Sharky

lambretta76, Hudson does close early on Sundays, sorry you couldn't find a place for dinner. You're right about the big Olde Hudson on 82. The Olde Hudson folks bought that location from Rural Gourmet, they used to do BBQ on Saturday nights and I really liked their pies, I think they may have come from Love Apple Farms. I haven't been there since Olde Hudson took over The original Olde Hudson, a small double storefront, is still on Warren Street, at least it was three weeks ago!

Culin Ariane is casual, and like most restaurants in Montclair, is BYO.

Sadly, Bolgen and Moi is gone. I had three spectacular meals there, I don't know what happened. I love the Red Dot, one of the few places around that has Old Speckled Hen on tap. They also serve Ommegang, which is brewed near Cooperstown. I've always enjoyed the food especially the frites with Belgian mayo. The atmosphere is relaxed, they have an outdoor patio behind the restaurant with a wood burning stove to help fend off chilly evenings. The Red Dot is always my first stop after a long ride up the thruway. The red Dot is on the 300 block of Warren Street. For breakfast I like Earth Foods. The coffee is good and they always have interesting specials. When I'm packing a lunch for a trip to points unknown in the Hudson Valley, I usually stop in Olde Hudson. They have a nice selection of breads, cheeses and olives. The new wine shop is a nice place to pick up a bottle or two of interesting wines, the proprietor is very knowledgeable, and has always chosen interesting wines for me to try. I'm sorry I can't remember the name, I think it is on the 300 block of Warren Street. I had lunch at Swoon Kitchen Bar about a year ago and enjoyed it, so I think its still good! Many of my friends have eaten at Mexican Radio and said the food was good. I haven't been there, so I can't comment. I was in Hudson a few weeks ago, and many of the recently (within the last two to three years) opened shops have unfortunately closed. Among them are The Velvet Egg, Shop Naked and Jovey. There's also a new combination pub, bookstore and art supply place called the Spotty Dog Books and Ale on the 400 Block of Warren St. I haven't tried any food yet, but the bar is fun. I hope this helps, I'll be going back up there in a few weeks, I'll try some new places and take notes.

My partner and I are heading to Cleveland for a Kenley Players reunion. we'll be arriving Friday evening, staying through Sunday. I'd like some recommendations for restaurants near the Cleveland Downtown Marriott, preferably within walking distance of the hotel. Of course, if there is a place that we can't miss, I'll certainly drive, although after eight hours in the car, I'd like to walk, if possible. We're very open to all different cuisines, and we'd like to have a drink before dinner. I'm not al all familiar with the area, this will be my first trip to Cleveland, so I don't know anything about the restaurant scene. As far as budget, we live in the metro New York area, so if entree prices are around 30.00 or lower, that would be great. Also, we love off the beaten path places, so don't hold back on your favorites! If there are any e-gulleters attending the reunion, please let me know, I'll introduce myself at the cocktail party Friday night! TIA

Info on Epernay here: http://www.baristanet.com/food/food.html

If you want information on Cape Cod in particular, perhaps you should post on the New England board.

When I need to get away, I like to drive up to Hudson, NY. I love the downtown area, the restaurants, galleries and antique shops are a lot of fun and the people are interesting. The mix of newbies and locals keeps things lively. Here's a website with some info: http://www.warrenstreet.com

I worked with Ariane a long time ago, she's a wonderful person and extremely talented. I know her restaurant will be a success.

Hi, I have a Blue Star 6 burner range. I LOVE it. I did a kitchen renovation this past summer, and prior to buying the Blue Star I read David Rosengarten's piece on ranges, the Garden Web threads, and everything else I could find. I shopped all the major brands, and kept coming back to the Blue Star. They are not sold everywhere, but worth searching out. I bought the floor model at Paul's appliances in Newark, NJ. With the 3% UEZ sales tax, and a discount for buying the floor model, I paid about 2,500.00 for the range. I think it was a great investment. I given the range quite a few good workouts, it takes a real beating and works like a charm. I love the open burners, I know some people think cleaning is a problem, I do not. The convection oven is great for baking, and even though it is gas, I find that it maintains temp really well. Hope this helps!

Porto Rico is terrific. I order from their site often, and if you sign up for the mailing list, they'll send you the weekly specials. I think it is a great way to try different coffees at very reasonable prices.

The new parking deck in Montclair is on the Crescent, behind Church Street. There are entrances on South Park Street and South Fullerton Ave. According to barista, there are some issues with new deck, I hope they'll be worked out soon. http://www.baristanet.com/barista/2006/01/...m.html#comments There is also a parking deck on Park Street, next to the YMCA. Enter on Park Street or North Fullerton.

