Helena Robinson

I saw the note on the website several days ago and we were upset. However, we're fortunate in that we also get Channel 12 - Philadelphia (didn't look to see whether New Jersey Network was carrying the show, since it didn't matter at that point), so we taped last night's episode. Now to watch the tape and see what I've been reading about just now... :-)

I'm sure others may have some specific recommendations, but how about considering Metuchen as a midpoint? Just hop on Eoute 27. You should be able to find something suitable along that way...

Two other places in Central Jersey come to mind. First one - assuming it still exists - is Aladdin in downtown Somerville. We ate there once not long after it had opened, but never went back. It wasn't that the meal or the service was bad - they weren't bad at all - we simply never got around to making a return visit. Another place - one we frequent - is Sahara in Montgomery Township on Route 206. It's a storefront estalishment that does both takeout and sit-down. It's BYO and we've seen folks bring liquor in. The place can get busy on a Friday or Saturday, especially since it's right near the Montgomery Cinema, which is known for showing independent or "art house" films. We've always enjoyed the food - and they have several varieties of baklava, among other sweet things. :-) Hope this helps!

We celebrated our wedding anniversary Friday evening at The Bernards Inn - it had been some time since our last visit there, plus we'd never had an anniversary dinner there. (We'd celebrated someone's birthday and Valententine's Day in the past.) Plus, since there was a new chef at the helm - who formerly worked at Restaurant Nicholas - we were curious to see what kinds of changes had been made - and their impact, if any. The first sign of change was in the lobby: the table by the dining room door that used to hold a dessert menu and samples of that evening's dessert offerings was now occupied by giant chocolate Easter eggs. Next, there was the matter of the tasting menu, which I made certain to take note of, since someone asked about it. Last few times we were there, a copy of that evening's tasting menu was placed on the table, along with that evening's list of wines available by the glass and a list of specials for that evening. On Friday, although there was no printed list of specials, there was a "wines by the glass" list. The only reference to a tasting menu was an entry on the menu that read, "Tasting Menu - $85 (I think)" I wound up asking the server about it as we were about to place our order, and she just gave us an overview. Ken said he noticed that other servers described it to other diners. We began by ordering a bottle of Rosenblum Cellars Rocktile Road Zinfandel 2002; which featured dark fruit (esp. raspberry) and a very long finish that tasted of bittersweet chocolate. A very enjoyable bottle. The amuse was a tuna tatare served over a salad of chopped carrot and red pepper with a plum wine reduction. This tasted great and went very well with the wine (esp. the plum wine reduction). The rolls - particularly the sour cream and chive - were very tasty. First course was a corn chowder aka soup du hour - without the seafood dumpling that was offered (the menu featured dumplings as accompiaments to several of the entree selections). It was a winner: generous portion that had both sweet and spicy overtones. We really enjoyed it, even if it wasn't a match for the wine. For salads, Ken had the beet salad while I had the mixed organic greens. The beet salad included red and yellow beets, and goat cheese. Ken found the yellow beets quite sweet (which he liked), while the goat cheese was slightly salty. Both salads would've been better (at least for us) with a little less dressing. Entrees were beef tenderloin for Ken and Roasted Maine Salmon filet for me. The salmon was served atop quinoa and aspraus with a delicious morel mushroom sauce. The tenderloin came with a potato and spinach dumpling, aspirtation (said to be a cross between asparagus and broccoli, but tasted more like broccoli rabe, though less bitter), and red pepper marmalade (which more resembled a sweet red pepper relish). The tenderloin was a little ough: although it cut easily enough, it was a bit difficult to chew. Desserts were berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries) for Ken and chocolate souffle for me. The berries were not sweet, but improved a little when Ken mixed them with the accompanying sabayon. My souffle was advertised as being accompanied by caramel ice cream. Alas, this was not the perfect evening we expected. It took longer than we would've expected to be taken to our table - even after Ken arrived from finding a parking space. The table was never decrumbed after we finished our entrees. The wine steward never made any effort to ask whether we liked our wine - even though we noticed she was speaking with other diners at length. My souffle was pretty much set in front of me, with no other assistance in serving - I was basically left on my own. Worse, although I had asked for a different flavor of ice cream - vanilla instead of the caramel - the souffle showed up with the caramel; which the server eventually noticed. We were also dismayed to see no tea menu, although Ken noticed that someone at another table was served a teapot with a strainer - which was different from the tea bags he got To add to the disappointment, even though Ken had mentioned our anniversary when he made the reservation, there was not a word or other gesture of congratulations. Oh well. Although they may seem to be nits, these were things that we felt shouldn't have happened in a restaurant of this stature.

