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menton1

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Everything posted by menton1

  1. My list is small: No 9 in Lambertville, a gem!! Joel's Malibu Kitchen, Ridgewood, very interesting! Saigon Republic, Englewood Cafe Boulevard, Fort Lee P.S. Rachel, conspicuous by its absence from your list is It's Greek to Me. The Englewood branch I have found quite good, especially the Greek Salad and the wonderful Imam Baldi (eggplant dish). It would seem to fit in with your other choices. Have you been there?
  2. Don't forget while in Brussels to get the best chocolate in the world-- most of the major brands are fabulous-- My faves are Wittamer on the Grand Sablon, Neuhaus, which is everywhere, and for a lower price but still great chocolate try Leonidas.
  3. One of my favorites in the South is the Oustau de Baumaniere, in Les Baux-de-Provence, in the Alpilles area of Provence. A very picturesque area near the towns of St. Remy, Fontvielle, and Aix-en-Provence. Although it has lost a star (Now a 2 star) the setting is heavenly-- you feel that you are in the garden of a private chateau and facing the ancient bauxite cliffs-- and the Lamb en Croute is among the best in France. (The Christofle service is a great touch) You can also stay at the inn here for quite a reasonable price. As far as Nice vs. Cannes (About 2 1/2 hours from Les Baux) I'll take Nice anytime. A real city with real people and a lot of cultural activities (17 museums!) I do have a soft spot for Menton (Check my name) which is a tranquil spot where you walk to Italy for gelato! There is a wonderful insider guide to the South of France called the Guide Gantié. It is a refreshing alternative to Michelin and has a lot more information. It is online at: http://www.guidegantie.com (It is in french only) Bon chance!!
  4. There is a very large Russian population in Fair Lawn, in Bergen County. I think in Russian the bread is called "Sooshka" There is a Russian specialty foods outlet called B & B International Foods, 12-17 River Road, Fair Lawn, Tel. 201-794-0115. I have never been to this place so call them to see if they have what you are looking for.
  5. So now that Bella is open for a while, can we have some updates? Reviews, food choices, service, hours, etc. Sounds like it's near Rittenhouse Square. I'm from NJ, but I LOVE Philly!!
  6. I have been having this ongoing discussion for years with fellow vodka buffs. The legal requirement to be called vodka is "neutral spirits". No smell, no taste. no color. My chemist friend says the only difference in vodkas is the bottles. Grey Goose certainly has a beautiful bottle, and you pay for it. A few years ago we blind tested a friend and he got it wrong. He actually liked the $6 vodka the best!! I know about the words "smooth", "silky", but these are quite subjective. I'm sure the premium companies would object, but I lean toward thinking that there really is no difference in these "neutral spirits"!!
  7. Right by the Hastings train station, just 3/4 mile from the Yonkers northern border, along the Hudson River, is one of the best restaurants in the region: Buffet de la Gare. Everything here, the look, the food, the service, is first rate. Go there!! (It's one of our "special occasion" places!)
  8. Reading is pretty much a "food desert" when it comes to restaurants. Many years ago the town was a must stop for Joe's Mushroom Cafe for some highly exotic and wonderful food. But that has closed. Joe's son Jack opened up a small place, lunch only, Joe's Bistro 614 in West Reading, but I don't know if that is still open either. Friends in Philly who do the outl;et scene say there is a good new restaurant called Unicorn Café with an eclectic New American menu. I got the address in Switchboard.com as 116 Lafayette Street Tel. 610-929-9992. Otherwise it's just Denny's and Pizza Hut (God forbid)
  9. Thanks a lot, RailPaul. Sounds like you have convinced me to bop in to a Wegmans when I visit my cousin next in Monmouth County. I still like the service at Kings (but the deli is awful) but only for selected items, never on a regular basis. I go to the Cresskill store.
  10. Has anyone been to both Wegmans AND Kings? Up here in Northern NJ, we only have Kings. A pleasant, if not sometimes overpriced place with some unusual items, and great produce. (Kings) Any feedback appreciated.
  11. I am up in Bergen County, in Northern NJ. How does Wegman's compare to King's, is it much different, or is King's of the same ilk?
  12. Robert, it's certainly OK not to agree 100% on these things; Certainly the Chantecler is a restaurant that is worth a visit. On the same subject, what is your feeling for Les Viviers? I have had a wonderful meal there as well. On my many sojourns to Nice I have used the french guide, Le Guide Gantié. This one is so far superior to Michelin and Gault Milau, in my opinion. This is really a book for and by the french, so it seems to be much more objective than the others. See you on the Promenade!
  13. Leslie, I've discovered a website for L'Univers that may be helpful to you. It has the complete Menu Automne on it. http://www.christian-plumail.com/plumail.html Also be aware that Nov is truffle season, and Aups, about 2 hours away, can give you a truffle fix to last a lifetime. You can even take a half-day expedition with a truffle dog!! But I have been to L'Univers more than once, and it has never disappointed. Bon appetit! (My avatar is a photo of the Nice-Plage!)
  14. If you need a Sunday opening, and want real Nicois food, I heartily recommend L' Univers, just off Place Massena. A beautiful restaurant, and go for the Daube Provencal, if you like a wonderful beef stew. Otherwise, grilled sardines (nothing like the American variety) are wonderful. Reservations a must. Don't miss the socca stands for lunch!! (I love pissaladiere as well-- onion tarts).
  15. Reminds me of a funny experience-- When in a magasin biologique (health food store) in the South of France, I inquired as to whether a certain product was without "preservatifs" but the actual expression should have been "agents de conservation". The first word means condoms!! How embarrassing!!
  16. menton1

