finker99

THE LIDO THE LIDO THE LIDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Main Street in Hackensack, Very thin crust served in a dark and dingy setting, no delivery, no call in orders, but man is the pizza amazing. This is the only place I go to get pizza. I usually get a medium pie as an app and the sliced steak as an entree mmmmmmmmmmm THE LIDO THE LIDO THE LIDO!!!!

My wife works right across the street from this place and said it was ok but pricey $6 grill cheese sandwich. hmmmm

I ate there once a few years ago for lunch and unmemorable would be a nice way to describe it.

What is an italian hot dog??

As far as I know there are no exceptions to the 160 degree rule in NJ irradiated or not. As far as Radiating meat went, we had a "green" guy in my cooking school block my first year who for his main paper wrote it on irradiating food, I don't recall the details, but i know he went in ready to tear appart the whole irradiation idea and came away with the belief that irradiation appears to be harmless and beneficial. I don't see any real down side to the whole issue, it does kill the bacteria and does help the meat last a little longer which as a restaurant owner is a great thing, as a consumer.... being a relatively healthy 30 year old working in food service I don't worry too much about food poisening(BY THIS I MEAN MY SELF IN MY PERSONAL EATING, NOT MY CUSTOMERS AND MY PROFFESIONAL COOKING), I'll eat Jamaican Beef Patties off the grungiest truck, just because they are usually the best. The worst that will PROBABLY happen is that the meat that didn't agree with me may take the express way through and that will be that, if I wind up having kids or if my health doesn't stay what it is I would either grind the meat myself or probably just cook the meat well, irradiated or not because even irradiated meat can be cross contaminated or left around for too long. So in the end it comes back to: do you trust your butcher? If he is grinding his beef daily and you use it within the first day or so you should not develop any illness, irradiated or not. It is when the meat has time to sit around that the bacteria multiply to dangerous levels. With irradiated meat it is ground, irradiated and packed at the plant and then shipped to the markets. Irradiation is more of a benifit for the packers in that they can centralize their opperations and ship their meat with greater confidence that it will not breed bacteria during shipping. This also in theory gives the goverment more control over inspections because there would be less processing facilities. BUT none of this would really be an issue if the packers practiced more sanitary methods in there raising, slaughtering and butchering of cows, read Fast Food Nation (I don't recall the author) for a look into this part of the industry, but carefull you may never pick up a burger again. (So sorry this is a long and rambling post, but I just do this stream of conciousness and I will be wrapping it up soon) If you are truely paranoid about ecoli insist on FRESH ground beef or grind it yourself and you will not have to worry about ecoli, irradiated or not. The elderly and young children, just cook the heck out of it. The odds are long, but a few ecoli that would barely make most of us burp could kill a 75 year old man or a young child and that is the main reason for all of these laws regulating the cooking of ground beef. Side note: food service profesionals have been shown to develop a resistance to foodborn illnesses because of all the time they spend around the bacteria in their day to day work. I Retain the Right To Condradict Myself You May Return To What You Were Doing Fink

We do not grind our own beef at Fink's, but we buy it from one of three reputable meat suppliers, Sysco, whitch maintains a HAACP chain (HAACP is the ultimate in sanitation, with independent certification and federal inspections.) Golden Meats, who buys direct from a wholesale butcher in NYC and a local butcher who will grind our meat fresh for us. Also, ground beef is only a burger for 24 hours here, after that is used for chili or other well done purposes (we are probably going to be running a shepard's pie tonight.) I eat my burgers Rare to MR when I don't get sidetracked and forget it until it is well done; I also usually stick to the 1/4 pounder, but I make up for meat in toppings: Bacon, Fried Onion, Blue Cheese and Cheddar cheese and russian dressing is a favorite. Fink Fink's Web Site

