It's been awhile since I've posted...which is both good and bad considering that it could possibly mean I've been spending much less money on going out to eat. In this troubled economy, I've been tightening my belt like just about everyone else I know. It kills me not to get a great meal out and about here and there, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
So tonight, as a celebratory occasion, I had the opportunity to visit an old stand-by restaurant that's been around for decades. The Walpack Inn is located literally out in the middle of nowhere, seated in the vast expanse of wilderness in an area of New Jersey that's much less traveled. Luckily for this restaurant, it's got such an age old reputation that even if folks aren't in the area, people are making reservations to eat dinner here left and right. And on a Saturday night at 5:00 p.m., the place was already jumpin'.
When you visit the website, there isn't much to get excited about. The menu is really limited and seems pretty boring. Chicken, beef, and lobster. There are a few variations of each, but not much. The Walpack Inn is known more for the view of nature right out the window. While you're eating dinner, Bambi saunters up and decides to dine right next to you. They're also known for their Mother's Day brunch and special events. And if you catch brunch there on the right kind of day, you can watch as the mist creeps slowly down the hill and the clouds make way for some sun. It really is beautiful. The interior of the restaurant is simply decorated and large. It's what you would expect from a restaurant located in the woods: earthy with lots of large wood furniture, adornments, and a large quantity of stuffed animals everywhere. I'm not talking about cute stuffed animals, but the kind that are shot and hung as trophies.
Upon being seated, your waitress will bring you freshly made bread. Make sure you pile on the butter because you're gonna need it! The bread is warm, but dry and sometimes crunchy. After the first few bites, I'd had enough. With any dinner entree, you can help yourself to a moderate salad bar with lots of basics and nothing fancy. That actually sums this place up...nothing fancy.
Unfortunately, the prices would suggest otherwise. Most entrees start at about $22 and go up to over $40. The specials menu averaged about $29 per entree, which includes rice or baked potato and the salad bar. For these prices, I expected to be a little more impressed than your average family restaurant. And don't tell me that I'm paying for the ambience...I grew up around this part of the state and so seeing deer and dead stuffed animals doesn't impress me. The food however should.
I ordered one of the specials on the menu: baked stuffed lobster with a baked potato. One of our diners ordered the Saturday night special: prime rib au jus. When our entrees arrived, I was excited and ready to dive into the whole lobster that had been split down the middle, stuffed with crabmeat stuffing, and served with drawn butter. The stuffing was okay...my partner greatly disliked it. I dug and dug for the lobster tail meat and was kind of disappointed. The lobster probably wasn't any bigger than 1.25 pounds so whatever meat I got was minimal and mushy. The tail meat was soft...so soft I was nervous it hadn't been cooked all the way through...and the claw meat was practically non-existent and also soft and runny. I wasn't even close to being full after eating the lobster and salad bar.
According to our guest, the prime rib was excellent and my partner, who ate the rest of her meal, agreed. (Since he ordered the same thing I did, he needed more since he was even more disappointed in his meal than I was. He reported that he liked the prime rib a great deal.) I had more room, so of course I went for dessert. I continued to see waitress after waitress carrying trays of apple crumb pie. I'm a sucker for a good apple pie, so I immediately knew that I was going to be all over that.
A little disappointment here too but overall a great slice of pie with a healthy dollop of fresh whipped cream. The crumb topping was out of this world, but one pet peeve of mine is when apples in apple pie still have their skin on them. It's distracting and adds absolutely nothing to the flavor or even texture of the pie itself. I couldn't finish my piece and sucked down my coffee. I was finally full.
Knowing what the Walpack Inn offers, I may not ever return for a regular dinner on any night of the week. Pig roast? Maybe. Brunch? Probably. Few and far between? Definitely. If you're looking to dine amongst deer and a great view, pick any spot in Sussex County and have yourself a picnic. Otherwise, save your money (on both gas and food) and pick a place that delivers on flavor and value. I may have been excited to see an owl perched in the rafters outside the restaurant when I was leaving, but it was the only excitement of the evening.
