alembic54

Ack! What, precisely, did you hear? What's the source? Rumor or in print/verifiable? ← I was out to dinner in the city at Bar Americain (great meal btw) last saturday night. My wife and i were with our close friends who live in Millburn and they told us. I don't know if they heard about it or read about it but they seemed sure.

Super Duper Bagels in Livingston. Teeny, tiny place, somewhat cranky owner, fantastic, hand-rolled bagels. It's been there for 15+ years... SOMEWHAT CRANKY? That's the understatement of the decade! How about nasty asshole! I've lived in Livingston for 12 years and though she has GREAT bagels, she is one of the rudest retailers I've ever met. How ironic that many people refer to her as the Bagel Nazi...the irony being that she's an orthodox Jew. I refuse to give my business to people who are rude and ornery now matter how good their product is. Believe me i've tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but everytime i go there she's either having a hissy fit over something or other, or she's in crisis mode. Given how good her bagels are (and they really are good) its amazing that she runs out of bagels at really odd times like 11 oclock on a sunday morning. She needs to get more help or more ovens. That's unforgivable. It would be like the guys at Amazing Hot Dog running out of hot dogs at 1:00 on a saturday afternoon. On another note, i heard that Sunny Amster's and tabatchnicks in Vaux Hall are being torn down to make way for a Staples. thank God Syd's isn't closing. I hope sunny amster's can relocate. they are one of the best Jewish bakeries around......their bread, rolls, bagels and rugelach are second to none. Jeff

Phil: Flog away! Jeff

After reading about Tomo Cuisine for 3 weeks, my wife and i went tonight and I'm sad to say that it was disappointing. The service was REALLY slow (we sat down at 8:15 and got soup at 9 and our other appetizers at 9:15. The uzuzukiri was delicious; very fresh fluke and delicious dipping sauce. The broiled squid appetizer was incredibly salty. The sunomono was very good. But the sashimi (chutoro, Spanish Mackeral and Hamachi) was a little fishy and seemed to lack that really fresh sparkle. The big roll was just ok. Its sad because based on the raves that I read here I was expecting magic. Sad to say I didn't get it. For now for local sushi, I'll stick to Zen which I think is much better. Sorry to insult the Tomo fanatics here on the board but it just didn't do it for us. Jeff

The Millburn Deli.........nothing else comes close

FWIW Tommy the Crispy Chicken on the Bone is available at stretch's in Livingston and it is delicious! I haven't been back to the Belmont tavern in a few years but I will definitely go once the smoking ban goes into effect on April 15th. I refused to go back to the Belmont tavern because it was like eating in a frickin ashtray! Jeff

Rosie: Thanks for the tip.......I have been hearing great things about BLU. But in the mean time this thread is about An American Grill...so lets show Lou some love! Jeff

I'll be bringing killer wine to Michael's on Sunday for the Super Bowl. A Calera Selleck 2000 and a 1998 Beurenard CDP Rouge Speaking of super.......... that's what lunch was today. Both the short ribs ravioli app. and the stuffed pork tenderloin were without question NYC quality.....and very reasonably priced. and Lou...you're a mensch . thanks for everything. See you soon.... And for you e-gulleteers who have never been.......GO the American Grill is incredible AND reasonably priced. By the way here is a shoutout and a huge thank you for the following restaurants I discovered as a result of E-Gullet (besides An American Grill) China 46 Saigon Republic Mee Thai Fascino Brookside Thai Mo' Pho Wondee An Amazing Hot Dog (its is TRULY amazing..been there 3 times since it opened!!) I'm sure there are probably a few others but those are the ones that come to mind immediately. the journey is the prize.... Jeff

Lou: We've never met but I'm coming for lunch with my friend Michael today. I'm looking forward to it. Jeff

Beaujolais Nouveau???????? What a fraud! Its barely fermented grape juice. Our french friends are laughing all the way to the bank. If you are going to drink Beaujolais , at least drink a Cru Beaujolais. And if you can ,look for a microproducer and stay away from Georges Duboeuf...all his Beaujolais are innoculated with the same Duboeuf yeast that makes the wines smell like bananas....bleccchhhhhh!!!!! Me I'm drinking aromatic whites (Riesling, gruner and sb) and pinot Noir. I've given up on Zins for thanksgiving because of the the high alcohol blowtorch factor. I long for the old days when zins had UNDER 14% alcohol. Happy Thanksgiving..especially to you Phil. Jeff Davis

John: I went to livingston Bagel today for Donnie dogs and almost threw up! 5.99 a lb.!!!!! what does Best's charge for Natural casing dog's? it would be worth a trip to Newark if i don't have to pay these rip off prices! By the way... your hot dog knowledge is 2nd to none! You are to be commended! Jeff

Best Provisions also made the Hot Dogs for Don's, a landmark restaurant on the Livingston/Short Hills border that went out of business 7 or 8 years ago. they sell the "Donnie" Dogs at Livingston Bagel and at the Chicken Nest. They are the natural casing dogs not the supermarket kind and yes they are killer on the grill. And i really like them on the long six inch Italian semolina rolls that you can get at any good Italian bakery. IMHO,regular hot dog rolls just don't make it. Jeff

It's in the space that was Judson grill.

