menton1

A wonderful 2- star in an unbelievable setting is the 1000-year old Chateau de Riell, in the hamlet of Molitg-les-Bains. This is just 15km from Prades, the home of Pablo Casals. The restaurant is superb, and if you have the inclination, a stay here will enthrall you with their wonderfully unique all-copper bath fuxtures. The rooms have names, instead of numbers. It's a Relais & Chateau as well. A dreamy setting in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Chateau de Riell Web Site

This is about a 6- hour drive! Leave yourselves plenty of time...

Yes, L'Alivi in Paris certainly seemed to be the real thing, from the Corsican artwork on the walls to the Corsican bottled water! The best meal I've had in the Southwest was a "Table d'Hote" at the gorgeous Moulin de Fresquet in Gramat, about 15 km from Cahors. This is a home cooked meal made for the guests, and the night we were there she prepared a lamb dish that was superb. If you want a lovely room and a great meal at a shockingly low price, try for this place. Here is their web site: Moulin de Fresquet Cahors is a great place, and try to have coffee on the river banks facing the Pont Valentré, one of the great bridges in France, from the 12th century. Also a terrific Saturday market in Cahors; and finally, go to the caves of Peche-Merle to see astounding drawings of animals drawn over 15,000 years ago on the walls. Bon voyage!!

Do you mean Reims in the Champagne Region? Or is this another town with a different spelling?

Just to clarify: Glass Shoprites are ONLY the ones owned by the Glass Brothers, they only own Englewood, Paramus, Rochelle Park, and Rockaway. ShopRites are a cooperative, and many groups own different stores, and they can be quite different, even though they use the same buying group and same advertising. The ones run by Glass are IMHO the absolute best in the state. I think the one in Lyndhurst is a Singer Bros. Shoprite. It's definitely not a Glass. Try one of the Glass Shoprites, and you will never go to Stop n Shop again. You will also save about 15-20% off your shopping total at Shoprite vs. Stop n Shop. P.S. Glass Shoprites have Bell & Evans Chickens, and also the fabulous Murray's chickens!! The Englewood store also has the nicest supermarket fish dept. I've seen anywhere, including Wegman's!

Good Jersey Tomatoes need heat. The very cool June we had may affect this year's crop.. Regardless, the best tomatoes don't appear until at the earliest mid-August, and this year probably later. The tomatoes available now are probably tasteless.

It's amazing to me that Stop n Shop got anything right... not only do I find their selection of products awful, but their prices are astoundingly uncompetitive. I REALLY miss Grand Union... IMHO the best Supermarkets in the area for price, selection, and service are the Glass ShopRites-- one on Rte 4 East in Paramus, and the other in Englewood next to Thai Chef.

How juvenile and egocentric of the owners of Republic.... Their real concern would be if KT ever opened up a place near one of theirs... they could never compete!! (Everybody calls the place "Saigon" anyway!)

Will be visiting Nashville next week, wanted some input on Bound'ry, Sunset Grill, and Cafe One Two Three. I am from New Jersey, so I am interested in something different, something possibly called "New Southern" . Something with outdoor dining is really appreciated. Thanks for the feedback!

Robert, (great to see you posting again!) have you ever tried Les Agaves in Beaulieu by the little RR Station? Gantié gives it a nice review, especially the scallops, fish and the terrine. We never got there last year, but the restaurants in the port of Beaulieu were a bit disappointing; the setting is lovely, though, and if you are not seeking perfection the African Queen is fun. The best casual bistro is Le Catalan, terrific salads and pizza when you're not in the mood for a serious meal. Love your posts, Robert, hope to see them back here more often....

I was once riding the train in France with a family and a couple of kids eating McDo salads. I innocently mentioned that McDonald's in the US didn't have salads like the ones the kids were eating. What the hell did I know about what McDonald's offers. When I got back to the states I noticed a big sign in a McDonald's window advertising just the sort of salad I didn't think they served. I don't think lumping Léon into the same category as McDonald's in quite right, I would call McDonalds a "must to avoid"!! (To quote an old Herman's Hermits song).

