dbrociner

As your attorney I advise you to go to AAG and order the lamb sandwich immediately. Seriously, it was great. You won't be disappointed. Lou, I'd like to get there more often but too much wine in the afternoon does bad things to my productivity.

Had lunch here today with the Chef and we mourned the passing of a certain Doctor of Journalism and some copyright infringement done in his name. Lou, that lamb sandwich was great. Maybe even better than your famous steak sandwich, dare I say that? What was that Pinot Noir by the glass called? It was excellent, a great recommendation.

Circa, thanks for the clarification, what is the name of your restaurant in High Bridge? My only point about the location was that you said "we are in Central NJ" but I disagree with that.

By we do you mean you have an affiliation with Cocoluxe? If so, you should say so up front. If not, then do you live in the Peapack/Gladstone area? Your profile says you live in Highbridge which is in Central Jersey, I'm not sure about the location of the "Somerset Hills". To me, anything above that bridge on the GSP can be considered as North Jersey but I know that other people put that dividing line at Rt. 78. Either way, Peapack/Gladstone/Far Hills is in the northern third of our state. As for Cocoluxe, I'm anxious to stop in and blow my diet for another day.

Bob, I thought Elizabeth's nickname was "A Proud Lady" but maybe thats a more recent nickname than you're familiar with. As I recall, Mayor Dunn held a contest in the late 80's or early 90's and some school age kid came up with the "Proud Lady" tag. My mom worked for the city for twenty odd years starting around 1979 and we had some "Proud Lady" paraphenalia(sp?). Can't wait to try Front St. Sounds like a place worth traveling for. Maybe an egullet event? I know I have to suggest that on the ISO page.

This, I think is the real question. There seems to be a market for BBQ, so many of us on egullet are always clammering for it as an example. I think its the economics. BBQ is supposed to be cheap, or at least resonable. Yet if you want to make any money up here you need to sell a rack of ribs along with a couple of sides for around $20. I have no idea about the rents in places like Kansas City but if the housing market is any barometer then its a lot cheaper there than it is here. When I lived in the Chicago area, Evanston to be exact, I used to go to a BBQ place and get "rib tips" in a tin with two slices of white bread for around $5. This wasn't a transcendent experience but it was good and cheap. I don't think its plausible to do something like that around here. On the regional differences: I think what most of us think of as BBQ is Kansas City BBQ. Now I'm not saying that thats better than the Carolina or Texas variety but I do think its the variety most often exported to BBQ wastelands such as ours. Also on regional differences: have the guy who laughed at all our BBQ places take us to the best pizzeria or deli back where he lived and we'll see whose laughing then. I know that Lidia Bastianich has a restaurant in Kansas City but I'll bet you can't get a good slice there or a pastrami on rye.

I am still disturbed by the notion that a critic's review would be influenced by his feelings for the owners in the same way I would be disturbed to find out that Robert Parker gave a higher score to a wine than it deserved because he liked the wine maker.

I've seen the yogurt at Whole Foods in Madison. Don't know about the cheese. Bet you could get them to order it in. Edited for the spelling of yogurt. I thought they spelled it with an "h" after reading Doc's post but I was just on their site and they spell it the "normal" way so I changed it.

Katie, thank you for the clarification. I understand your point. It is disturbing and perhaps naive on my part to think that the star (bell) system is based partly on the critic's fondness for the owner as opposed to the quality of the dinning experience. Puts everything that critic writes into question in my opinion. Thanks again. I hope you didn't feel like you were under attack because that wasn't my intention.

Katie, I've always liked reading your posts and respected your opinion (even asked you for recommendations in Cape May a year or so ago) so here's what I'm wondering: why are you celebrating LaBan's review of Amada over on the Jersey board if you've got such a low opinion of him? edited for spelling.

