65th Anniversary Dinner

[Sandra Levine]

We are planning to take my in-laws out to dinner to celebrate their 65th! anniversary.  They live in central New Jersey and we want to stay fairly close to home -- i.e. no traveling to NY in early January.  The Ryland Inn is too expensive.  I've thought about The Frog and the Peach in New Brunswick or Soho on George, but I'm worried about the noise level.  Any advice? Suggestions?

[Rosie]

Frog and the Peach or Soho are both lovely restaurants. Another one in that area is Panico's. Amanda's in Hoboken is lovely also as is Jocelyne's (BYO) in Maplewood.

[Helena Robinson]

Is this dinner a foursome - just you two and the in-laws, or are others joining you?

If noise level is a consideration, I'd stay away from Soho.  (I would also be hesitant about Stage Left, another great place in the area, but it can get noisy.)  If you're looking at a group of more than four, the Frog and the Peach can accommodate a larger table (say 6 or more) quite nicely.  We had a table for 6 there on Mother's Day.

Depending on the exact location in Central Jersey, you might also want to consider the Old Mill Inn in Spring Lake Heights or The Molly PItcher Inn in Red Bank.  (Heven't personally tried the Molly, but have read nice things about it.)  Now that I think of it, another consideration is Indigo Moon, a lovely BTO in Atlantic Highlands.

Good luck!

[Rosie]

I was at a brunch at The Molly Pitcher Inn and it was just typical hotel food. Never been for dinner.

[Sandra Levine]

There will be eight of us, one of whom will need  fish or pasta rather than meat, so I think I'll look  into Panico's.  Thank you all for your suggestions.

[Sandra Levine]

We went to SoHo on George after all.  I just wrote a long description of our experience there, that I somehow lost before posting successfully.  To summarize, the evening was very pleasant, noise level ok at the large table in front of the kitchen, appetizers excellent, especially the spinach salad with Maytag blue cheese and caramelized quince.  I loved my quail on tomato hash appetizer, too although that and a salad would have been enough for me.  Paella featured  lovely, fresh shellfish, nicely prepared, but the addition of a creamy saffron sauce made the dish too rich.   Duck confit spring rolls were bland.  The temperature of the salmon was uneven, as if it had been left waiting for other dishes to finish cooking.  Everything was a little too salty.  

Sorbets -- good texture, a little too sweet, served in a martini glass with a pretty two-toned spiral cookie.  It looked like New Year's Eve.

Service was attentive, yet amateur-ish. Our water glasses were re-filled, napkins re-folded, etc, but the waiter felt compelled to tell us his name and state the fact that he would be serving us, as if we couldn't figure that out ourselves.  He also insisted on performing a rote recitation of the specials that added nothing to the printed list that accompanied the regular menu, but did delay the arrival of the champagne for the toast to the in-laws 65th anniversary, which was the reason we were there in the first place.  

I don't mean to sound too negative. It was a lovely evening and much of the food was good.  Everything looked very festive on the plate.  I felt that this is an ambitious restaurant that falls short of its goals, although there is obviously skill in the kitchen.  If I go back, I'll have two appetizers rather than an app and entree.

Once again, thanks to all for the suggestions.  I went to college in New Brunswick (mumble, mumble) years ago and it's still amazing to me that there are several restaurants of this caliber there.

(Edited by Sandra Levine at 4:12 pm on Jan. 6, 2002)