Rosie's Favorites of 2003

[Rosie]

It was a memorable dining year and it is so hard to list all of my favorite restaurants. This is what I came up with in alphabetical order. I reserve the right to add to this list. I'm sure I forget some great places. Tell us your favorites for 2003.

An American Grill 246 Rt 10 W, Randolph. 973-442-9311

Basilico 324 Millburn Avenue, Millburn (BYO) 973-379-7020

China 46, Ridgefield BYO

Cinque Figlie 302 Whippany Road, Whippany 973-560-0545.

Corso 98, 98 Walnut Street Montclair BYO. Phone: 973-746-0789.

The Dining Room at Anthony David’s, 111 10th Street, Hoboken BYO 201-222-8399.

Epernay, 6 Park Street, Montclair 973-783-0447 BYO

Fascino, 331 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair 973.233.0350 BYO

Hamilton's Grill Room, 8 Coryell Street, Lambertville as 609 397-4343. BYO

Hunan Cottage Rt 46 E Fairfield BYO

Il Forno, 18 S Fullerton Ave, Montclair (973-233-0800); BYO.

Jocelyne's, 168 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood BYO 973-763-4460

Mr Pi’s, 257 Central Ave Metuchen 732-494-8686

Nicholas 160 Route 35 South, Red Bank Phone 732-345-9977.

No 9 Restaurant, 9 Kline"s Court, Lambertville 609-397-6380 BYO

Origin, 25 Division St., Somerville (BYO) 908-685-1344.

Rat's, 16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton Phone: 609-584-7800

Tapas de Espana, 7909 Bergenline Ave, North Bergen 201-453-1690

Zoe's By The Lake, 112 Tomahawk Trail, Sparta Phone: 973-726-7226.

[rozrapp]

Three from Rosie's list make mine: Epernay, Jocelyne's, and No. 9.

The rest of my list:

El Meson, Freehold

Lincroft Inn, Lincroft

Famous Dave's Barbecue, New Brunswick (just opened)

Frog and the Peach, New Brunswick ($18.95 lunches)

Fritzy's, Howell

Gaetano's, Red Bank

Peter's Fishery, Matawan

Pooket II, Old Bridge

SamVera, Marlboro

Seven Hills of Istanbul, Highland Park

Verjus, Maplewood

Woo Jeon, Edison (Korean barbecue)

We somehow managed not to get to two major favorites in '03: Nicholas and Manon. Definitely looking forward to going to both in '04.

[Rosie]

Would like to try Lincroft Inn and hope to get back to Frog and the Peach soon. Tell me more about SamVera?

[rozrapp]

Would like to try Lincroft Inn and hope to get back to Frog and the Peach soon. Tell me more about SamVera?

I have been very lax about reporting on SamVera. I will shape up the review I put together and post it separately. Stay tuned!

[suzilightning]

an american grill - just for the pleasure of lou's comments and the vegetable strudel

thirsty moose(jefferson) - for chicken wings and buffalo or ostrich burgers

warehouse grill (jefferson)- for the martinis and turkey burgers

krogh's(sparta) - for a burger and a homebrew

plaza bistro(sparta) - for just about anything

zoe's by the lake - ditto

my house of course

happy holidays to all

[steakas]

River Palm Terrace, Edgewater

Daniel's on Broadway, Cape May

De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies, Trenton

Navesink Fishery, Middletown

Beacon Street Grille, Neptune

Happy Holidays to all.

:Dave

[Lreda]

an american grill  - just for the pleasure of lou's comments    and the vegetable strudel

Comments huh, Oh, Oh!!! Better stop cocktailing in the afternoons. If my comment and outlooks are that memorable, chance are I was slightly iniberiated.

Edited December 20, 2003 by Lreda (log)

[scarlet knight]

Jocelyn's, Maplewood

Fascino, Montclair

Lilac, Millburn

La Veranda, Cape May

Aozora, Montclair

Off-topic:

Bouley, NYC

Charlie Palmer's Steak House, Las Vegas

Spago, Las Vegas

Edited December 20, 2003 by scarlet knight (log)

[tommy]

this year again i didn't spend much time dining in NJ. but, there certainly were some meals that were memorable. some were memorable because they were fun, some were memorable because they blew me away, some were memorable because of a great dish, and still others were memorable because i remember them.

China 46, Ridgefield - with a large group. it's always amazing to taste 10 dishes at one meal.

An American Grill, Randolph - steak sandwiches and red wine at the bar with friends.

Fink's Funky Chicken, River Edge - perhaps the best cheesesteak of its kind in northern NJ.

Franklin Steakhouse, Nutley - burgers and beers and trashy bartenders.

Little Saigon, Nutley - any meal, lunch or dinner, was always pleasurable. i hope they come back soon.

Brass Rail, Hoboken - one of the only tasting menus paired with wines in northern jersey. and at the bar if you want. a great way to kick of the night of pub crawling in hoboken.