Ambience: ****
Service: ****
Food: ***
Overall: *** 1/2
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Marakesh Restaurant, Parsippany, NJ
We took some friends for a bit of a different dining experience, this time at Marakesh Restaurant in Parsippany. Marakesh is located in a small strip mall right on Route 46 eastbound next to a school uniform shop! Despite its weird location, once inside you would never imagine that you were located in a strip mall on a somewhat major roadway...or even in New Jersey.
Step inside and you feel instantly transported to Morocco via lush fabrics, dim lighting behind jeweled sconces, and waiters in traditional garb. Stay a little later, and around 9:00 p.m., the music changes and a belly dancer trapses out and shakes what her momma gave her. Audience participation is a must, so if you're shy, sit on the inside or else you'll find yourself shaking what YOUR momma gave YOU!
Lush couches with comfy pillows surround several ornate copper tables around the room. The feeling is romantic but family style. I instantly feel relaxed, like I could sit back and put my feet up. The waiter brought our menus and I took one look at the Sultan's Table and decided that I wanted to try the eight course meal. A friend agreed, and our significant others went in their own direction with their own entrees. Fine with us! For our shared entree, we went with the baby lamb tagine with couscous.
Each course was absolutely delectable. Before starting, a waiter comes over with a silver basin of sorts, and pours rose water over your hands to wash them before eating. Utensils are optional here since tradition in Morocco states that you eat with your right hand. We were down with that, but you definitely need your fork and spoon to eat the rest of your meal. Once our hands were cleansed, we were presented with the beginnings of our Sultan's table. First was the salad and the mixed cold appetizer, which included baba ganoush, hummus, and tabboule. Each was out of this world. The salad was heavy on the cilantro, with lettuce, tomato, and who knows what else! It was so enjoyable that I ate the other part of someone else's salad! The hummus, baba ganoush, and tabboule each were flavorful in their own right. One of the other diners got dolmas, which were also perfect. Next came the chicken bastilla; phyllo "pie" filled with spiced chicken topped with confectioner's sugar! It was like eating chicken stuffed french toast! After that came our soup with lentils and chickpeas...another hit. I don't know what the utensil was called that we were eating with, but it made the experience all the more fun.
By the time our entree came, I was feeling pretty full but didn't care. When that baby lamb tagine came out with the fragrant couscous, I was ready to dig in. The lamb was so tender it was falling off the bone...add some fruity couscous to the mixture and I was in h-e-a-v-e-n...my friend and I polished off half the dish together and took the rest home. The other diners raved about their meals...chicken shish kebab and baby lamb chops. I tried the chicken and veggies it came with and was equally impressed by the smoky spiced flavor...every now and then you get a hint of cinnamon which evens it all out.
Our meal was finished off with a flaky nutty pastry topped off with a dollop of creme fraise alongside cantaloupe and watermelon wedges. Add that to the jasmine/mint tea they served...it was all such a wonderful experience that I immediately began to think of all the people I could bring here to enjoy this with.
The Sultan's table is highly recommended if you're new to Moroccan cuisine and want to try a little bit of everything...it's a bit steep at $36/person but well worth it! Other a la carte entrees are reasonably priced and won't put too much of a dent in your wallet. For an instant transport to Morocco, it's much more reasonable than the airfare!
Ambience: *****
Service: *****
Food: *****
Overall: *****
Step inside and you feel instantly transported to Morocco via lush fabrics, dim lighting behind jeweled sconces, and waiters in traditional garb. Stay a little later, and around 9:00 p.m., the music changes and a belly dancer trapses out and shakes what her momma gave her. Audience participation is a must, so if you're shy, sit on the inside or else you'll find yourself shaking what YOUR momma gave YOU!
Lush couches with comfy pillows surround several ornate copper tables around the room. The feeling is romantic but family style. I instantly feel relaxed, like I could sit back and put my feet up. The waiter brought our menus and I took one look at the Sultan's Table and decided that I wanted to try the eight course meal. A friend agreed, and our significant others went in their own direction with their own entrees. Fine with us! For our shared entree, we went with the baby lamb tagine with couscous.
