Randi

Has anyone been to Aliperti's in Clark? It's an Italian Restaurant just south of Central Ave on Raritan. And what about Lana's? That is on Raritan also, just north of Central Ave. It is a new restaurant in the Hyatt Hills Golf Complex. The sign says "Lana's Fine Dining". Anyone know just HOW fine?? I am trying to decide on a restaurant for a business dinner within a couple of miles of the Clark Crowne Plaza. Can't be BYO. Eliminated Garlic Rose since we will be about 15 people and hard to know if everyone likes garlic THAT much. Also had to eliminate Theresa's and Le Rendevouz (kinda far anyhow) since they are BYO. Considering Stage House tho it is a little far. Might be too expensive...(but damn! I want to try that place!) Any other thoughts? Lana's and Aliperti's seem so close but I know nothing about them!

Thanks so much to everyone for the great suggestions! I will report back once we try a few places. I appreciate the replies! Randi

Does anyone know of a place in central NJ (preferably the Edison/Woodbridge area) that offers an "afternoon tea"? I tried searching online and found many in the Cape May area, but that's too far for us.

I have to pipe up again and mention Patroon House which is just outside of Albany, in Glenmont. I thought it was excellent and I don't hesitate to recommend it. I wish I lived closer so I could go back! Here's a post with my experience there which also includes a link to their site. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=30774 Randi

It's not hot but it's seasonal - I've got eggnog spiked with kahlua, with a bit of milk over ice.

Tommy, How does one make a cup made of ham? Nancy and I are sitting here guessing all kinds of ways - we want to know YOUR way! Randi

Wow...looks great! But I have to confess there is something about the words "Donkey" and "meat" in such close proximity that made me look twice!

We made it to Wegman's late this afternoon, sitting in all the mall traffic (I will be smart and go a different way next time). It was our first time in a Wegman's and I must say it left us starry-eyed. We loved it! We spent 2 hours and didn't see all of it, but I was running out of steam. Some of the goodies I got included vegetable terrine, a country pate with pistacios, peach cider (too sweet), some gouda (they cleverly gave us a taste and of course I had to buy it. Yum!), amazing bagels including sunflower seed coated, multi-grain with flax seeds, asiago cheese bagels etc. The french toast egg bagel looked great! Also picked up a rosemary olive oil loaf, and tasted the cider golden raisin bread that everyone else here seemed to buy (but we wanted savory to go with our treats). Got a sampling of olives, some marinated garlic cloves and fava beans from the olive bar, some excellent cold cuts (delicious roast turkey for only 5.99 a lb) and ham and lebanon bologna (bought both the sweet and regular smoky), tons of produce, gigantic shrimp and much much more. The prepared foods looked amazing and we loved everything they gave us to taste. It wasn't till we got home that we realized we'd gotten nothing sweet for dessert. Oh well! Next time! Wegman's really is a Disneyland for foodees! (I know this is old news to all of you...but I was a Wegman's virgin!)

Has anyone actually tried these certificates? (the ones on eBay from Restaurant.com) I see they have them for (in my area): The Metuchen Inn, Cafe Abbraci, Constantines, Allen's Italian Ristorante, and The Woodbridge Steakhouse, among others. They cost between $1 and $3 plus $1 for handling. They are worth $25 off the food portion of your bill. They email you the certificate. It is good for one year. There are restrictions, but some are worse than others. They are good for parties of 2 unless it states that it has to be a party of 4 (which many of them do). Some do specify that they are valid from Sun - Thurs, others don't specify. You can't use more than one per party, and you can't use more than one per month per restaurant. A friend of mine in CT uses them often, and says they are great. Restaurant.com on eBay has over 80,000 feedback comments and the extremely rare negatives say things like "the restaurant was out of business" - nothing that reflects the integrity of the seller. Anyone here have experience with them? Seems silly not to get them - especially for places you frequent anyhow! Randi