Anythony David's, Hoboken - steak and eggs. 'nuff said.

McCormick and Schmicks, Hackensack - vouvray and fish n chips.

Legal Seafood, Paramus - oysters and sancerre.

Village Green, Ridgewood - foie gras and BYO

Kumo, Ridgewood - consistent sushi

That pizza place down in Seaside - some of the best boardwalk pizza i've ever had in my life...and i grew up on the boardwalk.

Mignon, Rutherford - consistent dry-aged prime steaks and BYO. what more could you ask for?

Sonoma Grill, Rutherford - good food, but the wine that Lou R brought made an impression

Shakers, Rutherford - eff shakers

Edited December 20, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Lreda]

Sonoma Grill, Rutherford - good food, but the wine that Lou R brought made an impression

Shakers, Rutherford - eff shakers

The wine was good enough to knock Sambuca right off the bar. What the hell did we drink that night? Jarvis '93?

And thanks for bringing back a oldie but goodie, eff shakers

[tommy]

The wine was good enough to knock Sambuca right off the bar. What the hell did we drink that night? Jarvis '93?

i recall the wine being from about 92 or 93. and i think you brought 2 bottles from different years if memory serves.

[Rosie]

And we shouldn't forget all the food made by eGulleters at Bobolink Farms and the suckling pigs from Finks.

[RockADS21]

Shakers is also going to be left off my list for this years favorites...these will also be in no particulair order...

- Sonoma Grill, East Rutherford...visited for both lunch and dinner and each were top notch...great wine choices/preparations/service/etc.

- An American Grill, Randolph...two lunches and a tremendous dinner here this year...Lou's charm(and wine pouring) only add to an all around top of the line establishment!

- Cafe Abbraci, Metuchen...always one of my very favorites, for years consistantly above average cozy place with amazing appetizers.

- Nikko, Whippany and Kyoto, Florham Park...I'll give each a nod for always fresh, always well-prepared sushi.

- Casa Bella, Denville...nothing at all fancy, but always very good Italian - one of my favorite choices for lunch.

- Franklin Steakhouse, Nutley...I agree with Tommy - great for a juicy burger or steak sandwich and a brew, killer french onion soup too...but don't be knocking those bartenders!!!

- Rat's, Hamilton...my # 1 choice of the past year...great setting...beutiful grounds....impecable service and wonderfully prepared food as well as an amazing wine list and cheese selection - very much worth a trip from wherever in the state you are.

I'm already looking forward to getting started on 2004! Happy New Year to all!!!

[tommy]

- Franklin Steakhouse, Nutley...I agree with Tommy - great for a juicy burger or steak sandwich and a brew, killer french onion soup too...but don't be knocking those bartenders!!!

dude, i mean trashy *good*.

[Rachel Perlow]

Let's see...

Saigon Republic in Englewood for Vietnamese, of course.

China 46

I suppose this is the year of the Mexican bodega/cafe, several have opened in north Bergen county, they seem to be moving northward from south Bergen county towns like North Bergen and Passaic county. For example, Cinco de Mayo and El Paso in Englewood, and Mi Pueblo in Bergenfield.

Fink's has been a reliable standby. As has The Diner in Oradell. We've only been to Felice, the attached to The Diner Italian joint, once, but we liked it, I'm sure we'll be back.

On Christmas we returned to one of our older favorites from when we lived in Morris county, Hunan Noodle House in Parsippany (Hunan Cottage was full up -- btw, neither of these places specialize in Hunan food). It is owned by the same family that runs all those Chinese places in Teaneck, the only one of which is worth going to is Taiwan Noodle House. This place has pretty much the same menu, my favorite item being the Little Bit of Everything soup with Hand Cut Noodles. How could you not like a soup by that name?

[marthapook]

le bernadin

le bernadin

le bernadin

any recommendations for an equally perfect experience?

[Rachel Perlow]

Uh, how about Le Bernardin?

Sorry, couldn't resist!

Also, that's a NY restaurant, this is the NJ forum.

[marthapook]

Rach -

worth the trip, in any case. no?

[tommy]

le b is obviously one of the top restaurants in NYC. i suppose the Ryland Inn might come close.

[steakas]

Also, Iberia Peninsula in Newark

[steakas]

I suppose this is the year of the Mexican

elmeson-freehold,nj

(and no, i'm not a top NJ fan)

[howard88]

Tommy:

Is the pizza place on the boardwalk, Maruca's?

[tommy]

Tommy:

Is the pizza place on the boardwalk, Maruca's?

nope. it's actually a bar. a huge bar, down at the south side of the boardwalk. takes up the whole south side as far as i can remember. i think it's got an irish name, but i could be full of bologny.

[Kim WB]

Tommy..is it the SawMill? Really GIANT slices?

[tommy]

Tommy..is it the SawMill? Really GIANT slices?

yea ma'am. thanks!