Need Trenton area Rec’s

[nizza]

Have to make a trip into Trenton. Will have 2 – 3 hours to kill. Any really good places to eat in the Trenton area within ½ hour ride. Please don’t suggest Delorenzo’s for pizza – been there done that. Thanks for any recommendations!!

[rockhopper]

Have to make a trip into Trenton.  Will have 2 – 3 hours to kill.  Any really good places to eat in the Trenton area within ½ hour ride.  Please don’t suggest Delorenzo’s for pizza – been there done that.  Thanks for any recommendations!!

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Rossi's or Amici Milano.

[Jeff L]

can you be more specific with respect to the type of food you'd like?

[Rich Pawlak]

I second Rossi's for an amazing burger, fried zucchini strips or homemade potato chips; Amici Milano for the veal and chicken dishes, but my strongest rec goes to Tattoni's Cafe, 800 Chestnut St., a simple, rustic place with very good food, no menu, and the lowest prices in Chambersburg.

[Jeff L]

I second Rossi's for an amazing burger, fried zucchini strips or homemade potato chips;  Amici Milano for the veal and chicken dishes, but my strongest rec goes to Tattoni's Cafe, 800 Chestnut St., a simple, rustic place with very good food, no menu, and the lowest prices in Chambersburg.

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Wow, you must have been reading my mind about Tatoni's Rich. My favorite in the know burg joint. I've always likened it to Chick and Nello's as the owner Dom used to work there. As to Rossi's, not what it once was by any measure imo.

I'll add the Guatamalan place discussed in another thread, Quetzal at 1122 Anderson Street.

Edited March 15, 2007 by Jeff L (log)

[Rich Pawlak]

Oh, Rossi's is style fine, as a recent visit, showed me. And add to the fact that now there is NO SMOKING at Rossi's, that big bad burger tastes a whole lot better!

[menton1]

Lambertville, a great restaurant town, is about 20 mins from Trenton. My favorite there is No. 9, a consistently good chef-owned restaurant that cares about everything.

9 Klines Court

609-397-6380

[Jeff L]

Lambertville, a great restaurant town, is about 20 mins from Trenton.  My favorite there is No. 9, a consistently good chef-owned restaurant that cares about everything. 

9 Klines Court

609-397-6380

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I'll most assuredly second this rec. A truly lovely, if crowded place. You should really go there and they do in fact care about everything that's put in front of you. It's byo and you will need to get a reservation, as I said, small space...you might learn more about the people next to you than you planned on.

[nizza]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I will present them to my friends and take a vote on where we'll go.

Thanks again!

[Kim WB]

Rat's in Hamilton...9 miles from Trenton, J. Steward Johnson's personal loss leader, if the weaterh works you can tour the gardens.

[Jeff L]

but my strongest rec goes to Tattoni's Cafe, 800 Chestnut St., a simple, rustic place with very good food, no menu, and the lowest prices in Chambersburg.

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Got some bad news for you Rich, Tattoni's has closed. No doubt due to Trenton's ever rising gang/drug problems. This is the 2nd of my favorite places to go after Sal De Forte's closed.

Before having pizza at Delorenzo's yesterday, made a quick stop for some cheese at Porfirio's where I was given the news. Really sucks, I loved that place

[Rich Pawlak]

but my strongest rec goes to Tattoni's Cafe, 800 Chestnut St., a simple, rustic place with very good food, no menu, and the lowest prices in Chambersburg.

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Got some bad news for you Rich, Tattoni's has closed. No doubt due to Trenton's ever rising gang/drug problems. This is the 2nd of my favorite places to go after Sal De Forte's closed.

Before having pizza at Delorenzo's yesterday, made a quick stop for some cheese at Porfirio's where I was given the news. Really sucks, I loved that place

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THAT is very bad news. Sadness is all I feel.

[aaronwcpa]

Rat's in Hamilton...9 miles from Trenton, J. Steward Johnson's personal loss leader, if the weaterh works you can tour the gardens.

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At the most Rat's is three or so miles from downtown Trenton. It is on what used to be the old NJ State Fairgrounds. In the fifties we used to get a day off from school to attend the State Fair, which has not been held in many, many years.

Rat's is very expensive.

Edited March 21, 2007 by aaronwcpa (log)

[phenomprincess]

Lambertville, a great restaurant town, is about 20 mins from Trenton.  My favorite there is No. 9, a consistently good chef-owned restaurant that cares about everything. 

