Wiener

I was referring to Thai Essence on Franklin Avenue next to the Nutley Camera shop. It was OK. Have had much better Thai elsewhere but agree that the service was very pleasant and the decor was clean and simple. I wouldn't mind having those colors and designs in my house. I will be returning nevertheless as I live nearby.

Ate there Friday night. It was OK. Friendly service, no complaints.

All the publicity states that this will be a very good year for Beaujolais Nouveau. A good French rose is quite enjoyable on Thanksgiving, especially if you are inside with the oven and stove on, this will cool things off as you cook. A good Riesling isn't bad either.

Haven't been online for ages but I am now in the Clifton area and found an excellent small bakery called The Village Bakery. I think it is on Van Houten and Broad street , just down the street a bit from the Clifton Charlie Browns. Their bread and cider doughnuts are a little too good to be located a little too close to my new home. So disappointed with the Allwood Bakery of my childhood.

Have been spending most weekends in Cape May . Try something different, go to The Blue Claw, less of a tourist trap than The Lobster Hut and even The Washington Inn. I am not saying that these restaurants are bad in any way but they are crowded with tourists. I have also been going to Marie Nicole's a lot and am enjoying their wine list. September is the best month of the year down here. Water is still very warm, traffic is lighter but will pick up in mid October again. Martini Beach has excellent service and decent tapas. Great staff. Ciao

Next time try the plum soda. Sweet and salty at the same time.

re: orange juice. My yearly order of Cushmann's honeybell oranges arrived today to my surprise. They are the best-tasting oranges you will ever have and one orange usually makes a decent sized glass of juice. I have been buying from them for about 6 years and have never had a problem. Only thing is, after they are gone, it is almost impossible to go back to the oj in a carton. They do have a website and the oranges are only available for a limited time. I did see them in King's in Upper Montclair a year or two ago.

Since the people and food were so pleasant at the restaurant I might give the place a try, however, I enjoyed the 20 minute walk to the restaurant and the walk home after such a good meal and I will miss that. The charm of the place had as much to do with the location as it did with its' good food. I wish the place good luck for the New Year!

just my 2 cents....I work for a one of the largest European banks in NYC and very often, people from Europe come here for business for a week or for a month or whatever, and the only source they use for restaurants is ZAGATS.....kind of sad that the book is often the sole source for information...... there is a ZAGATS on almost every desk in the bank :(

take a glance at the PR person...name sounds familiar :)

Ike's crab cakes on the boardwalk. Pretty good crab cakes for the boardwalk. Small and crowded. Great fruit iced teas and good chips. I have seen Ike's in Ridgewood at a stand in one of the fall street fairs. The salt water taffy from Srivers on the boards is better than all others in the area and south. Schrivers (sp?) also has a store in Atlantic City. Culinary Garden is decent but borderlines on the typical south Jersey -early bird specials-type of place. As I say , it borders on this kind of place but is quite nice. Water is very very warm, beach has been great this summer. Enjoy

Vivoli, in Florence , Italy. The best ! Since 1930

Yikes. That will help put a hault to my family feud ! I guess Bill Maher has a point.

Anyone ever watch Bill Maher on HBO? Last week he claimed that corn was ruining our country, the major cause of obesity in our land. He is quite adament about corn and very serious. Of course, he is referring to corn syrup and the corn that is used to fatten the pigs. He refers to the amounts of corn syrup we injest every year. He has a valid point about corn syrup, if, in fact, corn syrup comes from corn. Can anyone confirm or deny that corn syrup is made from corn? I thought it was a processed sugar product and had little or nothing to do with corn. BTW, there is a small produce store about 6 blocks up from Plochs in Clifton, that sells fresh produce. Up on Allwood Road, heading east from Plochs. It may be called Allwood farms.

Had dinner at Martini Beach in Cape May for the 4th weekend in a row. A good , strong drink, the view from the balcony overlooking Dacatur Street and the ocean, the half-moon, the Chilean SeaBass on Risotto, rhubarb-blueberry crisp, and great coffee, made for another wonderful dinner.

