Rail Paul

It may have been me, tommy. I believe Kevin owns Madison and Parsippany. His dad and mom own Montclair and have an interest in Madison. I don't know how the ownership of Parsippany is allocated, but that's new, within the past year or so.

Richie Cecere's is on Erie Street, just past the Walnut Street train station. It's opposite the bubble and adjacent to the motor vehicle station. If you follow the signs to the well marked train station, you'll find Richie's. "Depot Street" on which Trumpets Restaurant sits, becomes Erie Street just past the station. Two Erie Street

Congratulations on the twins, fitz, that's great news! I've never heard a bad word word about parties at Highlawn Pavilion. I've attended several weddings and a few business receptions upstairs, and I've never been disappointed as a guest.

------------------------ Bankok Kitchen, two blocks east of Trattoria Fresco, on the Avenue, is also open on Sunday evenings. Also BYO. As is La Stella, a new red sauce place (based on the menu in the window) across the street from Nori.

I had the same reaction, glenn. Liberty House adjacent to the Liberty Park rail terminal does a substantial events / catering business. On weekend afternoons, cruise ships move downriver between 5 and 6pm, which is quite impressive.

Cabrales mentioned a long time ago that a member may have very limited access to events at the JBH. "Subject to availability" means that premium donors, named chefs, and wealthy benefactors get first crack at tickets. The entry level $125 donor may not have access to any premium events during a year. Nothing wrong with that, but it does reinforce the elitism so obvious in their other activities. I'd also question the "launching" part of the assertion. It's my understanding that most chefs pay their own way, pay for materials, and donate the honorarium back to the JBH.

The United Way of America had a similar mess 20 years ago, and administered itself some of the harsh medicine Tony suggests. The CEO was way overpaid, there were questions about the relatives, and the board was exceptionally disengaged from the charity. The medicine? 1) certified financials. There was a reconciliation of donations to charitable expenditures, and it was published. A CPA isn't a guarantee, but it's better than nothing. Donors know where there money is being spent. 2) term limits for directors. Two terms and you're out. A few new directors each year means new questions, new eyes. 3) Shared objectives. The national objectives and the regional UW objectives were developed to support common goals. Donors know why the money flows to specific charities 4) organizational effectiveness. The charity is evaluated yearly on how effective it has been, and the results are shared. Members and member organizations got involved, and forced changes with their gift witholding. Until known and trusted people were on the board and in management, donors sat on their wallets. It worked there, and can work here... Nonprofits have been well known for entrenched and untouchable managements with their own agendas. Unless the participating chefs, the food professionals and writers, the members of the JBH/F are willing to assert their demand for change, the clique which runs it won't change much. just MHO

It reads much better than a "good" An American Grill review

The town has authorized the destruction of the Hahne's building, and its replacement with a seven story building. The building may have retail on the ground level, 100 condo / rental residence units, and several levels of parking. It's my understanding that certain neighbors feel this is an overly intrusive use, and have filed to scale back the project. Several other proposed uses have been considered during the decade or so the building has been vacant, but none has met community approval The Hahne's project is tied into the construction of a multi-story parking deck on the site of the nearby Crescent lot, which will temporarily wipe out 150 parking spaces in chronically parking-short Montclair. Many merchants and residents would like to see replacement parking available before good parking disappears.

I believe the Montclair Bread Company's products are made from organic ingredients, as well.

Il Forno also sells bread and foccacia from its bakery location. That's 199 Bellevue Avenue in Upper Montclair, about a block east of Valley Road.

Indigo Smoke's small size makes it extremely subject to the "pre-theater" effect, with both live stage (Luna, 12 Miles, etc) and movies nearby. While that may permit a delightful, leisurely meal from 815, it isn't conducive to comfort at 7pm with an 8pm curtain. I'd agree that the friendly service isn't matched by an equally prompt cleanup / reset of tables, based on a half dozen visits over a year and a half. Although the several tables on the mural wall are bolted to the wall (not moveable), the deuces by the entry screen can be combined into a six-top. When we visited a few weeks ago they were holding big the round table for somebody. Delightul, Kansas City style food, though, and Chef Knowling is more than happy to discuss his smokers and grills when time permits. I'd say they pace the place as a restaurant, rather than a casual dining establisment, too.

