whitetrufflechick
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Posts posted by whitetrufflechick
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I know that Bourbon BBQ in Wyckoff does catering for large parties and I believe that Backwoods, formerly of Westwood and now in Washington Township (Bergen County) at The Dog House does catering as well.
Was just up at Bailey's Smokehouse in Orangeburg (not far from Bergen County) and saw catering mentioned on their menu as well.
WTC
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I second Cafe Matisse as a suggestion - very, very romantic little back garden and if dining inside, be sure to ask for their cozy (and also very romantic) corner booth.
Have had some very magical nights at Cafe Matisse over the years.
WTC
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http://www.nj.com/entertainment/dining/ind...eals_off_t.html
I mean, considering the fact that the reviewer mentions Chef Gary at least four times and the man hasn't been cooking there for over 10 months was my first clue.
Talk about not doing your homework.
The peach-berry pie had no peaches and only cherries? Wouldn't that be a cherry pie?
2.5 stars? Would that be out of 50?
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Thanks so much for posting here! Now that I know about it, I think we'll take a trip up there tomorrow. Have fun!
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Out of pure coincidence and location, my wife made reservations so we could meet friends and that happened to be an approximate middle location. Always heard great things. I really wish I could say it lived up to the reputation.
We split starters, hush puppies that were so hard we were almost unable to cut them. A fresh pasta and mushroom adish called rags and mushrooms or something. that was exactly that, a few mushrooms and pasta. Shrimp and Grits that was ok and a scallop wrapped in bacon special. the scallop and bacon was not bad, but whatever the garnish was, and i can't remember, was just terrible.
Entrees we had a potato wrapped catfish etouffe. i have never seen such violently overcooked fish with a 4" crust made of iron, ever. shrimp, jambalaya. a large scoop of rice, some sauce and 5 shrimp. a steak special that was ordered because the menu steak was not available (with 3 other people in the restaurant) and a short rib dish that "needed" a knife.
we did however get a kick out of the tv screen with the live feed into the kitchen with the 2 women that would throw stuff in pans and walk out of sight, and the chef that walked the dining room while those pans were on the stove...
If this place is open in october i'd be amazed. the server had to go to the liquor store next door to buy soda for service. when asked for dessert we passed and headed to that turkish bakery for something good
Sadly, we've had experiences like this and worse over our past two visits to Silver Oak. After having so many (for awhile, weekly) great meals over the years (under the watchful eye and talented skills of Chef Gary), Silver Oak is no longer a place I think of when it comes to consistently great southern fare. Won't be going back unless its confirmed that things have changed, dramatically, for the better.
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Oceanos in Fairlawn has lovely outdoor dining (as well as wonderful seafood and a great staff).
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Olive Garden : Italian :: PF Changs : Chinese
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Made it to Backwoods Barbeque tonight. Good food, friendly service and comfortable room. Complimentary cornbread with butter start the meal. Basic and good. We started with the Kobe Corn Dogs (they were all out of paper menus to take home, so this is by memory) - served lollipop style propped up in a little wooden pig (see pic below), they were a nice start to the meal, especially with the whole grain mustard served on the side.
I had a caesar salad with hangar steak. Caesar dressing was made in house and from the taste of it, included anchovies. Really excellent. A huge side of Porcini mushroom and truffle oil mac and cheese rounded out my meal.
My fiancee had the full rack of dry rub ribs, based on the waitresses statement that the wet ribs were basically the dry with the sauce that they provide on the table applied in the kitchen. He enjoyed them, adding the sauce. Very peppery and not quite fall off the bone, he enjoyed the very large portion. Sides of homemade coleslaw and vinegary/peppery baked beans completed things.
Desserts are made in house with the exception of the ice cream, which comes from the Conrads, the home made ice cream place down the block.
Total bill, tax and tip, came to about $90 for the two of us, with PLENTY left over for tomorrow's lunch.
Kobe Corn Dogs served Lollipop style in a little wooden piggy!
Porcini mushroom & truffle oil mac and cheese giant side
Dry Rub Ribs and Cole Slaw Side
Caesar Salad with hangar steak
Dry Rub Ribs close up
Peanut Butter Brownie Dessert.