Write to your state reperesentatives, it is in fact illegal to serve ground beef in any form not cooked to 165 degrees in the state of NJ, this law was passed about 2 or 3 years ago and it is true. In the mandated health classes for food service employees they are very specific about this. It is mostly for e coli, but ground beef is also very easily cross contaminated with just about any other bacteria walking around. That said, I tend to obey half of the law, we don't ask for temps and assume Med Well, but will cook a burger to order if asked, but this is a health code violation, so please don't turn me in. Again, this is a NJ law so if you want to bitch it would have to be to your state reps Me, if I trust the store, my burger is Med Rare, if not, I don't order it. Some places won't because of both the liability and the law. If you think e coli isn't too bad, refer to the Jack In the Box cases from the early 90's when a few people out west were killed by undercooked ground beef that was contaminated before it even reached the restaurant where it was handled properly but just barely undercooked. (since when do bacteria walk around) fink

Now that is a pretty pig. I think i will be aquiring one for my collection

Customer's want what customers want, at my store (fink's funky chicken and ribs.) I experimented a little, for example, i made a lamb and guiness stew around st patrick's day and i sold one order that whole week, but i sold about 15 corned beef briskets. The reason that things like pepper in dessert are considered unique and special is that they ARE unique and special. If it wasn't considered odd and avante garde would a place like the gramercy tavern or the like put it on there menu. At Mexicali Blues Cafe in Teaneck, we would occasionaly get a lobe of foie gras to experiment with, we knew we would be winding up with the lion's share of it because the customers, for the most part, would even want to try it as a free taste. But, that is part of the reason that we would run it, it is definetly something that people will talk about and as we all know a restaurant is only as good as its buzz. If everybody liked pepper ice cream, I would be able to go down to pathmark and buy a gallon and something like coriander ice cream would be on your menu. Foodies everywhere will try just about anything, and I have met many NJ foodies, but just because they dont order the more exotic things as often as you would like does not make them any less discerning than NY foodies. As others have said, the pure numbers of people in NYC, both residents and tourists from around the world gaurentees(sp) that exotic items will have a larger audience than in NJ where the restaurants will cater to a similar demographic but much less dense. So yes there are far fewer Foodies living in NJ and we also don't have the draw to bring people from around the world to our restaurants so you are not going to sell the same quantity of your more exotic items to these people, however these items will be MORE exotic and different for the simple reason that there isn't a store on every other corner selling these thing. It will stick in the customers' heads and they will mention it to there friends and help get the word about your restaurant out and as was mentioned earlier, people gradually catch on. fink

The AC works OK, and with the ceiling fans it is cool. I want it to work a little better so I may have the contractor come back and add a couple more vents. The prep kitchen is the coolest room in the place because it has no windows, and the main kitchen is definetely much cooler so all in all it is working. fink

There is room at the counter and we do have A high chair for the baby, it really depends on the age of your kids, can they sit at a counter? we have crayons and all sorts of little things to keep kids occupied as well as a kid's menu, so we do have room, but if you don't think the kids would do well at the counter take out is alway's a good option Fink

AC HAS ARRIVED

Believe it or not, the heat in the store is about average for most restaurants i've worked in (not the customer areas, the kitchens) Cooks are used to sweaiting all day, even in winter. So myself and the cooks are used to heat. The counter kids on the other hand, have never worked in kitchens but they are actually getting used to it. I Just chug a bottle of water about every 1/2 hour and the cooks do the same with a bottle of gatoraid type beverages thrown in for variety every once in a while. hope to see you in our soon to be airconditioned store fink

so, remember when i said i would have ac now? disregard that, it looks like between the electrician and the AC contractors it will be sometime wednesday, I will post when it arrives thanks all fink

I have eaten at NVG at Garden State Plaza in Paramus a couple of times and have known some of the management in the kitchen. The food and service are always good, I can't elaborate more because it has been years since I have eaten there. The reason I stopped going is that although everything was good, I still felt like I was paying more than what I should for what I got. For the same money in a simalar restaurant I feel I could get more, and I am not averse to paying for good food. I feel this probably stems from the rent they have to pay being located at one of the top malls in the country (same is probably true at Mall of America.) more than just bad pricing, but I still won't pay that much for their food. From the people I knew there the food is all fresh made and the local store does have a pretty free hand with specials and a few regional items on the menu. The service was amazing when I went with a party of 12 in a private room, the waiters name was Serge. That I remember his name speaks wonders for the service. So basicly if you have money to burn and price isn't important at all I would definately recomend it, and when the market creaps back up or if someone else is buying I would definately go back to try it again. If, however, you like to feel like your getting your money's worth I would skip it and try somewhere else.

