Rosie

I was invited because the owners DO care about the food and customers. I was there so that the staff could practice and work the kinks out so that the paying public can have better service and food. Not slick at all--just good business men. Pre opening dinners are not unusual. And even small mom/pop restaurants will have pre-opening parties for family and friends.

I'm not home and working on a VERY OLD computer so I'll be brief. I thought Anthony's review of Augustino's captured the place beautifully. He did a great job. Lowell and I have been to Augustino's and got a kick out of the waitress. I have dined at Basilico's MANY times since it opened and always found the food and service to be excellent. In other words I have had different experiences there than Anthony. He described HIS experience there.

It's Al Richard's. Between 38th and 39th on Broadway, Bayonne.

We have 1o. I will start a waiting list. Lou Reda and Sue (2) Rosie and Lowell (2) Glenn (1) Amy and Anthony (2) David (1) Double O (1) Bev M (1)

We were at Chakra this week for a pre-opening dinner and this place will be "hot." More info to come on Table Hopping With Rosie in a few weeks. Very good food and fabulous decor.

Where are they located in Morristown. I'd be willing to try them the next time I am there!

Oak St or Chestnut St. I thought Blend was going to be on Chestnut?

Now you can vote online for your favorite New Jersey restaurants on the New Jersey Monthly annual Readers' Choice Restaurant Poll. Just go to http://www.njmonthly.com/issues/Feb04/restpoll.html and take part in this survey. The entry deadline is March 12, 2004 and the results will be posted in the August New Jersey Monthly magazine and online. You can name restaurants that are anywhere in New Jersey. Three regions are being represented: North: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties Central: Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Somerset counties South: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem counties The Readers' Choice Restaurant Poll is your chance to decide which are the best dining spots in the Garden State. By submitting a ballot you also become eligible for a prize to be awarded by random drawing: dinner for two at the restaurant named Best of the Best in your region. And your choices will help New Jersey Monthly identify New Jersey's favorite restaurants in the August issue. The annual Readers' Choice Awards is one of New Jersey Monthly's most popular and successful features. So be part of it. All responses are confidential. Your name, street address, e-mail address, and phone number are required for your ballot to be counted, and this information will be used to notify you if you win the drawing. New Jersey Monthly does not hold onto the names for other use, they strictly help with fraud control. Restaurants assisting in the submission of poll ballots and restaurants distributing ballots or magazines containing them will be disqualified. New Jersey Monthly reserves the right to reject ballots that appear to have been submitted improperly. Every vote in the Readers' Choice Restaurant Poll counts. An outside auditing firm is used to ensure that all votes are counted and treated fairly. The auditing team also inspects the ballots for signs of ballot stuffing and other fraud. So please vote!

Ditto to Tommy's post. Unfortunately there are many restaurants that recite the specials without the prices.

Well since it's not till FEBRUARY 26 let's wait till we get closer to the date.

For the record I wasn't at Howard88's table but I did try to steal some of their duck!

" I would really like publications too space out their reviews though. Too many close together have a diminishing effect on each other. " Ah--but Macy's doesn't tell Gimbels!

Fascino--You have received consistly very good/excellent reviews. Did it bother you that you were reviewed so soon after you opened? How much have the reviews impacted your business? Also, does it make any difference that most newspapers and magazines will not review you again for three years?

Wanted to also thank Kim for keeping the list. I thought I was in heaven after the dumplings but it just kept getting better and better.

Lou Reda and Sue (2) Rosie and Lowell (2) Glenn (1) Amy and Anthony (2) David (1) Double O (1) Bev M (1) Tommy and 1 (2)

A very special THANK YOU to Rachel and Jason who organized the extraordinary dinner tonight. It was the best one yet. BRAVO to the Perlows. And it was so wonderful to meet everyone. More to come...............

"the only NJ reviewers i trust are me...and Rosie. and sometimes the perlows. " Thanks Dad.

This is weird. When I called Bella Italia Ristorante, 203 Main St, New Milford (201-265-0515); BYO they answered the phone Bella Italia!

Do you know what Lieto means?

Do you work at Star Tavern or own it? Welcome to eGullet. Let us know where you like to dine.

" I think, maybe two months in or so is standard. Then, if they show some promise you visit at some later time to revaluate." If you wait 2 months the professional restaurant reviewers may get there before you and if the restaurant gets a good review you will have trouble getting in. I have noticed that the Star Ledger on occasion reviews a restaurant early on.

This fearless forum leader does try to get to new NJ restaurants ASAP. But I do limit myself to eating out 3-4 times a week so I need the fearless eGullet NJ posters to help me out. I edited the topic title so that we can keep this discussion on the NJ board. Yes there are kinks to be ironed out in a new restaurant but "not such new" restaurants can also have an off night. If management is told about a problems I would hope that they would address them.

It seems that when a restaurant is fined the reason for the fine is listed. But otherwise we really don't know what the violation was.

Health Checks 1/25 UH-OH!! Some VERY familiar names this week. http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=e...UVFeXk2NDc5MTk1

The following was on Table Hopping With Rosie 12/10. Want fondue? The Melting Pot, NJ's only exclusively fondue restaurant at 250 Center Avenue, Westwood, has opened. Get your spears ready as this is a "cook your own" restaurant where the motto is "dip into something different. " Start off with a specialty drink such as a raspberry, chocolate, or big apple martini and proceed to a fondue. A variety of cheese fondues are offered and can be served with bread, vegetables, or apples. Entrees which can be cooked in a choice of broths or canola oil include teriyaki sirloin, filet mignon, chicken, shrimp, lobster tails, vegetarian, and a seafood combination. The Melting Pot also offers a "Big Night Out" four course dinner for two as well as a three course prix fix fondue for two. In any case leave room for the nine varieties of chocolate fondue which are served with strawberries, bananas, pineapple, cheesecake, nutty marshmallow, pound cake, and brownies. After dinner drinks as well as wines by the glass and bottle are available. The Melting Pot is open Monday to Thursday 5 till 10 PM; Friday and Saturday 5 to11 PM and Sunday 2 to 9 PM. For reservations call 201-664-8877.