In NJ-Good food...

[tommy]

where do you think twice about going because their wine list is horrible, and you know BYOBing will be something that's not well received...(generally speaking, as i haven't tried BYO'ing to all of these places).

Scuttlebutt's - nutley

bangkok city - hoboken

brooklyn pizza - hackensack

[Rosie]

Which restaurants in your opinion have excellent wine lists and which don't? Would you consider BYOing and paying a corkage charge at a restaurant with an inferior wine list?

[Kim WB]

Which restaurants do you avoid becaseu they have a great wine list..but almost NONE of the wines on the list??!! That's a REAL Trenton area problem..Diamonds (both locations) is the worst offender.

I wish Stage Left in New Brunswick had a better selection. Clydz, too. I'd like to see a number of "small, family owned well done Italian strip mall" places have a better selection. I wish the Ferry House in Princeton had better match-ups..some good wine, but not for their food.

[Double 0]

I went to Tapas De Espana on Sat (great meal). We called before we went and asked if they have a corkage (Three serious wine drinkers who wanted to show off and drink some great wine). No we were told they have a wine list. When we get to the restaurant and check out the list we see that there is seven reds with no vintage dates (always a bad sign). The morale of the story is that when I want to have great Spanish food and great wine I'll have to pass on Tapas De Espana, its a shame .

[Rosie]

Tapas De Espana--great sangria.

[viejo majadero]

Stage House Inn -- has an excellent wine list and has a BYO night which is probably their slow night..

I think that is an excellent concept and should be adopted elsewhere.

[Rosie]

Andre's in Newton--an excellent restaurant -- has a BYO night.

[Double 0]

Tapas De Espana--great sangria.

Agreed, but when you want serious wine, you want serious wine.

[albie]

Kim, I respectfully beg to differ with you re Stage Left and its wine service; they just got NJ Monthly's highest rating for wine dinners, and thier adjacent wine shop is loaded with cutting-edge bottlings from artisan producers, as is their restauant's wine list. I'm a wine specialist by trade and I can tell you that they're certainly close to the top of my list.

[Rosie]

Albie--Which other NJ restaurants do you feel have a worthwhile wine list?

[albie]

Rosie.... re your query as to NJ restaurants w/ excellent wine lists; I'm sure these are no surprises to you, but those that spring immediately to mind are the Ryland Inn, Nicholas, Stage Left, La Fontana, CK Steakhouse, Restaurant Serenade and Lahieres in Princeton. I'll go back over some notes and see what others I can find

[Kim WB]

Kim, I respectfully beg to differ with you re Stage Left and its wine service; they just got NJ Monthly's  highest rating for wine dinners, and thier adjacent wine shop is loaded with cutting-edge bottlings from artisan producers, as is their restauant's wine list.  I'm a wine specialist by trade and I can tell you that they're certainly close to the top of my list.

Albie,

For nearly a year, Stage Left has not had an adjoining wine shop. they closed it during their renovations last summer, and made it into a dining area..a very successful, warm and welcoming one at that.

I stand by my opinion..while the list has a nice selection of cabernets, I was not impressed with their Italians list, specifically their ST's. The restaurant has greatly improved, and I guees my wishing they had a more diverse list is a backhanded compliment..in that I think their food is really worthy of serious match ups.

And, while they did indeed have some small quantity producers in the wine shop, their prices were insulting..and my husband has a serious cellar and is not afaid to outlay some bucks for his aquisitions.

And, I respectfully disagree with you in your faith in NJ Monthly, which does not carry a bit of sway with me...Lahiere's...deep on 20 French wines, not even a decent Cab in the bunch, and 15 Pinot Grigios...and inedible food. La Fontana I like...I'm a sucker for that old world flair...and never met a well done cream sauce I didn't like..the wine list is good, because it happens to reflect what I prefer, but I would not say its comprehensive or diverse.

Also, welcome to e-gullet. It seems like you are familiar with some central NJ places, and I look forward to hearing about your views and opinions..

[pnapoli]

i missed this thread the first time around. has anyone ever byo'd to Formia in Bloomfield? I went recently after not having been in a while, and had a pretty good meal, but it would have been a lot better with some good wine.

[Lreda]

where do you think twice about going because their wine list is horrible, and you know BYOBing will be something that's not well received...

Why think twice?

wine list sucks.....attitude's worse.

Why think a third time?

[tommy]

Why think twice?

wine list sucks.....attitude's worse.

Why think a third time?

because the food, sometimes, is so darned good. it's a tough spot to be in for a customer who cares even a bit about the wine/food dynamic.

[Lreda]

Dude, Question if you don't mind. Why bring this topic up after 9 months and use my quote? Not breaking balls, just curious. I'm missing the reason for it. Were you at Formia?

[tommy]

Dude, Question if you don't mind. Why bring this topic up after 9 months and use my quote? Not breaking balls, just curious. I'm missing the reason for it. Were you at Formia?

i stumbled upon it and realized that i never responded. thought it was a valid discussion, though. and i didn't want to leave you hanging.

if you think this is odd, you should check out the thread on pasta with red pepper flakes, where some kind soul answered a question of mine almost 2 years to the day after i asked it!

Edited April 10, 2004 by tommy (log)

[Lreda]

if you think this is odd, you should check out the thread on pasta with red pepper flakes, where some kind soul answered a question of mine almost 2 years to the day after i asked it!

Talk to you next............ April 10...............2006.

Later dude.