I really hate to do this, but it's warranted. I went to Tiffany's in Pine Brook today for football. If all you care about are the TVs, then this place is fine. There are tons of flat screen TVs, with all of the games and they are easy to see.
If you want service, this place is not for you. We sat down at a table in the bar area and went up to the bar for some drinks. I ordered a club soda with lemon. The club soda was flat. I let them know it was flat and asked if they could try again from a different drink machine. They oblidged, and it was slightly better. We sat there for about an hour and a half getting up each time for drinks - really no problem there at all, I mean the bar was only about 4 feet away. But then a waitress came over (who knew we had a waitress!). We decided to order some food, and I knew immediately she wasn't going to get it right. How, you may ask? Because she didn't write anything down. I don't care how good of a waiter or waitress you are or think you are, write it down for crying out loud. I'm sure that even if you don't make many mistakes, you make more than if you had written it down. I ordered a salad with grilled shrimp and with the dressing on the side. This happens to me all the time, of course it came with the dressing on it. Also, the shrimp were not grilled, they were sauteed. I know, it's kind of picky but when you're at least trying to be healthy, it's annoying to have your efforts thwarted. I should have said something but it was about another 10 minutes before she came back, so I just ate some of it.
The grand finale... since the club soda was obviously flat, I decided to try and get a water with lemon. I mean, how could that get messed up. She comes back, no lemon.
I give up. Don't go to Tiffany's unless you only want to watch the game.
*k*
Showing posts with label restaurant review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurant review. Show all posts
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Montclair Ethiopian Restaurant
We have been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time. It's called Mesob, which is a vibrantly colored woven basket upon which food is served. I've never had Ethiopian cuisine before, in fact, when I'm running down the list of food to try, Ethiopian food isn't on there. I chalk that up to the fact that it's not widely publicized and that there aren't that many restaurants of this type around. It's too bad actually, because the food was absolutely delightful.
We looked at the clock and it was about 7:15 pm, on a Saturday night. I immediately thought that we would not be able to get a seat. So we called over there and they said there was a 30 minute wait. I was disappointed but we went anyway. Three minutes later, when we got there, bottle of wine in hand, we were seated immediately. I'm not sure why we were told there would be a 30 minute wait... anyway, all was good. We were greeted with a strong, almost overwhelming, aroma of clove. It did not subside while we were there, but I think I ended up getting used to it.
They have a sampler platter for two on the menu, which seemed perfect because of course there were two of us and we had absolutely no idea what to order. They had a vegetarian sampler platter and a meat sampler platter. Given that I'm a [mostly] vegetarian and Rob isn't, we weren't sure how that was going to work out. They were very accommodating though, we were able to get the meat sampler and substitute some veggie dishes for the meat dishes so we could share most of the meal. Rob's meat dishes were a chicken, beef and lamb. The chicken dish was a little bit spicy and the other two were somewhat mild. On the veggie side, there was a portabella dish and lentil dish, both of which were very spicy; and a collard green dish and a chickpea dish, both of which were somewhat mild. All the veggie dishes were prepared vegan style, a healthful bonus.
As we waited for our order to come out, we talked about what we thought it was going to be like, while we looked around at the other tables, with seemingly experienced Ethiopian food eaters. A few minutes later, they bring out a giant plate with a spongy, pancake looking thing on it and a few other spongy pancake looking things on a plate - then they leave again. So Rob and I are looking at each other and the pancake and wondering what the heck we're supposed to do. Do we eat it now? Are we supposed to be waiting for something else? Was this an appetizer? We each took a small bit of the pancake and noted that it had a little bit of a sour taste and that it was somewhat chewy.
The waitress came back a few minutes later with our main dishes and proceeded to place each of the stew-like food on the big pancake. When she was done, I shyly let her know that we were novices and would like some help understanding the best way to eat the food. She let us know that the pancake was called "injera" and that it was both a utensil and a bread. We were to break a small bit of the injera and use it to scoop up the stew. When we ran out of the pieces of injera that she brought over, we were to eat the injera that was on the plate. Ok, that sounds easy enough, but we got forks just in case. Of course, we ate it all. I want to see if I can figure out how to make the lentil dish or the portabella dish. They were both so good, very spicy and flavorful.
We decided to split a halewa for dessert. This reminded me of Indian burfi. It was a sesame paste molded in the shape of a small slice of cake with pistachios on it. It was also very good, but very rich and sweet. A good dessert to split.
I'm very happy that we stepped outside of our comfort zone and tried this restaurant. I know we will be going back there.
*k*
We looked at the clock and it was about 7:15 pm, on a Saturday night. I immediately thought that we would not be able to get a seat. So we called over there and they said there was a 30 minute wait. I was disappointed but we went anyway. Three minutes later, when we got there, bottle of wine in hand, we were seated immediately. I'm not sure why we were told there would be a 30 minute wait... anyway, all was good. We were greeted with a strong, almost overwhelming, aroma of clove. It did not subside while we were there, but I think I ended up getting used to it.
They have a sampler platter for two on the menu, which seemed perfect because of course there were two of us and we had absolutely no idea what to order. They had a vegetarian sampler platter and a meat sampler platter. Given that I'm a [mostly] vegetarian and Rob isn't, we weren't sure how that was going to work out. They were very accommodating though, we were able to get the meat sampler and substitute some veggie dishes for the meat dishes so we could share most of the meal. Rob's meat dishes were a chicken, beef and lamb. The chicken dish was a little bit spicy and the other two were somewhat mild. On the veggie side, there was a portabella dish and lentil dish, both of which were very spicy; and a collard green dish and a chickpea dish, both of which were somewhat mild. All the veggie dishes were prepared vegan style, a healthful bonus.
As we waited for our order to come out, we talked about what we thought it was going to be like, while we looked around at the other tables, with seemingly experienced Ethiopian food eaters. A few minutes later, they bring out a giant plate with a spongy, pancake looking thing on it and a few other spongy pancake looking things on a plate - then they leave again. So Rob and I are looking at each other and the pancake and wondering what the heck we're supposed to do. Do we eat it now? Are we supposed to be waiting for something else? Was this an appetizer? We each took a small bit of the pancake and noted that it had a little bit of a sour taste and that it was somewhat chewy.