Babylon by Huffman Koos in River Edge is a nice BYO with a very clean kitchen somewhat visible from the dinning area, the desserts are good and they have tables outside

Thanks Double O Update on AC: Arrival of ac has been postponed until monday afternoon cuz the guy that knew what he was doing had to go on a service call see ya guys

AC IS BEING INSTALLED AS I TYPE THE. WE HOPE TO BE UP AND RUNNING BY SATURDAY PM that and our website has been updated with pictures of a pig roast that we did in July finksfunky.net

Truly you do, the only reason I still go to Dante's is that it is almost as good and only a 2 minute walk from my store

There are a few good shops in the River Edge area. (not responisble for spelling cuz boy is it bad!!!) Dante's: A quality Italian but you pay the price-- Kinderkamack Rd --- East side north of the Vorhis Ave light Joe's Boun Apetito: Another quality Italian with amazing homemade sausage and fresh mozz Kinderkamack Rd in the strip mall south of the diner Ted's North and Teds: A pair of sub shops located by the continental ave entrance to Van Saun Park, and the local exit to Garden State Plaza respectively. Tasty sandwiches, the Sloppy Ted kick's butt. Get the seasoned fries at Ted's North (formerly Komsa's Farms for old timers), I usually get them a little well done with extra seasoning Cosmo's Salumaria: Yet another quality Italian, and my favorite. The bread, the meat, the dressing, and a big bottle of Manhattan Special, ummmmooooooohhh!!!! Main Street in Hackensack by the Johnson ave Intersection, Across from the First Union Bank and a few doors north of the Lido <----Great thin crust pizza and sliced steak sandwiches!! Fink

Hi All, Fink here, the Souther Pride smoker that I have I got on EBay from a restaurant supply house in Florida. When I called the manufacturer for parts info I found that it had been originally sold to a Winn Dixie in down there in 1982 or so. It is model # UXR 100 It is a Beast, it leaks smoke, makes the place hot, boy does it make the food taste good. We use cherry wood that I get from a vegetarian tree guy who keeps it stocked for a portobello sandwich and a rocky road mud tart. I have a link to Southern Pride on the restaurant website; finksfunky.net Thanks for coming everybody, look for us at the classic carshow next sunday in River Edge Memorial Park,it is a fundraiser for the River Edge Cultural Center Fink PS AC is in the works, we will probably begin installation in the next week or two

Hi all Fink's will be selling food at the River Edge fireworks display, if you are headed north on kinderkamack, go to the second right, past finks and go down the hill there is a field and lot down there with a great view of the fireworks and fink's food. (note roads may be closed so may have to do a little walking) thanks for your support everybody, fink

Ok Mon - Wed 7am-10pm Thurs- Sat 7 am- midnight Sun 9am to 9pm Thanks for stopping in everybody, Fink

Ruga up 208 in oakland is very good, i have been there a couple of times, busy night and a slow night. Every thing was good both nights, had a duck and foie gras dish the second night, outsanding. Esty Street is also good, it has been a while since i have been there though I have heard good things about Dinallo's in River Edge, but have not eaten there yet. It is just off Route 4 where boodle's used to be. Capri Mia is a pretty good Italian in Hackensack by the Target; they are undergoing renovations, so call to make sure they are open.

Thank's for the feedback everybody, On the menu in the main dish section it explains the smoke ring. It is a big menu though and i understand how people could miss it. fink