tommy

there are few hotter places on the planet than most subway stops in NYC. i'll site E stops and 6 stops as examples. and the cars on several of the lines are no picnic for people walking around in humid weather in a jacket. thankfully the shiny new cars on the 6 are very good, except at the end, where the ceiling is low, when they're packed. you know what they say about the heat and the humidity.

does this be it? Libby's Lunch Address: 98 Mcbride Ave, Paterson, NJ 07501 Phone: (973) 278-8718 i found some discussion on roadfood, and it's no surprise that our own "john the hot dog guy", or "hot dog john" as i think he prefers to be called, has a bit of insight.

it's getting there that can sometimes get hot. don't you think? i don't think le b or places like le b are over-airconditioned if that's what you're suggesting. they always seem appropriately airconditioned, and i'd expect nothing less.

you lazy bastard.

i had no idea! but you're still a lazy bastard.

is this the diner-looking place on route 4.

oh boy, this might get good. babbo is certianly the most "casual" of the three. i dont think you can be overdressed at le b or veritas. slacks and a nice shirt at veritas would do the trick. there's no reason to be uncomfortable at dinner. i'd say that clean jeans and an overall neat and fashionable appearance is appropriate at babbo, if that's what you want to do. otherwise, again, you can't overdress. it's manhattan aferall . but you'll get 10 opinions from 10 people on what is "correct". obviously there is no such thing in a lot of situations. edit: excellent choices, btw. you should have some excellent meals.

unlikely. i'm glad you enjoyed what's here, though.

bergen county. where it *all* happens.

i'm pretty confident that it is. ridgewood, as you know, has only about 5 or 6 liquor licenses, which is why i like it.

this place recently opened next to pasta e pollo. 11 godwin ave 201.689.9689 their menu claims a website at www.gazellecafe.com, but it doesn't yet exist. the place is pretty sharp inside. the menu seems pretty interesting, with some pastas, grilled meats, some fish, a bunch of sides. haven't been yet, though.

you're outnumbered.

And now you expect us to hunt for it? Well, it is nightime. you lazy bastard. egullet *never* sleeps.

i didn't have to wait for my reserved table, but i felt that this restaurant was not operating at the level that i would have expected it to, or that it probably should. the decor has seen better days. when you go to the Palm, around the corner, you appreciate worn out wood floors. when you go to Sparks, the carpet looks like something that you should have helped your father pull out of your parents' basement 10 years ago. i felt guilty and fully expected my father to call me to remind me that i didn't help him, ruining my night. he didn't, thankfully. but i'm sure he's never seen that carpet. lots of very nice people were dining here. lots of locals, no doubt, with families. people on expense accounts with their town cars, taking out clients way too young to care (i was one 10 years ago, so i can say that). and lots of people getting dressed up. lots of people visiting from other cities and countries (some might call them "tourists", i call them "me", but in a different city), and that's all cool. but that, for some reason, added to the whole feel of the place, which seemed a bit chaotic, and not terribly interesting, to me. the strip, IMO, doesn't compare to the Palm around the corner, and the rest of the place doesn't even compare to S&W, which i wouldn't even put in the top tier of NYC steakhouses. the host was cold. the server was OK if not a bit too busy and preoccupied. i ordered a bottle of wine and it was presented to my guest. don't waste my time, please, and don't make my guest feel uncomfortable: i'm good at that all on my own. who cares about this place anymore? am i missing something? certainly the 300 people in the new Ruth's Chris around the corner weren't thinking too much about Sparks. not to compare the two, because i'm not prepared to compare steak-to-steak, but the people at RC looked like they were having a much better time. edit: reviewing the first post on this thread, i feel that i should say that i thought the steak and the hash browns were incredibly salty. and i smoke, so i have no taste buds, a fact proven by a few posters over the years, so that says something right there.

they have a very decent margarita, made from "top shelf" tequila, and fresh lime juice. better than i've had at 99% of bars in NYC. and i stand by that comment, no matter how much y'all will make fun of me for enjoying that drink.

let's face it, March has a better chance of producing a better meal in a romantic environment than any place in NJ, especially if you're discounting the Ryland Inn. that's not to say that i've been to all of the high-end places mentioned here in NJ, but, you just kinda get a feel after a coupla years.

the post-8 pm wine dinner at Cite, and, China 46 in Ridgefield, NJ. but only if those restaurants produce a good meal. and the former only if you're a big boozer. like me.

it's just that i love salad, like the idea of serving it with things like steak, and i like the restaurant. but it baffles me! have their people call me. i'll sort them all out.

since i'm not the only one noticing the issue with the dressing, or pre-dressing, i have to ask how a restaurant could let this type of thing out of the kitchen?

my brined turkeys have never given me a problem as far as that explosive thing goes. i haven't done 2 at once, so i can't compare (and i think there are too many variables at work to really get a good comparison even if you *do* cook two side-by-side), but i've had very good results with brined deep-fried turkeys. my theory is: brining can't hurt. it's that simple.

i must be blind!

what is the marrow listed as on the menu? i've never seen it.

i'm all over the prosecco, which i'm sure will go with the amuse and the gazpacho. and the soft shell crab for that matter. any idea on if it'll be a buttery dish rather than a fried dish? i was also going to bring that sherry for dessert, but if you've got that covered, i'll have to think of something else. although i'll probably bring it anyway. i'll give the foie pairing some thought. i forget what the sommelier at Veritas paired with my foie gras, but it was really good.

this is a super place, for what it is. i've had several meals there. some random thoughts: i can't afford to *not* drink that 9 dollar 1/2 bottle rioja. the burger is good, but smaller than i expected. the bun to burger ratio was way off and it took some surgery on the top of the bun to get it to a reasonable level. the carbonara was super, if not a bit cheesy. the bacon was excellent. the ham and cheese sandwich is a perfect lunch. the greens always seem like they were dressed 8 hours earlier, and are really a waste. it would be nice if they were crisp and spot on. hanger steak was marinated and sweet/salty. just as it should be. and cooked perfectly with a great char. mussels are outstanding. i'm looking forward to burning through the other 4 or so sauces they offer. plump, and delicious. the no reserveration policy is annoying.

my 4 or 5 bags showed up from CDC (is that the name) today after a 30 dollar credit card charge. the entire kitchen spells like sichuan peppercorns. i guess i'd better get cookin.