menton1

OK, since this question generated a lot of response, how about a report on their evening and dinner?

Well, on this board the "CIA" is a cooking school and 5 reataurants located in Hyde Park, NY...

How about a much-belated report about your dinner here?

Why is this person "Nizza" only speaking through a 3rd party and not directly to the Forums?

Since this query generated a large amound of feedback, it would be decent if we at least could have an idea of where this person went last Thursday and how he (she) fared...

Almost exactly one year ago, we went down to Nashville for a wedding (at Opryland). We made a terrific restaurant discovery on the other side of town, near Vanderbilt. Actually, Nashville is a very nice town away from Opryland, a real city. The restaurant was called the Bound'ry and everything from the food, the service, and the ambience was wonderful. Here is my report from last year: Egullet Bound'ry Discussion P.S. Andrew Jackson's home, the Hermitage, is also worth visiting while you are here, about a 20 minute drive from downtown.

I disagree, Montclair is really easy from EWR. If by "out of the way" you mean it's not in a precise straight line on the map, that's true. But in a car, it's only a few mins from EWR, and Montclair is hip and has many good restaurant venues, including the one I recommended above, and for the reasons I delineated above. (Time constraints were EXACTLY why I recommended Montclair!) If you think this person needs travel only in a straight line, it would be 10PM and there is probably a diner or a McDonald's near the hotel. But he didn't need Egullet for those recommendations.

OK, Embassy Suites. I know that place, nice hotel with a center atrium and hallways draped around it on the interior; The thing that threw me off is that Embassy Suites/Parsippany IS in an office complex!! The Sheraton is off Rte 80/287 and is self-contained, and quite attractive and luxurious. I still think you will do better in Montclair. Arriving at a nice restaurant at 9:45 on a Thursday will have you rushing through a meal and perhaps watching the cleaning crew work as you are the sole diner in the place. Montclair will give you time to relax and enjoy your meal. Church Street has gotten a lot of kudos here. Egullet Church Street Bistro Discussion You don't even need your GPS from EWR to Montclair: Rte 280 West to Garden State Pkwy North to Exit 148, Bloomfield Ave Bloomfield Ave 3 miles into Montclair Should take 10-12 minutes.

Still think that it would be much better to take a SHORT drive from the airport to dinner, and the longer drive after dinner, mainly because of the late hour, and the early suburban resto closings in the 'burbs. Montclair is a straight shot off the Garden State Pkwy exit 148, right down Bloomfield Ave. Only 10-12 mins from EWR. From Montclair, it's probably another 25 mins to Parsippany. Based on your hints, I'm still guessing that it's the Sheraton "Castle". And yes, I agree, if you are in for the weekend, either Morristown or American Grill on Rte 10 would be good weekend choices.

That's a tough order, dinner in the 'burbs after 9PM on a Thursday... Probably my best recommendation is something close to the airport, continue on to the hotel after dinner. Montclair is only 10-15 mins from the airport, you might try Church Street Cafe, has been relocated to larger quarters and gotten some good reviews here. Serves dinner until 10:30, style is "New American" rather casual, not a fine dining but more of a fun-pleasant time, probably good for settling down after a flight. If you can make it there by 9:30, should be enough time for dinner. Church Street Cafe 12 Church St Montclair, NJ 973-233-0216 P.S. Is it that Sheraton "Castle" hotel in Parsippany? Heard that it is very nice-- if you are there over the weekend there will be some good restos to check out in nearby Morristown. YOu will be too late to get to Morristown for dinner on Thursday, though.

IMHO the hand-down choice for your criteria in this area is Cafe Arugula in South Orange; Food is really a cut above your average Italian, with a friendly staff and a really casual-sophisticated atmosphere. Here's the web site: http://www.cafearugula.com/index.php/pg=index.html

Can't recall the name, but in the Garden State Plaza Mall, (Paramus) upper level, directly adjacent to H & M is a chocolate/candy store with several flavors of candy apples, including the red ones and chocolate, of course. They are lined up in the window, so you won't miss it.

Not sure what you mean by worlds apart... The food is DIFFERENT, for clarity. And Nicois food is also different from Provencal. Have lunch in a restaurant in Menton, France, and then step over the border (you could practically walk) into Ventimiglia, Italy. Everything is different. The look of the land, the language (of course) the culture, and the FOOD. (Since 2002, the money is the same!! ) The ingredients may be the same or similar, but the preparations and the way they are served is very different. I've spent much time in the Cote d'Azur and in Liguria, and I can't say I see much similarity. When in a restaurant, you won't have to blink to remember which country you are in!!

D'accord!!

Frankly, it's not all that important to me, but it's OK for you to take issue with it as well... You might want to get involved in this thread, there are some Egers who agree with your viewpoint: Egullet Vinegar Martini Discussion and Eg Skyy Vodka Martini discussion Take care.