Thanks everyone! I already knew Rosie would suggest Loucas' and that RockADS was partial to Cafe Abbraci (which I have now learned how to spell!) I am glad to see more opinions as well - and appreciated the emails I received too. Seems there is a split - so I will accept the role of tie breaker and try them both! I decided to go to Loucas this time, since their menu was online and we were able to get excited about some of the items. We liked the bread - it was served warm (but with rock hard butter). I got clams casino - there were 6 small but tasty clams - made with peppers, shallots, bacon and herb butter. My one friend got the penne alla vodka with chicken. She and my other friend thought it was very good. I thought it was ok. My other friend got the filet mignon wrapped in bacon, topped with herb breadcrumbs, sitting atop a portabello mushroom with a brandy demi-glaze sauce. She ordered it medium well but it came out closer to medium (maybe even medium rare - it was red in the center). She had specifically said "pink is ok, but no red" but she enjoyed it anyhow. (so did I - she gave me some of the rare center!) Hers was served with garlic mashed which were good. The veggie medley was limp and pedestrian. I ordered the stuffed shrimp which were very tasty - the stuffing was a very creamy lump crab imperial which was a tad too creamy and slightly sweet. The shrimp were fair sized and there was lots of stuffing (would have preferred more shrimp and less stuffing). I ended up sharing the stuffing with my friend. We all got dessert. One got a pecan tart which she said was terrible and she sent it back. She got the homemade NY cheesecake instead which was very light and fluffy for NY style, I thought. (or is it supposed to be?) Tasted very cream-cheesy and not very sweet (that is not necessarily a bad thing). I would have liked to try it when I wasn't stuffed to the gills. My other friend and I both got the creme brulee. The custard was delicious but the sugar-topping had a burnt taste. I hate when that happens! Oh - we were surprised that they charged for a refill on a glass of unsweetened ice tea. We all agreed that this was a good solid meal - but not outstanding. We would go back and try some other dishes. Next stop! Cafe Abbraci! (then the Metuchen Inn, and Dan's on Main!)

I have heard good things about LouCas in Edison and Abracci's in Metuchen and I am wondering if anyone has been to both and can help me decide which to go to tomorrow night (Wednesday) for a birthday dinner. Any opinions? Randi

My friend Nancy and I decided to head to northwest NJ to go leaf peeping and I thought a good destination would be Bobolink for some cheese and bread! Evidently, we weren't the only ones with that idea - the cheese tasting room was packed and there was a line out the door! We took our time, choosing some breads (a rosemary epi, cranberry walnut salt stick, and the rosemary garlic bread) but people were still arriving and the line was getting longer, so we got into the line. Jonathan was there slicing cheese, giving tastes and talking about them all. He is a delight to listen to. I don't think anyone minded the wait, as he is so warm and friendly, and they sent out a plate with cheeses to sample for the folks in the line outside the building. I bought just about every cheese I tasted - how could I narrow it down! I ended up with 6 (maybe more, I can't remember now) which included: Frolic (YUM!) Pancake, Ale-washed, Jean Louis (double yum!), cheddar, and the as yet unnamed "wine and cheese" cheese. I was pleased that Jonathan recognized me from the 9/21 egullet pot luck, as I hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to him that day. I asked him how long they will keep and he said a week outside the fridge and at least a month inside the fridge. I adore the taste at room temperature but I think I would feel better keeping them cool. I haven't put them in yet...but I probably will before heading up to bed. By the way - after tasting them this afternoon, I took samples of each to a friend's house where we made our own "cheese course" after dinner. I returned home around 1 AM and made myself another plate (and was happy I hadn't put them in the fridge yet). Anyone have any thoughts or experiences they want to share about how they stored their Bobolink treasures? (By the way - Rachel - I see your "waving bear" is still there waiting for you to adopt him!)

February, 2002. The link to the review is in my post above. (It was posted on Benito's site.)

