Rosie

Great pic Kim.. Just tell Frank not to stand in front of you next time. Also, you really should wear an eGullet hat.

David--There is a big eGullet Indian dinner in NYC on Nov 21.

Cash ONLY??? At those prices?? Wow. I never have that much money on me. How is the parking there ?

Thanks for the report. Lobster ravioli usually is brought in frozen and not homemade. When your date asks if you want to taste her food you know she likes you! Where are you going next?

Poots--Welcome.

I won't know if Lowell can come until we get closer to the date. What is the cut off for making a reservaiton. If he has to work that day it is more important that he work while I spend money!

Great news. I'll tell Bara. Did you post a time? And you do want everyone to bring exact change?? Is anyone making up name tags?

We would be interested depending on the day.

Saffron, 338 Bloomfield Ave, Hoboken (201-892-5854)

Chez Catherine has new owners.

As Rosie points out, an unlicensed establishment cannot charge a corkage, set up or similar fee for BYO. Decent glassware is not all that expensive from restaurant supply wholesalers. Acceptable glassware doesn't need to be Riedel. At a minimum, what is needed are white and red wine glasses that have a decent sized bowl to allow for aeration of wine. Unfortunately, many BYOs (and ABC-licensed restaurants) don't even offer that. That's why I have started to BYOG!

Jocelyne's has excellent food and the hostess, Jocelyne is very warm and caring. Epernay in Montclair, a French bistro, is also very good. Have always had memorable meals at both of these BYO restaurants.

It is illegal in NJ for a BYO to charge a corkage fee.

The problem with La Casa Bianca was that the pasta dish was $24 for pasta that costs 8 cents and 6 shrimp which may cost $4 and I am being generous. It's a neighborhood storefront with inferior service and although this entree was good and the portion was big I felt that they were pushing things with charging that price. BYO's have a harder time making ends meet because they don't make money on the liquor. However, they should keep their prices in a realistic range.

Tommy--Actually at 9 or 9:30 when the band started playing lots of ladies in leather were coming in to hang out at the bar. It looked like a watering hole at that point. The restaurant is quite elegant and nothing like Sea Shack.

"There are better choices closer to home. " Could you tell us where you like to have Italian food. Thanks.

Correct.

Can you give us some information about the cookbook you are writing? What will be in it and when will it be published?

Never order fish on Monday.

We will probably go on Monday. Haven't finalized our plans yet.

After reading about La Casa Bianca, 326 Main Street, White House Station on eGullet we decided to try this BYO restaurant as we had not been there in a long time. I'm happy to report that the food is still very good although the service could use improvement and the prices have gotten a bit steep for a storefront BYO. For example the pappardelle with shrimp, broccoli rabe, and sundried tomatoes was $24.95. When seated water was poured from bright cobalt blue wine bottles and bruschetta was brought to the table along with hot crusty Italian bread and a luscious tomato sauce. Specials were recited without the prices and the specials we heard were different from what another waiter recited at an adjoining table. Lowell's pasta came with a delightful salad consisting of mixed greens with a raspberry vinaigrette and some fresh berries. I had sautéed escarole that was perfectly cooked. My entrée was "Pollo Caccitori" which was fresh cut chicken on the bone sautéed with onions, mushrooms, peas, peppers and potatoes for $20.95. Portions were big and we were too full for dessert. Coffee was fair. With tax and tip the bill was $67.

Welcome roryrabbitfield. Please tell us about your name.

See tommy? Rosie is much more flexible with her interpretation of "New American" than you are! Cuban New American and Italian New American! If that's the spirit, I might add that Saigon Republic is wonderful Vietnamese New American! I'm getting new glasses next week so I will be able to read the questions!

We recently dined at The Restaurant,160 Prospect Avenue, Hackensack, an upscale restaurant with luxurious surroundings. I actually sank so low in my chair that we had to move the lamp that was in the middle of the table so I could see one of my dining companions! Beautiful flower arrangements, banquettes and what looked like a two story plus ceiling all add to the elegance of the room. We arrived before our friends and sat at the bar to have a drink and listen to the live piano music. Once our friends arrived our drinks were brought to the table--a nice touch. When a delicious selection of bread was brought to the table along with olives we commented that the bread was so good that the meal would definitely be a "winner." This turned out not to be true. We started off with exemplary appetizers all of which were excellent. The roasted yellow and red beet salad with goat cheese and microgreens was beautifully presented as a tower with alternating colors of the beets. The hot pepper stuffed with a shrimp mixture was deliciously spicy and the shaved fennel salad with figs and prosciutto was tasty. Entrees were not as good. The lobster ravioli with a brandy cream reduction was no better than what I buy in the frozen food department of the supermarket; the Chilean sea bass was mushy and the Mojo rib was more rib than meat. The blue cheese horseradish crusted filet mignon was reported to be very good. For dessert we had a fabulous apple sampler that consisted of tarte tatin, apple mousse and apple sorbet. Coffee was fair. With tax and tip the bill was $114 per couple.

Rebeccca's in Edgewater--Cuban BYO Campania , Fair Lawn-BYO