    Strasbourg

    You ate your pasta out of Bowls? Christ that is so un-hip, its a wonder that your legs didn't fall off. Sorry to tell you, but eating pasta in a bowl is quite normal in Italy!! (And also in Asia)
  17. 12:30PM on a Monday.... Is this for retired folks?
  18. This Sacher Torte pastry even has it's own website: http://sachertorte.sacher.com/index_en.asp I have eaten it in Vienna and it is absolutely incredible P.S. I know Babbo has many threads in NY, but nothing comes close to that in NJ, only in Italy.
  19. menton1

    Strasbourg

    We were in Strasbourg for 1 day a couple of years ago. While it is not my favorite regional French cuisine, we did have a nice dinner at a restaurant called Chez Yvonne. This was actually recommended to us by a local, and it turned out to be fun. It is not a Michhelin star, and quite reasonalbe, so it should be well to your liking. Authentic Alsatian cuisine, no tourists.
  20. If we want to include Manhattan, I would say that the food in Babbo comes closest to a real Italian experience. Mario Batali is a principal there, but I think possibly Lidia (She is actually Croatian) is a silent partner.
  21. Having spent many vacations in Italy, I long for the simple plesures of a restaurant in Italy. The food is simple, not a lot of ingredients, no designer displays, but you leave the meal with a wonderful, satiated feeling. I have sworn off Italian restaurants in NJ for the time being. The choice seems to be either glorified pizza parlor food at high prices, e.g. Lasagne, Veal Parm, (Sometimes it can be BETTER at a pizza place) or the the "sophisticated" places where they try to give Italian dishes that "designer" touch that they really don't lend themselves to. There is a restaurant in Tenafly that bills itself as "authentic Tuscan cooking", but they do not even know what Ribbolita is!! (A ubiquitous Tuscan soup!). It Italy, these skinny people have bottomless stomachs. They have 5-6 courses, an appetizer, a pasta, a secondi, a salad, a vegetable, and then dessert!! I usually just have two courses, and I am stuffed. But the food is so good, so simple. Perhaps a sabbatical from these Americanized places will do me good. If anyone has any good ideas to snap me out of my reverie, please let me know.
  22. menton1

    Marseille

    I found Miramar very touristy and a bit pricey-- Some excellent unknown restaurants around the Place Thiars and you can get Bouillabaisse for 1 person as well. This is a pedestrianized street, so it is very comfortable in good weather. Also, for a view and awesome bouillabaisse, take a taxi to Chez Fonfon.
  23. 2 x 0, your review was on the money. They do seem to turn over the cheese here, because every week they have new choices. Alas, I have settled for places like this because we do not live in France, where "fromageries" proliferate, and here a cheese store is a novelty. Anyone up for renting a chateau for a few weeks?
  24. I have to respectfully disagree, here. Yes, the cheeses are wrapped in plastic; but this is the ONLY thing they have in common with a supermarket-- the cheeses are unusual, and sometimes even exotic-- the prices are low-- the variety is extensive. And on Saturdays, they have almost a dozen types out with samples to taste. Possibly I would not drive across the state for this place, but it is definitely worth a trip from anywhere in Bergen or Essex counties! N.B. They also have a deli counter with endless choices of prepared hot dishes!!
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