I want to start by thanking everyone who responded. I have some great ideas for the next outing! Now for my review of Benito's... I must say, I agree with Rosie about this place. We got there early, about 5:30, and we were the only ones in the restaurant for at least 45 minutes, if not longer. (By the time we left at 8:30, it had been crowded for at least an hour, and it was pretty noisy.) Remember it was a Monday night, and a holiday. They led us to a table which had a loveseat against the wall (they wisely saw that my butt would not be comfortable in their chairs, which had arms). However I felt rather silly sitting in the loveseat, but not silly enough to ask to be seated elsewhere and brought an armless chair (which I saw at some of the tables). The service was excellent. Very attentive and they made us feel like everything we ordered was an excellent choice (I am a sucker for that - I know, I know...it's silly!) I am in total agreement with Rosie about the bread. It was uninspired. No one touched it but me, since I needed to see how it was! I love really good bread, and it wasn't worth wasting my appetite on. It was served with basil oil. My boss is doing low-carbs so she had to order carefully. They did say they could happily customize any dish, that all we need to do is ask for what we want. She asked them to create something for her with the fava beans, goat cheese and diced tomato. They brought out a plate with a disk of eggplant, topped by a round of goat cheese and frisee. She assumed it was for another table (but no one else was there yet! ) and sent it back. A moment later they brought out a bowl with fava beans and diced tomato and another waiter brought back other plate and explained that it was the goat cheese she wanted and they had kept the warm separate from the cool. (Unfortunately she doesn't eat eggplant and wouldn't have ordered it.) My other boss got a salad. which was fine. I got seared sea scallops with orange and red beet salad which was very pretty. 3 large nicely seared scallops on the plate, lined up in a row, each with a mandarin (or other type of small) orange section on top. The finely diced beet salad made it pretty, and there was a bit of a subtle fruity sauce underneath. It tasted fresh, was done properly, it was good, but it didn't excite me. My boss ordered a plate of fried zuccini strips to have along with our appetizers. They weren't on the menu. They were terrific. Lightly fried, crispy, delicious. Main courses - my boss ordered a special (which yes, were recited without prices) - veal shoulder which she customized with root vegetables. She enjoyed it. I tasted it but didn't like it at all. I am not a fan of meat that's been stewed. (She also had an opinion about the specials being recited without prices - she prefers it that way since she feels people might tend to order based on price, rather than what they really want. And when she is taking people out, either socially or for business, she doesn't want them to even think about the price. She considers reciting the prices tacky. Personally, I want to know the prices!) My other boss ordered one of the appetizers as a main course (they can do dinner portions). She is a vegetarian so her choices were somewhat limited and she chose the eggplant rollatini. I didn't taste hers, but she seemed satisfied with it. I ordered the seared mignonette with carmelized onion potato cake and horseradish-chive gremolata. It was 2 small filets sitting on a potato cake and a bed of fresh spinach. The gremotala tasted simply like a bit of grated fresh horseradish. The meat looked a bit overdone. I had asked for medium rare, but when I cut into it only the very center was medium rare but the rest of it (most of it) was brown and dry. I sent it back. It did screw up the timing of our meal but we were there 3 hours, eating and talking, so in the long run, it didn't matter. They did bring it out right the second time. The potato cake was boring, the spinach very plain. I was disappointed. We had gotten a side of sauted broccoli rabe to share which was extremely bitter and fairly dry and not very garlicky. We saw some slivers of garlic, but the flavor was much too subtle for my taste. Each of us tasted it and took no more (no one said a word about it though). For dessert my boss ordered a cheese plate, which was not on the menu but they made one up for her with what they had. It had sharp provolone, gorgonzola, goat cheese (which was delicious!) and fresh mozzarella. My other boss got the ricotta cheesecake which she took one taste of and left it. She did rave about the scoop of sorbet on top (I don't know what flavor) and she said she'd wished she'd ordered just sorbet. I got a dish which I can't remember the name of - it was called "warm & cool" (in Italian) raspberries and pineapple with a scoop of rosewater ice cream. It was very pretty, served in a ring of fresh pineapple shell, and the fruit was warm in a fruit sauce topped by the cool ice cream. It was fine. I ate about half. They also sent out a plate of biscotti and some dessert wine for each of us. All in all, it was ok, but certainly did not live up to David Corcoran's review. I think Rosie's was on the mark! Randi