The thread Rosie has pointed to is 99% favorable. I think Rosie has called it one of her faves in NJ. I had a nice meal there last year as well. Place didn't really need a renovation, as I recall. A very good idea!! The "old board" refers to Rosie's former FoodBytes site. A number of regulars on that site, including me, joined eG in July and August of 2001 Several people beat Epernay pretty hard on food and service. I believe my post was the first about Epernay on eG, and it was quite favorable I would not presume in a December 2001 post, to predict what subsequent eG posters might write in the 2002 and 2003 threads which have now been merged. If I had that gift, I'd apply it in the stock market or the commodities field.

Dee and I had dinner at Red, and I wish I could say it was a delight, but it wasn't. The place is very loud. Piped bar music in the dining room and upstairs, which makes conversation difficult. The food was good, but not impressive on our visit, which was ten days ago. With entree prices from $22 to $32, I'd like to see impressive, well prepared food on imaginatively plated presentations. Sauteed snapper, served over asparagus. Prob two minutes overcooked (waiting on the prep line?), relatively firm and dry. Rack of lamb was very good. Herb crusted, pink inside. Four large scallops were fine, seared on the exterior, translucent centers, citrus saucing, prob the best item. Pork chop was OK, but didn't have much flavor or spicing. Dessert was good. A "brownie" with a layer of fudge brownie, topped with a whipped cream and berry presentation. This piece was well plated, tasty, and visually attractive. Wine was a Cain Musque Sauvignon Blanc 2001. I was unfamiliar with the wine (and the server was of no help), so I thought I'd give it a try with three white wine drinkers. Nice wine, pleasant drinker. About $60, I think. Other negatives. Tables were set with large, Burgundy wine glasses. When a diner chose not to order an appropriate wine, the galsses were removed, some by holding the underside of the bowl. These same glasses were then used to reset another table, and removed again. The glasses on our table were removed, and I noticed the glasses on the adjacent table had multiple fingerprints, too. Tacky. List of specials, recited without prices. The windows were wide open, which let the music out, which was nice. The open windows also let in the noise of several fire trucks and ambulances (hospital is on the next corner) and beeping people who wanted folks to turn right on red, etc. All in, the dinner ran $200 for 4, with no apps and two shared desserts. Maybe on nights other than Friday the disco sound level is turned down, which would be a huge improvement.

Dee and I had dinner the other night at An American Grill. Lou was his usual welcoming self, and agreed to select for us. Amuse was a piece of foccacia topped with a thin smear of tomato/garlic, and dusted with a parmigiano cheese. Crisp bottom, relatively light taste. I had a first plate of the ahi tuna carpaccio, thin slices of ahi fanned on a blue and green patterned plate, with zig zags of wasabi mayonnaise lines creating boxes within the grid. Two or three had small grids of a salmon roe. I like this presentation and enjoyed the taste immensely. The ahi was almost buttery, with a hint of smoke, the mayo was sharp, but not bitter and the roe offered nice salty mouthfeel. Dee had the "crabmeat martini." Served in a martini glass, this dish had pieces of crabmeat, an olive on a stick, a dusting of red pepper, a few red pepper slices for contrast, and about an inch of alcohol. The crabmeat was infused with the martini taste. She liked it a lot, and I thought it was an interesting concept. I'm not a martini drinker, but I think it would make a lot of sense in a bloody mary. We had a MacMurray Pinot Noir with this course. I thought it went wonderfully with the carpaccio, and with the short rib which followed. Lou's short rib ravioli was next out. This presentation is two six inch diameter ravioli, filled with about an inch and a half of short rib meat. This rich, lush center is surrounded by the pasta. The accompanying sauce is composed of a wine tomato sauce, enriched with mushrooms and carrot shreds. Next out was a "his and hers." I received two tempura panko crusted soft shell crabs. The coating was a thin panko crust with ginger and garlic, surrounding pieces of two crabs. This was very good, but I was already getting very full. Very crunchy, very "welcome to summer" aspect to it. Dee had a slow cooked Long Island duckling with cherries and raisins. The plate was augmented by hollowed out carrot segments serving as "napkin rings" for short pieces of haricot vert, and an asparagus spear in puff pastry. Very impressive plating. The duckling was very moist. Lou explained later that the marinated duckling is seared for a few moments in a 600degree oven, with the steam retained in a cloche. The duckling is then allowed to slow cook on a warm plate for a while and is finished in the oven. The meat was cooked to medium (pink) and was very tasty. The wines were a Tasman Bay Sauv Blanc and a Ravenswood Zin, which worked fine with the meal. I hadn't had the Tasman Bay before, but I liked it. Dessert was a chocolate mousse presented in a chocolate bulb, light brown inside a dark brown demi-orb, with a swirl of vanilla and chocolate on the plate. Dee had a martini glass of sliced strawberries lining the side and a center of whipped cream over black and rasberries. Very light ending to a filling meal. All in, with tip, the meal came to $190. Very delightful, although the portions could be slimmed down (like me) with no significant loss of effect. Waitstaff was responsive and very helpful. Fine evening, and Lou's company is always enjoyable.

