North Jersey Desserts?

[201]

Maybe this topic was covered in the past and I missed it, but what are some good places to visit specifically for desserts when the old sweet tooth hits?  Not necessarily sit down places, but those are nice as well.

For ice cream, I like a store called Gelotti(?) on Union Ave on the border of Paterson and Totowa.  They make some interesting flavors and the service is always friendly (as well as tolerant of my stupid jokes).  It would be much better if they had some benches outside (inside is standing room only), but being located next to a cemetery discourages loitering anyway.

Café Archetypus in Edgewater seems to be pretty good, based on the one visit I just had there this weekend.  Not a huge selection of desserts, but those which my friends and I sampled were surprisingly good.  I could easily see the decor however turning away as many customers as it brings in.

Too often I find myself in a mood for dessert around 11pm on a weekend and wind up in some diner where they ALWAYS serve desserts, but unfortunately that doesn't mean they're good.

[Rosie]

There is a place on Bloomfield Ave. in Montclair which I think is called Electra Cafe?????

A new place has opened in Westfield called Xocolatz on Elm St.

[201]

I believe the place in Montclair is called the Eclectic Café.  It was actually recommended to me by a waiter at Mexicali Rose, but I've yet to experience it myself.  On one occassion I was with people who refused to eat dessert and on another I was with people who were put off by the live "funk" band playing that night.  I'm sure I'll eventually be there with the right people on the right night.

Westfield's a bit outside of my usual stomping grounds, but I'm sure I won't forget the name Xocolatz if I'm ever in the area!

[Rachel Perlow]

Café Archetypus in Edgewater seems to be pretty good, based on the one visit I just had there this weekend.  Not a huge selection of desserts, but those which my friends and I sampled were surprisingly good.  I could easily see the decor however turning away as many customers as it brings in.

Is that the place off of River Rd just down from Rebecca's? Looks kind of like it was sculpted? We've been curious about it but have not gone in yet.

[jtphjl]

There's a little place in Ridgewood called Cafe Mille Luci - it is on Maple Ave just north of the Ridgewood Ave intersection - they serve italian sodas, coffee, tea and an assortment of cookies, torte and italian cakes (limited pastry) - there are a few tables in side and several on the sidewalk . parking is an issue but across the street, pardon the pun, but, on down time, parking is available, across the street at the funneral home...

[201]

Rachel - Yes, Café Archetypus is the place you're remembering.  The word "Café" is easy enough to make out on the sign, but the "Archetypus" sculpted underneath is harder to read than dyslexic graffiti.  The sculpted theme expands a lot on the inside.

jtphjl (how IS that pronounced?) - I'll have to try Cafe Mille Luci. All too often I end up at the Häagen Dazs on E. Ridgewood Ave when I should be supporting more local businesses.

[Rachel Perlow]

Ooh, just remembered there is an ice cream store (I don't think there's any place to sit) in a residential area of Ridgewood. Does anyone know the name/address?

[201]

The ice cream store in a residential area of Ridgewood would be Van Dyke's on Ackerman Ave (off Godwin).  I've never been there for the rather silly reason that when I was a teenager I knew some of the employees well enough to know I didn't want THEM serving me ice cream.  Those employees are looooooong gone from Van Dyke's, but I still have this sort of lingering mental defense shield that keeps me away I guess.  I really should get over it and see what I've been missing.

[jtphjl]

Van Dykes is still there, though it changed owners a few years back, even became a Welsh Farms, there is a sign outside stating "homemade Ice Again!" and the local paper did a piece about a "new" owner last year - but it's been about 2 years since I have been there.

[Rail Paul]

Eclectic cafe in Montclair is very nice, many different varieites of coffee and dessert. Nice place post movies.  They had a problem with 12 years old coming in to smoke, but they've been banished and the place is quite delightful.

I'd look in the windows just to make sure the kids haven't come back

[tommy]

Van Dykes is still there, though it changed owners a few years back, even became a Welsh Farms, there is a sign outside stating "homemade Ice Again!" and the local paper did a piece about a "new" owner last year - but it's been about 2 years since I have been there.

it is still very good.  and yes, that sign makes a difference.  no place to sit but in the parking lot, which seems to be a hot spot during the summer months.  and 201, the servers there seem to be quite cute and young girls...i have no problem with them serving me ice cream.

Café Archetypus used to be a very hip spot back in the late 80's.  lots of what might be called "alternative rock" kids working there.  that is, they had piercings and tats before MTV made piercings and tats mainstream.   we'd go there on our way to such clubs as aldo's and the pipeline in newark.  and of course, that was back when river road was just a windy road with nothing on it, and even archetypus went largely unnoticed.  i haven't been there in over a decade, but the inside looked much like the outside did.  pretty cool.  ahhh, the good ole days.

for the sake of clarity, Cafe Mille Luci in ridgewood is actually just *south* of ridgewood ave on maple.  next to the japanese place.  

[Jason Perlow]

Can't beat Uncle Louie G's Italian Ices (cream ice, non dairy) right across the street from East Kaiten Sushi in Bergenfield on Teaneck Road. Open usually to 9PM, later on hot summer days.