Actually - after reading Rosie's post I though Stage House was a great idea! But my boss has been to Ristorante da Benito - and loves it - and since she's treating, it seemed best to go some place we know she'd like. But...she did say we can go to the Stage House next month! Hmmm...I like how she thinks! (we never go out to eat, maybe we are starting a new work tradition!) So...looks like it's Ristorante da Benito tonight. Thanks to everyone for your great (and quick!) responses! Randi

Menton - thanks. Unfortunately they are a BYO and my boss specified "no BYO". Also, got mixed reviews here Someone here at the office recommended Ristorante da Benito in Union which had a terrific review by David Corcoran in the NY Times (he gave it an "Excellent") but Rosie didn't seem too impressed when she went. Corcoran's review - http://www.dabenito.com/reviews.html Rosie's - http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...25010&hl=benito Anyone else been there and can give an opinion? Thanks!

I know it's kind of last minute, but I am hoping I can get some recommendations for a nice place to go for dinner TONIGHT. My boss is taking us out, but wants us to choose the place. I work in Cranford, so someplace nearby would be best. Has to be open on Mondays, obviously. Also, she wants a place with a bar - no BYO. Can anyone help? I called Chez Catherine but - not open on Monday. Was it Rendez Vous that was supposed to be good in Kenilworth? I can't take the time to review posts looking for past raves (as I am at work now) so I am hoping I can check back in a couple of hours and find some recommendations. Thanks sooooooo much!

My first in-person eGullet event and it was SO much fun. How great to be able to put faces with the names...and to feast on all the goodies! Next time I will make something from scratch...going to start thinking about it NOW... Rosie, so great to finally meet you after all these years! And Rachel - Nancy and I really enjoyed meeting and chatting with you! Everyone was so warm and friendly. What a great crowd! And special thanks to Curdnerd and his family!! Randi

We had told Kim we were iffy for today but it looks like we will be making it after all. But I will change what I am bringing from fruit and a fruit dip, to fruit and salad, since that seems to be what's needed. (we are away from home and can't make the dip, but we can pick up fruit platters and salads greens.) We hope to be there by 1:30... heading out soon to pick this stuff up...might be a little late :( Randi

I'd like to bring fresh fruit and a dip for it. (The dip, by the way...will go GREAT with ginger snaps - which I was going to bring, but I see someone's got it covered!) Might think of some additional things to bring...I'll keep you posted.

