I love restaurants that have big fireplaces, and high beamed ceilings. The smell of burning wood and food can make me dizzy sometimes. But if there's one thing I hate doing, it's spending a ton of money on mediocre food. Oh. My. God. I hate hate hate it! Have you guessed that this is what happened at the Mohawk House in Sparta?
Sparta is one of those towns, unlike Hackettstown as mentioned in the Pandan Room, that's all fancy and little grit and character. In all of Sussex County, it's one of the most expensive places to live, and from what I remember, most of the folks I've met from there are kinda snobby. I won't discriminate but at least it gives you some idea of what you might find if you went to eat or shop in Sparta.
Located about 1/4 mile from Route 15, when you pull into the restaurant, prepare to give the valet your keys. Ugh, valet parking. Give me the option to park my own car, please. I'm not sure if there was this option there, but we jumped out, all decked out and ready for a more "classy" dining experience. Had I known that others were wearing jeans, I would've obliged! But, there's hardly a time where I dress up just to go out to eat, so my husband and I were happy to do it since it's "once in a blue moon".
The first thing that catches you is the dimly lit interior and fireplace. The restaurant itself is pretty large and also has a loft. We were seated right next to the fireplace, which is kind of nice since it was so cold outside. Once seated, our very professional waiter asked for our drink orders...the beer list is pretty impressive and so the men each ordered beer and us ladies got wine. Everyone seemed happy, with the exception of my husband's beer. He was pretty sure that the beer was flat and tasted bad, which could have been due to the beer sitting in the lines for awhile or was just skunked. He had to ask for something else altogether.
Everyone decided to order appetizers...I got the cheese plate, which had several varieties to choose from. I opted for the Bijou, Gouda, and Manchego. The cheeses were accompanied by truffle honey, smoked almonds, olives, and crackers. I could have cared less for the crackers...it was like eating air. But the honey coupled with each of the cheeses made me happy. I did not, however, like the almonds. They were chewey and way too smokey...I felt like I was chewing on some old wood right off the fire. Yuck. Others ordered the appetizer portion of the scallops and the crab cake. Everyone seemed happy with their choices.
On to dinner. Since it's been eons since I've had scallops, I decided to order this as my dinner/entree...others ordered the braised short ribs and steak. I was disappointed with my dish for sure. The scallops were cooked perfectly, but the sauce was supposed to be a lobster bisque, and it tasted more like a bland tomato sauce. The scallops sat on top of salsify, and some edamame peppered the plate. Topping the scallops were a fried "hay" of sweet potato. The sweet potato was more for a garnish, which was disappointing because I LOVE sweet potato. The salsify was new for me, it's a kind of root vegetable, almost like a weed, but has the consistency of a parsnip or carrot once cooked. It went well but overall the dish was not harmonious. I was really disappointed in the flavors, but the portion was large and I didn't get past two scallops.
I was totally into my husband's braised short rib with cabbage and mashed potatoes. He wasn't a fan of the cabbage, which was a benefit to me thank you very much. Overall, everyone at the table "liked" their food but none of was were singing its praises. The consensus was, this was nice but we won't come back. I figured that I should, at the very least, give dessert a try. This too was a disappointment. I love sweets, but the Spiced Apple Upside Down cake was so sweet that I couldn't get past the third bite. I tried so hard! The cake looked dry but was moist, and the apple pieces inside the cake were too big. The cider caramel didn't complement the cake whatsoever, and the whole thing was just a big pile of sugar and I just had enough of this whole dinner! We sipped our coffee, and $300 later (YES, you read right) for four people, we were pretty disgusted. I had a hard time parting with our money, because as I said in the beginning of this post, I HATE spending good money on mediocre food. But here we were and I vowed never to do this again!
If you want to get some decent food in Sussex County and pay a little too much money, make a visit to the Mohawk House. I'd recommend you sit at the bar and order from the bar menu. You still get the ambience and the warmth of the fireplace, but without the same expense. If you love beer, you might like this place. Next time, if there IS a next time, we'll sit at the bar and order a burger or something. The service will be faster there too. Take a sample of the beer before you get a pint, and watch your wallet!