Nana's in Livingston makes great old fashioned cole slaw. In fact Nana's makes great EVERYTHING. My only issue with Nana's is its a bit on the pricey side. Jeff

I've lived in Livingston for 11 years now and the food choices here are just pitiful. Nero's has been here since i was a kid (I grew up in Springfield) and I still think its pricey and overated .I have not been to Lulu's yet although my wife had lunch there once and enjoyed it. I have not been encouraged by the posts in this forum however. I also have not been to Il Ripasso yet. Blue moon Cafe? A notch or 2 above fast food Feng Shui? Overpriced and just not that good Landmark Tavern: Great food if you like eating in an ashtray (but the food is great (for a bar) so I grin and bear it sometimes) Eppes essen: Proof that really good old fashioned delis are few and far between. Take out is bearable though The biggest joke in town is the Ritz Diner... a gold mine and VERY mediocre food and horrible service. Livingston is just waiting for a smart restauranteur to come in and just steal the business away from the Ritz. that said Il Vicolo is one of the best restaurants in town. BYO which i love, good portions and reasonably priced. I totally agree though about the large percentage of their clientel who happen to be members of the blue rinse set. I also like stretch's but can only eat there once evry 2 months or so. They use way too much garlic and oil in their cooking and eating there is great going down but brutal afterwards I'd love to see a great Thai restaurant open here. Bangkock Kitchen in Caldwell is close and OK although they never change the menu and now that I've been to Mie Thai about 5 times I'm spoiled. maybe Livingston's problem is a lack of downtown. Fumio was open in 2 incarnations and failed twice (though the food was good). Maybe i'm wasting my time complaining. perhaps the younger people here just go to the city when they want a good meal. PS. Wegmans would just rock in this town (or Millburn or anywhere near here) The whole foods in Madison is pretty good for soem things (Great meat and produce department, good fish and cheese department) but its no Wegmans! Bridgewater is just too much of a schlep. Happy Father's Day to all. Jeff

I am in the wine business and work for Lauber Imports; Riedels distributor in NY , NJ. and Pa. I will try and get a comprehensive list of NJ restaurants that carry riedel and post it here. Jeff

Sorry if I sounded like an elitist; I didn't mean to. Believe me, I'm not well to do (i just have champagne taste on a beer budget!...I don't save a lot but i enjoy life!) A lot of people I know here just complain about the markets all the time. Maybe people here in NJ just like to go out and have good food prepared for them in good restaurants. You would think with the economy being what it is more people would want to save money and cook at home. When I think about what I spend in good restaurants, you could eat really well for HALF of that at the most at home. Maybe we don't have the ability that chefs have but I know that I really enjoy cooking and am pretty good in the kitchen. I just wish there were better food sources here. I work about half the time in the city so at least I pick stuff up there some times. On a positive note, I've been going to the Whole foods in Madison lately and while its not New York quality, its meat, produce and cheese departments beat the crap out of anything else around here. They also have Peet's coffee! But i still wish wegman's would move closer; Bridgewater is about 30 miles from me and Woodbridge is probably 25. Jeff

It blows my mind why Wegman's is not expanding more in North Jersey. Kings is a shadow of its former self; Shop Rite is hit and miss (depending on who owns which store(s)-->all of the Village Shop-Rites near me in Livingston are dumps!). I know wegman's is opening soon in Woodbridge but Wegmans could make a killing in Union/Essex and Bergen Counties with all of the per capita wealth in those areas and lots of interested foodies. I wonder if its the fact that their super stores are so big and they just won't expand into the areas i mentioned becuase of the price of real estate. They'd have a captive audience if they did. Jeff

There is a place in Long Branch called Nunzio's that IMHO makes killer pie. They've been there since '53...same family owns it. My friend Frank Ravaschiere who's been going there since around 1960, took me to Nunzio's for the 1st time in 1997 and I've been back around 30 times and have always had great pie there. it's thin crust, but not as thin as Federici's in Freehold (which I think is too thin) Bear in mind I live in Livingston, so its about 50 miles each way but I still make the drive because its so good!tasted. I usually get the special which is mushroom and sausage. Louie, who is the owner makes the pies himself and is a sweetheart! Thin crust, great ingredients and very reasonable prices. the food is good also, although I usually just get the pizza. One thing..Nunzio's hours are weird they are open every day except Tuesday and (this is the weird part)their hours are 4:30-8:30. They are closed the month of February for vacation but that's it. Check it out you will not be disappointed. Jeff That's it