wfnugent

Welcome to the neighborhood! We are next door in Oakland. We tend to head south and east in general when looking for food and drink - mostly because we have family in that direction. Sorry I am not more familiar with the north and west towards you. Friends have told me that the carib food at Hansil's on 202 in Oakland can be good esp with a big group but I have never been there. We enjoy Cafe Amore in Oakland for pizza and BYO when we can't get to A Mano in Ridgewood. Tommy has noted and I agree that the burger up at Mason Jar is quite OK and the beer is cold, but the BBQ is not on par with yours. (Bailey's BTW catered my mother-in-law's 65th birthday party a few weeks ago - you were the biggest hit at the party. The leftovers were to die for - the boy fell in love with pulled pork omelets) Will ping the bride and come back with anything else we can think of. Bill

I travel a lot and am enjoying the Vino Volo chain. Can get a decent glass of wine and a small plate of food at a decent-for-airport prices and it isn't a fried this or that plate with a warm beer. BN

I just found out that I need to host a business dinner in the Center City area on Monday night for 11-12 people. Can anyone suggest a suitable place? It is a Man dinner - steaks are good, big fish same. Please - any ideas are welcome. Thanks Bill

Went on Sun July 1. Spoke with Gary - over 1000 lbs of meat sold on Sun and I was there at 5:30. They were out of everything but sausage and chicken. We called in the Family Feast and went to pick it up and take it home. The place was kind of zoo-y but hey that's because people love good q. Was a little disappointed to find out that instead of slaw they put in greens and there were no ribs and tips. I'll sort it out with them later. No big. What did come home with me was excellent - chicken, wings and pork were all top notch. My 8-yo son said "Hey, this is pretty good." High praise from someone who has not had either chicken fingers or a hamburger pass his lips in as long as we've known him. Bill PS Ratatouille is playing at the Lafayette Theater in Suffern. The Nugent clan went last night. Great food movie. Great movie period - made better by watching it in a movie palace with the Mighty Hammond Organ playing before the the show and the "Let's all go to the lobby..." promo sung by the kids as they walk out afterwards. The Lafayette is a great alternative to a shoe box sized auditorium in the local Loews goolgeplex and well worth preserving and supporting. Please keep it in mind when you are heading out to see a show. The spring and fall Saturday morning classic film festivals are fun too. Two years ago they showed the original Willie Wonka with Gene Wilder and handed out Wonka Bars and had the bubble machines going during the fizzy lifting drinks scene. A great place!

Bill: Under normal circumstances this would be totally doable, but this coming Saturday we have a wedding booked and will be closed to the public. So sorry. I hope you won't hold this against us and come back another time. This time of year we have a lot of Saturday weddings since we're attached to the Bed & Breakfast and folks will literally rent out the whole place. May and June and September is "Wedding Season" when one has a lovely outdoor courtyard and the capability of catering a fabulous meal in said lovely space. ← I can <barely> fit into my tux. We can talk our way in... Oh well. I am open to other suggestions. The company ponied up for the Rittenhouse Hotel, so as long as they're buying I am pretty much game for anything. If anyone has any ideas, please PM me.

I will be back in Philadelphia on Saturday for the naming of our next tanker down at Aker Shipyards. My wife is meeting me there and I promised to take her somewhere nice for a cocktail. (I owe her diamonds after she has had to live with my travel schedule this month - Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Korea, China, Korea, Philadelphia (saturday), back to Korea (tuesday)) This place looks wonderful. Is it somewhere where we can stop off for some cocktails and little plates of goodies at the bar? We would probably get there around 8 or so. Is this doable? Thanks, Bill

Bride and I were there on Saturday night. Very nice meal. Pretty presentations. Service was good but not great. Breqads were lackluster - have had better there in the past. She: mixed greens salad, foie gras, tuna, <I forget>, creme brulee Me: duck salad (good), mushroom risotto (excellent), seafood crepe (very good), stuffed pork tenderloin (a little overcooked), sorbet All were very tasty We were in the front room whereas we usually sit at one of the quieter and more private little window tables - maybe that took a little luster off. A very enjoyable evening overall Bill

I am fortunately not in charge of this shindig, I am only trying to help those who are because they are in a pinch. As is usually the case, this whole exercise has blossomed from a small gathering to "You think we need circus performers?" These are all excellent suggestions. I will pass them on to those with the checkbook and see what they can do. I on the other hand will sit at Monk's and have a draft Chimay and a plate of frites and not worry too much about it. Thanks to you all, Bill

My company is involved in a large industrial construction project in Philadelphia. Much to my delight, I drive down from Northern NJ about once a week and work with great people and get to enjoy the sights and sounds a great city. (So great in fact that my children, who joined me for a few days this month when it was 102F and there was a pool at the hotel and not at our house, have declared "we could live here," declared everything at Monk's "our favorite...Why is Dad ordering another beer?" and the Terminal market as "awesome." High praise from a 9yo and 7yo.) In November we are going to finish this project and intend to invite about 50 people for a pre-closing dinner and then have a closing reception for about 300 the following day. We have hired an event planner to assist us in organizing this effort (imagine Martin Short's character in Father of the Bride) The spaces we have seen, and which should remain nameless, haven't been particularly special. The intent for the dinner is a sit-down dinner with a few short speeches in a high end restaurant or space with top notch catering. The reception will be attended by visiting dignitaries and industry types and we are looking for something uniquely "Philadelphia." We are speaking with the Museum of Art and with the Seaport Museum. Anyone have any ideas/suggestions/recommendations? (Please note that my suggestion to split up the party and send them to opposing corners of 9th and Passyunk and let them declare their preference was roundly rejected by the CEO.) As always, many thanks. Bill

Much to my dismay, Amazing Hot Dog has no Sunday hours. Too bad, because I cannot think of anything I would like more after a baseball game. (Eric & Matt - please reconsider - at least for the summer.) The family spent yesterday afternoon with my son's cub scout troop at Montclair State in Yogi Berra Stadium. After the Mighty New Jersey Jackals trounced a team of hard working and well meaning Independent League visitors, we drove sadly past a closed AHD and continued south to Pal's. Based on discussions here, bride and I stuck to the burgers and onion rings. My love, who is not a great burger fan, said and I quote "Wow, this is a really good burger...." to which I was obliged to reply "Hamburgers. The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast. mmmmmm.... this IS a tasty burger." She didn't get the pop reference. Juicy, perfectly cooked and well salted. Wished it was a Martin's bun. Good cheddar and thick bacon on mine. Onion rings which were outstanding - only her homemade are better. (Pal's fries were awful, btw)

I am spending an awful lot of time in Philadelphia lately and will be most of the summer. Can anyone offer some suggestions for outdoor dining? Places to sit and have a burger and a beer and watch the people go by or finer dining... (I am in no way suggesting that a burger and beer is not fine dining - burgers and beer go together, well, ... like burgers and beer.) Many thanks. Bill

For those that did not see, the restaurant recd a Very Good from David Corcoran on Sunday NYT Review - registration required

Anyone been lately? The bride is taking me out for my birthday.... Thanks, Bill

Not particularly close to Westwood but MY HOUSE. French toast made from brioche from Balthazar, egg, a holstein's worth of milk and butter and cinammon, topped with good maple syrup and more butter and thick cut bacon from the Swiss Pork Store on the side. Stop by any holiday and it is what's on the table.

Is there a sit-down area? or is it take-out?