bearstew

Barth's in new providence

popped by to get a valentines menu yesterday, WHAT HAPPENED? everything about the menu and staff is different. sorry about my posting yesterday, it happened erroneously. It's a little far to go for me, but Zagat has a few member reviews here: http://www.zagat.com/verticals/PropertyDet...?VID=8&R=114542 It must be new, because there are just a few reviews and Zagat still has questions marks under "Food Decor Service Cost" ← some recent information from this board in october http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...&hl=meyersville ← My wife and I stopped by there about two months ago for drinks, we had a nice time, great wines by the glass and looked at the menu. It was interesting and the bartender, whom, I think, may have been new gave a great schtick about the chef and menu. We went back a few weeks ago and ate at the bar, just a few appetizers, crab cake, a fried squid dish, and a chanterelle soup. All were different from what we expected, bonus, they were great. Wish I had remembered to post earlier, but I've been busy and this thread jogged my memory. ← ←

It's a little far to go for me, but Zagat has a few member reviews here: http://www.zagat.com/verticals/PropertyDet...?VID=8&R=114542 It must be new, because there are just a few reviews and Zagat still has questions marks under "Food Decor Service Cost" ← some recent information from this board in october http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...&hl=meyersville ← My wife and I stopped by there about two months ago for drinks, we had a nice time, great wines by the glass and looked at the menu. It was interesting and the bartender, whom, I think, may have been new gave a great schtick about the chef and menu. We went back a few weeks ago and ate at the bar, just a few appetizers, crab cake, a fried squid dish, and a chanterelle soup. All were different from what we expected, bonus, they were great. Wish I had remembered to post earlier, but I've been busy and this thread jogged my memory.

My wife and I stopped by the Meyersville Inn, in the great swamp, for a drink this past weekend. They had a great wine list, and wines by the glass, we had already eaten but the menu looked really interesting. has anybody been there recently for dinner?

Check out the Meyersville Inn in Gillette.

mixed bag of reviews for Mohawk House in Sparta, but I've heard they made some radical changes (i.e. new menu and kitchen staff) and that things have made a turn for the better.

I have only been there once, and had a very GOOD meal. But the prices don't seem to be in context with the food and unless the wine list has been largely over hauled, there were not many, if any, selections under $120.00. The wine list however is indeed fantastic except for that one over sight.

Congratulations to Humberto at Lorena's and Peter at Terra. I wish you both continued success.

and right across the street, Terra, got a 3 1/2 star review in the star ledger same day.

definately Louis Latour Grande Ardeche @$9.00 and change

Maybe you should call chef Ben Del Coro at the Mohawk House in Lake Mohawk, I heard that they are adding a new kitchen in the not so distant future and they may be interested in doing something along those lines.

I have been away for awhile, Europe mostly, and now it seems as tho our favorite places, for different reasons, in Maplewood have been sold or closed. Has anyone heard anything aboutn American Fare, Celebrated foods or Jocelynnes?

kosher as in legal. health codes, insurance issuses etc.

chris and ellen are actually working out of another unamed restaurants kitchen, to do it out of their house would not be exactly kosher. their catering business just got so huge that it was more profitable to drop the ala carte aspect of their cuisine.

We don't get out often, but, half the time we go to byo's. when we have a special occasion and want to open our really gooood wines I will always call ahead and speak to the chef or dining room manager, get some idea's about what will match with his/her menu and guive them the heads up that we will be bringing something that may reguire special handling ie. decanting or breathing, specific glasses etc. I have had our wines handled very well when we take the time to call, and when that happens I wil tip most graciously. I have not been let down yet

With all respect, I think its difficult to determine if a restaurant is coasting if its your first visit. I have a list of reasons that make me have this opinion, including a number of almost exact dishes from last year's menu..but I'd want another visit, not a a business dinner, to determine if my opinion is accurate. Shelton used to have dishes that were original, now they seem to mimic any three star NYC place. ← This is probably a better topic for another thread but I cannot conclude a restaurant is coasting because the menu repeats dishes from year to year or because the menu doesn't seem as inventive as it once did. (That also perhaps says as much about the beholder as it does the menu.) Coasting to me is more an attitude that I see in the service and how the food is cooked. ← Coasting, to me, means that a restaurant is resting a bit, not pushing or improving, but staying the steady course...and in this case, RI still deserves to be in a list of top restaurants, but certainly not in a list of top food. And I reiterate my opinion that unless you have visited the restaurant in the past, you'd be hard pressed to notice any coasting. I noticed some cosmetic shortcomings..a crispness that the Inn no longer has. I noticed a compacency in service, specifically in the bar area and reservations. Most importantly, I noticed a lack of challange on the plate..uninspired accompaniments, done to death reductions...a dessert menu that leaves me cold... Personally, I think its terrible that there would be three or four verbatim menu items from one year to the next. Yes, I'm aware of the economic realities of restaurants, and I'm aware of customer demand influencing menus. And, um...for years, a restaurant income paid my own mortgage. If Shelton just wants a really good restaurant. he's got one...but if he wants to continue his reputation as one of the driving forces in NJ cuisine, he's loosing that race...if he gets the accolades for his food these days, I contend its not because of what's on the plate now, its because of what was on the plate a few years ago. And now, I've gotten into the fray without doing what I said I wanted to do, which was to revisit RI while not entertaining for business, with a few fellow foodie friends so that I can try more options, and feel more secure in my initial opinions. ←

David Drake has not been at Stage House in Scotch Plains for about 11 month's. he sold it to open a small more accessible place in Edison? Ithink its Edison anyway.

we only get out once every three months or so but, we were there last week, love the game dishes and the hanger steak. wish we could go more often, love byo's

We've always loved American Fare in Maplewood, they are very accomodating and the food is a great mix of comfort type foods from just about everywhere

American Fare in maplewood is also a good bet. they now have webability too.Americahttp://home.earthlink.net/~americanfare/

why on't you call your favorite restaurant and just ask them to do this for you?

by reserving a table at a restuarant, are you not entering into verbal contract? just a thought for you lawyers out there in egullet land.

believe it or not macy's usually has good not great prices on high quality knives, and around this time of the year they run good sales.

check out the limestone cafe in peapack gladstone. the owners cathy and george started out as caterers in that area, lots o' money, very conscious of quality-value qoutient. they do a great job. definatly the best two events, one wedding and one huge corporate party, that i have been to in n.j. they really focus on the details.