lmkennedy53

Restaurant David Drake doesn't advertise in NJ monthly. I can't speak for the others but in our case, it isn't because we advertise.

I received a gift certificate for this restaurant and have been anxious to try it. Thanks for your comments! They were helpful and now I am definitely going to go. I do love mussels!! It is busy on weekends?? Since there are no reservations, did u ever have to wait??

I would like to add David Drake to the group of patio dining. I know it's not in the towns you mentioned but it is a very nice outdoor space with a different patio menu and wonderful summer drinks. It's in the back of the restaurant, not on the street, so it is very quiet and casual!!!! I'm sorry if I sound like an advertisement. That was not my intention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a person who LOVES outdoor dining so I'm always looking for new places to go! I hope others will add more to the list. I know this topic has been brought up before but it's always good to revisit it, this time of the year!!

Why did you change?? I hate to say it but there is a reason why it is so much cheaper!!!

...sorry...18 year old!! ← Sorry, but I disagree!! You shouldn't be able to tell the difference in most restaurants! Most chefs have to have a day off!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!! unfortunately, it just might happen to be on your birthday or anniversary, but an 18 shouldn't be in charge of the kitchen ever!! I don't know if Cafe Matisse had an 18 yr.old acting as a head chef. I find that hard to believe, but I guarantee that in most really good restaurants you wouldn't be able to tell if the head chef is there that day or not!!! But, a highly trained chef de cuisine or sous chef should be left in charge not just any old "cook".

That is correct, it is in Rutherford, I am sorry but I should have clarified which one. ← That's a shame what happened to you, because I also really like Cafe Matisse but haven't been in awhile. Any restaurant can have an off night and I know that doesn't help you but you should probably call them and tell them how you feel.

Hi Christine, The girls and I loved our lunch!!! We all teach at the same school and WISHED you were closer so we could come for lunch every day!!!!!!!!!!! They came for lunch last week too, when I was on vacation. It takes us about 30 minutes to get to you so it would be a little difficult during the regular school year!! We especially enjoyed the crab cake sandwich and the chicken salad melt! We will be back before the end of summer!! Maybe several times!!!!! Thanks! Lori

Just looked at the web site and it looks great!! I plan on going when I get back from Europe! What did you eat?? Did you go for lunch or dinner?

Thanks for all the information Nishla!! We are leaving tomorrow for Europe and we will be in Florence July 8 - 13. Your report has been very helpful!! I've been compiling a list of restaurants for weeks now and I certainly want to try several you mentioned!! Your pictures are wonderful too!!

I'm just curious why you didn't want anyone to include Rats or David Drakes.

I've always had good meals at an Italian restaurant on Rt. 27 in Iselin, very close to the mall called Casa Giuseppe. It's high end Italian with good food and good service!

I'm dying to go, but I've already brought most of my friends. ← Pretend you are with friends who have never been to DDs before!! I'll never tell!!!!

NJ Monthly named us the Most Romantic restaurant in NJ in the January issue!! Now when I accuse my husband of not being romantic enough, he tells me to go sit in the restaurant!! That's cause he decorated it!!!!!!

Try the chocolate parfait dessert!! It is wonderful!!! My new favorite! Have a great time!!

I don't beleive so... ← I don't think it is either.

I would also like to add Cafe Matisse in Rutherford and Le Rendez-vous in Kenilworth, Basilico in Milburn and Fascino in Montclair. Some of the ones already mentioned are some of my favorites as well. We live in Union Co. and go into NYC to eat usually once a week but sometimes I just don't want to deal with the traffic and will stay in NJ. There are many great restaurants in NJ but the choices in NYC are endless!!! I'm glad you are compiling a list of destination restaurants. It will be very helpful!!

I have to say that you don't have complete control of the bathroom situation in a restaurant. Yes, of course it should be checked periodically but especially if they are unisex like our bathrooms are, they seem to get dirty faster, because (sorry guys ) of the men!!!! I am a nut when it comes to cleanliness and I HATE most public bathrooms!! I don't work at our restaurant but when I go into the restroom as a patron, I always check to make sure everything is ok and most of the time it is but occasionally near the end of the evening it's not always as perfect as I would like it to be!! Having said that, our kitchen on the other hand is absolutely perfect!!!!!!!!!! It is immaculate and super clean. They DO have complete control over that situation. There is even a sink just for hand washing in the kitchen as well. So, I really don't think there is a true correlation between kitchen cleanliness and a bathroom that's a little untidy. But if the bathroom is disgusting in any restaurant, I would leave very quickly!!!! Believe it or not people actually steal things from the bathrooms too, like really nice soap!!! That's why sometimes the soap is missing!!!!!!!!!

I haven't been to David Burke's Fromagerie but I've been to David Burke's other restaurants especially David Burke and Donatella's in NYC which I love. I just got the email about the clam bake and thought it looked wonderful. I was thinking of going. I don't think you can go wrong though with David Burke. And he's a N.J. boy too!!!

There definitely should be a hot dog category!!!! I have been dying to get to your place!! I've never been and I hear yours are the very best!!! The best of the best in hot dogs!! I don't get up to your neck of the woods much, but we made a special trip to Picnic (40 min. away) and felt it was well worth it!! So we will have to come sometime soon! (even if you aren't in NJ Monthly!!!!!)

Our restaurant Restaurant David Drake won for best new restaurant - north. I can only go by my own experience with the NJ Monthly poll. We didn't send out an email or encourage anyone to vote at the restaurant. In fact, I'm the only one connected to our restaurant that even voted!! Neither David nor my husband who is his partner even voted!! We don't advertise in NJ Monthly either or anywhere else!!! We were thrilled to be named best new restaurant and I can feel confident it was all legit!!!

I would like to suggest our restaurant, Restaurant David Drake in Rahway. We were just chosen as the readers' pick in New Jersey Monthly as the best new restaurant (north) The food is fabulous, we have a liquor license and I just had MY birthday lunch there, last week!!

I think it would get a little crowded in there!!

Sol-mar on Ferry St. is authentic Portuguese and it's very good. I have been to Portugal and it's very much like the food there. It's where I go with my Portuguese friends! I've tried most of the restaurants that have already been mentioned but Sol-mar is my favorite.

Yay! I would definitely pay a bit more to have them cleaned - and for bigger ones! Did they have a choice of sizes? And how much more for cleaned...do you remember? Glad you enjoyed. ← They didn't have a choice of sizes but we ordered 3 dozen and our bill came to about $65. It was plenty to eat and delicious!! Definitely get them cleaned!!

So tonight's the night? I'm going back to the Skylark Diner tonight - taking a week off from those crabs. They were too much work for too little reward. Would definitely help if they are cleaned. Let us know if you were able to get them cleaned. Hope you enjoy! (Are you a seafood-in-the-rough person? I know I am!) ← We had them and they were cleaned for an extra charge and they were wonderful!!! The old bay seasoning made them so tasty! We spread out newspapers and paper plates and had ice cold Coronas and thought.. life doesn't get much better than this!!!! Crab night is definitely going to become a regular at our house thanks to you!!!