Cant wait to go back. We left with that feeling that there are a few more things on the menu we'd like to try. Only suggestion and a pet-peeve of mine - please have the staff stop using spray bottles to spray down the tables between customers. The smell of cleaning solution really puts a damper on an otherwise enjoyable meal. Have them spray their cloths in the back and just come out and wipe down the tables with the damp cloth. Other than that, the VERY young staff, though looking exhausted after what must have been a very busy opening weekend, were on top of things and kept a smile on their face. Our waitress, Maria, made recommendations, told us tales of opening days and worked hard to ensure our happiness. Thanks, Maria!
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How about Blue Hill in Westchester? Is that what it is called? Highlawn has such great views! I believe Saddle River Inn (and I had a GREAT meal there very recently) will close down for weddings. Or, wedding-ish parties.
Yes, Blue Hill is definitely one we are looking at. We were thinking about Saddle River Inn but had heard mixed things. Based on your great meal, we'll certainly check them out.
Thanks so much again!
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My steadfast companion and I will be getting married on 08/08/08 - in Las Vegas with about 20 family members and friends present (and Elvis won't be one of them. Nor will he be officiating, for that matter).
We've got the Vegas end of after-ceremony dinner ironed out, but we're now trying to come up with a place where we can do a little celebrating with 75 or so family and friends who weren't able to make it to Vegas. This isn't going to be a typical wedding reception - no band/dj, no dance floor, no vows, etc. Just either a lovely gathering for a few hours on either a Saturday night for a dinner or Sunday afternoon for lunch (depending on cost/availability, etc). Food is of UTMOST concern to us with locale running a close second (nah, not a close second - level of food quality by far surpasses any other factor.) NYC, NJ, Westchester are all locations that we'd consider.
Would love to find a place that can do a tasting menu of sorts - tried Cafe Matisse, but they're just not large enough to accomodate our group. Some other considerations were Varka in Ramsey (their private room is too small), Beacon in NYC (eh, but still a possibility) and thinking of giving the new chef at Arthur's Landing a try, based on the NYTimes review. Highlawn Pavilion, another consideration, seems too 'wedding-y"
Any other suggestions? Don't want to use a caterer, as I don't have the time or inclination to deal with all the details that trucking in flatware, linens, etc. entail. PLUS, to me it makes it seem more like a wedding. I just want a good meal at a good restaurant.... for 70+ of my nearest and dearest. :-)
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Hi guys!
Two things!
1) Picnic will be three next week! Thanks for all your support, we're making over the hump!
2) March 18 we are doing a benefit again for baby Kaley Smith who is still hanging in there! It will be a dinner again, and as soon as I have my celebrity chef locked in I will post more, but if you are around, and would like to come, tickets are $100 and made payable to Kaley Smith Fund, United Way of Bergen County!
Thanks,
Christine
Hi Christine!
Wondering if tickets are still available. Couldn't get there last year but hoping to this year. Sounds like much fun.
WTF
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FWIW, The Record did a small piece in their 'Starters' column a few weeks back (December 20th, to be exact). Tried to find a link, but it appears The Record is revamping their website and articles aren't appearing where they're meant to appear.
From what I remember, the gist of it was that the current owner of Green Papaya is the former owner of the previous incarnation of restaurant at that location.
I'm sure if you search for Green Papaya in a day or two, once The Record's new incarnation is up and running, you'll be able to access the article.
WTC
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I use Open Table 1-2 times per week. I usually use it from my cell phone's browser, as we decide where to go while in the car and its more convenient than calling information to get the number, etc. Love Open Table, as it allows restaurant owners to get your requests for a particular table, a quiet section of the restaurant, etc. in writing. I also find that using Open Table gives the restaurant a heads-up that you're a repeat customer, fwiw.
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OK, I went to this today. Although the cheese selection was wonderful, it was so crowded that you had to wait a very long time to get to each vendor. Having spent $15 to get in, it was a little frustrating. Maybe I'm being too negative but I resented having to pay to get in to wait in long lines to pay for products. I didn't end up staying very long due to the crowds and got to only about 1/4 of the booths. However, I did pick up a goats milk cheese with dill from a CT vendor that was terrific and a washed rind cheese that reminded me of being in Paris. I also bought a loaf of sourdough bread from a local artisanal bread maker who distributes to several locations (like to Health Shoppe in Morristown). It was worth it just to find out about this bread maker but would probably not go again unless I could get there before the crowds or they do something to fix the overcrowding problem. Also, had some great cheeses from Valley Shepard and will return on a less crowded day to buy some cheese. Mostly buy from Bobolink Dairy which is a bit of a haul from me. It is nice to know of another artisanal cheese maker that I can buy from in the area.