Went today with my two kids, 5 year old Sophia and 2 year old Daniel. The dogs were good enough to occupy my kids for almost the entire time we spent in the restaurant. Matt did a great job of getting our food out fast, a key with kids. I had the hot dog with chili, jalepenos and cole slaw. The slaw didn't work all that well for me, too creamy against the sharp flavors of the hot dog, chili and peppers. Next time I'll just order a classic with the chili and jalepenos. Also had a dog with mustard and kraut, my standard. This was at 3 PM, haven't eaten again. Thanks guys, its not every restaurant that can please my kids. Oh, and I took the key chain of the previous poster who didn't get one along with one of my own. My kids played with them all the way back to Warren. Just as a side note: Eric, what role do you think you're posts on egullet played in getting you all the publicity? Certainly you got Jason's attention but I'm wondering about the people from Channel 7 and the Star Ledger. Do they check in here to get ideas?

Maybe I'm obsessed by the smoking ban but I'd like to know where people will be going once the smoking ban goes into effect. On another thread I mentioned the Landmark in Livingston as a place I never go to because its so smokey. How about we compile a list of places worth a visit but that we've avoided because of cigarette smoke. Again, in keeping with egullet protocol please refrain from politicizing this topic.

It wasn't a hard choice because I was sure it was better than Houlihans, and I hear the Landmark is good for burgers and stuff, but smokey (not for long). ← Peter, you are right about the Landmark, smoke city. It will be interesting to see how they handle things come April 15th. I think it will be a crowd that will resent not being able to smoke in there, a room full of Dennis Leary's if you will. The food there is hit and miss, one time a good burger the next time a mediocre one. The kind of place where people are willing to overlook its flaws, can you say numerous?, because its a local institution. I've been able to right the Landmark off because of the cigarette smoke, now I'll have to go back for one more try. I'll post after I've been there. As for Nero's, I hate to say this but I'm glad to hear that you confirmed my experience. Another place I won't have to waste my time/money in.

RS, you are clearly suffering from the lack of pro football on tv today. Or is that me? Anyway, there is a huge difference and its an economic one. Drive by Nero's and count the number of 50K+ cars in the parking lot. People eating in the Red Lobster aren't driving those kind of cars.

Peter, we never did hear your report. I'm wondering what you thought? My opinion of Nero's isn't positive but I haven't been there in years. I drive by everyday and wonder how come the place is often crowded. One of the mysteries of the Livingston restaurant scene.

Thanks for all the advice.

I need a second refrigerator and the garage is the most convenient place and also the place that has the most available space. I have a coworker who warns against this, he says that the temperature fluctuation in a garage causes problems for a refrigerator and that he had to move his to the basement. Is he right? Anyone want to add their recommendation for a good second refrigerator? I need something basic, Costco sells a Whirlpool under the Kirkland brand for under $325 so thats the price range I'm looking for. Thanks.

Jim Johnston's on Eisenhower Pkwy in Roseland has a good burger and good onion rings to go with it, ask them to substitute them for the fries that normally come with the burger and are nothing special.

Went today, it was great to meet both Matt and Eric. I had a classic with mustard and sourkraut, the true classic, imo. Also had the fries and the limeade. I liked everything but I agree with John about the 5 to a lb. hot dogs over the quarter pounders. This would make it easier to keep the dog in the roll. I can't imagine getting some of the specialty dogs and trying to keep everything inside the roll. The fries were really good, a ridiculous amount for one person but really good. In the words of the governor of California: I'll be back.

RS, somewhat surprised by your repsonse. I think there is a huge difference between you giving a recommendation and the caterer coming on and making a pitch for business. I'd like to pitch everyone on egullet to come to my store and buy carpet but that wouldn't be permitted. Same applies here. We only know about the caterers by what other egulleteers say about them, having a caterer post his information in an effort to get business is an advertisement, plain and simple. You want to advertise, pay to advertise. Everyone in business says they are the best, its the opinions of other posters that make a difference, at least to me. Boy am I cranky today.

Has this topic turned into the online yellow-pages or am I just being too picky?

Not a bad thing, but don't you trust the rest of us, David?!? We are what you'd call GOOD EATERS, after all... ← Curlz, right you are but when you've got a chance to hear from the King....Anyway, he's posted now so I might just show up tomorrow. I would have liked to have gone today to see all the other egullet people but it wouldn't have worked out. Glad to hear that everyone was so impressed.

How can this be?

Best of luck guys. I'll wait for John to give his report before I visit. Is that a bad thing?

Who knew that I had tapped into the matrix of egullet thinking on this issue?