rhubarbz

Why do people have grand openings months after they actually open?? As a restaurant consultant, i have to say, this makes NO sense to me. A week or two after they open (and get the kinks worked out) makes sense; maybe even three weeks. But six weeks or more?

Thanks, Rachel, for those two links. I'm with Rosie - i hope Arthur reappears on radio soon. There is nothing like his show anywhere else, and it will be missed. He's an incredible source of culinary knowledge. Sure, he was opinionated and cranky sometimes - but it made for good radio!

FWIW, adding my 2¢ to the mix ... Just posted about Taro, a pan-Asian place on Church Street that's quite good, if a bit pricey. We like it a lot and have gone there for years. Have never understood the buzz about Mexicali Rose. The owner is a charming guy, but we have always found the place dirty and the food, gloppy. Greek Delights is fabulous. We order lunch from there @ work once or twice a week. The real-deal Italian deli across from Whole Foods is called Belgiovine's, and it is indeed special. Try their marinated grilled eggplant & homemade mozzarella.

We eat at Taro every couple months. The food is quite good and service is fine - not warm and friendly, but competent. It's somewhat pricey, which is probably why we don't eat here more frequently. They do a couple things really well - esp. a sesame tofu w/spinach that's very nicely sized for an appetizer - and shrimp in a pistachio crust that my husband always orders. I don't know what it is about Taro that keeps them off the radar screen. Go and let us know what you think!

There's a Papillon in Nutley, too - that's what i thought this thread was about! Has anyone been to the place in Nutley? If so, what do you think?

I have the perfect person for you! She's based in Montclair and is a personal chef/caterer with an impressive roster of clients, many of whom have been w/her for years. She also assists another chef frequently in the private dining room of an international bank in Manhattan. I've eaten her food at small private dinners and large cocktail parties, and it's fresh, original, boldly flavored, and beautifully presented. Very regional/seasonal. Don't know what she charges, but she's got a lot of integrity and is totally down-to-earth. PM me & i'll be happy to give you her name/number.

Lia, how was Cilantro? I realize you were there a month or so ago - i'm just coming in on this thread. Never been. Worth a visit?

[Does anyone know how the Daily News decides what, when, and how often to review restaurants?] My understanding is, it's based on the same criteria as the other newspapers: they balance hot, new locations with old (or places that have new chefs); neighborhoods; price points; etc. They review a lot of places in Brooklyn because apparently that's where a lot of the readership is. When i went to Riingo, there was a 45-minute wait (despite a reservation) and the front area was pretty insane. Cocktails were so-so. But the staff was terrifically nice and accomodating. Food was mixed - some dishes were knockouts, others missed entirely. But it was right after they opened, so i'd definitely check it out again ... but not for a few months.

FWIW, I'm a huge fan of Anthony's writing and - full disclosure - know and like him (& his wife) very much. I thought his review of Augustino's was a hoot and though i've never been, after reading the piece i felt as if i totally get what they're doing there; not just what's on the plate, but the look and feel and sensibility of it all. And as KimWB pointed out, that's what gives me enough information to know if that's a place i want to visit - or i don't. With respect to kimmyb72, over the last ten years (or so), a meal at a restaurant has developed into much, much more than what's on your plate. It's your evening's entertainment and, as such, it's about cuisine + decor + the flowers on the table + competence of the service staff + what the ladies' room looks like + how much bling bling is lighting up the room ... which is why (i think) it's extremely important for a reviewer to convey his/her impressions of the total experience. When Ruth Reichl started writing for The Times, her reviews were eye-openers to many. She listened in on other people's conversations and wrote poignantly about them; she commented on fashion and lifestyle and all sorts of things within the confines of her critiques. Some liked it; some didn't - but i think she had a profound impact on restaurant criticism.

Our local Montclair hardware store, Zaentz on Bloomfield Avenue, sends out knives to be sharpened. I'm not an expert, but i had it done around a year ago and i think they did a pretty good job. Check it out when you're in Montclair next time.