The waitress came back a few minutes later with our main dishes and proceeded to place each of the stew-like food on the big pancake. When she was done, I shyly let her know that we were novices and would like some help understanding the best way to eat the food. She let us know that the pancake was called "injera" and that it was both a utensil and a bread. We were to break a small bit of the injera and use it to scoop up the stew. When we ran out of the pieces of injera that she brought over, we were to eat the injera that was on the plate. Ok, that sounds easy enough, but we got forks just in case. Of course, we ate it all. I want to see if I can figure out how to make the lentil dish or the portabella dish. They were both so good, very spicy and flavorful.
We decided to split a halewa for dessert. This reminded me of Indian burfi. It was a sesame paste molded in the shape of a small slice of cake with pistachios on it. It was also very good, but very rich and sweet. A good dessert to split.
I'm very happy that we stepped outside of our comfort zone and tried this restaurant. I know we will be going back there.
*k*
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
AAA
And I don't mean triple A car service... This is kind of our forgotten place in Hoboken, Three A's Restaurant and Bar. We don't go there that often. I seem to remember that the last time I was there, I was not all that enamored with the selection on the menu. But when I wanted to get a big salad, we didn't know where to go, so we went here. You may ask, how do you go out to dinner and just get a big salad. Read on... I didn't get the big salad ;) Either they changed the menu since I was there, years ago now, or maybe they added a few things. Either way, there were lots of options.
Three A's changed hands a few times several years ago (ok, about a decade now... boy do I feel old) but has been Three A's for quite a while now. They have a bar area that is fairly wide open and caters to the martini crowd on weekends. The restaurant area is a cozy, romantic area with dim lighting, set in the back of the restaurant. I began with a Pinot Noir and paired it with a house salad and a dinner special - grilled tilapia with scallops and shrimp. I was waffling between that and the scallop rigatoni. My dish was fantastic!! And somehow, even after I ordered it, I wondered if I should have gotten the scallop rigatoni. The scallops were cooked to perfection in my dish but it only came with one and left me wanting more. I joked that I would have traded one of the filets for another scallop ;) Rob ordered a special too, the lobster ravioli, which was also very good. It was served in a clear sauce that had notes of citrus.
While the dessert menu looked decadent, we decided against it - trying to stay fit.
Another winner! Check it out.
Three A's changed hands a few times several years ago (ok, about a decade now... boy do I feel old) but has been Three A's for quite a while now. They have a bar area that is fairly wide open and caters to the martini crowd on weekends. The restaurant area is a cozy, romantic area with dim lighting, set in the back of the restaurant. I began with a Pinot Noir and paired it with a house salad and a dinner special - grilled tilapia with scallops and shrimp. I was waffling between that and the scallop rigatoni. My dish was fantastic!! And somehow, even after I ordered it, I wondered if I should have gotten the scallop rigatoni. The scallops were cooked to perfection in my dish but it only came with one and left me wanting more. I joked that I would have traded one of the filets for another scallop ;) Rob ordered a special too, the lobster ravioli, which was also very good. It was served in a clear sauce that had notes of citrus.
While the dessert menu looked decadent, we decided against it - trying to stay fit.
Another winner! Check it out.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Gridiron Grub Week #3: Seven Places in Hoboken to Watch the Game
Looking for a place to watch the game? Here are pros and cons of 7 places in Hoboken (in no particular order):
1. Hobsons - The best thing about this place is that it's located across the street from the PATH station, so if you come in on the train there is no walking halfway across town to get settled in to watch the games. There are TONS of TVs and NFL Sunday Ticket, so no matter where you sit, you'll be able to see every game. With the clearly marked signs on each TV way in advance of the games' start time, you'll be able to position yourself in front of the game you want to see. Get there crazy early if you want a seat though (before noon), Hobson's gets very crowded early on. The food menu is very limited before 3:30, so unless you want an omelet or a burger, eat before you get there.
2. Black Bear - Located on Washington Street, this bar is a short walk from the PATH train and close to a few parking decks. They have a full menu, a three giant projector screen TVs and a festive atmosphere. There is a lot of room with a downstairs bar area and separate restaurant area and an upstairs bar area. If you're lucky enough to be a woman and upstairs, you don't need to walk downstairs to use the bathroom like the guys do (yay - a plus for us!). The only problem is that there is an annoying DJ who is super loud during commercial breaks.
3. Liberty - On the plus side, the Liberty opens early and has a large circular bar with lots of room to sit around the bar as well as table seating and lots of TVs. The Liberty has a great menu, probably one of the best places for food on this list. I had the shrimp po' boy wrap one time and it was fantastic!! The down side is that if you're coming in on the PATH or live downtown, you either need to take a cab or make it a really long walk.
4. Shannon Lounge: Located on the halfway between Bloomfield and Washington on 1st, this bar is well within walking distance from the PATH. They have a great back room that is giant and has all the games. The only downside is that they don't open until after noon (around 12:30 maybe?) and you have to reserve a table ahead of time.
5. Texas Arizona: If you're a Steelers fan, this is the bar for you. 'nuff said.
6. Scotland Yard: If you're an Eagle's you MUST go here. Why? Because the more Eagles fans that go here, the less there will be clogging up the rest of the bars ;)
7. The Mystery Bar: You heard me, I'm not giving up the name of this bar. I'm afraid that if I do, it will be too crowded and lose its appeal. It has about 12 flat screen TVs, a great menu, cheerful wait staff, and a festive atmosphere that doesn't get too crowded. Sound perfect? Almost, which is why I'm keeping this one to myself.
*k*
1. Hobsons - The best thing about this place is that it's located across the street from the PATH station, so if you come in on the train there is no walking halfway across town to get settled in to watch the games. There are TONS of TVs and NFL Sunday Ticket, so no matter where you sit, you'll be able to see every game. With the clearly marked signs on each TV way in advance of the games' start time, you'll be able to position yourself in front of the game you want to see. Get there crazy early if you want a seat though (before noon), Hobson's gets very crowded early on. The food menu is very limited before 3:30, so unless you want an omelet or a burger, eat before you get there.