We celebrated our wedding anniversary Friday evening at The Bernards Inn - it had been some time since our last visit there, plus we'd never had an anniversary dinner there. (We'd celebrated someone's birthday and Valententine's Day in the past.) Plus, since there was a new chef at the helm - who formerly worked at Restaurant Nicholas - we were curious to see what kinds of changes had been made - and their impact, if any. The first sign of change was in the lobby: the table by the dining room door that used to hold a dessert menu and samples of that evening's dessert offerings was now occupied by giant chocolate Easter eggs. Next, there was the matter of the tasting menu, which I made certain to take note of, since someone asked about it. Last few times we were there, a copy of that evening's tasting menu was placed on the table, along with that evening's list of wines available by the glass and a list of specials for that evening. On Friday, although there was no printed list of specials, there was a "wines by the glass" list. The only reference to a tasting menu was an entry on the menu that read, "Tasting Menu - $85 (I think)" I wound up asking the server about it as we were about to place our order We began by ordering a bottle of Rosenblum Cellars Rocktile Road Zinfandel 2002; which featured dark fruit (esp. raspberry) and a very long finish that tasted of bittersweet chocolate. A very enjoyable bottle. The amuse was a tuna tatare served over a salad of chopped carrot and red pepper with a plum wine reduction. This tasted great and went very well with the wine (esp. the plum wine reduction). First course was a corn chowder aka soup du hour - without the seafood dumpling that was offered (the menu featured dumplings as accompiaments to several of the entree selections). It was a winner: generous portion that had both sweet and spicy overtones. We really enjoyed it, even if it wasn't a match for the wine. For salads, Ken had the beet salad while I had the mixed organic greens. The beet salad included red and yellow beets, and goat cheese. Ken found the yellow beets quite sweet (which he liked), while the goat cheese was slightly salty. Both salads would've been better (at least for us) with a little less dressing. Entrees were beef tenderloin for Ken and salmon filet for me. The salmon was served atop with a delicious morel mushroom sauce

We first saw something about Trotter's appearance at the Ryland Inn a few weeks ago - it's supposed to be a dinner, but I can't recall offhand where we first saw this. However, Ken sent email to the Ryland Inn inquiring about menu specifics, and got a reply that he'd be notified as more details become available. We saw Charlie in person about five years ago when he did a food/wine demo at Macy's in Herald Square (De Gustibus). I'm guessing five years ago because I believe that was when I was recuperating from yet another operation and couldn't drink much wine - ok, so I really wasn't supposed to have any, but I took a sip or two anyway, hee.) Although I don't recall the specifics of what he cooked, I do remember that we asked one of the servers whether it was possible to have a sample of one of the dishes with an "offending ingredient (pork or shellfish)" left out, they came back with something that was obviously freshly-made - and well worth the slightly extra wait time. Oh yes - I think Ken got one of his then-new books autographed. I think it might've been "Kitchen Sessions."

One place to consider is Ling Ling Riverwalk in the Riverwalk strip mall across the street from the Somerset Hills hotel in Martinsville. Take Exit 33 off Rt. 78 to get there. Or, if you're already in Basking Ridge, you can take Mt. Airy Road, which (if I recall correctly) turns into Martinsville Road. Although the place looks nice, has an interesting menu and has received some good reviews, our one experience there was a disappointment. We were pretty much ignored while the head servers were busy catering to those who (to us) appeared to be regulars. On top of that, they messed up our orders after a wait that seemed longer than it should've been. I'm afraid I've put the experience too far in the back of my memory to recall what we had. We MIGHT give this place another try sometime in the future, but it's not on the priority list yet. Others may have a better experience to report.

Until I read these latest remarks, I would've suggested Fromagerie as a second choice after Nicholas. If traffic permitted, you could make it to Frog & the Peach in less than an hour from Middletown. We used to live in Leonardo, and it used to take us around 45 minutes to get to F&P. Then again, there may have been fewer cars on the road then... :-) Speaking of Lincroft Inn, the current chef came from the Frog & the Peach. From what I've read, it looks like the restaurant has come a long way from the days when we lived in that area...