As a NY Women's Culinary Alliance board member, i heartily applaud Suzanne's recommendations! (you're the best Suzanne!!). I also want to endorse Steve's recommendations of Biagio Settepani and Martin Howard. I've worked with Biagio & Martin in the past, and they're great guys. In fact, Martin did my wedding cake, which was other-worldly and ethereal and utterly delicious. Sylvia Weinstock's cakes are genius but VERY pricey.

"New" Mulberry Street is called La Giada, i believe. And Cecere's is located right behind/across from the Walnut St. train station.

Yes, i heard about this earlier today and was intrigued. Perhaps i'm in the minority, but there's a lot about Bill Grimes' reviews (as well as his sensibilities) i like very much. And i think he's a terrific features writer ...

Great hearing you today!

Bon App. Definitely. The cover of October's Gourmet was so vomitatious (sp??) - "Chefs as Rock Stars" - that for the first time, i was glad i ended my subscription.

FYI - Master Sommelier Andrea Immer, who did a Q&A here earlier this year, has a new show launching on this network, too. It's called Simply Wine and i believe it begins in early October.

Blondie, i'm sorry, but i think you're being unnecessarily harsh. Yeah, maybe the Daily News doesn't get mentioned a lot on eGullet - but that's not because their restaurant critic is without merit. In fact, she's a terrific writer (IMHO) with a Beard Award or two under her belt and a recent book on pie that got favorable reviews pretty much everywhere (including several times on NPR). Not that i'm here to defend her ... And to your comment about hoping the restaurants i consult for get the clientele they deserve from a Page 6 mention ... i guess i don't really know where you're coming from. Are you suggesting that ADNY, Daniel Boulud, and a dozen other first-rate chef-driven restaurants don't also want Page 6 mentions?! The idea here is to stay in business by attracting lots more than just the "serious food people" you speak of so reverentially. I'm also not here to defend flippin' Page 6 (!!) - i know what it is. All i'm saying is, from a marketing standpoint, it's a brutally competitive industry and all PR agencies looks for as much "serious" food coverage (Food Arts, NPR, The Times, The Washington Post, Gourmet, etc. etc.) as they do off-the-food-page coverage (Page 6, the business sections of local papers, Redbook, Esquire, blah blah blah). It takes a lot of bodies to fill a restaurant and ya know? we're not so cavalier as to exclude those that read The Post or The Daily News.

Thanks, everyone, for the great info.

The address is 331 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, and the phone # is 973-233-0350. There's a maroon awning with the name "Fascino" on it. As scarlet knight said, it's between Lackawanna Plaza and Diva Lounge, same side of street (bordered by No. Willow, i believe).

I don't believe it's where Saporito used to be - it's on Bloomfield Ave. one block up from Lackawanna Plaza, same side of the street - but i could be mistaken ... Fascino is owned by a family from Nutley, the DePersios. Full disclosure - they are dear friends and my PR/marketing agency is helping them with their launch. But just the facts - the mom, Cynthia, is a caterer, food writer & recipe developer (head of the Ladies' Home Journal test kitchen for years) and she's pastry chef. Son Ryan is 25 - he's the chef. Was in the kitchen at Jean Georges for the last two years; prior to that, JUdson Grill for three years. Also did stages in Italy and France. Other son, Anthony, left his job at Morgen Stanley and is GM (he worked in restaurants when he was younger). They're doing - i believe - 15 or 20% discounting thru Saturday of this week; kind of a soft opening period. Call first and double-check, though.

I've eaten at Greek Delights 4-5 times since they opened - we enjoy it very much. Apparently, the owners/staff all worked at the various It's Greek To Me locations ... They deliver; prices are reasonable; the food is tasty; and everyone who works there is extremely nice, we've found. A nice addition to the Montclair resto scene.

Just came back from the Fancy Food Show, where i spoke on a two-hour panel on PR, Promotion & Marketing in the food business. The moderator said something we loved, which kind of sums it all up. Said she heard it once before at another seminar: "Advertising is what you pay for; PR is what you PRAY for!"

