ny times best of nj

[glenn]

It was so nice to see Jersey City restaurants get the recognition they deserved. :))

[Rosie]

Glenn, Do you mean NJ restaurants? Ryland Inn was the only restaurant that received an extraordinary (11/05/00).

[glenn]

No. I was being my usual stupid facetious self. The day a Jersey City restaurant gets a review above "good" will be the day the rest of NJ ceases to exist.

[Hank]

After going over the list of best restaurants of NJ and knowing something about most of them from either personal experience or from what I have read on eGullet and other sites I am more convinced than ever that 9 out 0f 10 times when eating out I cross the GW bridge. I would rather not elaborate but some of them are an absolute joke to be called "best".

[Rosie]

After going over the list of best restaurants of NJ and knowing something about most of them from either personal experience or from what I have read on eGullet and other sites I am more convinced than ever that 9 out 0f 10 times when eating out I cross the GW bridge. I would rather not elaborate but some of them are an absolute joke to be called "best".

Hank--Please elaborate. Also, the NY Times doesn't list any restaurants as "best." Which ones in the excellent and very good catagory don't you like? I wasn't awed with An American Bistro; Brix 67; Deja Vu; and Harvest Moon Inn all of which received a very good. I think Nicholas deserves an extraordinary.

[menton1]

Where is this NY Times list of Best Restos in NJ? Is it online? Does anybody have a link? Thanks.

[ngatti]

Where is this NY Times list of Best Restos in NJ?  Is it online?  Does anybody have a link?  Thanks.

It's the NJ section of the Sunday NY Times, Menton1. Some of us receive it on Saturday. It's on the front page of the section.

Nick

[menton1]

Thanks, Nick. Now I understand-- you guys get a "heads up" on Saturday! Is "No. 9" in Lambertville conspicuous by its absence?

[ngatti]

Remember though, that as the intro to the article explained. This wasn't a "Best" list, per se. It is a Dining Out Guide. An encapsulated compilation of all the VG, Excellent, and Extraordinary (1 only) reviews from the Jersey regional Sunday NY Times since Cook and Corcoran formed the Tag Team. No. 9's absence prolly means that they didn't get to it yet.

As far as an on-line link is concerned; The NY Times on-line edition is notorious for the delays in posting on-line links to it's regional restaurant reviews. I don't know how they treat front page stories such as this, but I couldn't find it. It should get there ...eventually.

Nick

[Kim WB]

Ok, I'd move some of these around a bit:

Rat's should be moved to extraordinary. I went to the Vueve Cliquot tasting dinner on the 27th..flawless. three dinners there in four weeks, with hardly a negative even if I tried.

Stage Left...based on the previous chef, its not excellent, just very good. Blah menu, nothing to "grab" you as a memorable choice.

Ajihei Japanese, Princeton: Not even good. I can name you two or three better places within 15 miles: Banzai, Shumai. Ajahei is stark, unwelcoming with no real sushi bar, poor service, and over priced. I've been to Jewel Bako, Morimoto, Nobu this place is blah. The chef has "celebrity" connections...but tuna is tuna.

DaFilippo...just good. Predictable Italian that anyone can do at home with a good cookbook. There are better Italina choices ( Mountain View, Ewing) , and much better choices in Somerville ( Shumai, Verve)

De Lorenzo's: this is an embarrassment, its not a restaurnat, its a pizza joint. And conte's in Princeton, is ten years older and ten times better.

Frog and the Peach: I'll just never be a fan. Went twice this year, as a guest both times. I don't feel comfortable there, it's so 80's. And the food has too many reductions, and the menu is just not balanced..I have to add that I have a number of foodie friends who love it, so I think this is just me. They still have those "architectural" desserts. Overpriced wines. Not any better than Soho on George, which didn't make the list.

Harverst Moon: this should so be in excellent. Fabulous wine list, beautiful space, strong flavors with interesting twists, great game selection, high qulaity ingredients, great service. Just a step down from Ryland or Rats.

Joe and Maggie's: it deserves points for longevity and consistency, I guess ift belongs in the VEryt good, cause he does do some stand out dishes..though I must admit that I have not been in about 1 1/2 years, so my opinion here is not too valuable..I can tell you from the "buzz" that if I'm hauling down tho that area, I'm going to Restaurant Nicholas!

Lahiere's: I live three minutes from here, and have studiously avoided it for the last 5 years, after a appetizer of mushrooms on toast, which were...canned button mushrooms, on Pepperedige Farm toast. Perhaps I maight visit, though most folks say you get a similiar meal at the Hyatt Dining room.

Lobster House: While the Lobster and some seafood is good, the wine list is non existant for all intents and purposes..candidly, I suspect this made the cut cause they needed a south Jersey place for balance. If they want a Shore place, go to Karen and Rei's.

Passage to India: I agree. And when I spoke to the chef about my Diwan dinner, he came out with photos of the chef at Diwan, Helmut, and him at some function, very kind and enthused and willing to answer my questions. I've only been to dinner twice, but order off the menu at lunch even though they have the opbligatory lunch buffet.

Le Plumet Royal: Ugh, this place is boring..but its reported that there is anew chef, so I will see if they are open for lunch to do a test run. They previously did heavy, cream on cream french food.

