NJ Monthly Readers' Choice Poll

[Rosie]

Now you can vote online for your favorite New Jersey restaurants on the New Jersey Monthly 22nd Annual Readers' Choice Restaurant Poll. Just go to

http://www.njmonthly.com/issues/Feb05/reader.html

to take part in this survey. Complete the form and hit submit. The entry deadline is March 12, 2005 and the results will be posted in the August New Jersey Monthly magazine and online. You can name restaurants that are anywhere in New Jersey. Three regions are being represented:

North: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, and Warren

counties

Central: Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Somerset counties

South: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester,

Ocean, and Salem counties

The Readers' Choice Restaurant Poll is your chance to decide which are the best dining spots in the Garden State. By submitting a ballot you also become eligible for a prize to be awarded by random drawing: dinner for two at the restaurant named Best of the Best in your region. And your choices will help New Jersey Monthly identify New Jersey's favorite restaurants in the August issue.

The annual Readers' Choice Awards is one of New Jersey Monthly's most

popular and successful features. So be part of it.

All responses are confidential. Your name, street address, e-mail address, and phone number are required for your ballot to be counted, and this information will be used to notify you if you win the drawing. New Jersey Monthly does not hold onto the names for other use, they strictly help with fraud control. Restaurants assisting in the submission of poll ballots and restaurants distributing ballots or magazines containing them will be disqualified. New Jersey Monthly reserves the right to reject ballots that appear to have been submitted improperly.

Every vote in the Readers' Choice Restaurant Poll counts. An outside auditing firm is used to ensure that all votes are counted and treated fairly. The auditing team also inspects the ballots for signs of ballot stuffing and other fraud. So please vote!

[suzilightning]

did it in the paper version today....

[Rosie]

did it in the paper version today....

←

Should we ask who you voted for?

[suzilightning]

let''s just say zoe's, martini beach, the new thai place and american grill got some votes

[Rosie]

New Thai Place???

[suzilightning]

New Thai Place???

←

just had lunch with my dangerous english friend at:

Thai Nam Phet

296 Rt 46 East

Rockaway, NJ

973-627-8400

tues - thurs 11:30 am - 10 pm

fri & sat 11:30 am - 10:30 pm

sun 3:00 pm-9:30 pm

and, Rosie, BYO wink.gif

DISCLAIMER i am no thai food expert(though i play one on tv and want to get better acquainted).

we walked in and were greeted and seated immediately. ice water was poured and the upselling began - asking if we wanted tea, coffee, thai iced tea, thai iced coffee or hot apple cider (1.50-2.50).

the menu covers entrees and appetizers and in the back is the lunch special menu served mon- fri 11:30 -3:00 pm.

we decided on the lunch specials: Pad Preow Whan and Tom Yam Gai for me, Pad Thai and Thai salad for 'chelle with Po Pia Tod to share. and a thai iced tea for me. i asked the server what was in it and he said "things from Thailand". ok.

the salad, soup and iced tea came out immediately. the soup was spicy without being lip searing and i loved the hint of lemongrass and kaffir lime. the thai peanut dressing on 'chelle's salad really gave it a wonderful flavor. before we had finished the spring rolls came out: 4 crispy little cigars of hot goodness with plum sauce. oh, my wub.gif wub.gif

the pad thai was beautifully presented and the pad prew whan i had with chicken. crispy cucumber, softened tomatoes, pineapple, onion strips, scallions in a non-gloppy sweet and sour sauce which could have been a tad more sour(that's just me). one thing 'chelle noted that she liked this cuisine because it seemed less oily than most of the chinese food she has had around here. the total was 23.70 plus tip.

i think i could also get johnnybird to try this because not all of the dishes are spicy and i want to try more of the spicier dishes. i want to try the larb, Yum Ped Yang(duck salad), Mee Grob, curry puff, Tamarind duck, Chicken Yellow Currry, Ginger duck and beef with oyster sauce.

[Rosie]

Thanks for the info suzilightning.

[Randi]

Restaurants assisting in the submission of poll ballots and restaurants distributing ballots or magazines containing them will be disqualified.

←

Is it ok for them to send an email with a link to the ballot? I received one, and actually thought it was a good promotional tool.