I think Nauna's is OK for pizza delivery if every other place in the universe suddenly went out of business.

I'm sure you could have resisted Montclairite. Sorry about the slip. 30 lashes with a wet noodle central noodle from the grammar police for me. BTW, my fellow Montclairions and I still don't like to be referred to as "you guys". Lazy slang, while perhaps grammatically correct, is unprofessional IMHO.

I agree that most of the kinks are in the service department. I'm hopeful that the service issues can be worked out, as I've found the service at Aozora to be acceptable. I've not found a high level of service at most of the Montclair restaurants I've been to, I guess a professional level of service is not a priority to many Montclair diners, as me and my dining companions have been referred to as "you guys" at almost every restaurant we've tried. For some reason, "you guys" really bugs me. Right up there with a server introducing themselves, or worse yet, touching me. I'll stop now, as annoying server habits belongs on a different thread.

I've been to Noodle Central twice, once for lunch and once for dinner, both meals were during the week. I too waited at the door to be acknowledged, which was fine with me, as we were able to get a really good look at the wonderful, loving renovation and quirky decor. I think the red "hand" chairs are funny next to the more elegant soon to be open noodle bar. We waited a while for our food, but the server was sincere and friendly. I know this is no excuse, but I think our server was in the weeds, he had six tables, and most of us came in at about the same time, so I was willing to overlook some of the service issues. For lunch we had the crab cake with spicy mayo, the veggie spring rolls and we shared a chicken dish that I think is no longer on the menu. The crab in the crab cake was shredded really fine, as if it were put through a food processor. I like big lumps of crab, so I was not pleased with the texture. The flavor was a bit bland, I think the ratio of crab to crumb was off. The spicy mayo was tasty, I think it may have had a bit of chili oil in it. The spring rolls were crisp and the filling was fresh tasting. The pumpkin dipping sauce was interesting with a nice balance of ginger, spices and pumpkin. The chicken dish was boring. I can't even remember how boring. But, it is off the menu, so no use trying to describe it. For dinner we had the miso soup, the hot and sour soup, the downtown dumplings with peanut and chili oil sauce, the scallion pancake, and for our entrees, we had the seafood tepanyaki and the Bloomfield Ave. Bourguignon on Rice. We ordered way too much food. The portions are generous, we could have had soups, and probably shared an appetizer and perhaps an entree. The miso soup was lovely. The hot and sour soup was the best I've had locally. It had a nice balance of hot and sour without that heavy glumpy texture that sometimes characterizes Chinese restaurant Hot and Sour soup. The fried ravioli was terrific, I would like a plate of those little devils as an appetizer. The scallion pancake was light and tasted of fresh scallions. The dumplings were nice and light, the dough was thin, almost see through, and the pork filling was nicely seasoned. The peanut sauce however, crushed the dumplings. Way too heavy, perhaps it sat under the warming lights too long, as it was separated when it was served. I think those dumplings deserve a lighter, simpler sauce. The seafood tepanyaki was finished table side. The dish was served on a cast iron plate, with the cooked noodles as a bed. The seafood and sauce were then poured over, sizzling the outside edges of the noodles and softening the noodles in the center where the seafood was plated. I really like the contrasting noodle textures, but I expected more from the seafood and sauce, something like a big dramatic flavor to go with that theatrical presentation. The flavor was very mild, nice, but not the show stopping number I was expecting. The bourguignon tasted like mom's beef stew. Mom's not the greatest cook in the world, but her stew is classic comfort food. That's the Noodle Central version, yummy comforting stew. I'd sit by the windows with a glass of merlot, that beef stew and watch a snow fall. Even though we were beyond full, Myra (one of the owners) offered us two fabulous desserts. One was three flavors of ice cream nestled in a warm banana and the other was a trio of filled rice flour balls served with green tea ice cream. Both were delicious. I can't remember much more about the desserts, as I was swiftly descending into a food induced coma. Overall, my experiences at Noodle Central were, in my opinion, typical of a new concept restaurant during a soft opening phase. I think Myra and Ho would like to use this time to work out all the kinks and continue to refine the menu. I think the days of quiet soft openings are unfortunately over, as more of us try places and then turn to forums like this to voice our opinions. I think that they have a beautiful space, a great concept for an inexpensive casual restaurant, and a great desire to please their guests. Overall, I enjoyed both meals at Noodle Central, and will return often. I hope those who had a negative experience will give this restaurant another chance. I am not affiliated with Noodle Central, although I do know Myra and Ho, as my husband designed the large photo murals facing Gates Ave.