pete ganz

OK, we get it! Lyndhurst is a crappy, factory ridden, blue collar town....paling in comparison to the rarified air of River Vale.

Passionne sounds promising. Here's the menu. Looks quite similar to Epernay's.

Thank you everyone. edit: Searching online, I found this place that has a HUGE selection of heirloom tomato seedlings...with sales coming up in various locations in the next few weeks.

Jason mentioned Old Hook Farm in another thread, but does anyone know of any other nurseries or farms in Northern NJ that sell heirloom tomato seedlings?

I would highly recommend a side trip to the gardens at Giverny.

Minado is actually pretty good, but I'd be surprised if they had more than 2 dishes in common with C46.

Maybe it's because they can tell the difference between good authentic Chinese food and your local take-out place? What I don't understand is why some folks would compare a Japanese buffet with a Shanghai Chinese restaurant.

This? I used to have tons of them in my yard...don't know if they're edible, but I think they're generally considered weeds.

Have you ever tried the Spanish Tavern? I think it's one of the best places in the Ironbound for Spanish/Portuguese cuisine. Very good octopus, garlic shrimp, and caldo verde. I agree with Jason that Fornos is nothing special.

That huge beef rib is awesome. Phil seems like the kind of guy you'd like to have a few too many beers with. Definitley a place to hit again.

Thanks for everything, Rosie. Hope you continue to post...

What was the name of the place where he had the conch fritters in Key West...Conch something Cafe?

here pete. ← Thank you kindly, sir. I even searched nj.com for the article and couldn't find it.

That's because it's not really worth mentioning...

here's the link: http://northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpc...nFlZUVFeXkxNQ== that mac and cheese deserves every molecule of ink it gets. ← Does anyone have a copy of this recipe? The link has expired... ← detailed directions available here. ← Yeah yeah, I plan to get there eventually....but was there a recipe in the article? If not, I'll just have to go sooner rather than later.

here's the link: http://northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpc...nFlZUVFeXkxNQ== that mac and cheese deserves every molecule of ink it gets. ← Does anyone have a copy of this recipe? The link has expired...

Well, I did say that I'm not a good judge of bakeries, 'cause sugar's not my thing. Pete is right--LPS is smaller, but what he didn't mention is that they also have homemade italian ice there, and do a TON of business in that part of the store in the warmer weather! They also carry those classic italian cookies that are covered with sesame seeds, and Mazur's doesn't. I have no clue of the name, but they're more like a biscuit than a cookie, not super sweet, and are most excellent with a cuppa something. ← Definitely...LPS gets mobbed in the summer for their Italian ices. Another good one in my 'hood is Gencarelli's in Bloomfield. They also have those cookies that I think you're talking about (pignoli). There's a pic of them on their site.

In my opinion, Lyndhurst Pastry Shop is better...although they don't have the selection that Mazur's does. It's also on Ridge Rd., right down the block from Mazur's.

Oh my. I am so pissed that I missed that thread before I went to Chicago last year. That looks amazing.

They look great. Care to give a recipe?

That is exactly the sentiment I was trying to convey.

I have no beef with you my friend, but from what I recall (I have been on this board for a while), you are an American that went to Paris and became a concierge in an upscale hotel. Good for you, I wish you all the best. Please let me know if I'm incorrect. Margaret, I am also embarrassed by the "ugly American" when I'm traveling. I have certainly experienced this, but it is rare in my experience. Most Americans in Paris seem to respect where they are. I'm sure fresh_a sees more of this unruly type. My wife and I try our best to learn local customs and a bit of the language of the country when we travel, but it seems that some people, mainly Americans, become perturbed that there are other Americans in the same restaurant. This is what disturbs me. It seems as though they feel they are the ones who deserve the "authentic" native experience, and yet these other Americans are ruining for them. Get real. We all know about these restaurants. If I am not a complete ass, order my dinner in French, and am otherwise trying to be affable, then why get all worked up about it? You are basically in the same position that I'm in...I could say the same about you. If you and fresh_a are talking about the tourists that expect everyone in France to speak English and not conform to any local customs, then I apologize...although it doesn't sound like it from the conversation so far. I'm not trying stir the pot...it's just something that has puzzled me for some time. I will still visit Paris and go to restaurants in the the future, even if that bothers fresh_a and phredric.

So basically, you're an American in Paris, but the mere presence of other Americans gives you shiver. This is the part I don't get.

Well, I am a tourist myself in these restaurants! Is that the kiss of death? It is bad form, IMHO, to be that disdainful of seeing tourists in a restaurant. The key for me is whether a restaurant is "Touristy, wherefore they have become actually non-French, non-Parisian so as to make these tourists feel "at home." Whether the food and service were exemplary here is a matter of discussion. But La Petite Cour as I observed it, was certainly NOT touristy... (The tables all around us were locals) France is the most touristed country in the world, upwards of 75 Million + per year. Would you prefer that all the tourists stay home? ← I couldn't agree with you more on this point. I don't understand why some Americans get pissed when there are other Americans in the same restaurant. Do they think that they're the only ones who have heard about it? A good restaurant is a good restaurant, period. As for tips for good mid-level places, we went to L'Os a Moelle in the 15th 2 nights ago and it was fantastic. 38 Euro fixed price menu, 6 courses (thanks John Whiting!). http://www.whitings-writings.com/bistro_reviews/moelle.htm

Me too...can't wait to go back (went on a weekend FWIW).