2. Black Bear - Located on Washington Street, this bar is a short walk from the PATH train and close to a few parking decks. They have a full menu, a three giant projector screen TVs and a festive atmosphere. There is a lot of room with a downstairs bar area and separate restaurant area and an upstairs bar area. If you're lucky enough to be a woman and upstairs, you don't need to walk downstairs to use the bathroom like the guys do (yay - a plus for us!). The only problem is that there is an annoying DJ who is super loud during commercial breaks.
3. Liberty - On the plus side, the Liberty opens early and has a large circular bar with lots of room to sit around the bar as well as table seating and lots of TVs. The Liberty has a great menu, probably one of the best places for food on this list. I had the shrimp po' boy wrap one time and it was fantastic!! The down side is that if you're coming in on the PATH or live downtown, you either need to take a cab or make it a really long walk.
4. Shannon Lounge: Located on the halfway between Bloomfield and Washington on 1st, this bar is well within walking distance from the PATH. They have a great back room that is giant and has all the games. The only downside is that they don't open until after noon (around 12:30 maybe?) and you have to reserve a table ahead of time.
5. Texas Arizona: If you're a Steelers fan, this is the bar for you. 'nuff said.
6. Scotland Yard: If you're an Eagle's you MUST go here. Why? Because the more Eagles fans that go here, the less there will be clogging up the rest of the bars ;)
7. The Mystery Bar: You heard me, I'm not giving up the name of this bar. I'm afraid that if I do, it will be too crowded and lose its appeal. It has about 12 flat screen TVs, a great menu, cheerful wait staff, and a festive atmosphere that doesn't get too crowded. Sound perfect? Almost, which is why I'm keeping this one to myself.
*k*
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Venturing out
Normally when I'm out and about town going out to eat or meeting up with friends, I stick with my familiar Essex and Hudson counties. So when a friend suggested a place up in Paramus, I was quick to accept, get out of my old routine and check out a different place. We went to Biagio's on Paramus Road not far from Garden State Plaza. I passed this restaurant a few weeks ago when we were playing golf at the Paramus Country Club (a great place to play by the way, very nicely kept course and wide fairways).
The bartenders at Biagio's were great, very friendly, joking and sparking up conversation with everyone at the bar. All of the TVs were set to sports, they had both the Yankee game and Met game in easy viewing distance. We ordered the pizza, which my friend said was fabulous, she didn't lie! I rarely take home leftovers from any restaurant and this morning that cold pizza is calling my name :) We also had the Caprese salad and it all tasted so fresh.
*healthy foodie*
o-hi-o
I was traipsing around Ohio earlier this week, well traipsing really isn't the right word. I flew in and flew out within a 24-hr period. Gotta love work. Anyhow, I was in Dayton for one night and in search of a suitable restaurant to meet our client's per diem and a fun place to get to relax a little bit, we headed out of the hotel in search of a restaurant.
Staying in downtown Dayton, we headed out of the hotel toward Dayton's historic Oregon District (yep, we're still in Ohio, haven't passed the Mississippi and into the Pacific Northwest). The Oregon District is a quaint little area a few blocks long that has lots of shops, restaurants, bars, and even a comedy club. We bypassed all of the, wooed by the lure of every traveler's staple - an Irish bar. Really, how could one go wrong with an Irish bar.
We stopped in the Dublin Pub, which I later found out is affectionately referred to as the DubPub. We walked in, and the 10 of us were seated quickly at a combination of round tables to fit all of us. While the seating arrangements weren't ideal, there was plenty of room and the waitress was quick to fill our pints. They have a large selection of beer, of course mostly Irish beer and the menu even explains the black and tan, the half and half, etc.
Then we got the menus that would be our novellas for the night. I'm not kidding. I wasn't sure where to start. I opened the menu and there was a paragraph for each appetizer, salad and entree. I guess if you have the time to read it all, sure. Despite the rather long menu, there were lots of options and things were easily substituted (cole slaw or salad for fries, etc.) and the food was simple and delicious. If you're ever in the sleep city of Dayton, give this one a try.
*healthy foodie*
Staying in downtown Dayton, we headed out of the hotel toward Dayton's historic Oregon District (yep, we're still in Ohio, haven't passed the Mississippi and into the Pacific Northwest). The Oregon District is a quaint little area a few blocks long that has lots of shops, restaurants, bars, and even a comedy club. We bypassed all of the, wooed by the lure of every traveler's staple - an Irish bar. Really, how could one go wrong with an Irish bar.
We stopped in the Dublin Pub, which I later found out is affectionately referred to as the DubPub. We walked in, and the 10 of us were seated quickly at a combination of round tables to fit all of us. While the seating arrangements weren't ideal, there was plenty of room and the waitress was quick to fill our pints. They have a large selection of beer, of course mostly Irish beer and the menu even explains the black and tan, the half and half, etc.
Then we got the menus that would be our novellas for the night. I'm not kidding. I wasn't sure where to start. I opened the menu and there was a paragraph for each appetizer, salad and entree. I guess if you have the time to read it all, sure. Despite the rather long menu, there were lots of options and things were easily substituted (cole slaw or salad for fries, etc.) and the food was simple and delicious. If you're ever in the sleep city of Dayton, give this one a try.
*healthy foodie*
Saturday, September 1, 2007
crepes and courts
I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the US Open yesterday. If I have not already, I'm quickly turning into a sports fanatic. I like to play and to watch and it almost doesn't matter which sport it is, if I'm watching it in person, I'm into it. Yesterday was a great day to be at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Long Island. It was a little overcast, not too hot, and there were lots of juicy matches. Granted, I'm not completely familiar with many of the entrants, but the competition, endurance and determination is contagious. The highlight match of my day was watching first time US Open entrant, France's Alize Cornet (96) give Serbia's Jelena Jankovic (3) a run for her money. Of course, with a number 3 ranked athlete playing a number 96 ranked athlete, I thought this match was going to be a no brainer. Maybe Jelena did too. Alize quickly won the fans over with her smile and sheer determination. At one point, she looked to be feeling burned out and the crowd exploded into an uplifting cheer. Alize pumped her fists, gave a quick smile and looked to say to herself "yes, I can do this." However determined Alize was, it wasn't enough to get past the number 3 seed. After 3 sets of trading wins, Jelena pulled out the win.
