Belmont Tavern

[tommy]

any thoughts on this place? famous for its "chicken savoy." stick to the chicken?

[Curlz]

That's the ONLY thing I ever hear about in relation to the Belmont Tavern, so my guess would be yes!!

[Rosie]

I prefer Stretches in Livingston which has a more extensive menu. We don't like the Chicken Savoy as it is too acidic. Can recommend the Chicken Murphy and their special pasta with cheese (it's not on the menu). Stretches is BYO.

[kimmyb72]

also the cavatelli with pot cheese.

[Curlz]

also the cavatelli with pot cheese.

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Is that at Stretch's or at the Belmont Tavern?

[fascino]

Belmont rocks! Chicken Savoy and Chicken Murphy are defintiely the two best dishes there. My kids seem to really like the cavatelli with Pot cheese. I've tried it and it is pretty good but I prefer my grandmother's. For appetizer we always get the Clams Oreganato, usually 2 orders per person...

Anyway, service is bottom of the barrel...so don't be expecting much...

[kimmyb72]

also the cavatelli with pot cheese.

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at stretches curlz. tommy you have never been to the belmont? it's quite different from what you are used to i'm sure!! fascino is right, waitresses are nasty, throw the food at you, set the table with mismatched plates dating back to 1977, and you can cut the smoke with a knife. sometimes you don't even get a menu they just ask you what you want.

[howard88]

At the Belmont Tavern I remember the clams oreganata as being good

It has been a dozen years since I have been there so keep that in mind.

[tommy]

at stretches curlz. tommy you have never been to the belmont? it's quite different from what you are used to i'm sure!!  fascino is right, waitresses are nasty, throw the food at you, set the table with mismatched plates dating back to 1977, and you can cut the smoke with a knife. sometimes you don't even get a menu they just ask you what you want.

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you can only imagine where i spend my time. this sounds like my kinda place.

i'm going this weekend and i'm told we'll be getting something called "shrimp beats", which may or may not be on the menu. this should be fun.

Edited October 29, 2004 by tommy (log)

[tommy]

and can someone tell me what chicken murphy is? as much as i want to try the chicken savoy, i don't like cheap balsamic, which i think they must use. and the acidity will have its way with my cheap eye-talian red. perhaps i'll try someone else's savoy and get the murphy for meself.

[richl2214]

and can someone tell me what chicken murphy is?  as much as i want to try the chicken savoy, i don't like cheap balsamic, which i think they must use.  and the acidity will have its way with my cheap eye-talian red.  perhaps i'll try someone else's savoy and get the murphy for meself.

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Chicken Murphy is usually a white wine based dish with potatoes, peppers, mushrooms and sometimes sausage.

However, the Belmont's chicken savoy is definitely the best and I would suggest foregoing your balsamic snobbery and try it. I love eating it with some nice crusty Italian bread to soak up the juices. If you like hot peppers and your stomach can handle them try the garlic sauteed hot italian peppers appetizer.

The Clams Oreganato is great too but my Dad makes it better.

Shrimp "Beeps" is a regular on the menu. I never ordered it but I think it is red sauce based dish on the spicier side.

Make sure you order espresso when asked. if you change your mind and order it after the fact you'll catch hell from the waitress.

Service is pretty much this.

Waitress: "Whatta ya want?"

You: "How's the Shrimp Beeps?"

Waitress: "It's good. Are you ready to order yet?"

You: "Yes but I have a few more....(Cut off)

Waitress: "Ill be back when you're ready, Im busy."

Belmont is a no nonsense tavern that serves great food. You should get there relatively early because they always fill up fast and it's a tough place to wait in if the bar is full. A definite must for any Italian-American food lover.

Edited October 29, 2004 by richl2214 (log)

[kimmyb72]

and can someone tell me what chicken murphy is?  as much as i want to try the chicken savoy, i don't like cheap balsamic, which i think they must use.  and the acidity will have its way with my cheap eye-talian red.  perhaps i'll try someone else's savoy and get the murphy for meself.

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i agree with rich... suck it up and try the savoy

[tommy]

i ordered a Bud from jimmy the barman and he said "they got bud around the corner" and walked away.

[kimmyb72]

i ordered a Bud from jimmy the barman and he said "they got bud around the corner" and walked away. 

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what did you eat?

[ejebud]

any thoughts on this place?  famous for its "chicken savoy."  stick to the chicken?

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TAKE NOTE** IT'S CASH ONLY!!

Also, a tossed salad comes with dinner, and if you can blaze through THAT vinegar, the Balsamic in the Savoy is like fine wine!! LOL

[Septemberdog61]

any thoughts on this place?  famous for its "chicken savoy."  stick to the chicken?

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Don't go for the ambience. Don't go for the service. Go for the escarole salad, cavetelli with pot cheese and chicken savoy. And go early. The place is packed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.

[tommy]

any thoughts on this place?  famous for its "chicken savoy."  stick to the chicken?

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Don't go for the ambience. Don't go for the service. Go for the escarole salad, cavetelli with pot cheese and chicken savoy. And go early. The place is packed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.

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actually, for me, the ambience and the service played a very important role in the experience, and i'll likely return because of factors beyond how tasty the food was.

as far as what we ate, aside from the several carafes of cheap red wine:

shrimp oreganato

clams oreganato - the oreganato dishes were like none i've ever had, although i rarely eat things like this. simply excellent.

that mixed salad of theirs - just pefect

hot peppers - mostly not hot. apparently they're hit or miss when it comes to heat.

pasta with clam sauce - not enough sauce/clams

shrimp beeps - this dish was excellent. slightly fried shrimp in a red sauce.

pork chop in vinegar

chicken murphy

chicken savoy

i probably missed a dish or two in this list.

the savoy was less sweet and acidic than i had expected. it was a dryer dish than i expected as well, which is fine. i was very full by that point, but it was pretty good chicken. unlike most chicken i've ever had, which makes it worth the trip right there.

there was about a 45 minute wait on a friday at 8. i'd take the recommendations of others and get there early.

