Steve & Andrea's - Rutherford

[tkrongold]

Years ago when I worked in the area, we used to go to Steve & Andrea's on Park Ave in Rutherford for lunch. I passed by recently & see that they now serve dinner. Has anyone visited lately? Thanks.

[Rosie]

Never heard of this place. Is it near Cafe Matisse?

[jwjojo]

Went to eat here with a 2 for 1 coupon for dinner. It was less than mediocre...probably would not go back again even with two for one. We had Chicken Parm and a mixed scallop shrimp dish. The sauce on the Parm. tasted like Ragu. The seafood dish was just bland. I have had brunch here before and it was not terrible.

[tkrongold]

kind of across the street from Cafe Matisse.

thanks, JWJOJO. doesn't sound like it's worth a visit.

[Curlz]

Probably haven't been there in over 5 years, but it's a little local place--fine for breakfast or lunch if you're out running errands, but no--nothing impressive the last time I was there.

[ghostrider]

Haven't been there & I live in town.

A local friend says they have great crabcakes. We tried to go there one evening to sample them, but they were closed at what I consider a ridiculously early hour. I don't think it was yet 9:00. Could never muster the wherewithal to try to get there again.

There is a new place around the corner from Matisse, facing on Lincoln Park on Highland Cross, called Highland Grill & offering a standard trattoria-style menu. It's a nice looking room. I haven't tried them yet. Their menu notes that several dishes feature, and I quote verbatim, their "ho-made marinara sauce." I really want to go in there and make puttanesca jokes but I don't know if I have the nerve.

Edited January 12, 2005 by ghostrider (log)

[WestOrangeFrank]

Haven't been there & I live in town.

Hey ghost, can you give us the low down (or do you know where there is a thread) on the Rutherford scene? Have you been back to mignon?

[ghostrider]

Hi Frank, not much to report. Went to Corrado the other night, browse down the index page.

Haven't been back to mignon, or much of anywhere else in town since, apart from Corrado. Budget constraints, I usually cook or we're eating cheap Chinese.

[phaelon56]

It was less than mediocre...probably would not go back again even with two for one.

My feelings exactly. It's okay... actually pretty good for breakfast (but I'll take the Candlewyck Diner in East Rutherford in a heartbeat for breakfast over this place). I went in the evening about six months after they started opening for dinner and was very underwhelmed.

Never tried Corrado's but the menu looks decent for Italian. I had a so-so meal at the Greek place underneath Eros Cafe on park but it was when they were first open and we did not order Greek items (I think that was our mistake). I suspect they're good for Greek food.

If you're into big portions, friendly service and decent Portuguese food that's generally as good as what you'll get in Ironbound, just head down Ridge Road and cross over into Lyndhurst. Tero's is on the left just past the corner of New York Avenue actross from the cemetery. When I was moving out of Rutherford (summer 2003) they were just about to open a second dining room (this one non-smoking). I awlays got consistently good food there and great service (a few of the waitresses spoke limited English so pointing things out on the menu was sometimes helpful).

[menton1]

Haven't been there & I live in town.

Hey ghost, can you give us the low down (or do you know where there is a thread) on the Rutherford scene? Have you been back to mignon?

Best choices in the area:

Sonoma

Cafe Matisse

Park & Orchard

Everything else is super-ordinary...

[ghostrider]

Haven't been there & I live in town.

Hey ghost, can you give us the low down (or do you know where there is a thread) on the Rutherford scene? Have you been back to mignon?

Best choices in the area:

Sonoma

Cafe Matisse

Park & Orchard

Everything else is super-ordinary...

←

What's Sonoma?

Argument to be made that P&O is quite ordinary in some ways. I still like them, & it's kind of apples vs. oranges, but I think Corrado has several dishes as good as anything P&O has. Granted P&O is a more ambitious place & offers a much wider array of menu choices.

Eros/After Athens has decent Greek food & generally good fish dishes. (I still have to try Greek Delights in Montclair, I suspect that they're better from all of the raves here.) They pissed me off last time I was there, though; after I had a long discussion with the server about my low-salt diet, the "scallops sauteed in white wine & garlic & herbs" arrived smothered in egg batter, almost looking like a scallop omelet. I wouldn't expect a server to connect low salt with a cardiac-friendly diet if I don't specify that up front, but I thought that this rather peculiar preparation would have rated a better description.

More to the point, the accompanying pilaf was loaded with salt. When I pointed this out to the server, he just tried to laugh it off. Not an impressive performance, & I'm not hurrying back.

Edited January 13, 2005 by ghostrider (log)

[Rosie]

Sonoma Grill, East Rutherford

[jwjojo]

Paisano's is quite decent for Italian. After Athens is not bad but over priced. I think the Village Gourmet is horrible...food and service. I don't know how anyone likes that place. Have not found decent take out Chinese. Daruma is good sushi and Korean food. My take on my town...Cafe Matisse is for special occasions, very pricey. I heard Sonoma is under new management..that it had gone downhill...heard this from someone who works there. I have not eaten there yet, but they are now in the Entertainment book. Park and Orchard...another one I just don't understand. Great wine list, sure. But the food is nothing great in my book, and it never changes.

[ghostrider]

Park and Orchard...another one I just don't understand.  Great wine list, sure.  But the food is nothing great in my book, and it never changes.

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The "never changes" is my big gripe there. I am so sick of the brown rice & pureed squash.

You can get a decent hunk of fish there, & some of their quasi-Oriental stuff can be tasty, if far from authentic. The size of the portions almost guarantee you a second meal so in that sense they're a decent value.

I always enjoy the place when we're there, I just don't feel moved to return very often.

Corrado's homemade ravioli, OTOH, I could eat every other night.

[tommy]

  Park and Orchard...another one I just don't understand.  Great wine list, sure.  But the food is nothing great in my book, and it never changes.

←

agreed. cafeteria food, at best. agree about Village Gourmet as well. the success of and accolades for these two restaurants proves to me that most people spending money at restaurants in this area don't really have taste like mine. i'll let the reader judge if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

[Curlz]

As far as I'm concerned, that's a BAD thing, b/c this area just keeps getting mediocre restaurants!!

[Cook456]

I totally agree with Ghostrider.

P&O is so overated, yet they just keep packing them in. It's just what "middle america" eats these days..mediocre food..and lots of it!

I dined at Corrado's a few years back and enjoyed it. As I remember it. the fish dishes were superb.

Daruma is also very good for sushe, but a bit on the pricy side for NJ. They even charge for green tea!

[Cook456]

I totally agree with Ghostrider.

P&O is so overated, yet they just keep packing them in. It's just what "middle america" eats these days..mediocre food..and lots of it!

I dined at Corrado's a few years back and enjoyed it. As I remember it, the fish dishes were superb.

Daruma is also very good for sushi, but a bit on the pricy side for NJ. They even charge for green tea!

[Curlz]

I'd like to think that P&O packs 'em in b/c of their wine selection--I agree that it isn't because of the food. Then again, with so many great BYO restaurants in reach of Rutherford, there are LOTS of other choices!!

[ghostrider]

I'd like to think that P&O packs 'em in b/c of their wine selection--I agree that it isn't because of the food. 

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When we were in the process of moving to Rutherford 14 years ago, a young woman I worked with at the time started raving about P&O & how they would drive down there from Pompton Lakes a couple of times a month because the food was SO GREAT!!!!!!

Sadly, I think it is the food that brings in a lot of the crowd.

the success of and accolades for these two restaurants proves to me that most people spending money at restaurants in this area don't really have taste like mine. i'll let the reader judge if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Can't say it better.