Even though I ate before I went, it was a long day (we were there from 11 until 7!). I definitely got hungry sometime around the middle of the afternoon. We walked through the food court and I must say there were a TON of options. Many more than I would have imagined. They had the traditional ball park fare like hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken fingers. They had Italian specialties like pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, and pasta primavera. They had Japanese fare like soba noodles and sushi. They had sweet and savory crepes wrapped smartly in a carrying container for toting around the park. This list goes on. I opted for an 8-piece California roll and a giant bottle of water - the total came to $14.25. Sure, it's expensive but it's on par with NYC stadium food prices. In the food court, if you're smart about picking your seat, you can get a great view of any one of several giant screen TVs airing the matches from Louis Armstrong Stadium or Arthur Ashe stadium on the parks grounds.
We had a great day, and we'll be back on Sunday for a center court match - that should be fun!
*k*
Even though I ate before I went, it was a long day (we were there from 11 until 7!). I definitely got hungry sometime around the middle of the afternoon. We walked through the food court and I must say there were a TON of options. Many more than I would have imagined. They had the traditional ball park fare like hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken fingers. They had Italian specialties like pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, and pasta primavera. They had Japanese fare like soba noodles and sushi. They had sweet and savory crepes wrapped smartly in a carrying container for toting around the park. This list goes on. I opted for an 8-piece California roll and a giant bottle of water - the total came to $14.25. Sure, it's expensive but it's on par with NYC stadium food prices. In the food court, if you're smart about picking your seat, you can get a great view of any one of several giant screen TVs airing the matches from Louis Armstrong Stadium or Arthur Ashe stadium on the parks grounds.
We had a great day, and we'll be back on Sunday for a center court match - that should be fun!
*k*
Friday, August 31, 2007
beware of pick pockets and loose women
I love this restaurant, Oddfellows, in Hoboken. Rob and I had our first date there, so it's always somewhat nostalgic. Their cornbread is out of this world! It's a very casual atmosphere with lots of beer selection, bar games (pool and darts), indoor, street-side and garden seating, pleasant wait staff, great food and reasonable prices. Every time I go there, I wonder why we don't go there more. It is a Louisiana kitchen with lots of comfort food like crab cakes, jambalaya, po' boys, mac 'n cheese, collard greens and other goodies. With any dinner, you have a choice of two sides.
It was such a nice night that we decided to sit outside in the garden / plaza area. In the spirit of being the healthy foodie, I opted for a grilled seafood platter over a tomato basil sauce with sauteed spinach and button mushrooms. My dish was great. It came with shrimp, scallops and seared tuna. The tuna and scallops were done to perfection, the shrimp were a little overdone but nothing to sneer at. Rob ordered the chicken and andouille sausage jambalaya. He thought it could have had a little more heat (he's also a "pass the fire extinguisher" kind of guy), but the Tabasco and Cajun seasoning that come on every table were enough to sate him.
The decor of the restaurant is thoroughly Louisianan with traditional New Orleans pictures, trinkets and signs. In fact, that is where the title of this post comes from. Definitely an oldie but goodie - we'll be back.
It was such a nice night that we decided to sit outside in the garden / plaza area. In the spirit of being the healthy foodie, I opted for a grilled seafood platter over a tomato basil sauce with sauteed spinach and button mushrooms. My dish was great. It came with shrimp, scallops and seared tuna. The tuna and scallops were done to perfection, the shrimp were a little overdone but nothing to sneer at. Rob ordered the chicken and andouille sausage jambalaya. He thought it could have had a little more heat (he's also a "pass the fire extinguisher" kind of guy), but the Tabasco and Cajun seasoning that come on every table were enough to sate him.
The decor of the restaurant is thoroughly Louisianan with traditional New Orleans pictures, trinkets and signs. In fact, that is where the title of this post comes from. Definitely an oldie but goodie - we'll be back.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Comfort food
sometimes you just need comfort food. The dilemma is not feeling guilty afterward. We went to Leo's Grandevous on Grand Ave in Hoboken. This restaurant is an old favorite, although we don't go there all that much. It has a very traditional menu, veal parm, chicken murphy, all that great home style Italian food. When we went there tonight, it was really busy - so busy that we didn't get a seat, we sat at the bar instead. The hostess was prompt in offering us a spot other than in the restaurant area and said we could wait there and have a drink or just eat there. It was quieter than the dining room, so we stayed at the bar. I ordered eggplant parm and received a side of pasta with it. Leo has the best marinara sauce ever. Not too sweet, not too runny, not too thick. The eggplant was cooked to perfection, maybe a little more mozzarella than I would have wanted, but overall it was a fine meal. The restaurant is currently under renovation, so if that's going to annoy you, you probably want to avoid it for a little while until the repairs are complete. There's not too much I can say about the decor - it's more like my grandmother's house than the hip bar downtown. But sometimes a casual, low key place is what I'm looking for. You should check this one out.
*k*
*k*
Monday, August 27, 2007
a taste of india
Over in Jersey City, Newark Avenue between Kennedy Boulevard and Tonnelle Avenue is called Little India. A two block stretch of restaurants, take out, groceries, markets, jewelers, and other shops that cater primarily to the Indian culture. I thought it would be fun to go there for dinner, because I had hoped that it would somehow be more traditional than some of the places that we usually go to. Sometimes I think that the restaurants that are located in retail / commercial areas with lots of other restaurants, maybe trendy or hip areas, tend to be more Americanized. Who knows.. anyway, I felt like getting some Indian food and damn if we didn't find some good food!The restaurant was called Indian Village (the sign said IVillage), on the corner of Newark and Kennedy Boulevard. This is one of the sit down restaurants in the area and a little more upscale (though it was definitely a bargain). There are a lot of take out places in this area, but we felt more comfortable going to a sit down place. The outside was nice and upon entering, the spicy aroma immediately made my mouth water. We were seated promptly, as there were not that many people there when we were there. It was early on a Sunday evening, not a prime night to eat out. We ordered the Village Chat and Spinach Pakora as the appetizer. Rob told me that he thought my pakora might be better. I'm a bit surprised by that piece of information since I've only made it once! The Chat was very good, some crispies topped with potato, yogurt and tamarind sauce.
