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A Restaurant Culture?

Rail Paul

By Rail Paul
in New Jersey: Dining

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pete ganz

pete ganz

Posted
Posted
I do think that Epernay in Montclair and Jocelynes in Maplewood are in a high end echelon of restaurants, and they are BYOB

And how about Cafe Matisse in Rutherford (a dry town). An excellent BYOB, in my opinion. I've never really heard a bad review of it, and we thought the food was terrific. And it's in Bergen County! :raz:

Their website

bunny

bunny

Posted
Posted
I don't htink there are ten "high end" restaurants in NJ..by my personal definition only. There are certainly 10 restaruants with "excellent" food...but not the whole package...

However,

RN, Ryland, Rats, Stage Left, Stage House Inn, perhaps Wash Inn in Cape May...that's my list. 

I love, for example, Hamilton Grill Room in Lambertville..great food, great atmosphere, but a little too casual ( even though its not casual, if that makes sense) and no LL...but I just don't htink of it as a high end dining experience.  I'm comparing these to Gramercy, Trotter's, Auereole, Le Bec Fin, Striped Bass..a few places that I think of as high end.

Just my opinion, to reiterate!

kim that is a nice list however i think that its kinda all over the place a little bit. i think that for as good as stage left is and the washington inn are they are not even in the same ball park as the others you have listed. i would list in no specific order as the top tables in the state are: ryland inn, restaurant nicholas, sernade, rats, stage house inn. i would say that these are the places that make up the top teir and then you have the stage lefts and wash inn and a daniel's on brodway and others.

Kim WB

Kim WB

Posted
Posted (edited)
kim that is a nice list however i think that its kinda all over the place a little bit. i think that for as good as stage left is and the washington inn are they are not even in the same ball park as the others you have listed. i would list in no specific order as the top tables in the state are: ryland inn, restaurant nicholas, sernade, rats, stage house inn. i would say that these are the places that make up the top teir and then you have the stage lefts and wash inn and a daniel's on brodway and others.

I didn't mean to imply that it was in my order of favorites, because what makes one a favorite over another to me is that I am a regular visitor of one, due to proximity, so its my favorite.

Not sure when you were last at Stage Left...it has gone up quite a few notches in the last year, including service, atmosphere and food. It was never on my list, but is a recent addition, after three fantastic meals, both as host to a party of eight, four and as a duo. I'll bend a bit on Washington Inn..it's always been visited whilst in the throes of a relaxing vacation, just my tanned, relaxed husband and myself, with champagne on the deck before hand..so perhaps my impression of that restaurant is a bit romanticized...otherwise, we're not too far apart it seems, Bunny.

We can get into "second rung" places, but that would really be a list that's all over the place! Because there would be some places that are equal to the food of some of the top rung, but the environment doesn't reflect "high end"...such as Palace of Asia, or Karen and Rei's.

Edited by Kim WB (log)
viejo majadero

viejo majadero

Posted
Posted

Lou

If you are talking about Kim -- I think we can agree to disagree

If you are talking about Pete Ganz you must know I generally trash Cafe Matisse because I think it is more of a tourist attraction/every day diners great place. I just cannot take it seriously. Cute, pretty outside, romantic, OK !!!! but food level is not very good.

Viejo

PS- Got your email and will post wine choices to your restaurant thread for you to pick from. Will be meeting my friend at wine tasting tomorrow. Will discuss his picks.

The Best Kind of Wine is That Which is Most Pleasant to Him Who Drinks It. ---- Pliney The Elder

Wine can of their wits the wise beguile,

Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile. --- Homer

pete ganz

pete ganz

Posted
Posted
If you are talking about Pete Ganz you must know I generally trash Cafe Matisse because I think it is more of a tourist attraction/every day diners great place. I just cannot take it seriously. Cute, pretty outside, romantic, OK !!!! but food level is not very good.

Ouch! :laugh: I think you may be in the minority with that opinion, but you're certainly entitled to it.

Lreda

Lreda

Posted
Posted

Viejo, of course I know you don't like Mattisse. I've been liked with them in past reviews, although I don't think by you. Just wanted to give you an chance to vent.

dck57

dck57

Posted
Posted

spencer - you're point makes complete (and depressing ) sense.

thanks for the tip about zoe's rosie - the town - by the way - is wyckoff - if you have anything even closer it would be much appreciated.

menton1

menton1

Posted
Posted
spencer - you're point makes complete (and depressing ) sense.

thanks for the tip about zoe's rosie - the town  - by the way -  is wyckoff - if you have anything even closer it would be much appreciated.

Western Bergen County-- Ruga in Oakland used to be highly acclaimed, haven't heard much about it lately. Has Liquor. Also, I think Rosie has spoken well of Cafe Panache in Ramsey, BYOB. Have you tried these places?

  • 3 weeks later...
WHT

WHT

Posted
Posted
[ Remember the chef from Northern Exposure..the angry guy, who freaked out when one of his prep guys (the big indian) used bacon instead of pancetta.  Adam Arkin's character.  With that guys talent he should have been commanding CIA grads at a Ritz Carlton but instead he was pumping out French classics in a diner.

Adam was the characters name. Chef, conspiracy theorist, government tool among other talents. Supposedly gave Wolfgang Puck ideas that he was never compensated for.

Next to Ed and Leonard one of my favorite minor characters. Though they over did him towards the end. Blame David Chase for that.

Living hard will take its toll...
Chef/Writer Spencer

Chef/Writer Spencer

Posted
Posted
[ Remember the chef from Northern Exposure..the angry guy, who freaked out when one of his prep guys (the big indian) used bacon instead of pancetta.  Adam Arkin's character.  With that guys talent he should have been commanding CIA grads at a Ritz Carlton but instead he was pumping out French classics in a diner.

Adam was the characters name. Chef, conspiracy theorist, government tool among other talents. Supposedly gave Wolfgang Puck ideas that he was never compensated for.

Next to Ed and Leonard one of my favorite minor characters. Though they over did him towards the end. Blame David Chase for that.

I am more that guy than Bourdain... there are a bevvy of parallels...I just wear better clothes and have an office.

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