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Chez Dominique

Rachel Perlow

By Rachel Perlow
in New Jersey: Dining

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Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
Posted

Has anyone ever been? I ran across a listing while searching for someplace else and intrigued, I called and asked about the place. It is a small BYO french place in Bergenfield, seasonal menus. Open Tuesday-Thursday for lunch, Tues-Sat for dinner. It used to be called Chez Madeline. A French chef (uh, from France) who'd worked at La Reserve took it over two years ago. I think we're going to try it tonight.

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Rail Paul

Rail Paul

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A French chef (uh, from France) who'd worked at La Reserve took it over two years ago.

Does he have a cone-head? And carry a six pack of Miller beer?

Inquiring minds need to know...

Apparently it's easier still to dictate the conversation and in effect, kill the conversation.

rancho gordo

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201

201

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Posted

Rachel - I remembered SOMEone posting SOMEthing about Chez Dominique on this board before, so I did a search. It turns out it was Mr. Gatti mentioning it during a discussion about Wondee's and the lack of corkage fees...

"I don't go to many BYOs.  My loss.   A few times to Chez Dominique in Bergenfield and a couple of times to it's former Incarnation, Chez Madeleine.   Always on somebody elses nickel so I wouldn't know what fees if any there would be."

Now, I admit that on the surface there doesn't appear to be too much information here, but if we read between the lines...

1. Mr. Gatti considers it a LOSS that he hasn't been to many BYO's, basing that opinion on his visit to Wondee's and a few to Chez Dominique. An extension of this statement could be that it would be a loss NOT to go to Chez Dominique? Furthermore, we might infer that Chez Dominique is to French cuisine what Wondee's is to Thai cuisine?

2. Mr. Gatti has been to Chez Dominique a FEW times. He makes no mention of gun play, so we might assume that he even went voluntarily and, most importantly, REPEATEDLY. Generally speaking, repeated visits are a good sign, unless of course the diner is the extremely optimistic/forgiving type who always decides to give a restaurant "another chance" no matter how much punishment the kitchen can deal out.

3. Mr. Gatti has only been to Chez Dominique on "somebody else's nickel". The implications of this phrase are twofold. Firstly, it confirms the fact that at least TWO people have in fact eaten at Chez Dominique on multiple occasions. This reduces the chance of having repeated visits due to the optimistic/forgiving personality (since it is a rare breed of diner at best). Secondly, it connotes that Chez Dominique's food is worthy of being a present... an unselfish presentation from one human being to another in a gesture of true friendship and/or a slimy business deal. However, if we look back to reason #2 (the multiple visits), I think we can safely dismiss the latter motivation for gift giving since business deals rarely stretch out over 5-6 dinners and two incarnations of a particular restaurant. Then again, perhaps there COULD have been multiple different business deals, in which case it would be QUITE the good sign that Chez Dominique serves one hell of a power meal!

4. Mr. Gatti has been to Chez Dominique more often than its previous incarnation, Chez Madeleine. This could very well suggest that the present incarnation is superior, having resolved those seating issues that Rosie has brought to our attention.

In conlusion... I've quite obviously never been there and have entirely too much free time on my hands today.

I have passed by the place though, on my way from Migdalia's to the pool hall next door to Chez Dominique. I'm not sure if they have menus posted outside, but I'm thinking they do for some reason. Anyway, if it looks very bad, you can always just walk 50 feet to Migdalia's. Oh, and you might want to bring some cash with you if you plan on visiting the pool hall. There have been times when a friend and I were the ONLY people playing pool, because about 20 other people were all gambling with dice on another table and we didn't have enough cash to join in the game.

:wink:

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201

201

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Posted
Stop 201.  You're causing me to have flashbacks of my philosophy-logic classes way back when I was at college.  :raz:

Sorry, I just thought that a French restaurant was the appropriate backdrop for that sort of thing! :hmmm:

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rozrapp

rozrapp

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201 posted on Jul 30 2002, 02:15 PM

Mr. Gatti has been to Chez Dominique more often than its previous incarnation, Chez Madeleine. This could very well suggest that the present incarnation is superior, having resolved those seating issues that Rosie has brought to our attention.

The owners of Chez Madeleine moved the restaurant to a new location in Northvale and renamed it Madeleine's Petit Paris. So, in actuality, Chez Dominique is not a new incarnation of Chez Madeleine, but a totally new restaurant that took over that space.

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ngatti

ngatti

Posted
Posted
Rachel - I remembered SOMEone posting SOMEthing about Chez Dominique on this board before, so I did a search.  It turns out it was Mr. Gatti mentioning it during a discussion about Wondee's and the lack of corkage fees...

"I don't go to many BYOs.  My loss.    A few times to Chez Dominique in Bergenfield and a couple of times to it's former Incarnation, Chez Madeleine.   Always on somebody elses nickel so I wouldn't know what fees if any there would be."