Food: ***
Service: ***
Ambience: ****
Overall: ***
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Pandan Room, Hackettstown
Every now and then, I find a restaurant that reminds me of why I love to go out to eat. It's the surprise of finding great food with good people, and flavors that you either have never had or haven't had in years. This was our experience at Pandan Room in Hackettstown, NJ.
Hackettstown is somewhat out of the way, at least for us, but not that far if you want to find a small town with some surprises in store. Hackettstown has always been somewhat the butt of the joke, a la Hackerstown, but like every good main street, you find some great stuff amongst some of the depressed. I like my towns and cities with variety, and other than having some friends that live in the area, I hadn't really been to Hackettstown for anything other than a psychic reading...when I was 16. Let's just say that was a long, long time ago!
Main Street at night was absolutely cute. I don't think anyone remembered to take down the lights from Christmas, but there was something ethereal about the glow on the street. I took a look as we drove through and saw an ice cream shop and other mom and pop shops that I would have liked to visit. As we pulled up to Pandan Room, I was surprised! It was pretty much a house, with more Christmas lights. Parking was around the corner, so we pulled in and took a short walk to the restaurant. Inside looked smaller than the outside, but the brightly colored walls with Thai and Indonesian decor seemed appropriate and represented what the food I would later discover tasted like...bright and unique.
There was about 11 people in our party, and our table was all ready as the ever friendly host/owner greeted us. We were seated quickly, handed the specials, and the waitress worked her magic. Even though there were so many of us, chaos never ensued. She expertly took our orders and within minutes, our appetizers were there. I was amazed. The only disappointing part of my meal was the Thai iced tea. I'm used to it being sweet and slightly thick. This was watery and needed sugar. I didn't complain though, and kind of enjoyed not worrying about the heaviness that usually accompanies the drink. We ordered the assorted spring rolls appetizer, and at only $6.99, we got two of each of three types of spring rolls. The others in our party each ordered the other two assorted appetizers on the menu, and I didn't hear any complaints!
Soon after the waitress cleared our dishes from our appetizers, our dinners arrived. Dishes were colorful and interesting, and smelled divine. Everyone was satisfied, from the harcore Thai food lovers who ordered traditional-ish curry dishes, to the newcomers who ordered the filet mignon. I ordered the Masaman Duck special, and I was blown away. The curry was light, the veggies tender but slightly crunchy, and the duck was some of the best I've ever had...tender and moist, crispy skin. The jasmine rice topped off the dish, and it was the perfect harmony. Most Thai dishes give me a little stomach upset, and I was thrilled when later on I experienced no difficulty whatsoever!
Other dishes included Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp with a peanut and coconut milk based sauce and jasmin rice, a rabbit stew special, chicken curry, and other traditional dishes. Looking at the menu, you might question such things as the Asiago burger. Where the hell did that come from? And the "Thaiella", a Thai spin on Paella...I might try that the next time. Since I sat so close to the kitchen, I kept turning my head to see what they were putting up next and was always craning my neck to see what was what.
Surprisngly, the bill didn't make me want to cry (as it did the other night after dining at the Mohawk House in Sparta...okay food but not for what they're charging!). We were all fully satisfied and wanted to eat more...I had to ask the server to take it away from me because I really felt as though I was going to commit foodie suicide.
I would absolutely come back and recommend this restaurant, for the Thai lover and novices alike, everyone will be pleased at this quaint but stylish little place that I will now be raving about to all who will listen! To see the menu for yourself, visit pandanroom.com. Hackettstown, here I come!
Food: *****
Ambience: *****
Service: *****
Overall: *****
Hackettstown is somewhat out of the way, at least for us, but not that far if you want to find a small town with some surprises in store. Hackettstown has always been somewhat the butt of the joke, a la Hackerstown, but like every good main street, you find some great stuff amongst some of the depressed. I like my towns and cities with variety, and other than having some friends that live in the area, I hadn't really been to Hackettstown for anything other than a psychic reading...when I was 16. Let's just say that was a long, long time ago!
Main Street at night was absolutely cute. I don't think anyone remembered to take down the lights from Christmas, but there was something ethereal about the glow on the street. I took a look as we drove through and saw an ice cream shop and other mom and pop shops that I would have liked to visit. As we pulled up to Pandan Room, I was surprised! It was pretty much a house, with more Christmas lights. Parking was around the corner, so we pulled in and took a short walk to the restaurant. Inside looked smaller than the outside, but the brightly colored walls with Thai and Indonesian decor seemed appropriate and represented what the food I would later discover tasted like...bright and unique.