[shugga]

Don't forget Margie's ice cream on Washington Ave in Bergenfield.  I agree that Louie G's in Teaneck on Teaneck Rd. is good too.

[Jason Perlow]

Margies is excellent, and they have this really cool way of preparing their frozen custard treats -- they take these small blocks of frozen custard, and put them in this metal cup with this hole in the bottom, which is put into this machine which resembles a big drill press with a huge corkscrew thing on it. They put the mix-in toppings in there, and the screw thing shreds the topping and ice cream into this mixed up stuff, which they then pipe into the foam serving cups. Sort of like the Dairy Queen "Blizzard" but lots better.

They also have really good frozen custard cakes, which are great for parties/barbeques etc.

[jtphjl]

Earler today I passed the Shubox - Rt 23 in Cedar Grove - which triggered a memory! I was last there in February - wonderful homemade pies, icecreams, unusual combinations of fruit and alcohol that all worked...

[201]

Well, I finally conquered my mental block and visited Van Dyke's this evening around 10:30 as they were just starting to mop up. They've got friendly service and a nice selection of home-made flavors... what more could you ask for?

Truth be told, while I thought Van Dyke's ice cream was very good... I still prefer the ice cream at Gelotti (in Totowa, also with good gelatto as well), but Van Dyke's will certainly ensure that I don't ever visit that Haägen Dazs in Ridgewood again!

[chopjwu12]

great gelatto at la creme in westfield

[jhlurie]

Van Dyke's . I'd completely forgotten about Van Dyke's. In that silly little converted house. :-)

[Jason Perlow]

Brand new Gelato/espresso and cafe/sandwich Italian deli place on River Road in Edgewater, Cafe Noni, right across the street from the movie theatre complex. Its right by that other weird looking cafe with the green organic/alien infestation looking concrete work and Rebecca's.

Rachel and I ate dinner and had gelato there this evening -- they had really good salads (I had their Greek salad, with LOTS of olives and very good feta, very fresh tomatoes and lettuce) and their renditon of a Cuban sandwich, also very good. Rachel had sort of a braised steak dish with a side order of pasta (very good, tangy sauce on the pasta, perfect al dente) , we had gelato afterwards. I had a combo of the pistachio and the chocolate. The pitachio was very good but the chocolate suffered from an abundance of ice crystals -- rachel had the same chocolate and some bananas/caramel flavor with pecans, which was very good.

[jhlurie]

Didn't the constant smell of incense in that place interfere with your sense of taste?

[phaelon56]

I've been to Cafe Eclectic in Montclair several times and the desserts were better than average. Coffee drinks are a bit pricey but atmosphere is nice. There is LOTS of smoke but in this weather they have the front open to the street and it's not bad - very lively scene and crowded late at night.

Mug & Bean Coffeehouse in Rutherford lacks the atmosphere of some other coffeehouses and has okay pre-made commercial desserts and decent cappucino drinks - prices are fair.

Cafe Eros, also on Park Ave in Rutherford like Mug & Bean, has great atmosphere and a nice covered back patio. It's often lively late at night and is open until 1 AM on weekends. A trifle pricey and desserts are okay but once again the predictable commercial bought variety.

I just spotted a new place on the main drag in Belleville - loolks like an Italian bistro but may have late night desserts and coffee drinks - anyone here tried it yet?

[shugga]

How about Victoria's Cafe in Teaneck? I haven't been there in about a year, but we

always used to stop there for coffee and ... on our way back from the Loew's Movie

theatre in Ridgefield Park.

[201]

and their renditon of a Cuban sandwich, also very good.

Jason - I'm just curious about this "rendition" mostly because I just had a very interesting rendition of a Cubano over the weekend. Saturday night, I walked into El Prado in Ridgewood just so I could get a look at the menu, but spotted the sandwich and decided to order one to go. Much to my surprise, it was UNPRESSED! I couldn't believe it. All of the ingredients were right on, but without that finishing touch of cooking the sandwich in a press, it wasn't living up to its potential. After my initial shock wore off, I toasted the sandwich in my oven for a little while and it was delicious. Still, I can't help but think that this place could make a stellar Cubano if they'd only follow it up!! I'm hoping to get there for dinner this week, so I'll ask about the reason for their preparation then.

Oh, but I forgot that this was the dessert thread... um, I've been to the Eros Café and found the atmosphere to be generally nice, but I agree that the desserts are rather run-of-the-mill. I prefer the interior to the patio, mostly because the latter's view of a parking lot isn't exactly my cup of tea... but it's nice to have the option of fresher air.

[Jason Perlow]

Jason - I'm just curious about this "rendition" mostly because I just had a very interesting rendition of a Cubano over the weekend.

It was mostly faithful, the sandwich was correctly pressed, the bread was good, but it had more deli ham than pork, and the pork was sliced rather thin, it may have been commercial roast pork used in delis. It had the right butter/garlic seasoning though, although the pickle was not sliced, it was a deli pickle cut in half and laid on the inside of the sandwich. I thought it was very tasty and went well with the Greek Salad, which had like 50 olives in it, I kid you not. Yum.

If you want the real deal though, Migdalias Cuban Cafe in Bergenfield is the place to go.