Sounds like you ended up with more than we did. Had the same feelings of resenting having to pay to sample what ended up being two specks of cheese on the end of toothpicks. Hate chaos and it just seemed like the way the tables were set up lent itself to a chaotic experience. Definitely wouldn't bother next year unless changes were made.
On the plus side, one of those samples was a tobacco-wrapped chevre that I ended up buying (then again, 18.50 for a piece of cheese seems a little much - didn't think twice about the price till he only handed me the buck fifty as change for my $20)
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We went to Cafe Matisse tonight and had absolutely zero disappointments. The grazing menu was a pretty good way to get a nice range of foods, but oh man, was everything amazing. The real standout was a lamb tenderloin over a whipped feta with fresh mint, a tomato and cucumber relish, topped with a lahmajun chip. Everything was amazing there and it was worth taking a date night, especially since we got a table outside in the garden.
I didn't see any single problem with the service. The waiters were attentive and helpful without being oppressive. Amazing experience overall.
Ditto. We were there last week, sat out in the garden and everything was absolutely perfect.
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Just over the NJ border, but Dona Maria in Suffern had Zucchini Blossom Quesadillas last week and they were great.
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We have not tried that place...always looked to scary to go into...
but if you have tried lately, I'm game...
Yes, looks very scary and its been what kept us away until a neighbor raved about it. Since then, have been back a number of times and enjoyed it very much. Hint: Enter through the back on the right side.
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This I don't know, but its in the most unlikely of locations - along 17S in an old Howard Johnson's hotel lobby, converted into a restaurant. Some very unusual dishes including a seafood "mush" - which consists of a tiny teapot filled with seafood in a delicious broth that is poured into tiny sake cups. Many off-menu items that you sort of learn about the more you go and observe what regulars around the room are eating and point and ask your waiter, "What IS that?"
EDIT: Googled it out of curiousity and no mention of the Little Falls Tomo on their website http://www.tomosushirestaurant.com
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with so many other good sushi places, I would vote this one of our least favorites
it's located in ramsey, main st next to the liquor store near the RR tracks...
swing down to allendale and stop by MASA, or Ridgewood
Wondering if you have tried Tomo, the sushi place in Ramsey I mentioned in my list.
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I'm a little picky about my sushi and KUMO would NOT be one I would recommend
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Where is this Kumo so that we can be sure to stay away from it as well?
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1. Pourquoi Pas (French - Westwood)
2. Dona Maria (Mexican - Suffern, NY - just over the border)
3. Tomo (Japanese - Ramsey)
4. Oceanos (Seafood - Fairlawn)
5. PJ Finnegan's (Irish Pub Grub - Westwood)
and not quite 'overlooked', but new and worth a mention - 6. Mantra (Indian - Paramus)
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I've heard good things about Pourqoui Pas? right in the middle of town, I've wanted to try it but never have.
Alas, the last time I checked, Pourqoui Pas? is not open for lunch.
I second PJ Finnegans for Irish Pub atmosphere and a great Steak Sandwich with Mustard Sauce (be sure to get a side of the stuff for dipping fries).
Have been to The Cornerstone in Hillsdale a couple of times for lunch and dinner and always come away disappointed. If you're going that far north, I'd either go another block and lunch at Matsu (japanese) or if you're in the mood for authentic Mexican in rather basic digs, go for Cinco de Mayo.
And for what its worth, I'd bypass The Iron Horse, which has definitely seen better days, both food and atmosphere-wise.
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Drove by Sakura Bana tonite. It appeared to be open and had quite a crowd.
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No opening date yet, but there is conctruction going on at the site.
See the Silver Oak thread. Mike's been posting updates there.
SLIDERS
in New Jersey: Dining
Posted
http://njmg.typepad.com/foodblog/2009/08/n...-in-mahwah.html
I saw that quote too and Disturbing wasn't the word that was used - Unappealing was the word. To tell you the truth, the food does look rather unappealing in the pics. From the white paper plates (300 for 99 cents) to what I think is the slider, not to mention that broken hotdog pic with the chili sort of sliding off of it, if the food is indeed good, the pics just don't support the claim.