Lima Bean

Sakura Bana - we eat there once a week. Thurdays are when the fresh uni arrives but limited quantity, I've heard Ken say you can order ahead. The wasabi and ginger are the best around. The liquor store is expensive and convenient There are so many different rolls that you can easily spend $60 put my husband and I get out of there spending $50 together...you just need to be smart about ordering. Besides the fresh sushi, the dynamite roll in Jason's picture (tuna, hot sauce and tempura chips) are the best in the East coast. We always order one and I can live on it everyday. Other items you've got to try is the Spicy Ribs and the Miso Cod appetizer Sit at the bar, because watching Ken when he's busy is an art. He starts to "bop" back in forth as if he's in his own world in a trance almost. He doesn't talk much when it's busy and he's in his groove. His staff has been with him for over 10 years...all of them, they all bowl together

We went to LaTour in Ridgewood the so called French American resturant. The crepes were cold and had a teaspoon of crab filing that tasted like iodine, followed by what was suppose to be short ribs, but the perfectly square meat with no bone was like pot roast. for $75 dollars pre-fix, we will never venture there again. LimaBean

Totally forgot about Turvinos meatball pie...good catch I'm from FL and used to go there all the time, some times I venture there from Wyckoff on my way home lima bean

I ecco the comment about the Porterhouse in Montvale. We travel about 25 miles to go there at least once a month. It's an irish bar/resturant that has everything from the "best" sheppards pie and irish stew, to one of the best calamari, to great steaks, pasta and fish and not to mention over 30 beers on tap. The crab cakes are small but excellent, burgers are good too. The calamari is consistenty tender no matter when we've ordered it and it comes with the traditional marinara but we like the chipolte sauce instead. They have a traditional bar area, old style pup but extremely clean, a great new out door area for dinning as well as a new upscale dinning room in the back, which is a bit stiff for our taste as we go there for the irish ambiance, but always, always crowded. You can get the same food no matter what dinning experience you choose. We've brought several friends there and no one has been dissappointed. In fact for a brew house, most people are very very surprised. If you're up that way, it's a most to try. Lima Bean

Pizza in Northern NJ - thin crust Espositos in Mahwah - get the grandma's pizza is a thin square pizza with the best tomato sauce Kinchleys - Nellies - great thin crust, we like the sausage, garlic and hot peppers Brooklyn Pizza is available in Ridgewood

Hi We went here for lunch today and overall would say the food is ok, somewhat salty and perhaps lacking onions and garlic. The waitress as mentioned above, did look over our shoulders too when completing the tip. white rice, black beans, plantains, empanadas where all good, nothing outstanding * shrimp in garlic was plentyful but very salty * the shredded pork was tender but bland cuban coffee was excellent the flan was a tasty but a very very firm texture, not custard based like you would expect. Not cheap for lunch.... Mundo Latino in North Bergen or Sazon in Ridgewood (peruvian, cuban) is more interesting

I've been to WM in Hack a number of times and they are the best. No need for seasoning, the cheese and onions are a must. I prefer singles and not doubles as I think they sometimes cook them too much when a double. We usually go around 2-3 on a Saturday and wait for just a short time

Restaurant Magazine publishes its list of the top 50 restaurants worldwide. For 2005, The Fat Duck in Bray, Berks, England took top honors. The magazine chose The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. as the best in the Americas. The magazine surveyed a panel of more than 600 international chefs, critics and restaurateurs. Read the Full List 1. The Fat Duck -- Best in Europe Bray, Berks, England 2. El Bulli -- Chef's Choice Montjoi, Spain 3. The French Laundry -- Best in Americas Yountville, Calif. 4. Tetsuya's -- Best in Australasia Sydney, Australia 5. Gordon Ramsay London 6. Pierre Gagnaire Paris 7. Per Se -- Highest New Entry New York 8. Tom Aikens London 9. Jean Georges New York 10. St John London 11. Michel Bras Laguiole, France 12. Le Louis XV Monte Carlo, Monaco 13. Chez Panisse -- Highest Climber Berkeley, Calif. 14. Charlie Trotter Chicago 15. Gramercy Tavern New York 16. Guy Savoy Paris, France 17. Restaurant Alain Ducasse Paris 18. The Gallery at Sketch London 19. The Waterside Inn Bray, Berks, England 20. Nobu London 21. Restaurante Arzak San Sebastian, Spain 22. El Raco de Can Fabes San Celoni, Spain 23. Checcino dal 1887 Rome 24. Le Meurice Paris 25. L'Hotel de Ville Crissier, Switzerland 26. L’Arpege Paris 27. Angela Hartnett at The Connaught London 28. Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons Oxon, England 29. Le Cinq Paris, France 30. Hakkasan London 31. Cal Pep -- Outstanding Value Barcelona 32. Masa New York 33. Flower Drum Melbourne, Australia 34. WD50 New York 35. Le Quartier Francais – Best in Middle East & Africa Franschhoek, South Africa 36. Spice Market New York 37. Auberge de Auberge de l'Ill Illhaeusern-Alsace, France 38. Manresa California 39. Restaurant Dieter Muller Bergisch Gladbach, Germany 40. La Maison Troisgros Roanne, France 41. The Wolseley London 42. Rockpool Sydney, Australia 43. Yauatcha London 44. The Ivy London 45. Gambero Rosso San Vincenzo, Italy 46. The Cliff St James, Barbados 47. Le Gavroche London 48. Enoteca Pinchiorri -- Editor's Choice Florence, Italy 49. Felix -- Best in Asia The Peninsula, Hong Kong 50. La Tupina Bordeaux, France