Whenever I go out for Indian food, I try and be careful about what I order because it could be lots of calories, fat and sodium. I stay away from paneer, even though it's oh so good. I also stay away from cream or butter sauces and try and stick with things either in a tomato based sauce or a spinach sauce. I ordered Alu Gobi Palak for dinner - potatoes, cauliflower and spinach. It was awesome! I ate it all. I'm paying for it today.
I always feel lucky to live in this area where you can basically get any type of food you want, almost any time of the day. This was a great find. We'll be going back there to try out some other restaurants.
*healthyfoodie*
Saturday, August 25, 2007
friday night happy hour
Friday nights are made for happy hour, and that's why we went to The Office. No, not the office at work, The Office in Montclair. It's not the hippest place in town, but we just wanted a low-key bar to watch the Yankee game. They have a few flat screen tv's which are easily seen from the circular bar. The bar tenders are up beat, but a little negligent. I like a bar tender that sees an empty beer and offers your a new one. Not one that I have to flag down, each and every time. The Office is not a place I think of when I want to go get some food, but I have to admit, their thin crust Margherita pizza, topped with sliced tomato and basil, was pretty darn good!
So after a few beers, some pizza and a four hour rain delay in the Yankee game, we left. I guess that was a good thing, because they actually did end up playing that game and I hate watching my boys lose in public. I would probably go back there again, if not for the tv screens, the pizza.
*k*
So after a few beers, some pizza and a four hour rain delay in the Yankee game, we left. I guess that was a good thing, because they actually did end up playing that game and I hate watching my boys lose in public. I would probably go back there again, if not for the tv screens, the pizza.
*k*
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
sushi lounge
so we went out to an impromptu dinner tonight. After a quick drink at the Hoboken Dubliner, upstairs bar (the tiki hut was too crowded, unfortunately), we took a trip around the block to the Sushi Lounge for a quick bite to eat before volleyball. I love the Sushi Lounge, they always have an awesome DJ playing techno sounds, but I have to admit it's a little pricey for what it's worth - luckily, I don't usually need to worry about that part :) In the spirit of being healthy, I ordered the Grilled Shrimp Salad. I know what you're thinking, that I ordered it only because there was mango in it - that is only partly true. Anyway, it came out on a bed of julienned green beans, red and yellow peppers and mangoes. Fabulous! (only problem is that I'm not a huge fan of peppers). It was really delicious though, despite the pepper thing.
Rob ordered a red hot roll and a tempura roll. Later, he questioned why he ordered the tempura roll, it was just so-so. The reality is, if you want tempura, order tempura. Don't order a tempura roll. Order something with fresh fish and accouterments that bring out its flavor. Save the tempura for your appetizer. The red hot roll was a tuna and avocado roll with a slice of jalapeno, a leaf of cilantro and a drizzle of hot sauce. Now that is one good roll!
Aside from the good food, Sushi Lounge always has a drink special and it's always something interesting. Tonight was a Strawberry Creamsicle, which sounded awesome, but would not be something my stomach could take before a volleyball match.
hope you try it sometime!
*k*
Rob ordered a red hot roll and a tempura roll. Later, he questioned why he ordered the tempura roll, it was just so-so. The reality is, if you want tempura, order tempura. Don't order a tempura roll. Order something with fresh fish and accouterments that bring out its flavor. Save the tempura for your appetizer. The red hot roll was a tuna and avocado roll with a slice of jalapeno, a leaf of cilantro and a drizzle of hot sauce. Now that is one good roll!
Aside from the good food, Sushi Lounge always has a drink special and it's always something interesting. Tonight was a Strawberry Creamsicle, which sounded awesome, but would not be something my stomach could take before a volleyball match.
hope you try it sometime!
*k*
Saturday, August 11, 2007
things you take for granted
I have been remiss in updating this blog, let's just say it's been a bit of a hectic week. I did have the opportunity to visit a (new to me) restaurant in Montclair, Trattoria Rustica located on Bloomfield Avenue near the intersection of Park. It was really fabulous, let me set the stage here. I took my father, his companion and my sister to this restaurant. They live in rural Florida and are used to the Italian restaurants that have linguine w/clam sauce, chicken parmigiana and stuffed shells. Now, there is nothing wrong with that type of traditional menu, some of my favorites actually. That is the type of menu they were expecting, but that is not the type of menu offered at the Trattoria Rustica.
We arrive at the restaurant and I should have known better, it was BYO and I didn't bring anything. So I left my family to look at the menu while I walked around the corner to pick up a bottle of wine. When I came back, my father, who was almost in panic mode, said that I had to explain the menu to them and that nothing looked familiar. It seemed familiar enough to me, but I guess even though the menu wasn't pedestrian, it seemed somewhat traditional to me. They had things like seared sea scallops over escarole and cannellini beans, gnocchi with roma tomatoes and mozzarella, veal milanese, cappellini with mixed vegetables, coconut crusted salmon over orzo. I think that living in an area where there are so many types of restaurants to choose from and many restaurants need to have more unique offerings in order to succeed, I get used to it. In fact, I was in shock when they said they didn't know what anything was (orzo? gnocchi? seems like regular fare to me). I realize now that these are some of the things I forget are not the same everywhere and end up taking them for granted.
On with the restaurant review already... It's a cozy place, and even somewhat romantic with it's smallish tables, and dim lighting. Make a reservation if you plan on going over the weekend. Even though we went there during the week and business was light, I can see how this place would fill up quickly. The wait staff was very attentive and accommodating. They were very willing to answer all of our questions and offer suggestions about the dished being served. The food itself was prepared to perfection and with adequately sized portions (I'm so sick of going out and having gigantic portions served that we don't end up eating). I ordered the sea scallops over escarole and cannellini beans, it was served in a balsamic reduction. The scallops were cooked exactly right, not overdone (which I find sometimes happens when I eat them in a restaurant). My sister ordered the gnocchi and she loved it. She had never had it before and usually orders ravioli or stuffed shells. She was very happy with my suggestion to try the gnocchi as it was a little bit familiar to her. My father and his companion ordered the coconut crusted salmon over orzo. A first for them as well. It was one of the restaurant's specials and the only thing I didn't care for was the sweet chutney that was on top of the salmon. Other than that, the salmon was very nicely cooked, medium rare and held all of its juices.