9 Klines Court

609-397-6380

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I'll most assuredly second this rec. A truly lovely, if crowded place. You should really go there and they do in fact care about everything that's put in front of you. It's byo and you will need to get a reservation, as I said, small space...you might learn more about the people next to you than you planned on.

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I'll put in a third vote for No. 9...my husband & I are regular customers here and go as often as our wallets will allow....we love, love LOVE this place. Food and service are both excellent.

[jsfein]

A relatively new place called TRY J's Chicken and Waffles has opened on South Warren in downtown Trenton. I passed by the other day and it looks like the restaurant is open for lunch only and, for the area, its a bit pricey -- around $13-$20 for lunch. Its not clear whether its a franchise or not. A quick Google search suggested that it may be a CA based chain, but I couldn't find much information. The same Google search suggested that Jayson Williams, the former NBA player being retried for manslaughter, and his wife may have an ownership interest. Anyone tried it yet or have any more info?

[aaronwcpa]

A relatively new place called TRY J's Chicken and Waffles has opened on South Warren in downtown Trenton.  I passed by the other day and it looks like the restaurant is open for lunch only and, for the area, its a bit pricey -- around $13-$20 for lunch.  Its not clear whether its a franchise or not.  A quick Google search suggested that it may be a CA based chain, but I couldn't find much information.  The same Google search suggested that Jayson Williams, the former NBA player being retried for manslaughter, and his wife may have an ownership interest.  Anyone tried it yet or have any more info?

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Is this place on the corner of South Warren & W Front Street? I have driven by and could not read the name but it appears to be a restaurant. I am in the area fairly frequently and I will have to try it.

[Rich Pawlak]

but my strongest rec goes to Tattoni's Cafe, 800 Chestnut St., a simple, rustic place with very good food, no menu, and the lowest prices in Chambersburg.

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Got some bad news for you Rich, Tattoni's has closed. No doubt due to Trenton's ever rising gang/drug problems. This is the 2nd of my favorite places to go after Sal De Forte's closed.

Before having pizza at Delorenzo's yesterday, made a quick stop for some cheese at Porfirio's where I was given the news. Really sucks, I loved that place

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I received this e-mail today. I don't know why Charles didnt just post this here, but he didnt and rather chose to privately e-mail me this:

I'm not a member of egullet and don't plan to sign-on right now, so could you please pass this on to those who've been told that Tattoni's has closed that Tattoni's has not closed -- it just has a new name -- Casdeluna -- why it needed a new name, I can't tell you.

We are taking four of our friends there tonight, and I'll be able to tell whether it really is the same or not. However, the restaurant has assured me that they have the same chef and the same food. We peeked in yesterday afternoon because we were worried. It looks the same same, but there is a new sign on the outside and new decor on the inside -- and Tattoni's needed new decor a lot.

They even said in response to my question that they have the same menu. I asked again, and the clarified that that meant that there is no menu, they just tell you what they can prepare that night.

The waitress was new, but they really want people to know that the experience is supposed to be same.

Charles Carmalt

I feel somewhat relieved. I'm hoping that Charles will post about his visit soon.

[Jeff L]

Makes no sense at all in my view. If it is the same place with Dom's son in the kitchen (forget his name) then why change a name most in the area are familiar with? I think the utter lack of any decor along with the lack of a menu makes the place that much more appealing. Besides the Homestead Inn, Tatoni's was the only joint I know of in the area with no menu. I am of the belief that more places should adopt the European country restaurant standard of no menus. They do 3 or 4 things, pick one. This idea of 10 page menus is absurd.

I'll have to check this out and report back.

[Rich Pawlak]

So the doings of the restaurant biz make no sense to yiu at all? Stand in line. Restaurateurs do baffling things all the time. Maybe Dom's son just wanted to put his own take on things. But not being smart enough to alert customers with signage or a voicemail when you called for a reservation sounds like par for the course for some cafe owners. They stay open sometimes despite themselves!

I'm gonna try to ride over there on Tuesday as well. The curiosity is killing me.

[Jeff L]

So the doings of the restaurant biz make no sense to yiu at all?  Stand in line.  Restaurateurs do baffling things all the time.  Maybe Dom's son just wanted to put his own take on things.  But not being smart enough to alert customers with signage or a voicemail when you called for a reservation sounds like par for the course for some cafe owners.  They stay open sometimes despite themselves!

I'm gonna try to ride over there on Tuesday as well.  The curiosity is killing me.

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Yeah, that would make sense if he recently started cooking and running the place. Fact is he's been there for years!