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Ryland Inn

peteswanson

By peteswanson
in New Jersey: Dining

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Shmily

Shmily

Posted
Posted

About 10 years ago we ate there quite a number of times. For awhile it was comparable to New York City's finest...alas, that did not last, except for the prices keeping up with New York CIty's!! Then about 2 or 3 years ago we had an unfortunate experience...they mixed up the bills and gave us the bill for an adjoining table whose bill was several times what ours should be..we caught it..no harm done, you think...well, they did not cancel the "credit" against our credit card...and so I had a $500 or $600 charge against my card which was not mine (it was against the credit I could charge in the future..and would go away in a week or so...I was not happy at all...finally, I called Mr. Shelton who when I spoke to him was pleasant and agreed it had been mishandled...and gave us our dinner for no charge..which was a lovely gesture...Sadly, I have not been back, nor do I plan to...New York has so many better places...Sadly, I am not a Jersey restaurant fan ...having had so many not so great experiences... :sad::angry:

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Deldino

Deldino

Posted
Posted (edited)
About 10 years ago we ate there quite a number of times.  For awhile it was comparable to New York City's finest...alas, that did not last, except for the prices keeping up with New York CIty's!!  Then about 2 or 3 years ago we had an unfortunate experience...they mixed up the bills and gave us the bill for an adjoining table whose bill was several times what ours should be..we caught it..no harm done, you think...well, they did not cancel the "credit" against our credit card...and so I had a $500 or $600 charge against my card which was not mine (it was against the credit I could charge in the future..and would go away in a week or so...I was not happy at all...finally, I called Mr. Shelton who when I spoke to him was pleasant and agreed it had been mishandled...and gave us our dinner for no charge..which was a lovely gesture...Sadly, I have not been back, nor do I plan to...New York has so many better places...Sadly, I am not a Jersey restaurant fan ...having had so many not so great experiences... :sad:  :angry:

Have you tried Fascinos in Montclair yet? - A fine NJ restaurant. Which places have you tried in Jersey that you found lacking?

Edited by Deldino (log)
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dbrociner

dbrociner

Posted
Posted
..finally, I called Mr. Shelton who when I spoke to him was pleasant and agreed it had been mishandled...and gave us our dinner for no charge..which was a lovely gesture...Sadly, I have not been back, nor do I plan to...New York has so many better places...Sadly, I am not a Jersey restaurant fan ...having had so many not so great experiences... :sad:  :angry:

If you were Craig Shelton and you read this what would you think? Hard to believe you aren't a "Jersey restaurant fan" after having someone go so out of his way to make up for a mistake that, in the final analysis, cost you nothing. I don't want to be too harsh but I think he deserves a lot of credit for going way over the top to make things up to you. Sounds like the kind of place I'd like to go back to.

Having said that, I had dinner at the Ryland Inn the first Saturday after the New Year and was disappointed. I felt that the meal was way too expensive for the quality of food and especially the poor service that my wife and I received. I had the 7 course "gastronomique" tasting menu and my wife had the 5 course version. We both had the wine pairings. The sommelier stumbled badly over his lines about the wines, sounding like he was reciting a script more than that he knew anything about the wine he was pouring. He also looked like he had slept in his suit jacket. The waiter was better dressed but not very attentive. Worse, an alert to my nut allergy was ignored and I was served a course with walnuts. I had to wait five minutes before I could find the waiter and have the dish taken away. An off night? Probably. At $200 a person is the Ryland Inn entitled to an off night? Maybe I should have had Mr. Shelton comp my meals as well.

Blackeyedpig
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PicnicChef

PicnicChef

Posted
Posted

I was there about a year or so ago and did the chef's tasting with the better wine pairings. I was disappointed in the food, and so wasted from the wine I couldn't figure much out! For example, the cheese course had three cheeses the size of a nickel each with three full glasses of dessert wine...so much wine, and food that just overwhelmed it every time. Dinner with wine, for the two of us with gratuities was just about $700. Not worth it, not at all!

