Cafe Paris in Metuchen

[coquille]

So, about a month or so ago, 2 new restaurants opened in Metuchen. One replaces the Japanese tea house and is billed as "French-International," but when I went in to look at their menu, they seem to be so unfocused - I'll wait a while before checking it out.

The other place is part coffeehouse, part creperie, part cafe - Cafe Paris, on Main Street. Very pleasant interior, with a mix of couches and cafe tables plus beautiful Parisian murals on the walls. However, this place is screwed up. Paper-printout menus in franglais, with lots of crepes (at high prices - IMO, $8 is too much for a simple dessert crepe), some panini (why no baguettes?), standard coffeehouse desserts, and a few "specials" - lamb stews, duck a l'orange, coq au vin, etc. Location seemed great, it's BYO, different sort of menu... but the food was horrible, and the local high school server was so tremendously inappropriate. Went last night for dinner: one of my dining companions had a "saucisse" panini (breakfast sausage patty, undercooked bacon, NO DIJON MUSTARD - or mustard at all - available as a condiment...), one had boeuf bourgignon (light orange in color, and described by the diner as "like what I get at the hospital cafeteria"), and I had their attempt at steak frites (fakey grilled looking rectangle of some part of cow, terrible taste, awful poivre vert sauce - only thing decent were the fries).

I kept looking around the place wondering: a) who the heck is behind this? (anyone know??), and b) what will appear next in this space?...

[fitz]

I remember the tea house, and am assuming that this place replaces something equally uninspiring. There was only one place on Main St. that I recall as being decent; aside from that, just kind of bad Mexican and a really loud, obnoxious Italian place. In my head, I just remember Metuchen as the sort of place where most folks think of The Cornerstone as a really hot night out...

Is there any hope?

[Casey]

I don't know when you were last in Metuchen, fitz, but I don't know of anyone who lives here (I do) who thinks of the Cornerstone as a big night out. I love Dans on Main and Cafe Abracci, which is a little off the beaten path. Sawadee Thai is also pretty good, though not on the level of the other two.

Casey

[Rosie]

Was at Cafe Abracci about a month ago and was disappointed in the food and decor which needs a good sprucing up.

[rozrapp]

I agree with Casey about Dan's on Main. We have had a couple of very good meals there, though not recently.

[scarlet knight]

Several years ago, we ate at a restaurant in Metuchen called Culinary Renaissance. I remember it fondly. I also remember a sea of empty tables. I suspect that it is out of business. Anyone else try it or remember it? I presume that it went out of business.

[Randi]

Several years ago, we ate at a restaurant in Metuchen called Culinary Renaissance.  I remember it fondly.  I also remember a sea of empty tables.  I suspect that it is out of business.  Anyone else try it or remember it? I presume that it went out of business.

I did a Google search of "Culinary Renaissance" Metuchen and found out that it did, indeed close. But also found out that the owner/chef opened a new restaurant in Pittsburgh, and another CR mainstay opened a place called "Rosse's" in Martinsville which he describes as Culinary Renaissance meets Italy.

Some interesting articles, if you want to do the seach. Plus a recipe from CR for Basil and Potato Crusted Salmon.

Edited January 16, 2004 by Randi (log)

[fitz]

Sorry Casey,

Apologies... I was venting and letting off a little steam, there! I haven't been in Metuchen since fall of 2001, but my sarcasm wasn't completely unfounded, as my ex-boyfriend's father and wife did, in fact, think of The Cornerstone as a hot night out!

But I digress... It was Dan's on Main that I remember fondly, and also the Metuchen Inn, though my last visit there was absolutely horrendous. Is the Inn still around?

Must confess that I never made it to Culinary Renaissance...

[Casey]

Culinary Renaissance is indeed closed (before I moved here). Metuchen Inn is still around, but I don't think its worth any visit. I've given it three tries over the past five years, and found it ordinary and overpriced (and in need of renovation). I would also agree that Cafe Abracci is in need of renovation, though I've always had excellent meals there (maybe it was an off night!).

What I do enjoy about living here from a food standpoint is that for a very small town, there are a lot of choices for different tastes and willingness to spend, and is a stone's throw from other wonderful options in Edison and New Brunswick (not to mention Mie Thai in Woodbridge!).

No offense taken fitz! I just didn't want anyone to think all Metuchenites spend their time at the Cornerstone! Frankly, I have never even been there, though they recently went through a big renovation that looks beautiful (though I hear the menu has changed, its nothing to write home about). A new "french/continental" restaurant just opened across the street from it called "Clousseau's"--while I cringe at the name choice, and I hear they are still working the bugs out, it may have "some" promise and I will check it out in a month or two.

I am most excited about visiting a restaurant elsewhere this weekend for the first time--I am finally making the trip to Lou's place, having dinner with friends at American Grill on Sunday!

Casey

[coquille]

scarlet knight, you brought back memories! You must have dined at Culinary Renaissance in its second location if there was a "sea" of tables. that was a true disappointment. It started off in a *tiny* location (which has been a thai restaurant for years now) just off the pearl street train station parking lot, and it was a gem! Quality, delicious food in a cozy environment. But then it got popular, and they moved to a larger space a block or so away. It lost all its charm and spiraled downward fast. Shame...

[Helena Robinson]

scarlet knight, you brought back memories! You must have dined at Culinary Renaissance in its second location if there was a "sea" of tables. that was a true disappointment. It started off in a *tiny* location (which has been a thai restaurant for years now) just off the pearl street train station parking lot, and it was a gem! Quality, delicious food in a cozy environment. But then it got popular, and they moved to a larger space a block or so away. It lost all its charm and spiraled downward fast. Shame...

Oh the memories...

We recall Culinary Renaissance at both locations. The first one was really nice, albeit tiny. And it was still pleasant when it first moved - at that time, it was one of the few restaurants in the area that required men to wear jackets and ties on the weekends. (It was also completely non-smoking on weekends, but at least had a N/S section during the week.)

Alas, as mentioned already, it went downhill - and slid even further when it turned into yet another Italian place.

It's been several years since we tried its Thai replacement by the commuter lot, but I remember enhoying it.

As for the other places in the area... (while I'm here) We tried Dan's On Main a few years ago, and it turned out to be one of our bummers of that year. Tried Metuchen Inn about a month or so after that, and while the experience was somewhat better (we'd consider returning there over Dan's), there were enough quibbles with both food and service that we haven't been in any rush to return. At that time, we felt the place had potential, but apparently isn't has been fulfiled - too bad.

Oh yes - Cafe Abracci. Went there once not too long after it opened, and while we had a decent experience, it never made ouo so-called list of Places To Try Again.

So much or Metuchen, at least for now...