Soupe Du Jour...as a VERY GOOD??? this is a little soup and sandwhich cafe...sure, tasty fat laden choices..how hard is it to make a good BLT, expecially with boursin, pancetta, etc...but as an end of the year BEST OF entry? No way!! Go across the street, to Brother's Moon, at least its a real meal, or better yet, go 8 miles down 518 to Lambertville, and eat at the Hamilton Grill. Or No. 9. Or that really great NOLA style place whose name I cna't remember. Or 5 miles up Bear Tavern Road, to the Mountan View INN. Hell, Merlino's on 29 or the Revere has this beat..and Marsilieo's, in the burg.

Tre Piani: I would not have put this on the list. I personally feel t he chef here is into celebrity chefness, while at the same time not changing his menu, serving poor lunches, and using balsamic vinegar like EVOO. But, like Frog and Peach, it has its devotees,a nd I'm more than willing to conceed that its just me, that I have not been there at the right time and ordered the right dish...

so, just this little diner's 2 cents, at least on the central Jersey selections.

[tommy]

Thanks, Nick.  Now I understand-- you guys get a "heads up" on Saturday!  Is "No. 9" in Lambertville conspicuous by its absence?

if you get home delivery, they send those extra sunday sections on saturday, presumably because they can and it makes the delivery of sunday's paper much easier.

[menton1]

Ahh... I see. I only get the NY Times delivered on Sunday. I get the Bergen Record every day and they do the same on Sat-- many of the Sunday sections are delivered the day before.

N.B. I don't trust the Record Restaurant reviews-- very suspicious-- either not very aware, or worse, not objective!!

[bunny]

if anyone has the time could they post up the places that were in the artical and what they got reviewed at.

[Rosie]

Here's the list. What do you think?

Extraordinary--Ryland Inn Whitehouse

EXCELLENT

America--Tenafly

Chez Catherine--Westfield

Dining Room--Short Hills

Jocelyne's--Maplewood

Madeleine's Petit Paris--Northvale

Makeda--New Brunswick

Nicholas--Middletown

Origin Thai--Somerville

Rat's--Hamilton

Ristorante Da Benito--Union

Sogno--Red Bank

Stage Left--New Brunswick

VERY GOOD

Ajihei Japanese Restaurant-Princeton

An American Bistro--Nutley

Arthur's Downtown--Newark

Brix 67--Summit

Brix 560--Tinton Falls

Café at Rosemont--Rosemont

Chex Dominique--Bergenfield

China 46--Ridgefield

Daniel's on Broadway--Cape May

Déjà vu--Montclair

De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies--Trenton

Dong Won--Jersey City

East Japanese Restaurant--Teaneck

Epernay--Montclair

Da Filippo Autentica Cucina Italiana--Somerville

The Frog and the Peach--New Brunswick

Happy City--West Windsor

Harvest Moon Inn--Ringoes

Joe & Maggies Bistro--Long Branch

Kervan--Cliffside Park

Kinara--Edgewater

Lahiere's--Princeton

Lobster House--Cape May

Nha Trang Place--Jersey City

90 Grand Grille--Englewood

Pasage to India--Lawrenceville

Le Plumet Royal--Princeton

Saigon republic--Englewood

Scalini Fedeli--Chatham

Siam Garden--Red Bank

Soupe Du Jour--Hopewell

La Tartuferia--Hoboken

Tre Piani--Plainsboro

Twenty-Eight Oak--Ridgewood

Verjus--Maplewood

[Jason Perlow]

I guess I'm gonna have to try Origin Thai. Anyone been?

[201]

I guess I'm gonna have to try Origin Thai. Anyone been?

I was just thinking the same thing! A quick search only turned up this thread.

[Jason Perlow]

Here's Karla Cook's 2001 writeup:

Origin Thai review at NYT

[Rosie]

I guess I'm gonna have to try Origin Thai. Anyone been?

Yes. Been to Origin Thai about 3-4 times. Excellent. However, the room is small and gets very noisy. Make a reservation even on a weekday night. We like going there early on a Sunday evening. BYO

[Kim WB]

I guess I'm gonna have to try Origin Thai. Anyone been?

Yes, I enjoy them for lunch...my sister lives in Somerville, so we do either Shumai, Verve or Origin...but it's not Thai, it's Thai/French fusion... on my last visit, I had coconut milk creme brulee.

[Rosie]

More on Origin here

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...=4267&hl=origin

[higgins]

No Amanda's for Hoboken??? Pretty surprising on a list this long...

[Rosie]

No Amanda's for Hoboken??? Pretty surprising on a list this long...

They only included restaurants that were reviewed the last two years.

[menton1]

Rosie--

The only further comments I have about the NY Times list:

Conspicuous by their absence: No. 9, Corso 98, Restaurant 28 (Montclair), Blue Sky, Cafe Matisse, Latour.

N.B. 90 Grand Grill, Englewood: People tell me this is the MOST expensive restaurant in NJ-- and for no good reason!! For another $20 PP, you could do Ducasse in NY!! From the outside it looks like it appeals to the Lincoln and Cadillac crowd. Do we have any discussion on this place?

[=Mark]

To my tastes Siam Garden in Red Bank is just OK. It is a beautiful room and the menu is very impressive, but the food is just OK. My main gripe is the cost. I could see if they were in Manhattan charging $18 - $22 for an entree... And they were Vong! Truth be told I'd take the extra money I'd spend on Siam Garden and use it to purchase a ticket to NYC and eat at Seeda Thai (or Mie Thai in Woodbridge) or any number of more impressive, less expensive places.

Brix 560 in Tinton Falls has good food but I find the room itself cramped and loud.

[tommy]

didn't Ridgewood's La Tour get a "very good?"