There was about 11 people in our party, and our table was all ready as the ever friendly host/owner greeted us. We were seated quickly, handed the specials, and the waitress worked her magic. Even though there were so many of us, chaos never ensued. She expertly took our orders and within minutes, our appetizers were there. I was amazed. The only disappointing part of my meal was the Thai iced tea. I'm used to it being sweet and slightly thick. This was watery and needed sugar. I didn't complain though, and kind of enjoyed not worrying about the heaviness that usually accompanies the drink. We ordered the assorted spring rolls appetizer, and at only $6.99, we got two of each of three types of spring rolls. The others in our party each ordered the other two assorted appetizers on the menu, and I didn't hear any complaints!
Soon after the waitress cleared our dishes from our appetizers, our dinners arrived. Dishes were colorful and interesting, and smelled divine. Everyone was satisfied, from the harcore Thai food lovers who ordered traditional-ish curry dishes, to the newcomers who ordered the filet mignon. I ordered the Masaman Duck special, and I was blown away. The curry was light, the veggies tender but slightly crunchy, and the duck was some of the best I've ever had...tender and moist, crispy skin. The jasmine rice topped off the dish, and it was the perfect harmony. Most Thai dishes give me a little stomach upset, and I was thrilled when later on I experienced no difficulty whatsoever!
Other dishes included Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp with a peanut and coconut milk based sauce and jasmin rice, a rabbit stew special, chicken curry, and other traditional dishes. Looking at the menu, you might question such things as the Asiago burger. Where the hell did that come from? And the "Thaiella", a Thai spin on Paella...I might try that the next time. Since I sat so close to the kitchen, I kept turning my head to see what they were putting up next and was always craning my neck to see what was what.
Surprisngly, the bill didn't make me want to cry (as it did the other night after dining at the Mohawk House in Sparta...okay food but not for what they're charging!). We were all fully satisfied and wanted to eat more...I had to ask the server to take it away from me because I really felt as though I was going to commit foodie suicide.
I would absolutely come back and recommend this restaurant, for the Thai lover and novices alike, everyone will be pleased at this quaint but stylish little place that I will now be raving about to all who will listen! To see the menu for yourself, visit pandanroom.com. Hackettstown, here I come!
Food: *****
Ambience: *****
Service: *****
Overall: *****
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Leone's, Montclair, NJ
There was a time when I used to frequent Leone's. It's a joke among friends to call the place "Mama Leone's" after the rather large force/presence of the owner, Rose. When they first opened, I was in love. The pasta was stupendous. The restaurant was still a small place with just a few tables. Now, they've grown like the rest of the neighborhood, kind of like a virus. After many years, I went back with some friends, but thankfully didn't catch the virus.
Leone's now occupies what looks like three storefronts. Some of the old waitstaff are still there even. That was something that surprised me actually, from what I had heard from some folks who used to work for "Mama", she was a bit harsh (I'm being nice here). She's like the Roman who whips the horses in full gladiator regalia, except she's about 4'11". In any case, we were excited and super hungry.
The decor hasn't changed much. There's nothing bad or exciting either way about the inside of the restauarant. One of the additions from years past is their brick oven and counter that greets you when you first walk in. Beyond that, they have a "loft" area with seating as well. We were seated in the main part of the restaurant rather promptly given our reservation. Once seated, I realized the menu really hadn't changed much either. The same specials (mozzarella en carozza, artichokes, calamari, etc.) graced the menu, as well as old familiar classics like Cappellini Angelica. I didn't want to be bogged down heavy with pasta, so I opted for the Margherita Pizza for my dinner. Everyone else got a pasta, including one of the specials.
One thing I don't like is when a restaurant goes a la carte, especially an Italian restaurant. At least serve a small salad. But for just $4.95, you CAN get a salad. A lame house salad, with lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, and some carrot shavings. I was so disappointed in the thing, it looked pathetic. Soon after two of our guests got their salad, my pizza came. A full 15 to 20 minutes before anyone else got their entrees. I didn't want to be rude, but I was so starving, and also didn't want it to go cold. I had a slice, and that was enough. I've never had a pizza I didn't like, and this was bad enough not to go any further. The sauce was too thick for the crust, the fresh mozzarella had no flavor (salt the water will ya?!?!?!), and I kept biting down on dirt. I have a feeling that they never rinsed the basil leaves, because with each bite I got grit. After trying hard, I decided that going beyond that first slice would be murder for me. So I put the pie aside and asked for another menu. The others' food still wasn't there yet so I figured I had a good chance to get our food together. Not likely.
