Rosie

Oh damn...please don't let what I paid deter you potentials from frequenting the laundry. I asked for every upsell available and let Stuckey choose our wines--within reason. Jana did request that we try at least one of Helen Turley's products so we went for the Marcassin Pinot (315 bottle). I can see two people on a budget getting out of there under 400 easy. I have Turley's shipped to my house so I don't have to pay big bucks at a restaurant!

About $400 at the Inn at Little Washington. French Laundry was in the $300 range.

Part of the cost is tax deductable. Info was on Table Hopping With Rosie last week. http://www.njmonthly.com/issues/May03/rosi.../rnews0422.html

5/2 New reviews here: http://www.northjersey.com/topic.php?qstr=...nFlZUVFeXkyMDI=

Yep!! So Michelle has the table every Fri. night and if she can't make it she cancels.

In that case you certainly don't have enough wine.

All that for two people?

Tommy--maybe they have a low corkage fee!

Michelle, Do you have a reverse reservation at Spargo's on Friday nights?

I have friends I don't like!

" Have large collection to drink (900) and many friends with more than I have and greater depth of age. " Can I be your friend?

You don't always get nice glasses, professional service and an interesting wine list in a restaurant with a liquor license. How many people have had their whole bottle of wine poured before they are served their entree? I think it is also a matter of what you like. I prefer BYO; don't mind bringing my own glasses and wine; don't drink hard liquor; don't really care if the wine is not an exact match for the food; and I don't entertain for business. Lowell automatically opens our bottles as the waiter can't get to our table soon enough. So your BYO "cons" are not a problem for me. But I certainly understand your points.

We always order pork belly at Hunan Cottage, Fairfield, NJ, USA. They serve it with baby bok choy. YUMMMMM!

dck57--Not sure of which towns are in "western Bergen County" but try Zoe's By The Lake in Sparta. They have a liquor license.

In NJ there are many BYO's and it is illegal to charge a corkage fee. The restaurants that have a liquor license can and do charge a corkage fee. However, lately some restaurants with a liquor license have a BYO night where they don't charge a fee. Andre's in Newton and now Stage House Inn are doing this.

Jocelyne's comes to mind as a BYO, high end restaurant. High end to me is $60 up without liquor.

Discussion on Le Rendezvous is here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...l=le+rendezvous

Kim--The Ryland Inn doesn't serve lunch anymore and he has recently started to serve a lower price bistro menu in the bar area on weekdays. Also, in West Orange the new townhouses are 6-7 hundred thousand and there are no high end restaurants here.

It seems to me that many high end restaurants are not supported by their community but are destination places. For ex. Ryland Inn, Nicholas and Rat's.

"I've gotta agree on Hoboken, though. Parking is difficult, and that's a solid deterrent to going there." But I do go there although the parking is horrendous. I overlook the inconvenience to dine at The Dining Room at Anthony David's and Amanda's. Amanda's has a deal with the parking lot on Frank Sinatra drive but it is a schlep in bad weather.

I thought that Thomas Sweet made their own ice cream.

How about Bayonne? Pizza Masters on Broadway. I think they also have a place in Jersey City.

I agree 150%. It is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants. Also like Hunan Cottage on Rt 46 in Fairfield. So how were those "Loin's Head"?

Haven't been but I have heard good things about Mediterra, 29 Hulfish St. Princeton.

"I'd also like to add the impact of specific ethnic communities to an area. There are a number of towns in the Southern Middlesex, Mercer County area of Central NJ that are 33% Asian and Indian. These new residents tend to cook at home more, and dine out less. " Kim--If you walk down Green Street in Iselin you will find at least 3 Indian restaurants on each block. The place is bustling.