This restaurant sounds like one located in Clifton called Jamie's. I was wondering if anyone has eaten there? It is by the Allwood Circle. Parking lot is always full with expensive cars and valet parking is a must, even though the parking spaces are right in front of the door. Just curious if anyone has eaten there or knows the place. I am afraid to try it :) http://jamiesrestaurant.com/

My only complaint was the location . I did pass you by the first time I ate there in the Spring. Have to agree with Rosie about the "sign issue". I have been two your restaurant three times and truely loved it. Starting with the dishes (literally) and ending with the desserts , I had three postive experiences. If I lived closer, I would be a regular.

good to know....although I have never bought it by the slice and never have had to order it thin and crispy....perhaps because they knew me and now, over the last year, I have been ordering in under a my first name....perhaps that's the reason....thanks again.....

One thing at Ralphs has changed dramatically over the last few years, the crust. Ralph's used to have a very very thin crispy crust but now seems to follow the lead of neighboring pizzeria's with a thicker crust. I need to try that place behind Roche when I get home in September. Looked interesting. I grew up eating Ralph's so I have a strong bias, having had lived on High Street and been able to walk down and pick one up ten minutes after the call. I guess it is a fond childhood memory I will never let go of. I only wish they would go back to that very thing crust.

Had dinner Saturday night at Martini Beach in Cape May based on a few reviews and comments I read here. I must have walked past this place 100 times and never gave it a second thought. If you go, make sure you reserve a table on the porch on the second floor, which overlooks the ocean and Ocean Blvd. We sat at around 8:30 , in time to see the view change from day to night. We started our meal with gin and tonics, which were very robust and worth every penny. My appetizer was the fresh steamed asaparagus , topped with plenty of lump crab meat and a tangy light taragon sauce. We shared this, and it was plenty for two people. My entree was the cioppino, which was excellent. Chunks of tuna , jumbo shrimp, clams, mussels and two lobster tails in a rich, yet not overpowering tomato sauce. Can't really call it a broth as it was quite rich. Most of the sauce was at the bottom, so the seafood was not too messy to eat. It was accompanied with garlic toast slices, which softened enough to soak up the delicious sauce. My wife had a porterhouse steak , which was cooked to perfection and quite large for one person. We skipped dessert but am happy to say that the coffee was fresh and very good. The service was excellent and one hostess or server, named Julie , was very personable, checking up on our dinner a few times, and always ready to help. It was a nice surprise and a nice change from some of the other Cape May restaurants. They have an extensive martini list, and an extensive offering of tapas, which we will try next time. Julie also told us they would be open most of the year, which is great to know. I definately will go back again soon.

, but you never know in this industry. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> or..... in this town :) ! Having had lived there most of my life !

Venture over to Raplphs in Nutley on High Street and Franklin. They have pizza slices but mostly just a plain slice. A few months ago I tried their version of the marinara pizza and thought it was pretty decent. Loads of garlic, thin sliced, decently seasoned , and crushed basil. Think they could have used some fresh basil for this pie, though. I heard the wine bar diagnoally across from Raplh's got closed down. Anyone have any details?

I attended , as well. It was a lot of fun and sorry I left the camera home. Only spent an hour there and only eyed the foods and listened to some very loud music. Weather was too ice to spend on those hot paved streets when the ocean was calling my name. Had one of the best subs I have ever had from Russos on tenth in North Wildwood. Fresh thinly sliced German bologna and thinly sliced onions, tomatoes etc etc. Well worth the 30 minute wait for a sub. We changed out minds and had dinner at Maureens. Not as crowded as I would have thought for a beautiful weekend but still delicious. Had fresh tuna , with leeks and carrots, spicey mashed potatoes , and a delcious crab soup. Friendly service in a funky atmosphere. Not cheap for Wildwood standards but worth every penny. I did not see Maureen there Saturday night.

I still swear by The Blue Claw, halfway between the Crest and Cape May. Marie Nicoles and Maureens are great but have not been there this year at all. Maureen is usually at the hostess station and is extremely friendly. I love the seafood stew there. I will be dining in Piro's in North Wildwood tomorrow night. It serves Italian food . Another "shore" place which offers good food at a great price is the Ravioli House in Wildwood. The prices for these restaurants vary greatly. All are decent in their own way. And if you want to get away from the shore, take a drive on Rio Grande going west and try the Rio Grande diner for breakfast. A cut above the rest.

Unfortunately , this will be my last summer down here. We will continue to visit in the off season but the house is getting to congested with family members , friends, finacees and even dogs and cats. I am growing tired of arguments over who is coming down and who is not. I have been fortunate to have been able to get down here for the last few years. Believe it or not Wildwood is getting a bit better for restaurants . Not just the boards anymore.