I FINALLY got my waiter's attention and ordered the fresh mozzarella salad. This required no cooking, but couldn't come with the other plates of pasta. I sat for 10 minutes watching everyone else eat. The two pasta dishes, Cappellini Angelica and Rigatoni Leone, looked and tasted wonderful. The pasta special with chicken and shrimp was not such a hit. My husband gave me the shrimp to eat, and all I could taste was coal. It was an unpleasant taste from the oven, presumably the brick oven, and I was not happy. He admitted that there wasn't anything special about his $20.95 special entree, so couple that with the 5 dollar salad, and you've got some unhappy customers.
The service was spotty and the food uneven. You want good pizza? Go to Villa Victoria down the street: no frills but a tasty as heck pie. If you want to get a good dining experience from Leone's, expect to wait and stick to the regular tried and true pasta dishes on the main menu. Otherwise, I'm not sure that this expansion virus is a good thing, and let's home Mama gets a cure.
Leone's now occupies what looks like three storefronts. Some of the old waitstaff are still there even. That was something that surprised me actually, from what I had heard from some folks who used to work for "Mama", she was a bit harsh (I'm being nice here). She's like the Roman who whips the horses in full gladiator regalia, except she's about 4'11". In any case, we were excited and super hungry.
The decor hasn't changed much. There's nothing bad or exciting either way about the inside of the restauarant. One of the additions from years past is their brick oven and counter that greets you when you first walk in. Beyond that, they have a "loft" area with seating as well. We were seated in the main part of the restaurant rather promptly given our reservation. Once seated, I realized the menu really hadn't changed much either. The same specials (mozzarella en carozza, artichokes, calamari, etc.) graced the menu, as well as old familiar classics like Cappellini Angelica. I didn't want to be bogged down heavy with pasta, so I opted for the Margherita Pizza for my dinner. Everyone else got a pasta, including one of the specials.
One thing I don't like is when a restaurant goes a la carte, especially an Italian restaurant. At least serve a small salad. But for just $4.95, you CAN get a salad. A lame house salad, with lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, and some carrot shavings. I was so disappointed in the thing, it looked pathetic. Soon after two of our guests got their salad, my pizza came. A full 15 to 20 minutes before anyone else got their entrees. I didn't want to be rude, but I was so starving, and also didn't want it to go cold. I had a slice, and that was enough. I've never had a pizza I didn't like, and this was bad enough not to go any further. The sauce was too thick for the crust, the fresh mozzarella had no flavor (salt the water will ya?!?!?!), and I kept biting down on dirt. I have a feeling that they never rinsed the basil leaves, because with each bite I got grit. After trying hard, I decided that going beyond that first slice would be murder for me. So I put the pie aside and asked for another menu. The others' food still wasn't there yet so I figured I had a good chance to get our food together. Not likely.
I FINALLY got my waiter's attention and ordered the fresh mozzarella salad. This required no cooking, but couldn't come with the other plates of pasta. I sat for 10 minutes watching everyone else eat. The two pasta dishes, Cappellini Angelica and Rigatoni Leone, looked and tasted wonderful. The pasta special with chicken and shrimp was not such a hit. My husband gave me the shrimp to eat, and all I could taste was coal. It was an unpleasant taste from the oven, presumably the brick oven, and I was not happy. He admitted that there wasn't anything special about his $20.95 special entree, so couple that with the 5 dollar salad, and you've got some unhappy customers.
The service was spotty and the food uneven. You want good pizza? Go to Villa Victoria down the street: no frills but a tasty as heck pie. If you want to get a good dining experience from Leone's, expect to wait and stick to the regular tried and true pasta dishes on the main menu. Otherwise, I'm not sure that this expansion virus is a good thing, and let's home Mama gets a cure.
Ambiance: ***1/2
Food: ***
Service: **
Overall: ***
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