Pete Genovese described a North Carolina place in today's Star-Ledger. Cafe Noelle at 523 N. Wood Avenue in Linden. Collards, mac-n-cheese, brown sugar yams, and much more. Fried chicken and waffles, ribs with slightly sweet sauce, and oxtails. Grits are on the way, he says. Cafe Noelle

Is Esposoto's Brother related in any way to the Esposito's that used to be in Madison (which was an excellent butcher as well)? I heard quite the sordid story as to why that place closed... Not related, they say. The Madison Espositio store was known for its live chickens in the front window. Fresh killed, while you watch...

You might wish to check out Esposito Brothers in East Hanover. An old fashioned, family owned place. They have an excellent selection of beef, pork, sausages, game in season, Italian cheeses, and will do special orders for just about anything. Esposito Brothers 90 Ridgedale Avenue (about 1/2 mile N of NJ 10) East Hanover NJ

Ellen Simon reviewed this establishment in her debut column reviewing food for the county edition of the Ledger. Liked the food, but found the service disorganized, overwhelmed, and completely unresponsive. It was recently reviewed (somewhere other than the Ledger) and they were unable to handle even the modest number of diners. Lots of "you're next" and "we'll get to you" action. She received her apps before people who had ordered earlier, and got her entrees before others received the apps. Haphazard, and suggests no kitchen discipline. She was candid that the huge lapses in service made it difficult to recommend the place right now, but felt it would be fine in four to six weeks. That's fair. It's a family restaurant, they cook for each guest individually. I've never been there and observed more than 2 or 3 other tables, and there's still a 15 or 20 minute wait as they prepare each meal. With 40 or 50 people, it could stretch into tomorrow.

I was a little imprecise. The room was half full at 9pm when we arrived for our most recent visit. They didn't have (any) space available at 730. Using An American Grill as a benchmark, I'd say R&S fell significantly short of the high standard your people regularly deliver. And, at a higher price. Not a good combination, old reviews notwithstanding

Unfortunately, that experience has become the norm at R&S, based on my two experiences within the past year. It's unlikely I'll return anytime soon. The food is delightful and engaging, and the wines are reasonably priced. But the FOH service has become frantic, and occasionally bizarre. Even with a 9pm seating and a half full house, the rush, the unending list of specials, the absence of a greeting or goodbye is unbecoming to a resto of this alleged caliber. Some of the problem is the high school age staff, but much of it is due to the absence of a captain / maitre. The one older gentleman attempts to run the room, serve tables, take/deliver drink orders (kids can't handle booze), greet customers, etc. That's way too much in a 30 table, 120 seat place. It's a shame. This is a good resto, with excellent menu development, good specials, seasonal themes, etc. I called to discuss my comments and received the very clear impression that their favorable reviews in the papers outweighed what any customers might think.

Frog & Peach is very convenient (one long block) to the State Theater at New Brunswick and the George Street Playhouse. Both theaters have debuted work later presented on Broadway. For NJ Transit train riders from NY, the restaurant is about five blocks from the station, just past the theaters. Sample Menus are available on the website: Frog & Peach

Even if Burger Club doesn't receive its own forum, it could be worthwhile to have unique threads to report on specific BC trips (BC: Blue Smoke, etc). This current core thread could remain faithful to the vision of the BC membership and philosophy. Having multiple BC threads could also make it easier for eG readers to easily access info on specific restaurants. As BC ventures in different markets (UK, Vancouver, etc) come to maturity, a consistent format would aid the casual info seeker without distressing the eG architecture. Elyse, your use of the word "compact" to describe a thread which exceeds 50 pages is disingenuous. It already rivals several of the more celebrated eG threads in length.

Woah???? Are you practicing to be a cow-girl? Roping calves, branding them, etc. Fits right in with the Burger Club theme, though. Perhaps members of the BC would be sent to cities to taste and evaluate burgers there. Or, even to foreign shores like Korea (don't they eat dogs there?), Japan, Costa Rica and other places where US beef has been restricted.

I'm a little surprised the beef people haven't picked up on this yet, Jaymes. It seems such a natural idea. Perhaps they could help finance Burger Clubs all over the world.