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.

The First NJ eGullet Dinner

Rachel Perlow

By Rachel Perlow
in New Jersey: Dining

 Share

Recommended Posts

Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
Posted

After reviewing the options suggested in our previous discussion we have decided to hold our first NJ eGullet Dinner at 5 PM, Sunday, January 27, 2002, at Seabra’s Restaurant at Mediterranean Manor. The address/phone is 255 Jefferson St, Newark, NJ 07105, (973) 465-1966. RSVP by January 18th in this thread and please also Email me with your name(s) and phone number.

Jason and I like to go there for their Rodizio meal of an assortment of meat served off swords by the waiters, all you can eat fashion. They also offer a diverse menu of Spanish and Portuguese specialties including Paella, Mariscada, Pork and Clams, etc. For those who want something simpler, there are several choices of grilled fish, veal, chicken, or seafood.

Our dinner will include several appetizers served family style (Shrimp and Garlic, Clams in Green Sauce, Grilled Portuguese Sausage and Fried Calamari), Salad (a very simple salad bar), your choice of Main Course, and Dessert. Beverages are also included (domestic beer, wine, sangria, sodas, coffee, tea, espresso – please pay cash if you order something else from the bar) in the price of ะ per person (including tax and tip), plan to pay with cash.  There is plenty of parking, either in the Catering Hall’s lot around the corner, there’s a bank with a small parking across the street and a shopping center with a large lot on the lot diagonally across the corner.  For driving directions, Click Here. The restaurant entrance is to the left when you enter the lobby of Mediterranean Manor.  We look forward to seeing lots of you on the 27th!  Rachel and Jason Perlow

For those coming from NYC, there are a couple options. Two NJ Transit Train lines stop at Newark Penn Station from New York Penn Station. To see the entire schedule, go to the NJ Transit Website, but this seems to be the best options for our dinner:

- Going to Newark:  North Jersey Coast Line departs NYC Penn Station at 4:38 PM, arrives Newark at 4:53 PM, or Northeast Corridor Line departs NYC Penn Station at 4:32 PM, arrives Newark at 4:47 PM

- Going back to New York:  North Jersey Coast Line leaves on the hour (i.e. 7:00 or 8:00 PM), the Northeast Corridor Line leaves at 7:16 or 8:16.

Take a taxi to the restaurant. Tell the driver you are going to Mediterranean Manor at 255 Jefferson, don’t mention Seabra’s or you’ll probably end up at the wrong place! Depending on the number of NYC attendee's, I'm sure we'll be able to get you a ride back to Penn Station.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
=Mark

=Mark

Posted
Posted

I'm game!  I'll be taking the train up from the South, however.  Will have to check the schedule.

=Mark

Give a man a fish, he eats for a Day.

Teach a man to fish, he eats for Life.

Teach a man to sell fish, he eats Steak

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Mark, checking your profile I see you live in the Red Bank area. There is indeed a train about once an hour on Sundays into Newark. I hope you will be joining us.

Someone who doesn't eat pork or shellfish emailed me questioning their food options. I have spoken with the restaurant and we will have a vegetarian appetizer in addition to salad. There are also about 10 choices of entrees for those who can't eat pork or seafood, including three grilled fish dishes of cod, salmon or grouper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jhlurie

jhlurie

Posted
Posted

I said it in the other thread, but for those who haven't seen it... the place is a real kick.  First of all there is the always entertaining spectacle of watching the goings-on in the neighboring catering hall.  Its pretty much always the local folk, and you can tell that they take their partying seriously.  

I personally have not had the seafood at this place, but I've gone with people who have and they rated it as pretty good.  The rodizio is the best, although bow out of that if you don't like salt on your meat.  I've only gotten to the desert stage once, but I recall that they have a pretty good selection.

If you plan on having the rodizio my advice is to either skip lunch or limit yourself to something like fruit or a salad.

The sangria is excellent, although I really recommend the white over the red.

This will NOT be the most sophisticated dinner that we as eGulleteers will ever have... but I can assure you that it is an interesting and fun place--usually only attended by locals.  The atmosphere encourages loud raucous discussion and the seating is at large banquet style tables appropriate for a large group.

Jon Lurie, aka "jhlurie"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jhlurie

jhlurie

Posted
Posted

To elaborate on something Rachel said... the "wrong" Seabra's Rodizio appears to be at 1034 Mccarter Hwy., near Washington Park.  I don't know too much about it, except that the person who first explained the difference between the two places to me (a Portuguese friend of my step-mother) seemed to not think too much of the place.