It was also part of "Roker on the Road" on Food Network earlier this week. The segment also had the story of the sandwich's Cuban origin.

I think you can find Yves at Stage Left in New Brunswick, unless he left there also... ← Yves left Stage Left for the country club; which I think was one of the two venues in Summit. Francis told us at the time that Yves wanted to spend more time with his family.

I've been recuperating from a course of chemotherapy during late November and December that really did a number on my ability to eat well - and for Ken (aka the cook) to come up with things I could have. However, things are ALMOST back to normal in the eating department so this weekend Ken made mushroom soup featuring cremini and shitake - and mushroom ravioli (pasta sheets from Kings in Bedminster) with the same shrooms plus reconstituted portobello (he couldn't find the dried porcini the recipe called for). All very tasty. :-)

Does The Dining Room at the Hilton at Short Hills still do tasting menus? Or is that a thing of the past now that they've changed chefs? Also The Lawrenceville Inn lets you create a tasting menu of three, four, or five courses; if I recall what I read on its web site once upon a time.

Yes, we've been there a few times and have had enjoyed the food and (nice) service. It's become one of our "usuals" in Clark, along with Thailand.

We were in Vegas for one weekend three years ago and had two dinners. The first was at Rosemary's, which is not on the Strip (Did they ever open the one in one of the casino hotels?); the other was at Aureole at Mandalay Bay. We had a WONDERFUL time at Rosemary's (great food, wine, and service) and a disappointing time at Aureole (where we were pretty much ignored). If you can convince a cabbie to take you to Rosemary's, do it. It's nine miles off the strip, and Vegas has a rush hour; so keep that in mind if you get an early reservation. Ours was scheduled for six because we had a reception to attend back at the strip. Needless to say, if we ever get back to Vegas, we're making sure one of our dinners is at Rosemary's!

The Grease Trucks, once parked along College Avenue in front of Scott Hall (one of the main classroom buildings on the Main Campus), are now parked in the parking lot across the street. This is all at the intersection of College Avenue and Hamilton Street. The Fat Darnell was recently named "Best Sandwich" by Maxim magazine. Maybe it's from the same truck?

Umm... We've lived in Hillsborough since 1987. The Little Thai House opened after we moved here. Great food, lousy service - I think it was one of the first Thai restaurants we ever tried. It was destroyed by fire after it had been open only a few years. The chef/owner of Auberge Suisse re-established Pheasant's Landing in Hillsborough about two years ago. You can get some of the items that were once on that menu (wienerschnitzel and fondue immediately come to mind) at this new place - check the website at www.pheasantslanding.com

Brothers Moon????? Ooooh... One of our favorite "close" places! Chances are our paths have crossed at some point. We're the ones who usually show up with two bottles of wine, one red and one white - one of which is often still (barely) drinkable; as in seeing which bottles in the cellar haven't been touched in ages! Needless to say, with the right date and menu, we'd LOVE to attend an eGullet dinner at Brothers Moon. And, hopefully by then, we'll be able to afford to go. (Yes, I'm still unemployed <sigh>)

Welcome to our "home turf!" (I grew up on Jackson, Ken in Toms River.) The late, lamented Jeffrey's in downtown Toms River was BYO. <sniffle> BTW, the story we heard was that Jeffrey had a stroke.

Another place you might want to consider is Restaurant Serenade in Chatham, aka restaurantserenade.com I mention this in part because you can get a gift certificate online via the site. Once you enter the appropriate info, they'll send you the personalized gift certificate via USnail. Another place that'll help you arrange for flowers to "arrive" for dinner is The Bernards Inn. We once had a dinner there (a few years ago) where we saw one table decorated in flowers and petals before the couple arrived. (I believe someone was going to pop the question that evening.) Also, The Ryland Inn asks then you make the reservation whether it's for s "special event." A rep calls a few days before to inquire whether there's anything special they can do. In my case, when I asked, "such as?" they responded with suggestions like flowers on the table, champagne, a tour of the gardens, or a tour of kitchen. In our case, I only needed to stop when I heard the offer of the kitchen tour - the occasion was Ken's 50th birthday (and for those who don't know, he's the cook). When the server came up to us before dessert saying, "We'll take you on your tour mow," Ken was absolutely floored! :) Happy Anniversary - and enjoy!