Hello, We just happen to catch the Spice Market on Saturday at a good time as they had a few seats available downstairs for drinks and appetizers. Friends of ours have been calling for weeks to get in, so we were really excited. As you all know, this was voted in the top 25 as one of the best resturants in the world. It's in the new trendy meat packing area of the village on 13th st between 9th and 10th. However, we had to park a few blocks away and unfortunately the area smelled, but we didn't let that discourage us. The decor inside is beautiful, exotic, indian influences and the lighting is perfect. They have upstairs seating including the ability to sit infront of the kitchen, but since it's like an assembly line set up, I wouldn't recommend it. Downstairs they have a bar with small tables around to eat appetizers as well as some isolated family rooms that seat 10 for intimate parties. This was really done well. We ordered the chicken samosas and the pepper chicken and "spice" is clearly in every dish. We eat lot's of spice in our family but this was a bit much. The chicken in the samosa was not that appetizing and the shrimp was very over cooked and very very small. OK you say, we had a bad night but Emeril L. himself was sitting right next to us and I don't think he didn't like his appetizers either, apparently the chicken wings their table ordered were "burnt". We didn't stay for dinner, which I'm sure would have been better. LIMA BEAN

I live in Ridgewood, just went to KUMO last night and they are excellent. The rolls are the best, dynamit tuna is the best anywhere. It's a quick 10 minute ride down rt 17 south to ridgewood ave and than one block to the right.

Tommy, I love the "I see drunk people"......... I may need to steal that.....

Also River Palm in NJ. Tried the FL and Edgewater shops and I didn't like either. However, the RP terrace in Mahwah is much better, atmosphere (not that it matters once you have been to PL, OOH! ) and the food is much better. just a little FYI

3 CHICAS Mexican Kitchen - Wyckoff NJ Eat in / Take out Seats at bar to watch cook Sep 3rd, 2002 Dinner - shrimp burrito, pork quesadilla, chips, salsa, guacamole Cost - $26.00 Rating - 1 LIMA BEAN --------------------------------------------- Everything on the menu is a la carte including the chips Food is served on paper plates, bowls. Have you ever tried to eat a burrito in a paper bowl? The pork was not shredded but chunks of fat, the shrimp was old and over cooked. The red salsa was home made, slightly boring and served in a very small cup that I couldn't get the chip into. The chipolte sauce was good, but I dont think it was homemade, the same for the guacamole. ___________________________ They serve the basic "fast food" mexican fare with bergen county prices. ____________________________ We prefer the Blue Moon Cafe in Wycoff for variety, and good food. or Mamacitas in Ramsey (former owner of the small mexican diner on rt 4 in Paramus). The menu is basic, but I think she makes one of the best mole and tomatillo sauces around. Her red salsa is more like tomatoe paste/sauce. We eat there once a week and can always count on the food.

Thanks FatGuy, I knew I was getting into some healthy conversation but I've been to many "great" resturants across the nation and feel that I've earned (somewhat) the ability to downplay PL. If you read Rosengarten's review, it talks very little about the steak (black and blue or not). He really discusses the "bad" elements about PL, indirectly telling us not to go there. Perhaps he wasn't so PC about PL and therefore the reason why he's not even with Gourmet. I still stand by my recommendation, but I always give fine dining establishments 2-3 tries before I really cross them off my list. And, perhaps my next venture will be Sparks, as I have not been there.

Malee, I believe the menu is very good and out ranks the other Ridgewood Thai resturants. I also order my food exceptionally spicy, but it arrives in my mind "medium". We are Bergen County folk, and would venture to Saigon Republic in a heart beat. Lima Bean

I'm very excited today as this is my "first" post as a new member of eGullet and what a great way to start but with my trip to Peter Luger over the holiday weekend. I've been waiting over a month for a prime piece of Porterhouse to touch my lips.....however, it looks like I will still be waiting. I was very disappointed in the Porterhouse steak serviced to me not once, but twice. The first piece was "well done", the second was unevenly cooked, tasteless and 2 bites that were so chewy I had to use my napkin. Moreover, their version of creamed spinach is nothing but a pound of butter and no heavy cream at all. The German home fries were acceptable, but the pecan pie was the best. Although the Brooklyn Ale was very good, but at $5 for 8 ounces, I'm no so sure. I don't think I'll be taking another trip from NJ to Brooklyn any time soon. I will continue to recommend the steakhouses from Manhattan (Smith and Wollensky and Post House) and frankely, The River Palm Terrace in Mawah NJ (a sister of the River Palm in NY), is still my favorite. Glad to be a member, Lima Bean