My only point was, that I already feel that the mussels are good at Léon; so since it is a simple dish, it really can't be all that much better. I think your Belgian friend's opinion is being deeply prejudiced by his nationalistic pride. But after all, the French do have so many snickering remarks at the expense of the Belgians as well... P.S. Probably the best mussels I've ever had were on Cape Cod!

This is not correct! Although the signature dish of Léon is Moules Frites, they have many other items on the menu, Fish, steak, steack tartare, and salads. But let me also reiterate that the moules are the only thing to order here, even though there are many other choices. Frankly, moules frites is a fairly simple dish, in a butter-garlic sauce, so I could not see going 2 1/2 hours to Brussels for just moules. We thought the moules we had here (for lunch) were quite acceptable, and the frites were above average. When someone says that the dish here is inferior, in what way? Was it the mussels, or the sauce? Both are so simple, it's hard to imagine a significant difference as the dish prepared in Léon is quite good.

Excellent moules frites are to be found at the chain Léon de Bruxelles. there are about 5 of these in Paris, and the mussels are pretty good. Do not get anything else at these places, though. I think the French recognize this as a Belgian dish, though...

Wanted to share our wonderful experience at this restaurant last night (July 4). We were anxious to try it as I do trust David Corcoran of the NJ New York Times Dining section, and he gave it a rare "Excellent". (Place was about 80% full on a night when many people are at barbecues) The place is a re-done luncheonette in a small hamlet, with plenty of parking in the town square. The decor is quite attractive, some art deco touches, and a bit of bamboo lighting, and artwork on the walls from local artists. (The proprietor, Michael, says that it will change on a regular basis). The menu is small, which I personally like. Many times chefs overextend themselves on too many items. For starters, we got: A wonderful wilted escarold salad, cheese slivers and walnuts, a great blend of dressings; the spring salad was standard mesclun, but the dressing was quite unusual and memorable; a hot, clear clam chowder that was terrific, and a cold heirloom tomato soup that was extremely delicious. The main courses we had were: Sliced grilled lamb sirloin, done rare to our specifications, on a bed of mashed potatoes and julienned veggies; and the special, a wasabi-crusted large filet of halibut with broccoli rabe and white beans in a magnificent sauce that blended and melded many flavors. The meal was accompanied by Balthazar breads and they have about 10 wines available by the glass. The only tiny flaw was the peculiar, cold, unfriendly attitude of the waitress we had. This was compensated for by the super-attentiveness of Michael himself, and a lovely young assistant. Michael started with a bagel store in Brooklyn 20 years ago, and it seems he has come a long way. All in all, this restaurant is truly deserving of their "excellent" rating. I highly recommend it. Relish 4 Depot Square Sparkill 845-398-2747

Hands down, my vote is for Penang, in Greenwich. (An unlikely spot for an inexpensive restaurant). Only 12 tables, beautiful, modern ambience, BYOB, and fabulous Pan-Asian food. You choose the menu item by sauce and meat, and they pick the appropriate vegetables and serve in little woks. The entrees, except shrimp, are about $10-$12. Soup is $1.50. GREAT PLACE!! Penang 55 Lewis Street Greenwich

Best fireworks display in Bergen County is probably in Hackensack on Sunday, in Foschini Park on the river. Free DooWop show, usually the same groups you pay $30 for at the Meadowlands. And the fireworks can be seen for miles, because they do them on the Hackensack River. Parking can be daunting if you arrive late. I think the show starts at 7, fireworks at dusk.

