Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Village Green Restaurant


Rosie

Recommended Posts

Any feedback on this restaurant since they've gotten a new chef?

Bride and I were there on Saturday night. Very nice meal. Pretty presentations. Service was good but not great. Breqads were lackluster - have had better there in the past.

She: mixed greens salad, foie gras, tuna, <I forget>, creme brulee

Me: duck salad (good), mushroom risotto (excellent), seafood crepe (very good), stuffed pork tenderloin (a little overcooked), sorbet

All were very tasty

We were in the front room whereas we usually sit at one of the quieter and more private little window tables - maybe that took a little luster off. A very enjoyable evening overall

Bill

"There are people who strictly deprive themselves of each and every eatable, drinkable, and smokable which has in any way acquired a shady reputation. They pay this price for health. And health is all they get for it. How strange it is. It is like paying out your whole fortune for a cow that has gone dry." - Mark Twain

"Please pass the bacon." - Me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Went to the Village Green - Ridgewood last night. We were a group of six. Two of the six have eaten there a few times. They said it has never been this bad. For me, my first --- and my last visit.

The owner of the place is totally lost. I don't think he has the depth to run a good or great restaurant. The staff was mediocre at best. No one seem assigned to our table, so after something was explained to the waiter, another came along and did not follow the request. Our table was set for six but was too small. We were elbow to elbow. The dishes came out on hugh plates and there was little space for them. The seats are hard wood, no padding, and extremely uncomfortable. We had been there with menus for about 15 minutes. No bread brought to the table. We asked the owner for bread and he said they usually don't serve bread until after the waiter takes the order. Who cares! Just have someone bring some bread. We each had the 5 course tasting menu. Believe me, a tasting was exactly what we got. I have never seen such small portions on some of the dishes. The Amuse Bouche was a half inch square piece of mozzarella, a cherry tomato half, and I think either a herb oil or light pesto drizzle on top on a ceramic asian style soup spoon. Very creative!! It was downhill from there. I cannot think of one dish where anyone at the table said "wow" taste this, my wife did like the duck breast. Dishes from the kitchen came out and the wait staff had a guessing game as to whom it belonged. Our wine was stored in a bucket containing all the other customers wine. There was hardly any voluntary wine service unless we asked and then the waiter had to go through the bucket to find our wine. Three hours and $155.00 later (for a couple) --- not a complaint but a comment ---the culinary disaster was over. My friends were embarrassed. I said I really do miss Zarole's.

Viejo

Edited by viejomajadero (log)

"A dry crust of bread eaten in peace and quiet is better than a feast eaten where everyone argues" Proverbs (17:1).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
The last review sounds like this place is a disaster. Anyone brave enough to go recently? Zagat's likes it, but maybe the data is dated. Where else would you go in Ridgewood?

i had a pleasant enough meal at The Village Green recently. I love the fact that they offer tasting menus, and I've never left hungry. Less-than-blown away maybe, but it's still a good option when compared to the others in Ridgewood. A SNAFU with a shrimp dish was handled efficiently apologetically, and properly from my perspective.

Others? 28 Oak has simply failed to impress on my visits, and that's about the only other restaurant with the same aspirations. I just don't think LaTour is very good at all, and have always wondered why it gets such great reviews, not only from random people on the internet, but from local reviewers as well, whose taste, I suppose, is just about the same as that of anyone else, including random reviewers on the internet.

The rest of Ridgewood is passable sushi, uninspired Italian, Dim Sum Dynasty, Silver Oak, Gazelle is OK and I like their "local and organic" approach, and that's about it, isn't it? Blend? I don't think so. Oh, La Cambusa does a nice job on some Italian-American dishes, but not a destination. Mediterraneo and Lisa's are good Middle Eestern options. Haven't been to Gen yet, but I'm guessing that falls into the "passable sushi" category, with some pan-asian thrown in. Speaking of pan-asian, with apologies to mention1, but Wild Ginger is best ignored, unless your tastes lean toward the sweet side of Asian. And speaking of sweet and overly busy dishes, Joel's Malibu kitchen is a really cool spot, but his dishes tend to be too sweet and busy for my taste.

Oh yeah, A Mano is the most notable restaurant in town, but only if you appreciate Neapolitan style pizza. Otherwise you'll wonder why their crust is like bread and isn't crispy like Tony's Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen on Route 10 in Whippany.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as a ridgewood resident, we agree on your observations regarding the lack of outstanding eating establishments in Ridgewood. Passable yes, but we go out of town for mexican, french, italian sometimes, pizza, chinese is ok, sushi is one item we like, but rising prices due to new renovations is causing us to look elsewhere, greek is ok. why is that

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I happen to like Natalie's for Italian - they have great soups too. Recently I've seen activity in the old Zarole's space, a man painting a mural on the far back wall. Does anyone know what's going up there?

Mediterraneo is pretty good - although I only went there once with a group, and it was a pretty boozy night. The greek place is good if you stick to simple dishes, the chicken special is excellent and the tzitsiki dip is addictive!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Now we know where Chef Toufayan will be .....

Amici, Too, the new restaurant from the owners of Wyckoff's Cafe Amici that's coming to what was once the original Cafe Amici location in Ho-Ho-Kus (get all that?) will be opening later than planned. Late August or early September is the new estimate, chef Arthur Toufayan said. (From Second Helpings)

Edited by fatcatbrew (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now we know where Chef Toufayan will be .....

Amici, Too, the new restaurant from the owners of Wyckoff's Cafe Amici that's coming to what was once the original Cafe Amici location in Ho-Ho-Kus (get all that?) will be opening later than planned. Late August or early September is the new estimate, chef Arthur Toufayan said.  (From Second Helpings)

In the meantime, you can find Chef Toufayan at Cafe Amici in Wyckoff (www.amicicafe.net), where he's been flying under the radar for the last couple of years. The restaurant earned an Excellent review from Rene Mack with him there, and he seems very happy and content in his role.

When Amici, Too opens, he'll be responsible for both kitchens, but I think he'll eventually spend most of his time in the Wyckoff kitchen.

BLOG: www.northjersey.com/foodblogwww.northjersey.com/foodblog

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/billpitcherwww.twitter.com/billpitcher

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...