coughy

Rosie, we must be neighbors. We love Epernay but wanted something different. Is Bella Rosa where the old Cafe Z was? Has anybody tried the Strip House in the Westminster Hotel?

We love Sweet Basil's but it is right in our backyard and we wanted to get "out of town". I am looking forward to trying Fascino. I don't know much about Liberte. You are correct that it was pricey. Even with the entertainment card it cost us about $125.00 for just food.

We just returned from a terrific dinner at Tim Schaefer's. They were in our Entertainment Book that we like to use when the kids are at camp. We get to try places we wouldn't normally go to. We started off with a Tuscany Salad that was nice greens with olives, mozzerella, hearts of palm and roasted peppers and a lump crab meat salad that was nicely presented with chopped tomatoes and potatoes. My main dish was halibut over polenta surrounded by delicious vegetables in a broth. I could have lived without the crab cake that was under the fish. My husband had a duck special with a cherry sauce with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables. He loved it. Dessert was the best - a coconut creme brulee topped with coconut gelato and a chocolate ganache, mascarpone in a great pastry topped with the most delicious caramel sauce. We will definitely go back with or without the entertainment card. We loved it.

We just had dinner at Tim Schaefer's in Morristown for the first time. If his catering is food is like his restaurant you have my vote - dinner was terrific.

I was just skimming through the August issue of NJ Magazine and came across the Reader's poll for the best of the best. Pal's Cabin was voted best for lunch - maybe it was in 1969 but have you had a meal there lately? Don't! The funniest was Outback Steakhouse for best steak in Southern NJ. Are they kidding?

I know it is going out of the area but right outside of the Holland Tunnel on West Bway and Reade St. is a greek restaurant called Delphi. The food is terrific and the prices are great.

The Tick Tock Diner on rt 3 in clifton is open 24 hours.

I understand Bice was bought by the owners of the steakhouse that is in Nutley - the Franklin, I think. How about the Pilgrim Diner in Cedar Grove? The Tick Tock on Route 3 or the Park West on Route 46?

Definitely try Chinois. The chinese chicken salad is to die for.

We made it to Sweet Basil's Cafe tonight and we were so glad that we did. The food was excellent. The new chef is from Gramercy Tavern and we had a wonderful dinner. I started out with grilled scallops on sliced beets with a delicious, light dressing. My husband had a warm roasted red pepper soup. A friend had the lobster salad with fava beans and she was practically licking the plate. My main dish was herb crusted tilapia - fresh fish over arugala, red potatoes with a light vinegrette. My husband had wasabi shrimps over coconut rice. He liked is so much he didn't want to give tastes. Our friend had the veal meatloaf and he said that it was the lightest meatloaf he ever had. We only had one dessert - a lime cheesecake tart with fresh whipped cream and Persian lime ice. I loved it even though it had nothing chocolate. We will definitely go back.

Panevino in Livingston

I noticed that Shop Rite in West Orange started carrying their products.

Went to Pierre's the other night and found the food good but not great. The restaurant is charming and if you can eat outside.

We live in West Orange and I frequently have lunch at Sweet Basil. I usually eat the Pommery chicken salad which has been the same for years. We never think to have dinner there preferring to try different things in different places. Tonight we went to Harding Township to Pierre's. The ride was nice, the restaurant lovely. We ate outside on a porch which was great. The food was okay. I did have a delicious salad of fresh greens, roasted tomatoes, bacon and bleu cheese. My main course was osso buco that was supposed to come with creamy polenta; it was anything but creamy - more sticky lumps. The osso buco was okay but I did something I never do and that was to add salt. My husband had the same salad and soft shell crabs which were good. The worst part about dinner was the coffee. I left the whole cup. Next time, we'll stick close to home and go to Sweet Basil.

I hate to admit but I am in the middle of the South Beach Diet Book.

no one mentioned the mark up on coffee. you can get around 60 cups from a pound of coffee. at $4 - $5 per cup that is $240 for a $5 pound of coffee.

Okay - the kids are in camp and we are ready to go to Rats and the gardens. Which do you recommend - lunch and then walk the gardens or walk the gardens and then have dinner?

Thank you for the info. Are the gardens open to the public? I guess it is a good place to spend the day.

I have heard about a place called Rats in Hamilton Twshp. Can someone give me some info on the food and a description? Thanks

The desserts were delicious. We were 4 so we shared. First was a yogurt semifreddo with peaches and a sesame baklava. The yogurt, I thought was delicious. It was on the sour side but when eaten with the baklava was perfect. I didn't love the peach. Then we had Chocolate Soup. I barely was able to get a taste of the pastry that came with it - I wasn't fast enough but the Soup was really chocolatey and delicious. The Chocolate Mousse with olive oil was strange. I didn't get a real chocolate sensation and I just tasted olive oil. I would not order this again. The last dessert was the gelato which was delicious. After the desserts were done they brought a little sampler platter of sweets. I loved the chocolate hazelnut truffle. It was rich and sinful. The dates were just okay and there was a tiny square of a cake that was dry.

We visit Manchester each summer and there are so many great places to eat that we always say we are going to extend our stay just to eat at more places. Our favorite for breakfast and lunch is the Little Rooster on Rt. 7. We just love Chanticleer also on Rt. 7. Mistral's at Toll Gate is divine and we sit near a window with the sounds of a babbling brook in the background. Laney's for ribs is a fun night out. The restaurant at the Inn at Willow Pond is terrific. I could go on and on...

My favorite restaurant to visit in LA is Chinois on Main in Santa Monica.

We had a really fun dinner at Moose's.

Had dinner last night at L'Impero. The food was delicious, especially the creamy polenta with spring vegetables and mushrooms. Service was very attentive. I found it odd that a restaurant that was named one of the 10 best Italian restaurants in NYC was emptied out by 9:30.

Since we live in West Orange we were so excited when the place opened. We ate frequently at the restaurant that was on the property previous to Bice opening, Bel Mondo. They built a beautiful building. The bar is very nice, the dining room and the little private rooms off the main dining room are beautiful. Upstairs, the Cigar room is lovely. It is a great first date place because you can sit all evening. Unfortunately, the food is not so great. It is mediocre at best. Everytime we go there my husband asks why we went there again and how come we just didn't go to Primavera where the food is so much better.