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scarlet knight

scarlet knight

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Posted

We were there about five years ago and we had a similar experience to dbrociner. My wife is allergic to lobster and we told the staff that before we started our tasting menu. After we were already eating a soup, a panicky waiter came over and told us that the soup contained lobster stock. Fortunately, my wife's allergy was not triggered, but we did make a big note of it. Are these people awake? Their bill is hundreds of dollars!

Most of the people around us appeared to be on expense accounts, extra-marital affairs or special occasions. The food was no better than the good places in Montclair. Most of our tab was covered by a gift certificate. Have not returned and do not expect to do so.

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Randi

Randi

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Posted
...Most of the people around us appeared to be on expense accounts, extra-marital affairs or special occasions...

As a confirmed people watcher I would love to know how you can ID an extra-marital affair in a restaurant. Do tell! (are they in the dark corner surreptitiously partaking in PDAs?) :raz:

Keeping it on topic - I've never been to the Ryland Inn and I guess I am taking it off my list of places to try!

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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Deldino

Deldino

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Posted
I was there about a year or so ago and did the chef's tasting with the better wine pairings. I was disappointed in the food, and so wasted from the wine I couldn't figure much out! For example, the cheese course had three cheeses the size of a nickel each with three full glasses of dessert wine...so much wine, and food that just overwhelmed it every time. Dinner with wine, for the two of us with gratuities was just about $700. Not worth it, not at all!

Call me crazy....but what type of meal for two IS worth 700.00

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chefdavidrusso

chefdavidrusso

Posted
Posted
I was there about a year or so ago and did the chef's tasting with the better wine pairings. I was disappointed in the food, and so wasted from the wine I couldn't figure much out! For example, the cheese course had three cheeses the size of a nickel each with three full glasses of dessert wine...so much wine, and food that just overwhelmed it every time. Dinner with wine, for the two of us with gratuities was just about $700. Not worth it, not at all!

Call me crazy....but what type of meal for two IS worth 700.00

French Laundry was about $720 for two, when it was all said and done. And it was worth every penny

Nothing says I love you like a homemade salami

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Deldino

Deldino

Posted
Posted
I was there about a year or so ago and did the chef's tasting with the better wine pairings. I was disappointed in the food, and so wasted from the wine I couldn't figure much out! For example, the cheese course had three cheeses the size of a nickel each with three full glasses of dessert wine...so much wine, and food that just overwhelmed it every time. Dinner with wine, for the two of us with gratuities was just about $700. Not worth it, not at all!

Call me crazy....but what type of meal for two IS worth 700.00

French Laundry was about $720 for two, when it was all said and done. And it was worth every penny

how much of the tab was the wine/alcohol?

I love to cook as well as eat......but to spend 700$$ for a meal ...... not for me..... it is for true culinary artists. Enjoy!!!

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Shmily

Shmily

Posted
Posted

A lot of the $700 must have been for alcohol...We ate at Per Se for the 2nd time a few weeks ago...and the 2 meals there have been the MOST amazing food experiences we have ever had...with minimal wine, it was under $500 for the two of us...with tip...granted, that is a huge amount of money...but honestly, if we had had a cheaper meal and theater tickets...it would have been a pretty high bill also..and this was a very special occasion for us...Not only the food was sublime...but the service was the best we have ever had..and we have eaten at most of the top places in NYC...when we first ate at the Ryland Inn, it was excellent...sorry, I can no longer say that.... :rolleyes::rolleyes:

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Shmily

Shmily

Posted
Posted
About 10 years ago we ate there quite a number of times.  For awhile it was comparable to New York City's finest...alas, that did not last, except for the prices keeping up with New York CIty's!!  Then about 2 or 3 years ago we had an unfortunate experience...they mixed up the bills and gave us the bill for an adjoining table whose bill was several times what ours should be..we caught it..no harm done, you think...well, they did not cancel the "credit" against our credit card...and so I had a $500 or $600 charge against my card which was not mine (it was against the credit I could charge in the future..and would go away in a week or so...I was not happy at all...finally, I called Mr. Shelton who when I spoke to him was pleasant and agreed it had been mishandled...and gave us our dinner for no charge..which was a lovely gesture...Sadly, I have not been back, nor do I plan to...New York has so many better places...Sadly, I am not a Jersey restaurant fan ...having had so many not so great experiences... :sad:  :angry:

Have you tried Fascinos in Montclair yet? - A fine NJ restaurant. Which places have you tried in Jersey that you found lacking?