The "right" Seabra's, at 255 Jefferson St, is further south, a block or two from Independence Park.  Yahoo doesn't even list the place as Seabra's, its under "Mediterranean Manor Catering".  Heck, maybe the best thing to do is to completely forget you ever heard the Seabra's part of the name. :)  As Rachel says, certainly don't mention it to a Newark cabbie.

Jon Lurie, aka "jhlurie"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

jhlurie - are you coming? I haven't gotten an RSVP from you in my email yet.

Tommy - It's not a crazy place, or even that loud, it's just that we won't feel compelled to be quiet. You liked the other place we recommended (China 46), I'm sure you'll have a good time if you come! And I promise to plan something more "sophisticated" for the next dinner.

So far ten people have confirmed that they are coming, I look forward to seeing you all there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jhlurie

jhlurie

Posted
Posted
Quote: from RPerlow on 6:30 pm on Dec. 28, 2001

jhlurie - are you coming? I haven't gotten an RSVP from you in my email yet.

Tommy - It's not a crazy place, or even that loud, it's just that we won't feel compelled to be quiet.

Rachel:  There is a small chance I may be out of town that weekend... but very small.  

Tommy:  To be more specific... Seabra's itself--being an adjunct to a neighborhood catering hall is not sophisticated--but there certainly aren't people hanging from chandeliers.  My point was that it is a well-lit open setup with long tables, not a cozy or intimate place.  The "spectacle" I refered to is in the Mediterranean Manor catering hall next door... Seabra's itself is attached to the place (almost certainly sharing the same kitchen).

I'll admit, the place won't suit everyone.  The point is that the food is good, and it's a bit of a different experience.  It's sort of the same situation as China 46... it excels because its a place where the people of that actual ethnicity eat themselves, instead of the fancier place up the block where the "touristas" eat.

Jon Lurie, aka "jhlurie"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

We're up to 12 confirmed participants. Although we could have more, 18 would be an optimum number to have attend because that would be an entire long table. Jason and I went back there last night. Fun time as always. To be honest I got a little drunk - we got the larger pitcher of sangria rather than the half size we usually get when it's just the two of us, and I drank about 2/3 of it myself!

To address Rosie's concern from the discussion thread: yes, the rodizio was a little salty. If that is an issue I'd suggest ordering one of the other options on the menu. But the quality of the meat is much better than any other rodizio place we've been to before. A nice touch is that they finish the rodizio with a slice of pineapple, grilled with ground cinnimon sprinkled all around it, warm and juicy, yum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Meg, relax, as mentioned in original post, the RSVP date is January 18th. Of course, if I'm confused and you are saying he's going to be away, but you want to come, you are welcome to come alone. I don't think you'll be the only single there.

Helena, I haven't gotten an email from you.

Everyone, you can use the eGullet messenger system to send me a private message if you aren't able to send an email to my regular hotmail account for some reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

Posted
Posted

Well, considering we ate there this evening with Lin and Andy... I would rate that as a definite yes...

I actually had their regular food for the first time this evening... actually very good...

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

As Jay mentioned we ate there last night trying, for the first time, other items on the menu besides the rodizio. The shrimp ajillo and portuguese sausage appetizers were both excellent. The shrimp were small and tender and not overwhelmed by the garlic, the sausage was clearly homemade style, you could see the grain of large chunks of meat that made up the sausage (instead of ground meat) and it was served with large black olives.

Jason had the Pork and Clams, which was excellent, really delicious. Lin and I each had fish. She had the Red Snapper (whole fish), I had the grilled Cod, which was a large piece with bones. They were lightly charred on the outside, and nicely cooked on the inside. Only negative note is that they were both saltly. For Lin this was good, she likes things salty, for me, I'd ask them to go light on the salt in future. Andy had the rodizio and made a valiant effort to get through an entire round, there were at least ten different meats.

Good food, good friends, good sangria... what a great evening (sigh).

PS to jhlurie - drink enough sangria and magically a sore tooth doesn't hurt that much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
megkel

megkel

Posted
Posted

My concern getting to the dinner - is that if my husbands flight is delayed - we will not make it.  I would hate to sign up - then have to cancel.  But if his flight is on time - we will straight from the airport

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...