Not really much to write home about in Westwood itself; I had a horrific dining experience at Tuscany Trattoria 3 years ago (will never go back), there is another unremarkable Italian, and the Iron Horse for burgers. A so-so Thai on Kinderkamack Rd in Emerson, Pimaan, is also rather blah. However, if you take Old Hook Road 7 minutes East, you will arrive at Harvest Bistro in Closter, one of the best restaurants in the county. Also got a tremendous review by David Corcoran of the NY Times. It has also been on TV receving accolades for the beautiful decor. However, there is a remarkable amount of non-interest in this restaurant by the Egullet NJ contingent-- perhaps you will buck the trend here and go and give us your first hand report!! Harvest Bistro Web Site

This is really the fault of the Market Coordinators in the town-- you should report this to them. Most of the markets have rules concerning where the items sold are grown. On of the ex-coordinators in NYC contributed on the NY board and she told how she had tried to change the markets for the better, but politics won out and she got out. Her name escapes me for the moment... There is a farmer named Andryshuk who is at the Nyack Market on Thursdays (just over the state line) and EVERYTHING he sells he picks himself. His farm is upstate and he always has great stuff at the market, depending on what's growing. Nice little market with about 8 vendors, including a pickle guy and a bread person.

I second the vote for Le Dôme du Marais; A wonderful choice, and a truly beautiful environment, an old building with a skylighted-courtyard so it gives an outdoor feeling though you are indoors. Food has a Breton accent, but is eclectic as well. The Marais is our favorite area to stay in Paris. the area is hip and lively, wonderful shops and activity, yet it doesn't have the cold, tourist feeling of the 1st and 8th Arrs., nor the over-congestion and frenzy of the 6th. The Seine beckons, just a few blocks, and you have the magnificent Hôtel de Ville, and great, quirky shopping at the BHV. Another interesting choice of ours is L'Alivi, where everything is from Corsica including the wines and the paintings on the walls-- quite interesting; and a terrific, casual bistro with about 40 tables on the sidewalk on a dead end street is Café Trésor. Bon appétit! Please report back here after your trip!

About 20 km down the road from Albi is the dreamy village of Cordes-sur-Ciel, and it really is an authentic Medieval village perched on the very top of a hill. Smack in the center of the village is a gem run by Yves Thuriès, Le Grand Ecuyer. If you can't spend the night in the beautiful and quite reasonable hotel of the same name, do not miss the Michelin-starred restaurant in the same building. From the ambience, to the service, to the cuisine, everything is impeccable. The experience will be most sublime. As an extra treat, Thuriès is also a master of spun sugar creations, a unique artisan creation that adorns the lobby and the restaurant tables. This is the place to go if you are in this part of the Tarn! Le Grand Ecuyer Web Site

Would be happy to hear a first-hand report about this year's Fête de la Musique, that great street party that marks the start of the summer solstice in Paris. I was there in person in 2002, and it was quite grand, with almost every corner featuring its own musicians and artists, well into the night. Since I'm now "languishing" back in the States, could anyone provide some details so that I can vicariously enjoy this great festival! Thanks!

Well, in the US anybody can sue anybody else for any reason-- there are no consequences. (unlike in the UK). I vote for "Saigon ____". The neon in the window just says "Saigon" and I don't think anybody really uses the "Republic" part of the name. I think "Mo Pho" might give some people the impression that the place changed hands.

I think we have discussed this at length, even did a thread on why Italian restaurants in the US are generally bad; I agree-- In Ridgewood, I like Joel's Malibu ALOT, Latour is good on occasion, but not great; Have you thought of trying Harvest Bistro in Closter? (Highly acclaimed recently in the NY Times) and also a place just over the border in Sparkill, NY called Relish (Also a good review in the NY Times.)

How irritating-- that a great little place like this has to cave to an undeserving goliath in NYC. I doubt that there is even one person that could possibly mix up the two places, and Saigon R. would probably eventually prevail if the litigation went forward.. but it seems that this is more of an ego issue for the owners of Republic. Too bad Saigon can't find a philanthropic donor to give unlimited funds toward defending this case-- and then slap them back with a countersuit!! (Ahh...to dream....!) Edit: Could they just shorten the name to "Saigon"? That's what everyone knows them as, anyway.