[Rosie]

Randi--I forwarded your question to NJM as I don't want to give you the wrong answer.

[Soda]

Rosie: Thanks for your welcome on the "EKKO" thread. I just submitted my ballot, but since you asked where I love to eat, I'd like to happily note that some of my very favorite eateries are right here in my local South Orange/Maplewood area: Jocelyne's, Verjus, St. James' Gate, Cafe Arugula, Antonella's, Reservoir Restaurant, A Taste of Asia, Bill & Harry's (take-out), and, of course, the Town Hall Deli.

Lest you condemn me as hopelessly local, though, let me add that we dined at Cafe Matisse last night, that we'll be at the Stage House on the 12th (sorry we'll miss the big Chinese banquet on Rte 46) for a pre-Valentine's Day Romance-A-Thon, and that we're hoping against hope to snag a last-minute table at Per Se (through Open Table) sometime this century.

My best restaurant experience -- ever -- was at TRIO in Evanston, IL, three years ago, and we plan to visit Alinea in Chicago once it opens, to see if Chef Grant can top himself...

Gotta go check my chili now. Root for the Eagles, but bet on the Pats...

-s.

BTW: I'm one of your readers, as well. You do a great job!

[Rosie]

Antonella's? Never been. Is it a casual Italian restaurant?

[Soda]

Yes, Rosie. It's a small Mom&Pop (Antonella&Carlo) BYO on Village Plaza here in South Orange. The place holds only about 10 tables, but they're a charming couple with a desire to please, and the food's reliably good, with a bit more panache than Reservoir Restaurant's, but less than Cafe Arugula's. Despite a relative lack of ambiance, they're filled most nights, so a reservation's a good idea. 973-763-0391.

-s.

BTW: Have you been to Papillon 25, the restaurant/martini bar, or Lot 15 Steak House (being operated by ex-staff from Maplewood's Centanni in the old Stuffed Shirt Location) here in S.O?

[Rosie]

Been to neither Papillon 25 or Lot 15. What do you usually order at Antonella & Carlo?

[Soda]

Tonight at Antonella's was pretty typical; I ended up choosing between the grilled talapia and pappardelle specials. I went with the fish. Sometimes I let the Chef decide. It's a very casual litle place, and he may occasionally run out of a special, yet come up with a surprisingly nice substitute. I've learned to be flexible when arriving after 8PM.

-s.

BTW: I love LuLu's Bistro in Livingston, as well, but for different reasons...

[gourmand2]

Randi Posted Feb 2 2005, 01:00 PM

  QUOTE(Rosie @ Jan 25 2005, 03:23 PM)

Restaurants assisting in the submission of poll ballots and restaurants distributing ballots or magazines containing them will be disqualified.

Is it ok for them to send an email with a link to the ballot? I received one, and actually thought it was a good promotional tool.

Randi--I forwarded your question to NJM as I don't want to give you the wrong answer.

←

Has NJM come to a conclusion on this issue yet?

[Rosie]

There is no way NJM can stop restaurants from TELLING people about the poll. If they don't say "and by the way, vote for us" then it's ok.

If they do anything that smells of asking for votes, they will be disqualified.

"Restaurants assisting in the submission of poll ballots and restaurants distributing ballots or magazines containing them will be disqualified. New Jersey Monthly reserves the right to reject ballots that appear to have been submitted improperly."

Additionally, the independent auditing firm will conduct phone calls to verify some votes.

[Rosie]

REMINDER: Entry deadline is March 12, 2005

[Rosie]

REMINDER: DEADLINE IS SATURDAY MARCH 12.

[Lreda]

I voted.

On another topic, as most of you know I have a grudge with Zagat's and finally have something good to say about them. I'm on their mailing list ( How I don't know and it pisses me off ) when I recieved a email from the S.F. edition. Due to my usual anger fueled by a few glasses of Moon Mt Meritage, I sent my usual reply to any email sent by Zagat's, "Zagat's sucks". I recieved a query as to why I dislike Zagat's. I was impressed with this, especially from someone form S.F. as opposed to someone from the East Coast. We'll see if I get a response as I mention the woman from The Asbury Press.

Edited March 7, 2005 by Lreda (log)

[Rosie]

Contest ends on Saturday.