Now, I admit that on the surface there doesn't appear to be too much information here, but if we read between the lines...

1. Mr. Gatti considers it a LOSS that he hasn't been to many BYO's, basing that opinion on his visit to Wondee's and a few to Chez Dominique.  An extension of this statement could be that it would be a loss NOT to go to Chez Dominique?  Furthermore, we might infer that Chez Dominique is to French cuisine what Wondee's is to Thai cuisine? 

2. Mr. Gatti has been to Chez Dominique a FEW times.  He makes no mention of gun play, so we might assume that he even went voluntarily and, most importantly, REPEATEDLY.  Generally speaking, repeated visits are a good sign, unless of course the diner is the extremely optimistic/forgiving type who always decides to give a restaurant "another chance" no matter how much punishment the kitchen can deal out.

3. Mr. Gatti has only been to Chez Dominique on "somebody else's nickel".  The implications of this phrase are twofold.  Firstly, it confirms the fact that at least TWO people have in fact eaten at Chez Dominique on multiple occasions.  This reduces the chance of having repeated visits due to the optimistic/forgiving personality (since it is a rare breed of diner at best).  Secondly, it connotes that Chez Dominique's food is worthy of being a present... an unselfish presentation from one human being to another in a gesture of true friendship and/or a slimy business deal.  However, if we look back to reason #2 (the multiple visits), I think we can safely dismiss the latter motivation for gift giving since business deals rarely stretch out over 5-6 dinners and two incarnations of a particular restaurant.  Then again, perhaps there COULD have been multiple different business deals, in which case it would be QUITE the good sign that Chez Dominique serves one hell of a power meal!

4. Mr. Gatti has been to Chez Dominique more often than its previous incarnation, Chez Madeleine.  This could very well suggest that the present incarnation is superior, having resolved those seating issues that Rosie has brought to our attention. 

In conlusion... I've quite obviously never been there and have entirely too much free time on my hands today.

I have passed by the place though, on my way from Migdalia's to the pool hall next door to Chez Dominique.  I'm not sure if they have menus posted outside, but I'm thinking they do for some reason.  Anyway, if it looks very bad, you can always just walk 50 feet to Migdalia's.  Oh, and you might want to bring some cash with you if you plan on visiting the pool hall.  There have been times when a friend and I were the ONLY people playing pool, because about 20 other people were all gambling with dice on another table and we didn't have enough cash to join in the game.

:wink:

Hey!, my friends call me Nick :biggrin:

Nick

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201

201

Posted
Posted
Hey!, my friends call me Nick :biggrin:

Thanks, Nick... you got it! And just for the record, no one has to call me Mr. 201... just 201 is fine. :wink:

edit: Come to think of it... Dr. 201 wouldn't be altogether objectionable.

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Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

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Oh Lord. :rolleyes:

We didn't even go there last night, Jason wanted to go to China 46 instead. Thanks for the anyalysis. BTW - they have a menu on their website. I just read through the reviews and it sounds lovely. Hopefully we'll go in the next week or so. They have a prix fixe Tues-Thurs dinner.

The notes on the bottom of the NYT review make it sound as if it is not open for Friday dinner. ?:huh:?

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Nockerl

Nockerl

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Posted

The restaurant is charming and warm with very good service and an attentive hostess, Mrs. Payraudeau. I've eaten there a number of times since it opened and have never had a bad experience. The food has always been well prepared with wonderful layers of flavor. IT's not overwrought and while it is French cuisine the chef has a light hand. His lentils are heavenly. I believe the Record gave it 4 stars in their last review of it.

And the fact that it is a BYO is a nice added bonus.

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emmaline

emmaline

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Posted

Tuesday night Charlie and I made our annual pilgramige to one of our favorite

We were glad to find that the fire they suffered in the spring had not changed the

place that we could tell. Dominique's is a small restaurant and we were impressed

to find it 3/4 full. The food was up to the ususal high standard.

I began with a hot carrot, ginger soup and Charlie had vichysoisse. It is rare to

find vichysoisse either hot or cold on anyones menu anymore. A complementary

salad followed. Then I had a large lamb shank with couscous in a marvelous

brown sauce. My partner went the appetizer meal route and had the house

smoked salmon and the goat cheese tart. To finish off I had coffee and he had

a lemon tart.

We also noticed that a Cuban restaurant was opening next door in the place of

the bar/pool hall of yore. Gentrification here is not a bad thing!

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Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

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We also noticed that a Cuban restaurant was opening next door in the place of the bar/pool hall of yore. Gentrification here is not a bad thing!

Drove by today. It's Migdalia Cafe! Hopefully, they'll be able to produce more food in this larger space. Not being a huge fan of the cuban sandwich, they're always out of whatever I want to order when we go to the little place on the corner.

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