North Jersey Openings

[Kobi]

Hi all,

From a few articles I've come across in the last few days, I read about some openings that I didn't know about prior:

1 - Whole Foods (on Route 4, near where Century 21 just opened, 77000 square foot store)

2 - Rosa Mexicana

3 - PF Chang's

- Both located in Riverside Square

4 - Trader Joe's (which I know is not a recent revelation)

5 - Maggiano's Little Italy (someplace on Route 4)

6 - 3 new restaurants and a 16 screen theatre at GSPlaza

Anyone have anything to add? The Whole Foods (77k! wow!) is particular exciting, and I've long been a fan of both PF and Rosa.

- KOBI

[zhelder]

Hi all,

From a few articles I've come across in the last few days, I read about some openings that I didn't know about prior:

1 - Whole Foods (on Route 4, near where Century 21 just opened, 77000 square foot store)

2 - Rosa Mexicana

3 - PF Chang's

      - Both located in Riverside Square

4 - Trader Joe's (which I know is not a recent revelation)

5 - Maggiano's Little Italy (someplace on Route 4)

6 - 3 new restaurants and a 16 screen theatre at GSPlaza

Anyone have anything to add?  The Whole Foods (77k! wow!) is particular exciting, and I've long been a fan of both PF and Rosa.

- KOBI

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Some of these openings are still a while away. Trader Joe's should be open very soon, but the other places are still several months away from opening, I believe. I am excited about PF Chang's and the movie theatre at the Plaza, because there isn't one decent movie theatre in the entire northern half of NJ.

BTW, for those interested, they're opening a Panera Bread in Fair Lawn. It should be opened in October. I don't know if Fair Lawn is a Panera Bread town, but I'm certainly rooting for it to succeed.

[ghostrider]

Is Maggiano's Little Italy yet another chain? I drove past one on a highway outside St. Louis last week & wondered what the heck it was, I thought something about it looked too stylized for it to be a local establishment.

[Rachel Perlow]

KOBI - keep you eye out for Table Hopping with Rosie updates, here on the NJ forum. She keeps track of restaurant openings and closings and chefs' comings and going, as well as food events.

[Kobi]

Thanks, Rachel, I definitely will!!

- KOBI

[gia]

Too bad about all the chains. don't care for Panera at all.

[menton1]

Too bad about all the chains. don't care for Panera at all.

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I agree. How about a REAL restaurant opening in Bergen County? The lack of fresh, exciting, creative new chef-owned restaurants here is really disappointing.

[Jason Perlow]

There's a brand new Peruvian place opening in Leonia in a few weeks. Looks nice from what I can see.

[jpr54_]

On Ridge Rd. -Rt.#17 Lyndhurst there will be opening a new sushi place-

[Tamar]

Yes, Maggiano's is a chain. I ate at the one at the Grove (an outdoor mall) in Los Angeles a few years ago. Very mediocre and I thought overpriced.

[Curlz]

On Ridge Rd. -Rt.#17 Lyndhurst there will be opening a new sushi place-

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Is this on Ridge Rd almost to Route 3? Across from the Shell station? I noticed they had scaffolding up on the facade of the building today...

[ghostrider]

Montclair - there is a Moroccan place being installed in the space that used to house Taste Of Asia, on Bloomfield Ave. opposite Whole Foods/Starbucks.

Rutherford - a Turkish place is being installed on Park Ave. a couple doors south of Varrelmans Bakery.

Neither of these restaurants-to-be have actual names up yet.

[legendarystarbolt]

Is this on Ridge Rd almost to Route 3?  Across from the Shell station?  I noticed they had scaffolding up on the facade of the building today...

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Yeah I think it's the second or third store after the apartment building, across from the Shell station.

[jpr54_]

yes

down from hertz rent

corner of rutherford and ridge road-

when it opens maybe we can all meet for lunch-

joanne

[Cook456]

Is that the same site as the Sushi Restuarant that closed a while ago?

[ghostrider]

"You see, Watson, but you do not observe."

Montclar - my error, the Moroccan place has had its colorful awning up for a couple of weeks now, & its name is Marrakech.

Rutherford - place has a sign up now, Enginar, which seems to be Turkish for arrtichoke. Nice touch there.

Edited August 19, 2006 by ghostrider (log)

[menton1]

Happened to spot a new restaurant opening while driving on Piermont Road in Tenafly today. Called Sidebar, it appeared to be open for business. It is occupying the space vacated by a retro Chinese that was well past its prime.

Any reports on this place? Menu, type of food, etc? What does the name mean? A meeting place for judges and lawyers?

[Curlz]

What does the name mean?  A meeting place for judges and lawyers? 

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If so, it wouldn't be the first...there's a place called Sidebar in Newark, just blocks from a couple of courthouses, and surrounded by lawyers and judges!

[gia]

thanks for the info on the new places. we're swamped with sushi places in montclair, but turkish sounds good. varrleman's (rutherford) is still there?

[jpr54_]

Is that the same site as the Sushi Restuarant that closed a while ago?

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It is I believe in the same row of previous place

[Shmily]

anything good and interesting in Essex County??

[jwjojo]

There is a new Kabob restaurant in Carlstadt on Hackensack Ave. It is Turkish I believe. Opened a week or so ago. Big space, across from Sal Anthony's Italian rest. which expanded a month or so ago. Will try it soon. In Rutherford, there is the Turkish rest. opening and a Gyro place opening. Odd so many middle eastern places in such a small area. Rutherford already has Eros and Athens, both mediocre. Hope these are better.

[Curlz]

What does the name mean?  A meeting place for judges and lawyers? 

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If so, it wouldn't be the first...there's a place called Sidebar in Newark, just blocks from a couple of courthouses, and surrounded by lawyers and judges!

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And today I spotted Side Bar at the Famished Frog, about a block from the courthouse in Morristown... SIGH.

[ghostrider]

thanks for the info on the new places. we're swamped with sushi places in montclair, but turkish sounds good. varrleman's (rutherford) is still there?

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Montclair has its own Turkish place, Lalezar. There's a thread somewhere.

Varrelman's is still going strong, but closed for vacation till, I believe, 8/28, so don't hurry over.

Odd so many middle eastern places in such a small area.  Rutherford already has Eros and Athens, both mediocre.  Hope these are better.

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Odd and annoying - I'd give anything for a decent Indian restaurant! There isn't even a lousy one within striking distance.

[Curlz]

Odd and annoying - I'd give anything for a decent Indian restaurant!  There isn't even a lousy one within striking distance.

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I just had that very conversation last night with my bro and s-i-l...they had gone to Jyoti (near Willowbrook Mall) and were disappointed for the second consecutive visit. We were discussing other Indian restaurants that we like, and realized that NONE of them are within striking distance. It's really amazing that Montclair is such a huge restaurant town, yet there's no good Indian food. SO...if you're reading this thread and wondering where to open an Indian restaurant...

Seriously--I guess it's because there isn't much of an Indian population on the Bergen/Essex border. It's really a shame.