charlotte baker

Chez Catherine in Westfield Fujiyama Mama " " Robert's Steak House in Garwood Acquaviva in Westfield Bensi's in Garwood Drive a little further and go to Lana's in Clark or Freshwaters in S. Plainfield

yes, I went on Thursday night with a group of about 15 and had a private room behind the bar. Had some nice HDs including a lovely Foie Gras dish. Dinner was prix fixe and no choices but all was prepared nicely. Did not see the wine list as we had brought our own from one the wineries we represent. I know they have a well rounded list from all I have heard. The space is quite attarctive although I think it might get loud due to the high ceilings and not much accoustic cushioning. I would go back. Phil ← We went for lunch last week. Good black angus burger, good fish and chips with celeriac slaw. Lunch for two, no booze, was about $40. The place is attractive and I agree about the acoustics. We were the only diners at lunch. The kitchen is open, the chefs were talking with some visitors and the noise was distracting. And we were sitting at the farthest possible point from the kitchen. I would , however, definitely go back. I looked at the dinner menu and the prices ranged from $30 to $50.

Has anyone been to 22 West in Union yet? If so, what did you think of it?

This one is my favorite and she is a poster on this board. She's currently shut down until the spring but the chocolate is well worth waiting for---particularly her salt caramels. http://www.samakichocolates.com/

The sheet pans on that site are layered aluminum....not stainless steel. Sorry--I was looking at the stainless hotel pans.

Try here. http://www.chefdepot.net/mixingbowls.htm

Went there two weeks ago. Food was marvelous, service was skilled. Had totally wonderful duck canelloni and fresh sturgeon saltimbocca. Wow! I'd recommend it to anyone. The food was better than the dinners I've had at Ryland Inn.

Perryville Inn, Perryville, NJ. Just came back from dinner there and it was very, very good.

Pappy and nook's, if I can trust my doddering memory, was the gin mill next to Mother Hubbard's. I may have bellied up to the bar there once or twice. And wasn't there a Kartzman's on Bergen Street in Newark?

RLibkind's comment on the Elmora section still being nice ( which is true ) reminded me of a place for you to try for lunch. It's the University Diner on North Avenue right next to Kean University. Very good diner food including their matzoh ball soup.

You're right. The Elizabeth we are nostalgic about no longer exists any more than do the places in Newark we were talking about. I left Elizabeth in the late eighties. By that time I was the last person in my garden apartment who spoke English. Drugs were being dealt not too far away. The Westminster section where I grew up was becoming seedy. There were no longer any places to shop that didn't have wire grills and security personnel on patrol. The city simply decayed and life as we knew it was gone and so were we. If I recall properly it started to happen not long after the riots in Newark. It was pretty much the same story as in many places. The affluent left because they could no longer get the goods and services to which they were accustomed, crime was on the increase etc. etc. And so it went.

As well you should! Remember 'Weequahic Salad'? Here's the Weequahic Diner page from the Virtual Newark website. Now, here's a real age-tester: Millman's and Sabin's The Tavern. The New Roumanian. And does anyone remember The Newarker, the high-toned restaurant at Newark Airport? If I recall correctly, it was Joe Baum's first creation for Restaurant Associates, who next opened the Four Seasons for RA. The Newarker was a beautiful restaurant and the late Joe Baum did indeed create it. I still preferred the food at the Tavern but the Newarker was always an exciting, glamorous experience. I don't need your age tester ( Battin High School class of '44 ) since I do remember Millman's and Sabin's. I don't remember the New Roumanian. And wasn't there a big, raucous place near the Weequahic diner called Stash's?

And you bring back memories for me. My dad took us to Watson's but we also went to Silver's Bakery on Hawthorne Avenue on Saturday nights to buy fresh rolls. And what about the Tavern and the Tavern Pantry? And Bragman's on Hawthorne Avenue for corned beef? I grew up in Elizabeth long before many of you were born. Does anyone remember Brownfield's bakery or the French Pastry shop on Morris Avenue? Brownfield's had the best eclairs and the French Pastry shop had the best brioche. How about Schutt's for ice cream? By the way, Goodman's is also in Berkeley Heights and serves a pretty mean corned beef sandwich.

This may sound crazy but I bake mini tart shells using the back of the mini muffin tins. Just butter the individual backs of the cups, put a ball of dough on the top, flatten it slightly and bake. The dough will spread down the sides forming a little cup. The tart shells will slip right off. The downside is that the edges of the shells are not even but I figure if the filling is good who cares.

Randi Skip Sally Lunn in Chester or in Princeton. Used to be great but the last two times I've been there this year it was appalling as well as over-priced. There seems to be a dearth of afternoon tea places in your area as in most of NJ. Canterbury in Flemington is not bad and you have the added advantage of fun shopping. Haven't been to Veranda but it's on my list to try.