McFoodie

My husband, (very young-at-heart) father-in-law, and I will be visiting DC from Sat afternoon (3/31) through Mon afternoon (4/2) and have a pretty packed touring schedule (mostly historical and political stuff this trip). This thread has been incredibly helpful in helping me organize our meals for the trip. So far, I have booked dinner on Sat night at Zaytinya (rather than Jaleo) since we will be coming from the International Spy Museum nearby. On Sun, I'd like to have lunch at Teaism in Dupont Circle (between a visit to the Holocaust Museum and the Air & Space Museum) - is there a closer location that is open on Sundays? If not, is Dupont Circle very out of the way? We will be a little pressed for time so can't afford to spend too much time traveling to and from a restaurant. Our hotel is located just north of the White House and most of our touring will take place in the downtown area so for dinner on Sun, I was thinking of going to Georgetown so that we can see another neighborhood. Ideally, I'd like to score a table in the lounge of Citronelle (is this impossible?), failing which I am considering Bistro Francais or Mendocino Grill based on recommendations above - are these my best bets in Georgetown? Also, any recommendations for a quick but yummy lunch near the Capitol or Supreme Court buildings on Mon would be appreciated. Many thanks in advance!

McFoodie - You saved me a trip to Tandoor E India. I had peeked inside on a recent trip to Takara and was about to add it to my short list. It may be too long a drive south but Aamantran on Rt 9 in Toms River is pretty good. Although I've never tried it, friends have recommended Aangan also on Rt. 9 in Freehold. ←

My husband and I love Market in the Middle and are regulars at the bar, for dinner, or just for a lite snack. Went just last night for an early drink and some apps at the bar (a satisfying, if a bit greasy, tapas trio of fried stuffed olives, eggplant fries, and tostones with chorizo). The bartender offered us several wines to taste and even opened some new bottles of pinot from the market for us to try. This place is not perfect but gets things as right as any neighborhood NJ place we know and is a real treat to have nearby.

Can anyone suggest any good Indian restaurants in Monmouth County? The only place I am aware of (and it's decent) is Tandoor E India on Hwy 35 in Ocean. Also, is Moghul in Edison still great? The last review I read here for it is dated 1995.

The space is double or triple the size of the old one, though I still prefer to sit on the more "happening" bar side, rather than in the more ordinary (and surprisingly, sometimes louder) dining room. And yes, their reservation policy has gotten a lot more accommodating since moving into the larger space, but waits without reservations can still top an hour. Don't miss the fantastic homemade fire roasted salsa (if you can stand a whole lot of heat) or the best margaritas around, which are made with only fresh juices.

I've been to Thyme Square twice now - once for lunch and once for dinner - and thoroughly enjoyed both meals. The mediterranean menu is fresh and fun with something for everyone and the soups were a real standout (mushroom on one occassion, pumpkin with lobster dumplings which were more like wontons on another). Lunch was particularly good, but service was a little slow on a Saturday night. I would definitely recommend it but don't forget to BYO.

Bgut- I'm sorry to hear your dinner at Bella's was so disappointing. My husband and I had wonderful meals there on several occassions (the nightly specials were the standouts) but were less than satisfied by a recent brunch experience (both because of food and service). Hands down, Copper Canyon continues to be our favorite restaurant in Atlantic Highlands - the clean and casual Mexican food and perfect margaritas are the best in the area - though it can be a bit loud and the wait, as you saw, can be annoying. I suggest going on a weeknight or making reservations in advance (something I'm not always good at). Bobo's, on the other hand, has the coolest digs, but the food and service just miss.

Can anyone suggest a really great fruit-of-the-month type club or point me to a thread on this topic?

I think Ashes Cigar Club in Red Bank is the only smoke-friendly restaurant/bar in all of Monmouth County - 33 Broad St., Red Bank, (732) 219-0710, www.ashescigarclub.com

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of my fellow NJ foodies for all the comments and feedback on my new website, and for all of the delicious restaurant recommendations. Here is a list of the recent changes and updates I have made to www.mcfoodie.com as a result of all of the feedback: *Today, I posted an initial list of NJ destination restaurants, compiled with the help of my fellow eGulleters (at the NJ Destination Restaurants thread). Please post, email or PM me to suggest any I may be missing. *I have also recently posted and reviewed an additional 20 Monmouth County restaurants (many of which I either read about here or which were emailed to me via the website) and am constantly updating and reviewing others. *The website is now interactive! Readers may now post their own comments and restaurant reviews so if you agree, disagree, or have something else to say about the restaurants listed, please go ahead! *Finally, the McFoodie Restaurant Club is up and running thanks to www.meetup.com. Our first monthly event will take place next week in Red Bank. Please email or PM me (or check out the website) for more details. Thanks again for taking the time to check out my very fattening new hobby and please continue to email or PM me any suggestions or restaurant recommendations. Cheers, Saguit

I had dinner at Market in the Middle on Thursday night and completely agree with your assessment. And with Brickwall directly next door, you could have had your pre-dinner drinks there and killed 2 birds with one stone (except that the drinks at Market are so exceptional that there's really no reason to do that unless the bar is too packed. I also agree that Bobo's comes close but doesn't exactly get there. It's a great option for drinks before Copper Canyon (which rules) or Bella's (I had lunch there this week as well). Drew's is very, very high on my To Do List as well.

Of course, the cuisine comes first for me but I prefer restaurants where the decor and service can hold their own against the food. I don't think it has to be just one or the other, especially with so many great NJ dining options nowadays.

Next time you can't find your apple of choice, you can check out Delicious Orchards. They are my country market of choice, located in beaucolic Colts Neck (Central NJ) and will ship just about anywhere. Their website lists which apple varieties are currently in season. (Their baked goods are outstanding as well.) Finally, here's a link to their affiliated orchard, located around the corner, where you can go apple, pumpkin, peach and corn picking, when in season - Eastmont Orchards.

Aha! Great suggestion, thanks. I will look into it...

Preferrably not a chain.

Oh, well, there's Whole Foods, but I was hoping for something cozier... preferably where you can lounge over a glass of wine...

Wow, I was just turned on to www.meetup.com on the NJ board (Northern NJ Wine Meetup Group and can't believe I didn't know about this sooner! I recommend checking it out for anyone on this thread that has lamented not being able to find other local foodies.

Aside from Starbucks and bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Border's, are there any places in Central NJ where one can log onto their laptop (say to check the latest eG threads!) that serve good food and or alcohol?

There is a Central NJ group and South also... http://wine.meetup.com/48/?gj=sj3 ← Wow! Where have I been all this time?? I didn't know Meetup clubs existed and can't wait to join (or form) a local food & wine group. Thanks for the great tip.

....when you take notes on the useful things you learn on eG.

Is the Cafe Matisse in Rutherford related to the one in Belmar?

Any chance I could convince you to do this in Central Jersey (and invite me!) instead?

These guidelines (including #4) are fantastic! I am in charge of picking the initial restaurants but was afraid that once we open it up to the rest of the group, we will be going to diners and chain restaurants. I came up with the idea of a "restaurant club" (is there a better name for it?) to force my friends to help me review restaurants for my website about local restaurants, www.mcfoodie.com, so I guess part of the schtick will be writing the reviews together after the meal. So far, my friends have been enthusiastic but I think I need to come up with other ways to keep this interesting for those that are less fascinated by food and restaurants.

There's nothing to envy. I have barely been able to scrape together 4 friends for the "club" of which I am BY FAR the most passionate about food so all the work (researching restaurants and keeping things interesting) will be falling on my shoulders. Which is my I could use some advice from my fellow eFoodie's...