I will definitely be visiting this restaurant again and I hope you do too!
*k*
We arrive at the restaurant and I should have known better, it was BYO and I didn't bring anything. So I left my family to look at the menu while I walked around the corner to pick up a bottle of wine. When I came back, my father, who was almost in panic mode, said that I had to explain the menu to them and that nothing looked familiar. It seemed familiar enough to me, but I guess even though the menu wasn't pedestrian, it seemed somewhat traditional to me. They had things like seared sea scallops over escarole and cannellini beans, gnocchi with roma tomatoes and mozzarella, veal milanese, cappellini with mixed vegetables, coconut crusted salmon over orzo. I think that living in an area where there are so many types of restaurants to choose from and many restaurants need to have more unique offerings in order to succeed, I get used to it. In fact, I was in shock when they said they didn't know what anything was (orzo? gnocchi? seems like regular fare to me). I realize now that these are some of the things I forget are not the same everywhere and end up taking them for granted.
On with the restaurant review already... It's a cozy place, and even somewhat romantic with it's smallish tables, and dim lighting. Make a reservation if you plan on going over the weekend. Even though we went there during the week and business was light, I can see how this place would fill up quickly. The wait staff was very attentive and accommodating. They were very willing to answer all of our questions and offer suggestions about the dished being served. The food itself was prepared to perfection and with adequately sized portions (I'm so sick of going out and having gigantic portions served that we don't end up eating). I ordered the sea scallops over escarole and cannellini beans, it was served in a balsamic reduction. The scallops were cooked exactly right, not overdone (which I find sometimes happens when I eat them in a restaurant). My sister ordered the gnocchi and she loved it. She had never had it before and usually orders ravioli or stuffed shells. She was very happy with my suggestion to try the gnocchi as it was a little bit familiar to her. My father and his companion ordered the coconut crusted salmon over orzo. A first for them as well. It was one of the restaurant's specials and the only thing I didn't care for was the sweet chutney that was on top of the salmon. Other than that, the salmon was very nicely cooked, medium rare and held all of its juices.
I will definitely be visiting this restaurant again and I hope you do too!
*k*
Thursday, August 2, 2007
nothing better than beer in the AM
we woke up earl
y. We had to, beer was on the agenda. We decided to take a tour (free!) of the Anheuser-Busch facility. This was a great tour, the tour guides were very knowledgeable and it was entirely free, with beer and pretzels at the end of it. You see the entire brewing process, the clydesdales and dalmataions. If you haven't been there and have the chance to, do it. It's worth the time. Enough of that plug... so we did that and had a great time.
y. We had to, beer was on the agenda. We decided to take a tour (free!) of the Anheuser-Busch facility. This was a great tour, the tour guides were very knowledgeable and it was entirely free, with beer and pretzels at the end of it. You see the entire brewing process, the clydesdales and dalmataions. If you haven't been there and have the chance to, do it. It's worth the time. Enough of that plug... so we did that and had a great time.After that, we went over to a butterfly house that was really kind of cool. You end up walking through a greenhouse sort of structure that is filled with lots of plants, flowers and thousands (yes thousands) of butterflies. I was actually a little scared at first, I know that's ridiculous, they are butterflies after all. 
After that adventure, we headed back to downtown, with a pitstop at Imo's, the signature pizza of St. Louis for 40 years (who knew?). I liked it, but what's with the cheese? The thin crispy crust was great and it had a creamy, gooey, almost liquid cheese that tasted a little like cheddar on top. Definitely never had that before. Next, we went up in the arch and caught a few beers at the mad Hungarian's saloon (Al Hrabosky's Ballpark Saloon). This is a great place to hang out before the game, if you're a Cardinal's fan. HA! Just kidding, it's a great place, lots of sports memorabilia and generally festive atmosphere. At some point we saw a really bad ballgame from really great seats, courtesy of my former boss. The game was delayed by a torrential downpour, and we filled our bellies (at least I did) with lots of ballpark fare. Big plus for the Cardinals stadium - they had veggie burgers, and they were good! The game, on the other hand, was not so good. The Brewers really beat up on the Cards, can't say much more than that.
After that adventure, we headed back to downtown, with a pitstop at Imo's, the signature pizza of St. Louis for 40 years (who knew?). I liked it, but what's with the cheese? The thin crispy crust was great and it had a creamy, gooey, almost liquid cheese that tasted a little like cheddar on top. Definitely never had that before. Next, we went up in the arch and caught a few beers at the mad Hungarian's saloon (Al Hrabosky's Ballpark Saloon). This is a great place to hang out before the game, if you're a Cardinal's fan. HA! Just kidding, it's a great place, lots of sports memorabilia and generally festive atmosphere. At some point we saw a really bad ballgame from really great seats, courtesy of my former boss. The game was delayed by a torrential downpour, and we filled our bellies (at least I did) with lots of ballpark fare. Big plus for the Cardinals stadium - they had veggie burgers, and they were good! The game, on the other hand, was not so good. The Brewers really beat up on the Cards, can't say much more than that.Our grand finale was to a little hole in the wall called the Broadway Oyster Bar. We saw some live music, a band with a ska influence, and a few disappointed Cardinal's fans looking to forget about the game they just saw. We hung out there for a while before heading back to the hotel. Another big day was coming up.
*k*
a slacker, eh???
now that I've been called a slacker (?!?), I'll have to catch up on all my posting to save face. So onward in the midwest. From Kansas City, we took a short hop across scenic Missouri to St. Louis. It took about four and a half hours and we saw a few cows and corn fields. There was also an inordinate amount of billboards. After checking in and taking a quick look at the view of the ballpark from our hotel, we headed to the arch. It was crowded because one side broke (and we're going in this thing?!). From there, we went in search of the signature food of St. Louis. Yeah, we didn't know what it was either. We later found out that it's toasted ravioli and Imo's pizza.Off to The Hill, a quaint little neighborhood dotted with Italian restaurants. We followed the footsteps of Rachel Ray and went to Cunetto's. It was funny, it looked like it was dead when we walked in. And then the hostess took us through the bar area around to the dining area and it was packed! We walked through the dining area, around the corner and the place is huge. Much bigger than I anticipated from the outside. The menu was chock full of traditional Italian fare. I asked about the toasted ravioli and was surprised to find out they were meat ravioli. I didn't order any, but my friend did. She described them as not quite fried ravioli, lightly toasted, nice marinara sauce. Way to go Rachel Ray! I ordered a house salad, which was essentially a giant bowl of cheese with some salad in it. Don't get me wrong, I like cheese, but this was a little over the top. If you really love cheese, you would love this salad, and the dressing was good too. Along came our entrees, spaghetti with a garlic, oil and anchovy sauce, and veal saltimbocca. It was generally okay food, but definitely not what we are used to being from the Italian capital of the USA, northern NJ and NY area.
