Rosie

Can you see me smiling. This is wonderful news.

This has been taken off the menu but if someone is willing to come in early they could set up an early bird prix fix for them..no problem...just have them call Ryan or Anthony first.

Where do you like to dine in NJ?

Great piece Jason. Thanks for letting us know about this place.

They are adding 35 seats and ready for the extra business. Hopefully it will be easier to get reservations.

Chef Ryan DePersio, Fascino is such a talented chef that it is always a pleasure to experience his superb cuisine. We started out with an amuse of mushroom soup served in a shot glass followed by an order of mascarpone polenta fries that I ordered as soon as we sat down. Appetizers were a spectacula hand made pappardelle with braised beef, caramelized onions and crumbled Gorgonzola. Equally delicious were the rigatoni with sweet sausage, baby arugula and pecorino Romano and artisinal strozzapreti with black tiger shrimp, Italian eggplant, English peas and a shellfish reduction. My wild king salmon crusted with black trumpets and served with jumbo asparagus and a Jersey tomato broth was exceptional with the tomato broth balancing the richness of the fish. Roasted prawns paired with a risotto cake, bean puree and English peas with a sweet marjoram oil were also a highlight of our meal. And game lovers can’t go wrong with the creative presentation of Cervena venison glazed with pomegranate syrup and served with crisp Parmesan spaetzle. We were stuffed but who can bypass desserts made by pastry chef Cynthia DePersio? I am especially fond of her crostata and the apple crostata was a perfect ending to our dinner. I can also recommend the pistachio praline bread pudding with a warm caramel sauce. With tax and tip the bill was $108 for two. If you want to go to Fascino on a Saturday night be sure to make reservations three weeks in advance.

I miss listening to you on the radio. Do you have any plans to relaunch your radio show on another station?

A friend is looking for an egg foo yong , real chow mein type of place reminscent of the Chinese food she grew up on. She is willing to drive so if you know of someplace, even if it far away, please post.

Lowell and I also dined here recently. When I looked at the menu at The Jefferson, 1319 Washington Street, Hoboken I was sorry I hadn’t brought an Italian dictionary to help me decipher some of the Italian terms. However, our knowledgeable waitress was able to explain every dish. Service was very attentive except for a runner who didn’t know where to place each entrée. Wine was properly handled and water glasses were kept full. We started off with crusty Italian bread from Sullivan Street Bakery, NYC that was served with olive oil and an irresistible whipped ricotta cheese infused with lemon peel. We thought it was soft butter at first. Appetizers were a tender octopus with oven-dried tomatoes, beans, and chicory; roasted clams in their shell; baked artichokes with mozzarella and my favorite of chitarra with oven dried tomatoes, thyme and bottorga (pressed tuna roe). Entrees were a fork tender osso bucco with saffron rissoto and a pine nut gremulta; a fabulous grilled salmon with pumpkin orzo and beet mustardo; and a don’t miss braised oxtail with sweet potatoes and root vegetables. For dessert we had a ricotta cheesecake; tiramisu; and a fabulous chocolate sweet risotto along with some cappuccinos. Do try this restaurant. Chef Michael Coury’s cuisine is reminiscent of Lupa, NYC where he previously worked. Another plus for the late night crowd is that the restaurant has a late night menu to 1 AM from Monday through Thursday and Sunday; and 2 AM on Friday and Saturday. For reservations call 201-386-9955. I would like to add that the three best restaurants in Hoboken IMHO are Amanda's, The Dining Room at Anthony David's and The Jefferson.

Just a reminder that on November 28,a four year anniversary dinner with matching wines will be celebrated at Restaurant Nicholas, 160 Rt 35, Red Bank. 6:30 PM; $125 plus tax and gratuity. Call 732-345-9977 for reservations. Congratulations to Chef/owner Nicholas, Melissa, & the entire staff of Restaurant Nicholas.

Any recommendations for a Cantonese style Chinese restaurant in the Springfield area?

Don't park at Whole Foods. We were at Lalezar during the week and parked in the museum parking lot. I don't know what the situation is on weekends.

Would the owners not tell you where they got the bread in Paterson? What bakery? Ah, you can't beat good bread. Thanks for the report. This place sounds very good. ← No, they wouldn't tell me but did say they would order it for me when I wanted to buy some.

Prefer Upper Montclair or Nori if I am able to come. Sushi in Morristown was ok but was only there once.

It is where Chelsea Grille used to be. Across from the Montclair Art Museum and from Whole Foods.

Link to the last sushi get together is here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=12469&hl=Kyoto

Coban salads are common in Turkish restaurants. It's listed on the menu as Coban Salatasi.

Another winner has opened in Montclair--Lalezar, 720 Bloomfield Ave, (973-233-1984); BYO. We ate here last night and judging by our one dinner we can’t wait to return. Started off with a coban salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, scallions and parsley in a refreshing olive oil and vinegar dressing. We opted for feta cheese which was an extra $1.50. Warm bread –not pita—was brought to our table and I could not stop eating it. Owner told us he gets it from a small place in Paterson and Corrado’s does not sell it. I even snuck a few pieces into my take out bag which is something I never do. Some background. We were told that the chef cooked for Queen Elizabeth when she was in Turkey. Don’t know which year. Also, the owners were briefly affiliated with 7 Hills of Istanbul, Highland Park, an excellent restaurant. Lalezar means keeper of the tulips. We also ordered lebni which was the thickest, creamiest yogurt that I have ever had. It was garnished with dill and walnuts. I thought it had sour cream in it but was told that wasn’t the case. Lowell had the Kuzu Sis which were cubes of lamb that had been marinated and grilled. They were tasty and tender. Entrees come with a grilled tomato and pepper, a slaw and white rice or bulgur. I had a combination appetizer platter for my entrée consisting of humus, babagannus, fried eggplant in a fresh tomato sauce, and tabbouleh. Everything was delicious but I thought that the babagannus had too much tahini not allowing the eggplant flavors to dominate the dish. We were too full for dessert and brought home some food. With tax and tip the bill was $50.

The Community FoodBank is collecting frozen turkeys and non-perishable foods for the holiday season on Saturday, November 20 from 9 AM to 2 PM. Drop off a frozen (never thawed) turkey as well as non-perishable foods including canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, and fruit juices (no cellophane or glass) at one of their collection sites. Those who prefer to make a financial donation, allowing the food bank to buy turkeys at wholesale prices, may send their check to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, 31 Evans Terminal Road, Hillside, N.J. 07205. Please put "turkey drive" in the memo portion of your check. You may also donate funds online toward the purchase of Thanksgiving turkeys. For information on the location of the drop off sites call 908-355-3663 or log onto http://www.njfoodbank.org.

There is a story about The Jefferson on Table Hopping With Rosie 11/17. http://www.njmonthly.com/rosie/rosiemain.html

Would love to join you if I am free. Have a busy month coming up. When you post the dates I'll let you know. Had very good sushi at Okayama in Upper Montclair.

11/14 Click Here http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=e...UVFeXk2NjEyOTg5

What did you have?

Yes. The mozzarella is usually still warm when I buy it. Also like their roasted red peppers.

626 Valley Rd, Upper Montclair 973-744-0008