I've been wanting to post this, so now is as good a time as any...since the subject has come up! I was down in south Jersey 2 weeks ago, staying in Somers Point and I brought some eGullet print outs to guide me to some decent places to eat. One place that was recommended by Rachel and Jason was GREAT. It's called Crabby's and it is west of Atlantic City just south of Mays Landing. (1413 Highway 50, Belcoville, NJ - 609-625-CRAB) We went on a Saturday night around 6:30 PM and there was no problem being seated. (by the time we left it was busy, but still no wait.) It's a very casual, basic kind of place - in fact the name is "Crabby's Suds & Seafood" if that's a clue Most of the tables are wooden picnic tables with the backless benches attached. Not the best for "diners of size". (That would be both me and my dining partner that evening). But they knew when they saw us that they should guide us to one of the 3 regular tables with chairs. I give them credit for that (it's not something I take for granted.) They had paper covered tables and rolls of paper towels for each diner - which sure came in handy! Not that we intended to copy Rachel and Jason, but just as they did, we ordered the Crab Sampler and an order of garlic crabs. (the Crab Sampler because "combo plates" were invented for ME...since I want to try some of this and some of that, and the garlic crabs so I could compare them to the ones at the Hard Shell Cafe, in Marlton). The Crab Sampler was awesome! There were King Crab legs, Dungeness Crab, Snow Crab and Blue Claw. Each more delicious than the next. The king crabs were our faves but the dungeness a close second and the snow, surprising huge and tasty! The blue claw was ok, but I didn't have the patience I usually do for cracking and cleaning after the huge easy-to-extract legs of the other 3 varieties. The seasoning was just right, the value good for the money - $33.95 (up from Jason and Rachel's $25 or so, as I recall). And plenty for the 2 of us. The garlic crabs ($3.50 each for large) I wasn't thrilled with. The garlic was mostly in the butter served with them. The garlic crabs at the Hard Shell Cafe are totally smothered in minced garlic and oil. (it's a garlic orgy!) which stays with you for days. OK, so maybe that's not necessarily a good thing...but...I do crave them now and then and HAVE to have them! (And they are "all-you-can-eat" and that means less pressure to really dig out the difficult bits.) We also got a 1/2 pound of steamed shrimp ($10.99) for something different to eat with the crabs. They were a good size and pretty tasty! Some of the appetizers sounded good, but we didn't try them. They had salmon stuffed scallops ($9.99). stuffed mushrooms with crab imperial ($9.99) and jalapeno shrimp poppers ($6.99) to name a few. They've got clams and oysters on the half shell, "Land and Sea Delights" and several pasta dishes. They have a fresh strawberry dessert called "Crabby's Strawberry Delight" but they don't describe it, but we decided to give it a try. Had we known what it was, we might not have ordered it and that would have been a huge mistake as it totally hit the spot after all that crab/salt/butter/garlic. It's a big bowl of fresh, wonderfully sweet strawberries with a large dollop of sour cream beside them and a mound of granulated brown sugar. Refreshing and delicious! They offer all-you-can-eat specials Sunday through Thursday (Sun- Blue Claw, M-Dungeness, Tu-Snow Crab, W-Blue Claw, Th-Snow Crab & Shrimp - served 6-9 weekdays and Sunday 3-6 pm) The next night we tried another place, much closer to our hotel called Schooner's. (It was not memorable - we got more crabs and they just didn't measure up). We stuck around for their "open mike night" and my friend performed, so it was a nice evening out, just the same. Many thanks to Jason and Rachel. And if anyone else can recommend some seafood-in-the-rough places anywhere in NJ, I am SO THERE! Randi

I am also in - and bringing a friend. Randi

Hmmm...went to the Metuchen Farmer's market today and it was pretty sad Maybe 2 vendors there...mostly selling plants. One did have a few small baskets of squash or something (we didn't even bother to get out of the car to look) and the other had lots of plants and what looked like a nice display of fresh herbs in little pots. Oh, and there was a vendor with a small table with some bread...nothing major. So 3 vendors all together. sigh. Tried to find the Scotch Plains market but I think I was on the wrong Park Avenue. Will try again sometime. Anyone else hit some today? are they all so small?? Randi

Actually...what I had was DELICIOUS - I had tex mex eggrolls and chicken madeira - the eggrolls were tasty and just the right amount of spicy. The chicken - really awesome. Two nice sized boneless breasts perfectly cooked, moist and tender inside and delicately crispy outside. Melted mozzarella cheese and 5 bright green, pencil thin aspargus topped the breasts. Huge mushrooms, yummy sauce and bits of carmelized onions surrounded them. And don't forget the mountain of mashed potatoes - with lumps! - the way I like them. Oh...and we got right in...no waiting...at....*GASP* the Cheesecake Factory. Hey - I LIKE it! Randi

Errrrrrrrrr....well by the time I saw your suggestion it was too late. My friend and I had just gotten home from a *very* filling lunch (I won't say where - I don't want to duck jeers and rotten tomatoes ) and was only in the mood, at that point, to rest and digest! We are planning to hit Metuchen tomorrow - I'll report back on that one. Randi