaborate on what would make your dinner a sure fire spectacular? Are you looking for superb design and plating, a buzz in the room, unusual and unexpected combinations? a French accent to the food, or a wine list brimming with hard to find choices? perhaps you could also add a little about places you DON'T like and the reasons for that perception

What do you think of their breakfasts, Dodge? That's a topic not often covered here...

Check out my new thread on Second Reviews of restaurants. I'd be very interested in seeing how various people whose opinions I respect view the exact same meal. Either visit at different times, or in a small group and post comments. We've got a bunch of people here with strong opinions and solid experience, why not? Sure beats the sorry pissing contest this thread has become... Consider my suggestion as playing team tag with msp, maybe we'll find out she's on the mark more than some folks think!