Deldino

There is so many confusing logistics around this that it was crazy to find something. The one person has to be back at Newark Airport by 5:30 so they were going to leave straight from Montclair. But now one of the other people live in New York and they want us to come there so I think now after all this we are going to New York. Maybe walk around the Cloisters at Fort Tryon and do lunch/brunch somewhere around there. Thanks for all your help. We always have a reason to go to Montclair since we have family there so we will be trying the Raymond's brunch in the future. In my search for this Sunday lunch/brunch I have come across many places I want to try. Thanks again

Thanks for the information JoRic. We really have enjoyed Raymonds the times we have been there for lunch and breakfast, I have not tried the brunch yet but looking forward to it.

I was asking about Leone's beacause it was one of the few non-diner non-pub places that was open at 3pm on Sunday which due to out of town guests was the time I need to have for a lunch. Either places don't open until 4pm or in the case of Raymonds they end their brunch at 4:00pm. The lunch is for my 70 something old mother in law and she would not want to go to a pub or diner so I was limited and then the time was a weird time on a Sunday.

Just wondering if anyone has been to Leone's in Montclair lately , and yes how was it Thanks

Thanks Curlz - your suggestions are great!

Hi! We have about 9 people going to the arts and crafts show in Brookdale Park this Sunday. We then want to go somewhere for lunch for a birthday celebration. We would like casual but not a burger joint. Something nice. Thank you so much for any help you can give!

No 9 Egullet Discussion ← Thanks for the link, Menton1. I will check it out.

What type of cuisine/atmosphere is #9. We usually make a couple trips to New Hope in the fall and Lambertville is right over the bridge. Thanks guys

because there's nothing there that i want. ← ok so i lied. I stopped by TJ's and was pleasantly surprised. lots of organic/"natural" stuff. cage-free chcken eggs. and some seemingly good values spread around here and there. i might be converted yet. more details on my experience can be found here. no one is going to talk me into getting excited about store-bought jerky, though. ← Great Blog Tommy! Thanks.. I agree TJ's is somewhere to go for a few choice items - not the bulk of your shopping. Their hummus is pretty good and they sell it in a 4 pack so you get four different kinds in one big package - I believe they have regular, scallion, roasted red pepper and some other hummus. It is good for parties.

But we're talking about stores with upwards of 10,000 products; and we've only found 5 that are sold in both stores?? That's what I'm talking about!! These stores are 2 totally different experiences with totally (mostly) different products. ← You are right they are two different stores. I happen to like shopping at both of them. But I do buy more at Whole Foods than TJ's.

You just described most grocery stores, they only have the few things on their weekly fliers on sale. And you have to be careful of those 10 for $$ promotions, they can be more expensive. My local upscale market is thriving for a reason, personal customer service. I don't shop there to impress myself, I shop there because they have things Albertsons doesn't and will not have. Where a person choses to spend their food dollars is not an indicator of them having half a brain, it is them exercising their choice in a competitive free market society. ← I agree - and I don't think the store you shop in defines you as a person.

I own a ford taurus and my husband drives a used truck - we live check to check for the most part so I don't fit into your opinion of a whole foods customer but there I am every week along with going to Trader Joes and other stores for items I want to purchase. So where's the hype there?? So I like to shop at a store that is clean and well layed out with pleasant people working there and the bonus is they have the items "I" want to purchase at a better price then the other stores.

I like to buy certain items organic, such as milk, canned tomato, broth, whole wheat pasta, etc. and WHOLE FOODS is across the board less expensive than a A&P or the like for the SAME items. I am not saying they are inexpensive, I am saying for someone who wants to buy those items they are less expensive at Whole Foods. I will shop at a farm, Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's. I do not define myself by the store I shop in. I am just pointing out for those items they are less expensive at Whole Foods.

Whew! I am safe - I cooked mine in tomato sauce and served with whole wheat pasta and chicken sausage.

Me too!!