I guess that I compare food and prices to comparable places in NY...and sadly, New Jersey has been a problem for me...at high end restaurants, and at inexpensive places...sadly, my home state just has not cut it for us...No, I haven't eaten at Fascinos yet..we will try though...I am a bit embarrassed to list our sad experiences here...poor service, unimaginative food, poorly prepared food...from pizza and paninis to haute cuisine...we have tried local places...but rarely return...

:sad::sad:

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zoe b

zoe b

Posted
Posted

we've been taken there a few times and I'm not going to discuss the food, but the bigger problem was the ambience--the hostess--maitresse d'?--was NJ snooty--the service perfunctory--now I don't want to be best friends with the staff, but I do like to be made comfortable--Union Square Cafe's service is a perfect example of being welcoming without being overly chummy.

You can go right down 22 to Ixora for a lovely experience--excellent French Japanese in the Nobu style , discreetly friendly service, a pretty dining room and it's BYO --you can have a great celebration dinner for around $100.

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graphicguru

graphicguru

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Posted

I posted ~a year ago about our dinner at that time. Sadly, I have since learned that all the great improvements/changes in staff that I experienced last year have all been reversed, and the place is a disaster right now. What a shame.

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chefdavidrusso

chefdavidrusso

Posted
Posted
I was there about a year or so ago and did the chef's tasting with the better wine pairings. I was disappointed in the food, and so wasted from the wine I couldn't figure much out! For example, the cheese course had three cheeses the size of a nickel each with three full glasses of dessert wine...so much wine, and food that just overwhelmed it every time. Dinner with wine, for the two of us with gratuities was just about $700. Not worth it, not at all!

Call me crazy....but what type of meal for two IS worth 700.00

French Laundry was about $720 for two, when it was all said and done. And it was worth every penny

how much of the tab was the wine/alcohol?

I love to cook as well as eat......but to spend 700$$ for a meal ...... not for me..... it is for true culinary artists. Enjoy!!!

I'll be honest with you....I don't really remember the breakdown of the bill. It was about 5 years ago, and all I remember at this point is the total. I'm thinking it might have been about 300 for food, 300 for wine, tax and tip ??

Nothing says I love you like a homemade salami

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PicnicChef

PicnicChef

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Posted

I'll never balk at a $500 plus dinner for two, if I have great food and great wine. French Laundry my tab was high, same at many others. But...the Ryland Inn was simply not worth the dough.

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  • 1 year later...
Curlz

Curlz

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Hard to believe that nobody has mentioned that Craig Shelton is joining OME Caterers as their executive chef!

I've been a customer and fan of OME for many years now, and have always thought they did a fantastic job, but this is BIG news!

"I'm not eating it...my tongue is just looking at it!" --My then-3.5 year-old niece, who was NOT eating a piece of gum

"Wow--this is a fancy restaurant! They keep bringing us more water and we didn't even ask for it!" --My 5.75 year-old niece, about Bread Bar

"He's jumped the flounder, as you might say."

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  • 3 weeks later...
Kim WB

Kim WB

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Posted

I had unbearably horrible experiences with Ome 3 years ago..it was within a year from when the new owner took over..is it Richard??.....they absolutely ruined an event for me and my guests. I am suprised and disappointed that Shelton didn't throw his hat back in the restaurant ring. I suspect that a steady paycheck had to be a consideration..the issue w/ the Ryland Inn by many accounts is that he did not have busienss interruption insurance and the woul dnot have been able to recover from the fire.

He has a lot of talent, and I always likes his presentations.

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  • 8 months later...
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