[bcm]

The most consistent place for Savoy that I've found is Al Di La on

Bloomfield Ave. in Montclair (below street level) but it's called

Chicken Al Di La there. It's been served to us both over and under

cooked at the Belmont and Stretch's.

Al Di La also serves some of the more traditional "old Newark"

dishes at times - tripe, cardoons and lamb's head at Easter.

Haven't been in a while - kind of eccentric place but does some things

well.

[hitmanoo]

I'm actually considering going there tonight, but you never know...

Stretch was the original chef at the Belmont Tavern. Now his granddaughter is running the show and preparing all of the dishes. Stretch has been dead for years.

I actually ate the last meal Stretch ever prepared at the Belmont, as a youngster, many years ago. Pork chops on a hot summer day, and he practically threw a fit in the kitchen. After that, he was asked not to do the cooking anymore, go figure.

As for the Belmont, the best Ap is the Shrimp Beeps. Served with a nice spicy marinara sauce, it's sure to clear the sinuses.

As for the main dishes, the Chicken Savoy is their signature dish--in fact, it was actually invented by Stretch and debuted the Belmont.

The Chicken Murphy is also solid, and the cavetelli w/ pot cheese also gets rave reviews.

The Belmont is not a place for decor, service or atmosphere. There is not an extensive menu, but their highlight dishes are excellent. When you can thrive as a restauant with one or two dishes being your bread and butter, you know that those dishes are kick-ass.

On a sidenote, Tommy... didn't you mock me when I recommended the Belmont in the past?

I'm very happy that you enjoyed your experience there, as it is one of my all time favorites!

Edited November 3, 2004 by hitmanoo (log)

[BarbaraNJ]

Hello All:

I have been to Belmont Tavern, and agree 100% with all of the comments, including "attitude" and the top food favorites. Have been to AlDiLa also.

I always thought, however, that "Stretches" was just another name for Belmont Tavern. Never knew that there was a seperate Stretch.

Where is it???

Thanks, and am lovin' all the very honest reviews of local spots.

[Rosie]

Stretch's 18 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave. Livingston 201-994-4043 BYO

[tommy]

On a sidenote, Tommy... didn't you mock me when I recommended the Belmont in the past? 

I'm very happy that you enjoyed your experience there, as it is one of my all time favorites!

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mock you? yes, most likely.

actually, i questioned your unqualified assertion that the belmont is a "better italian restaurant" than trattoria fresco. "better" is subjective, of course, but i'd certainly hesitate to send someone who was looking for a good italian restaurant to the belmont without a brief explanation first (which you then went on to do quite effectively i'd say...so my work there was done). and if there's ever a place that needs an explanation then the belmont is it. the post.

i'll be back. and probably before i get to trattoria fresco.

Edited November 4, 2004 by tommy (log)

[hitmanoo]

Schmooty and I went to the Belmont last night, and we were not disappointed. We got there at about 8, and it was packed for a Wed night. I'd say we waited about 30-45 minutes for a table. Thankfully, it's usually easier to get a table for 2 than 4 or more.

After the standard salad, we started with the clams oregenato. Very tasty. The do this dish very well, and as Schmooty said, this dish is so much better when it's served little-neck style, as opposed to the chopped clams in the giant shell.

For entres, we had the Savoy and the Murphy. Two great dishes that are very different, and compliment each other well.

The Savoy is such a simple dish, in that it is simply chicken infued with balsamic vinegar. No vegetable accompanyment. So delicious.

The Murphy is quite different. Mushroom, onions and peppers, cooked perfectly with so much flavor. The chicken is almost secondary in this dish. Interestingly, they were out of hot peppers last night, so we had our Murphy with sweet peppers only. I really enjoyed it. Makes me want to go back soon while it's still fresh on my palate so I can do a comparison of the dish with hot peppers.

Ordered a beer and a seltzer.

Total bill $43 + $10 tip. You really can't get a better meal for $25 per person. So reasonable, and so delicious. No wonder this place was so packed on a weeknight.

By 9:00, the crowd had died down, and there was a minimal wait for a table, if any wait at all. I'd say either arive at 7 by the latest, or come at 9. 7-9 is obviously prime time here, and it's only tougher on the weekend.

Also, a subtle tip to John (the maitre d) never hurts to get you a table a little sooner. John doesn't write down a list, and it's so crowded in there that things get confusing. Who's quite sure if the party seated ahead of you actually arived first, or if they just gave a little love to John?

[tommy]

The Murphy is quite different.  Mushroom, onions and peppers, cooked perfectly with so much flavor. 

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i hear that if you're known to the restaurant, you get potatoes in the chicken murphy. why they make that distinction i have no idea.

i hate having to or feeling like i have to tip someone to get a table. although this place is old-school, so i suppose it's part of the charm. but i'll keep my fin and wait a little longer i suppose.

i've got a date to go back in 2 weeks. woo-hoo!

i spoke with one of the servers who's been there for about 15 years. i asked what the deal was with Stretch's. apparently there's no love lost between these two restaurants. this fella claimed that the Stretch's people (Stretch's son, from what i've read), is basically diluting the name, the dishes aren't as good (the gravy, specifically), and he's selling the savoy recipe whatnot. a sign in the Belmont forcefully proclaims that they are *not* related to any other restaurant. another indication i suppose.

[tommy]

i was a bit crushed to learn that the "cheap italian red" that i'd been sucking down gleefully at the belmont is actually cheap california red. called "burgundy" no less. they do kick it old-school at the belmont, that's for sure.