I'd be curious to see how those compare, pricewise, with the fresh ones at WF, which seem to be available year round, & are also really good. I think the fresh ones are around $6.00 / lb but I'll recheck that next time I'm there. ← Price at TJs for 1 lb package is $2.29. Also, the fresh ones at WF are NOT from France. They are a different variety and therefore taste different. The french beans have a unique flavor. ← The french ones definately have a different taste

That sounds great Tommy - I look forward to your experiment in economics.

Interesting article regarding Whole Foodsmpricing (with a mention of TJ's as their rival) ** Please let me know if this link does not work** http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/10/business...serland&emc=rss

Interesting article regarding Whole Foodsmpricing (with a mention of TJ's as their rival) ** Please let me know if this link does not work** http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/10/business...serland&emc=rss

i'm shocked to learn that items like muir glen and whatnot are actually less expensive at Whole Foods. if that's the case, WF might consider some new marketing pointing out that they're not the most expensive guy on the block. because i know lots of people assume they are. hell even i do and i shop there and elsewhere. ← Yes they are and I think Ghostrider had said the same thing about the cereal - I know Barbara's Grain shop that I buy is less money then it is at A&P.

For me the point of Whole Foods is that I can buy healthy organic brands at a price that is less then the Chain supermarkets for the SAME items (muir glen tomatoes, most of the snack items, etc) Whole foods has them for less, now I am not saying that they are inexpensive items to begin with, just that Whole Foods has most organic brands for less than the Chains, like A&P and such. TJ's does have some organic and natural products so maybe that is why I may compare but I am not comparing their philosophy just comparing on some very specific item. again, I don't see anything wrong with shopping at more than one store - I don't define myself by the food stores I shop at - I try to buy organic whole foods but I can find some of those things at TJ's also, not ALL items just some. And Menton is right when he says they have great marketing - they do make it seem fun to shop there -

I think that TJs and WF are apples and oranges; there is really nothing similar about these 2 chains at all, I don't understand why folks group them together so often. TJs is a selective House label store with brilliant merchandising, their "frequent flyer" but never a sale. (They claim they don't need a sale). About 80% of the store is house label, selected, interesting unique items that tend to be fun and interesting. Pricing generally lower than comparable item in the supermarket, but often there is no comparable item. WF is the melding of a health food store with a supermarket. If price is an object you can't shop there. A "green" theme pervades the store, no foods with preservatives or chemical additives are sold here (supposedly). 2 different stores, 2 different MOs, and a different psyche for their particular customers. ← I don't lump them together for comparison per se. I meant that I will shop at both - and I don't think last I looked that I have a split personality so they both appeal to me in some ways - I will go to them for different things. I don't think there is anything wrong with shopping at different stores for different things. And they DO have some similiar items as whole foods such as salsa and chips and hummus, etc. that are as good as whole foods but at a lower cost, they also have 100 percent cranberry juice for at least $1.00 difference so I will buy it there instead of Whole Foods. I think that loving Whole Foods does not limit me to just shopping there. Anyway that is just my opinion.

That is what I must have noticed - the store being more spread out - that is good for me - I really don't like when the aisles are so close you are rubbing elbows with people when you try to pass - I have not been to the one in Westwood in a long time so it may well be the same items. I find some good bargains there - I will still go to Whole Foods for other things. I never mind food shopping at more then one store - I will usually go to DiPiero's in Montvale and then head back To whole foods - I work so close to the new TJ's that I can do a mid-week drive by.

Yes more variety and no wine/beer.

Hi! We went to the new Trader Joe's in Paramus last night and I was happily surprised. The layout seems roomier then the Westwood location. There were quite a few more name brands then I remember from the past. Good prices on organic produce (better than Whole Foods prices) Though not as many options as a farm or Whole foods but for staples like peppers and zucchini and onions they were good prices. I don't know why people here are so anti Trader Joe's but I find they actually have quite a few good items. Since I can't afford to go out to dinner everynight and some nights I don't feel like cooking I look for high quality frozen. And Trader Joe's has some tasty, healthy frozen options. We had a penne with roasted pepper sauce (frozen fresh) and it was really quite good. They also have really good unique frozen ravioli. Anyway it is worth a mid week trip for a quick stock up for the pantry/fridge.