I respectfully disagree. Firstly, Paris is not a good representative of any French regional food; rather, it is the giant melting pot of all of the French cuisines. French regional cooking is very very different from area to area. The "Nicoise" cuisine is pretty unique, you really don't see it anywhere else. From the namesake Salade Nicoise, to things like Pan Bagnat, Pissaladiere, and Socca, these are foods you would NEVER see in Italy. As I said in my above post, the ingredients may be similar, but the food you will eat in Liguria, just 30 miles from Nice and the food in Nice is prepared and served very differently. Soupe de Pistou has basil, but it comes in a reddish color, rather than the bright-green pesto preparations across the border. Yes, Nice east to the border was ruled by the Savoys until 1860, when Napoleon III cleverly "swapped" it in return for support of Italian unification. But probably the architecture (especially in Menton) would serve as a better reminder of the Italian roots rather than the food.

Wow, all I was saying is that Madison Grill is a good choice for lunch in Hoboken. (As in the title of the thread). I never discussed martinis (I don't drink ANY kind of martinis, whether "traditional" or "non-traditional".) The food was very good, and the Bloody Mary was very good and very large. I think complaints about Non-traditional Martinis might be better served on the "Fine Spirits and Libations" forums. A search there indicates some topics already, including "Vinegar Martinis" and "Vesper Martinis". Sounds like a good place to voice your feelings about the term "Martini".

A friend of mine orders Vodka Martinis all the time-- maybe it wasn't the original intent of the term "Martini" to be used with Vodka, but it's now been so widely accepted as to be meaningful and totally understood by all bar staff. Vodka Martini Recipe

Food is indeed very good, and varied. And yes, the cocktails are large, if that's your thing. And if you like gummy bears in your cocktails (yes, seriously), I'm sure you'd love these. Don't mean to be a grump, but these "martini" lists that are nothing but oversized (waaaay oversized) shooters and fruity, sweet crapola give martinis a bad name. Makes me feel like I'm dining at a frat house. Christopher ← We had Bloody Marys, so this wasn't an issue. They did push hard for a name-brand Vodka, which is a total waste of money if mixed into a BM. But the drink was LARGE and very tasty, even with the generic vodka.

Yes, what an exciting stage-- thank goodness for Directv and OLN!! The highlight of Savoie food is Reblochon cheese, at its peak this time of year-- great mixed with potatoes for "tartiflette" or with apples and walnuts for "rebloche". Anyone spending the night in Courchevel?

And of course, olive oil. But actually, the token "Italian" restaurants in Nice bear little resemblance to those in Italy, especially the ones 30 miles away in Liguria. Throughout France you will find "pâtes" and pizzas on bistro menus. But the really regional Italian dishes and the ways they are served are unique to Italy. Ligurian dishes also feature basil, green lasagna, and pesto. The Cote d'Azur does have a Soupe de Pistou, but it is quite different than the Italian versions. As far as Menton, it is really a backwater for restaurants. Nice has some major fooding experiences, and as such would blow Menton away in just about every restaurant category.

IMHO the best retail seafood store in Bergen is Seafood Gourmet in Maywood. It also seems that they are in the midst of a long-planned expansion. Lots of discussion here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=21168

Had brunch yesterday in a place that seems to be overshadowed by some better-known places in Hoboken. On the corner of dueling Presidents, the Madison Grill has won my respect. Opposite the much-heralded Jefferson, this is a straightforward New American with huge cocktails and a really nice outdoor seating area. The food is prepared with creativity and care here; the "BLT" is a sandwich made on terrific toasted sourdough bread, with Bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a few slices of terrific Brie cheese! Served with chipotle mayonnaise and some awesome fries, this was a great choice. My dining companion had the Ahi tuna salad, which had several very rare slices of Tuna served on a bed of field greens, soba noodles, and a terrific dressing. Bloody Marys were gigantic and delicious. The menu had lots of other choices that I will have to come back and sample. Looking at other tables, all the food looked really interesting. Don't miss the Madison! Madison Grill 1316 Washington St (Corner 14th) Hoboken 201-386-0300

There just aired a wonderful special about the route of this year's tour, on the Travel Channel. Surprisingly good show, TravelChannel rarely has anything worthwhile. The host followed the exact route of the tour, stopping and giving the history, culture and food of many of the towns. I took particular note of a restaurant in Le Croisic, a resort town just south of Brittany that attracts an upscale crowd. Called L'Ocean, they serve only Oysters and are only open from Noon to 3PM. When he asked the owners if 3 hours is enough to make money, their answer was "It's not about the money, it's about the quality of life." That just about sums up the difference between France and the US.

One of my favorites that straddles the NY border is Relish, off the beaten track in the tiny hamlet of Sparkill. Wonderful, creative food, great ambience, and a very friendly proprietor makes for a lovely dining experience. Got an "excellent" from David Corcoran in the Times. Relish Website: http://www.relishsparkill.com/index.html