From there, we found a local watering hole called Maggie O'Brien's, because it was touted to have lots of TVs and several satellites. This was going to be the perfect place to watch the Yankee game, and it was. We met some very nice (but very odd) local St. Louisites who kept us entertained after the Yankees started to lose.
We left there and headed back to the hotel, the next day was going to be busy.
*k*
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
midnight at jardines
our second day in Kansas City proved to be quite a history-packed fun time. We started off by heading out toward the town of Independence and visited Truman's home and a jail that Jesse James did a stint in. After a wonderful tour by an Alaskan park ranger who knew one of the NJ Devils, we headed on over to the Truman Presidential Library. After a while, paying $10-$15 for each and every exhibit gets really old, and so we didn't feel like paying to go into a library that we weren't going to borrow a book from. So we stepped inside, took a quick peek around and then took off.
Back in KC, we headed straight for the much touted, long awaited, KC BBQ. We went to the original, Arthur Bryants. The original one that we went to was located in the northwestern section of the city, and somewhat oddly, there were no other viable businesses in the area but the place was PACKED at a few hours after the mid-day lunch at 2 pm. It was basically a fast food joint (as opposed to a sit down place). We ran into the YES Network Yankee Roadtrippers there and traded a few "Go Yankees" cheers. I doubt we'll be on, but we did have to sign a release. The BBQ was fantastic, even though we're in meat country and I didn't order a sandwich. I had some french fries, which I was able to use as sticks for picking up BBQ sauce.
After that, we had some time to kill before the game, so we went down to the Plaza to grab a few brews at the Classic Cup Cafe. It had a hip trendy atmosphere and a great bartender named Curtis, who gave us a few tips about getting to and from the game and where to go afterward. So we headed up to Royals Land, watched the Yankees batting practice and cheered along with the rest of the 10,000 Yankee fans who infiltrated the Royals stadium as A-Rod hit his 499 home run. We sat next to a couple from rural Iowa who were big Yankee fans and talked about them visiting NY next year for the last year in classic Yankee Stadium. It was a great time.
From there, we headed over to a jazz club called Jardines for a nightcap. A few more beers and some great jazz music at a local haunt. After last call, we called it a night as we had a long drive ahead of us to St. Louis.
*k*
Back in KC, we headed straight for the much touted, long awaited, KC BBQ. We went to the original, Arthur Bryants. The original one that we went to was located in the northwestern section of the city, and somewhat oddly, there were no other viable businesses in the area but the place was PACKED at a few hours after the mid-day lunch at 2 pm. It was basically a fast food joint (as opposed to a sit down place). We ran into the YES Network Yankee Roadtrippers there and traded a few "Go Yankees" cheers. I doubt we'll be on, but we did have to sign a release. The BBQ was fantastic, even though we're in meat country and I didn't order a sandwich. I had some french fries, which I was able to use as sticks for picking up BBQ sauce.
After that, we had some time to kill before the game, so we went down to the Plaza to grab a few brews at the Classic Cup Cafe. It had a hip trendy atmosphere and a great bartender named Curtis, who gave us a few tips about getting to and from the game and where to go afterward. So we headed up to Royals Land, watched the Yankees batting practice and cheered along with the rest of the 10,000 Yankee fans who infiltrated the Royals stadium as A-Rod hit his 499 home run. We sat next to a couple from rural Iowa who were big Yankee fans and talked about them visiting NY next year for the last year in classic Yankee Stadium. It was a great time.
From there, we headed over to a jazz club called Jardines for a nightcap. A few more beers and some great jazz music at a local haunt. After last call, we called it a night as we had a long drive ahead of us to St. Louis.
*k*
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
the heartland of america
every year I take a trip with a friend of mine to visit a few baseball stadiums. Not only is it a fun way to see the parks of America's favorite pastime, but it's a great way to see cities that I would not normally visit. This year is Kansas City, MO and St. Louis. Our first stop KC - home to KC BBQ, KC jazz, historic fountains (who knew!) and of course the Royals. There has been quite a bit of eating and drinking (did you expect anything less?). We arrived around dinner time and decided to head down to Westport, one of KC's historic districts touted for quaint shops, bars and restaurants. It was a small nook butted up against State Line, Kansas, with about 3 blocks of businesses along Westport Avenue. We choose a cajun / creole place called Jazz - a Louisiana Kitchen. 
As I entered the place, I was a little confused because while the awning said "Jazz...", the door said something else (Jimmy's something or other). Anyway, it was perfectly our speed. Full of historic charm, the lights are dim and the walls are hung with Mardi Gras memorabilia. This little hole in the wall on the Kansas / Missouri stateline had ice cold beers, suprisingly scrumptious food, a relaxed atmosphere, and live music 7 nights a week. The onion rings are gianormous, beer battered, thick cuts of onion. The Po' Boys are served with a heaping order of the best cole slaw I have ever had, and a few, ever so slightly sweet, but perfectly crispy hush puppies. I ordered the blackened Catfish Po' Boy - a stick to your ribs meal that left me satisfied for the rest of the night.
From there, we went in search of a place to watch the Yankees / Royals game, George Bretts. George Brett was a KC Royal and is considered one of the greatest third baseman in baseball history. The bar is located in Country Club Plaza in the southern portion of KC. This neighborhood was quite different from Westport that we just came from. Packed with hip and trendy restaurants and designer stores, this area is a little more upscale. This bar / restaurant maintained a relaxed atmosphere with a little more of a trendy feel. One of the best features was late night happy hour - how fun is that?!
our adventures in the midwest will continue...