I'm the Karen of Diaz/Schloss that FG and Rosie so kindly referred to earlier (thank you both). I'm finding this thread really interesting so i thought i'd take a minute to respond to a couple statements and maybe clarify some points on what PR can and cannot do for a client. Bux is correct when he notes PR involves more than just getting publicity. Speaking only for my agency, media relations is one aspect of what we do for a client. In some cases, it's by far the most important. In other cases - where we do not feel there is all that newsworthy a story to tell - we would instead work with the owner(s) to develop & implement internal and external marketing programs (database/ comment cards in an effort to begin a dialogue with customers; cross-promotional tie-ins with area retailers or performing arts centers; design & writing of newsletters or postcard mailings to customers; whatever makes sense). For the vast majority of our clients - who are, in fact, presenting delicious, compelling, intelligent food and have articulate "spokespersons" to present to the public - we are most likely to create a program that integrates media relations w/all of the above. Since my husband/partner has a background in art & graphic design, we have designed letterhead, logos, and menus. And as restaurant consultants, we have advised on everything from service to tabletop & internal design components to the music mix. And of course, we work very closely with our chefs, tasting, tasting, tasting new dishes (and old) as well as conferring on presentation and other culinary points. (Hope i'm not being too "inside baseball" here!!) FG is correct when he says that most PRs are on retainer with their clients. From time to time, we will structure a relationship on a project basis, but that's not what we prefer. We've tried to create an agency that's all about longterm, trusted relationships with both media AND clients. Some of our clients have been with us since the day we opened our doors (9+ years ago); others since the day THEY opened their doors (5 years in one case; six in two others). And this brings me to a really critical point. Inventolux, we see ourselves very much as partners in our clients' businesses. (Again, i'm only speaking for my agency and our philosophy - other PRs may legitimately see their roles differently). We strive to become an integral component of their success. A chef may have great culinary ability and a restaurateur may have great intentions ... but far more often, they're not experienced marketers. And in this economic climate, if you're not a smart marketer, it's very hard to succeed. We don't necessarily judge success by how long (for example) a client's restaurant is in business. A restaurant is a highly collaborative effort and its success or failure may be due to half a dozen elements - only one of which may be the lack of a branded presence in the marketplace. For our clients, we have acted as liaisons securing them literary agents for their first book deals. We negotiated for one client a steady (paid) gig on The Food Network as a knowledgeable expert on a live show; for another, we got them to appear on 25+ shows on a different (long-running) Food Network series. We just try to assess each client's needs individually and determine what will help them achieve the goals they're seeking - IF they're reasonable goals. And above all, we're honest. I can't tell you how many times we've been called in to a new restaurant, and after meeting with their team, we schedule a dinner. Too often, the meal barely hits mediocre. And we have to look at the owner & say, you know what? Every parent thinks his baby is the cutest on the block - but you might want to rethink a media campaign! In my experience, Bux is (again) correct when he says that no highly successful luxury restaurant gets along without someone doing PR work. If a given restaurant doesn't pay an outside agency to do it - you can be sure that someone internally is organizing the star chef's schedule and calendar; arranging the interviews and photo shoots (even if the media's calling him, someone's got to set it up); negotiating the appearance fees and ad placements (like when a chef appears in an ad for Plugra butter); setting up the Beard Dinners; arranging the restaurant's presence at the "right" charitable functions; etc. etc. I'm not being cynical - i'm just saying someone, somewhere is doing it for him/her. Finally, yes, Restaurant Associates has not just an internal marketing team but affiliations w/outside agencies as well. I agree with thereuare - their $$ off coupon program has been enormously successful with guests and has paid off handsomely in terms of garnering new (and eventually) loyal customers. They are a smart outfit and it's a brilliant marketing effort. Phew! I hoped to be helpful here, not opportunistic. Thanx for reading ...

On Bloomfield Avenue, a couple blocks up from Lackawanna Plaza, below where Diva Lounge is.

While we're on the subject of Italian ... wanted to mention that good friends are opening a contemporary Italian restaurant in Montclair this summer. Going to be named "Fascino," meaning to charm or allure. Family owned and operated. The son will be chef - he's very talented. Has worked for the last several years at Jean-Georges; prior to that, at JUdson Grill. His mother will be pastry chef. She's a recipe developer & tester and a superb cook. For years, she headed up the test kitchen at a big magazine and now writes for Cooking Light and other publications. Should be a really warm, nice place.