Oh yes, Disney's quite capable of doing it. :) We've dined at Victoria & Alberts twice. Did the Chef's Table in 1997, and the restaurant itself when we did a weekend there for our 20th anniversary in 1999. (Our fondest hope for our 25th this spring would've been a return visit, but lack of jobs/$ has forced a delay.) As posted, the staff explains in advance what you're in for; and encourages you to express any preferences and (especially) restrictions. At the Chef's Table, diners are encouraged to ask any and all questions of the chefs - "how'd you do that?" and the like. Ken is still regretting not having asked enough questions back then; which is why he so wants that return visit. Oh yes - Mickey and Minnie make a brief appearance; and we have a lovely picture of the four of us. :) Although we enjoyed the dining room experience, and the service was indeed excellent, it was a step below the dedicated service of the Chef's Table. Nevertheless, Victoria and Alberts is a wonderful place for a special dinner on the Disney property. But we still wax nostalgic for The Empress Room on The Empress Lilly riverboat; which was the top restaurant on the property 25 years ago. (And how little did we know back then...) As for other restaurants on the Disney property, Artist Point in the Wilderness Lodge and Flying Fish at The Boardwalk were pretty good back then. We found the California Grill disappointing back in 1997, but we may well have hit it on a bad night. Now we REALLY want to get back there...

The Theresa's in New Brunswick has been closed for a few months due to a fire. As a matter of fact, we drove down Easton Avenue last night and noticed that the site is now literally a hole in the ground. :( Too bad... But then, Ken just reminded me that he had read the owner wasn't going to rebuild - after all, they had just put in major $$$ on renovations.

So, what did we miss last night? We attended Taste of the Nation in Princeton last Monday. It was a little more challenging than usual to get enough to have a dinner, as offerings were dominated (much more than usual) by pork, shellfish, and dessert. (We don't eat pork or shellfish.) Standouts for us included: Beef Burgundy from Sophie's Bistro A trio of small desserts on a single plate from The Brothers Moon: fresh strawberries, almond raspberry torte, and cheesecake (which Ken, the cheesecake hater, loved, even after being told what it was) A duck dish from Anton's at the Swan (and I'm not a big fan of duck) Potato roll and spicy chickpeas from Masala Grill (which promptly sent me off for dessert) A chicken pate sort of dish from Tre Piani that Ken liked A chocolate mousse from the Lawrenceville Inn that (along with the tasting from The Brothers Moon) shared honors as the Best Dessert of the Night Chocolate tempura from The Doral Dorrestal There was also a vendor (who's name escapes me, will have to ask Ken) offering juices that were delicious. They also had a petition set up for those who wanted to request McCafferty's to carry them. Finances prevented Ken from bidding as enthusiastically as usual this year, but he did manage to win a pasta set; which will end up as either a shower or wedding gift for his niece; who's getting married this summer. Hopefully we'll do better next year. But we're curious to see how last night went. (We've attended the one in Madison when I worked in the area, but liked the layout in Princeton better, for the most part.)

One reason for ICJ sounding "like a sporting event" may be because the announcer's "day job" was/is sportscaster. In a book I read about the original show, the sportscaster/announcer said his approach was to call the matches like car racing events. NASCAR, anyone? (Perish the thought!)

We'll be attending the event in Princeton on Monday. Looking forward to it, even if Ken won't be bidding on as many dining certificates as usual.

I'll use these quotes to atart my comments on this fun topic. Chester Arthur??? You shure you're not confuing him with William Howard Taft, the largest President? Never read anything specific about his eating habits, but he reportedly got stuck in the White House bathtub once. While Carter's White House was probably dry, at least they served wine with dinner. Remember "Lemonade Lucy" Hayes - no liquor at all. (BTW, she introduced the Easter Egg Roll event.) And while Dubya is including wine on the menus, he doesn't drink alcohol, having sowrn off the stuff several years before he ran for president. Oh yes, I understand he supports his father's position on broccoli. Hillary mentions in her book that one of the first things she did when the Clintons moved into the White House was to put brocoli back on the menu. And, speaking of FDR, he was also the one who served hot dogs to the Windsors.