Rosie

Wondee's 296 Main Street Hackensack, NJ 201-883-1700 Lowell and I tried Wondee's last night and Jason was right on target. It was the best Thai food we have ever had. We started with ethereal Thai steamed dumplings and fried spring rolls. Then we moved on to a chicken soup with coconut milk and coriander roots. It was served in a large bowl for four people. It was so delicious and pleasantly hot that I had to stop myself from picking up the large bowl and drinking all of the soup! Entrees were a special of boneless red snapper with a green mango salad; pad Thai (rice noodles with shrimp bean curd, bean sprouts and ground peanuts); Mustsaman curry with coconut milk, potato, peanuts and tamarind sauce and a chicken and pineapple curry with shrimp. All of the dishes were of the "I'd order this again" caliber. They were delightfully hot with fresh clean flavors. Bill came to about ฤ a person.

Well if I was drinking it was red wine and that doesn't count!

Are you saying that wine sold as wine is not wine? Which wines have "natural ingredients" listed on their label?

Music and dancing? Not many in NJ. Two that come to mind are Il Tulipano or The Manor.

How about when the woman orders the wine and the man is asked to taste it?

I haven't seen a menu without prices presented to the female in quite a while. Where do they do this? But it does bring up the subject of who gets the check. The waiter shouldn't presume that the man is paying the bill. If the waiter doesn't know who is paying the bill and he is leaving the check without it being asked for-- then the check should be left in the middle of the table.

We like Jack Cooper's in Edison. Have been going there over 20 years and the deli is consistantly good. I have also used them for catering. I have never been to Harold's but Lowell has. He felt that the quality of the meat was not as good as Jack Cooper's. Zayda's has good veal ribs to BBQ and baba ganoush.

Unfortunately, I like everything fatty! But extra mustard seems to clear out the arteries.

When you're craving a pastrami sandwich, corn beef sandwich and a knish where do you go in NJ?

Do we eat with our eyes or our mouth or both? If I had to choose between those burgers based on the photo I think I would prefer food from a high school cafeteria!

"Is everything OK" or some similar querry." My experience has been that for the most part the waitstaff doesn't want to hear that everything is not OK. Have you ever left a restaurant and had this question asked? When we have had problems and it is asked and I tell what I didn't like I find the manager to just stand there dumbfounded! However, when we were at The French Laundry when I didn't finish everything on my plate the waiter would come over and ask if the dish was ok. The runner must report on dishes that are not finished.

Another suggestion. Black Orchid on Gill Lane in Iselin (Woodbridge).

Cinque Figlie is still open. They will be moving to a new location in a few months--maybe sooner. I will report on Table Hopping With Rosie as soon as chef/owner Joe gives me the ok. Also, someone bought CF and will be opening a restaurant under a different name there.

Last year while in Florida we were going to a different chain restaurant each night after spending all day in the hospital with a sick relative. The only one that I thought was worth going back to was Champps. The service was good, the food was fresh and the prices reasonable. Recently in Ohio we had dinner at Buca, a chain restaurant that serves tremendous dishes that must be shared. It is the Carmine's of the midwest. Their concept and quality of food would be worth trying if you are traveling and want someplace casual to eat. And if I was in a bind I like Outback but only if there isn't another choice in the city I am traveling through. (Edited by Rosie at 11:22 am on Aug. 12, 2001)

What drives you crazy in a restaurant? Is it specials recited without the prices? Your plate being removed while everyone is still eating? Your plate not being removed when you are finished eating? Silverware not being replaced? Chefs who won't make changes on the dish? Waiters who say "excellent" after you have ordered?

Try LouCa's or Meemah in Edison. Panico's, Soho on George, Frog and the Peach all in New Brunswick. Black Orchid in Iselin on Gill Lane. Where do you like to dine?

Sounds like a good idea to me especially if you are single and looking to meet someone. And yes, I do spend time in men's rooms especially when the line is long for the ladies room. Never stood watch outside a men's room for Mrs. Tommy? :)

Hey =mark---Where did you find a logo that looks just like you?

The bathroom at Gramercy Tavern is worth a picture but alas there are no urinals.

In Scotch Plains try Stage House Inn. They have a wonderful tasting dinner and Chef Drake makes skate that is better than anything I had in Paris.

MYSTERY SOLVED. I put 5 jumbo eggs into a 1 1/2 quart pan and covered with 1 quart of water. Put it on high heat. When it came to a boil I lowered the heat to as low as it would go and covered the pan. Timed it 10 minutes. Turned off the heat and let the pot stand covered another 10 minutes. PERFECT hard boiled eggs. Now--you have to remember that I make hard boiled eggs maybe once a year and next year I will forget again. I looked in one of my cookbooks--duh-why didn't I do that first. I only have hundreds of cookbooks and this one said to cover the eggs with an inch of water. I didn't do that the first time. It also gave directions for bringing the eggs to a boil and turning off the heat and letting sit for 15 minutes. NOW--I have a bigger problem. If you have any suggestions let me know. What do I tell Lowell when he finds out that I cooked two days in a row? He will cart me off to the hospital if I don't have a good excuse! ;)

Maybe my refrigerator is too cold!

Ahhhh! I don't cover them. I'll try that next time.

I tend to agree with you. We have found a take-out place in Livingston that we like but it certainly is not worth driving to. Some people like Noodle Chu and Hunan House. Also, I haven't been but others have told me that they like Cathay 22. We did not like Chengdu 46 at all and they always win "best of."

Not really. But I do know that if I cooked them 10 minutes they certainly wouldn't be hard boiled for egg salad. And I live at sea level if that helps. And the window and door to the porch were closed when I was cooking. The AC was on. And I wasn't drinking.