*k*
From there, we went in search of a place to watch the Yankees / Royals game, George Bretts. George Brett was a KC Royal and is considered one of the greatest third baseman in baseball history. The bar is located in Country Club Plaza in the southern portion of KC. This neighborhood was quite different from Westport that we just came from. Packed with hip and trendy restaurants and designer stores, this area is a little more upscale. This bar / restaurant maintained a relaxed atmosphere with a little more of a trendy feel. One of the best features was late night happy hour - how fun is that?!
our adventures in the midwest will continue...
*k*
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
restaurant crawl - the final chapter
We're both sated at this point and are resolved to the fact that my car is going to remain on 14th Street and we'll be walking home. A nice walk down Washington Street past lots of fabulous restaurants. We decided to stop, at quite possibly, the best restaurant in Hoboken, Amanda's.
Amanda's is a quaint and cozy French restaurant, with a vast wine list and lots of rich French cuisine. The offer prix fixe menus and wine tasting nights as well, so there is always something going on at Amandas. Sure, it's a fancy sit-down restaurant and we were two drunks dressed in shorts and flip flops looking for a top off to our restaurant crawl at the end of dining hour. They welcomed us with open arms (or was that empty glasses awaiting a fill of wine). We both had a Pinot Noir, typically my favorite varietal because we thought that would go well with the cake we were going to have. I had carrot cake because I can't resist working vegetables into every meal.
From there we had a nice leisurely walk home, after a fun adventure that started with the question "What's for dinner?"
I hope you enjoyed the restaurant crawl and maybe even try one or a few of them.
*k*
Amanda's is a quaint and cozy French restaurant, with a vast wine list and lots of rich French cuisine. The offer prix fixe menus and wine tasting nights as well, so there is always something going on at Amandas. Sure, it's a fancy sit-down restaurant and we were two drunks dressed in shorts and flip flops looking for a top off to our restaurant crawl at the end of dining hour. They welcomed us with open arms (or was that empty glasses awaiting a fill of wine). We both had a Pinot Noir, typically my favorite varietal because we thought that would go well with the cake we were going to have. I had carrot cake because I can't resist working vegetables into every meal.
From there we had a nice leisurely walk home, after a fun adventure that started with the question "What's for dinner?"
I hope you enjoyed the restaurant crawl and maybe even try one or a few of them.
*k*
Monday, July 9, 2007
restaurant crawl - part 3
yep, we were still going strong. You can read about previous adventures here and here. We walked out of Lua and and half stumbled over to Sushi House Uptown (not sure if they have a website, so this will have to do). Sushi House is one of my favorite restaurants in Hoboken, but since Rob lives downtown, we have never tried their new uptown location. Boy were we missing out! Now mind you, when we started out on this trek, Rob was trying to persuade me to go to Sushi House but I didn't want to go because I just wasn't feeling like sushi that night. Little did I know that he was going to get me there at some point.
So we ordered a Tropicana Roll (in honor of our upcoming trip to Atlantic City, which was on July 2-3) and shrimp tempura. For the wine, I ordered a Chilean Savignon Blanc but honestly I don't remember it much at all (sorry! by that point I was three sheets to the wind). The atmosphere was cool and casual and there was a live jazz band playing in the background. It was completely desolate, which I can only figure that it was 4th of July weekend and Hoboken in general was light on activity.
The food came with quick and friendly service, and tasted amazing (as usual!). I have never had a bad experience at Sushi House and that day was no exception. Check back for the last round of the Hoboken Restaurant Crawl!
Thank you Sushi House!
So we ordered a Tropicana Roll (in honor of our upcoming trip to Atlantic City, which was on July 2-3) and shrimp tempura. For the wine, I ordered a Chilean Savignon Blanc but honestly I don't remember it much at all (sorry! by that point I was three sheets to the wind). The atmosphere was cool and casual and there was a live jazz band playing in the background. It was completely desolate, which I can only figure that it was 4th of July weekend and Hoboken in general was light on activity.
The food came with quick and friendly service, and tasted amazing (as usual!). I have never had a bad experience at Sushi House and that day was no exception. Check back for the last round of the Hoboken Restaurant Crawl!
Thank you Sushi House!
restaurant crawl - part 2
in continuation of the restaurant crawl... after we left the City Bistro, we took a walk around the corner to Lua, my next restaurant review. This is an interesting place, settled along the northern corner of Sinatra Drive and 14th Street with beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline. The decor, while hip and chic for the millennium bar and restaurant scene, will certainly be dated and out of fashion 10-years from now the same way that 1980's style came and went. There is lots of frosted glass and colorful, yet dim lighting to which the pretentious clientele sip expensive martinis and lounge about.
Lua has an extensive wine list with lots to choose from in all price ranges so I ordered a Voigner. It had a nice aroma of grapefruit (again, similar to the City Bistro wine), and a mild acidity. It was a nice accompaniment to our appetizer. The menu is a hodge-podge of southwestern, with lots of Asian influence in some of the dishes as well as a Spanish influence in the Tapas section. I'm not really sure what they are trying to be in terms of their food. We ordered the vegetable quesadilla, which was filled with corn, mushrooms, pico de gallo and jalapeno jack cheese. It was good, but I probably wouldn't order it if I was going to order an entree as well, as it was a little heavy (ha! quesadillas usually are, we knew what we were getting into).
So, after Lua we walked sideways to the next restaurant. Stay tuned :)
Lua has an extensive wine list with lots to choose from in all price ranges so I ordered a Voigner. It had a nice aroma of grapefruit (again, similar to the City Bistro wine), and a mild acidity. It was a nice accompaniment to our appetizer. The menu is a hodge-podge of southwestern, with lots of Asian influence in some of the dishes as well as a Spanish influence in the Tapas section. I'm not really sure what they are trying to be in terms of their food. We ordered the vegetable quesadilla, which was filled with corn, mushrooms, pico de gallo and jalapeno jack cheese. It was good, but I probably wouldn't order it if I was going to order an entree as well, as it was a little heavy (ha! quesadillas usually are, we knew what we were getting into).
So, after Lua we walked sideways to the next restaurant. Stay tuned :)
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