Each course was absolutely delectable. Before starting, a waiter comes over with a silver basin of sorts, and pours rose water over your hands to wash them before eating. Utensils are optional here since tradition in Morocco states that you eat with your right hand. We were down with that, but you definitely need your fork and spoon to eat the rest of your meal. Once our hands were cleansed, we were presented with the beginnings of our Sultan's table. First was the salad and the mixed cold appetizer, which included baba ganoush, hummus, and tabboule. Each was out of this world. The salad was heavy on the cilantro, with lettuce, tomato, and who knows what else! It was so enjoyable that I ate the other part of someone else's salad! The hummus, baba ganoush, and tabboule each were flavorful in their own right. One of the other diners got dolmas, which were also perfect. Next came the chicken bastilla; phyllo "pie" filled with spiced chicken topped with confectioner's sugar! It was like eating chicken stuffed french toast! After that came our soup with lentils and chickpeas...another hit. I don't know what the utensil was called that we were eating with, but it made the experience all the more fun.
By the time our entree came, I was feeling pretty full but didn't care. When that baby lamb tagine came out with the fragrant couscous, I was ready to dig in. The lamb was so tender it was falling off the bone...add some fruity couscous to the mixture and I was in h-e-a-v-e-n...my friend and I polished off half the dish together and took the rest home. The other diners raved about their meals...chicken shish kebab and baby lamb chops. I tried the chicken and veggies it came with and was equally impressed by the smoky spiced flavor...every now and then you get a hint of cinnamon which evens it all out.
Our meal was finished off with a flaky nutty pastry topped off with a dollop of creme fraise alongside cantaloupe and watermelon wedges. Add that to the jasmine/mint tea they served...it was all such a wonderful experience that I immediately began to think of all the people I could bring here to enjoy this with.
The Sultan's table is highly recommended if you're new to Moroccan cuisine and want to try a little bit of everything...it's a bit steep at $36/person but well worth it! Other a la carte entrees are reasonably priced and won't put too much of a dent in your wallet. For an instant transport to Morocco, it's much more reasonable than the airfare!
Ambience: *****
Service: *****
Food: *****
Overall: *****
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Cuban Pete's, Montclair
What do you get when an Italian goes from Mexican to Cuban? Cuban Pete's, that's what! Dominick, who used to own Mexicali Rose, and whose mamma owns Leone's right around the corner, has tried a new venture with Cuban Pete's. I remember Dominick from when I used to live in downtown Montclair. He was nothing more than a chauvinist jerk who acted cordial to his guests, but treated everyone else like garbage. Luckily, I didn't have to see his mug the night I visited the restaurant. I was actually skeptical to go because of the memories I had of the food and his personality from the Mexicali Rose days, however, my friends wanted to go, and that's where we went.
I have to give kudos to Dominick (or whoever he hired to decorate) for the overall atmosphere and styling of the entire restaurant. It has a lot more room than you think when first approaching. Heavy wooden tables and plants seem to be everywhere. Overall it's a very inviting interior and feels like everyone's having a good time. Even the servers look like they're on siesta! And apparently some act like it with some of the reviews I've read about the service on other websites. But for us, tonight the service was just fine.
The menu seems to offer more Spanish inspired food than Cuban, although there were a couple of Cuban specialties on the menu. We ordered the Asia de Cuba punch, which was very lackluster and fell flat. I had only a couple of sips before deciding that it wasn't for me. I'm not sure about the punch idea...maybe if they were tasty and a little more original...and fresh...I might be more interested. For an appetizer, we ordered tostones, again lackluster. Just when I thought this might be a bust, our dinner came. I had the Carlito's Way Chicken...a grilled half chicken (a very very small chicken), with a white sauce on top, coconut rice, and a mango coconut yam on the side. The chicken was perfectly crispy...a little overcooked on one side which led to very dry meat, but overall a hit. The rice had great coconut flavor...I just wanted to keep eating it! It was sweet but not too sweet, and played well with the chicken and the yam. I didn't really taste any mango in the yam, and the coconut shreds on top of the yam didn't really do anything for me, but I do love yams so I can't complain. Yam yam yam.
Our friends seemed to enjoy their dishes. I tried the pork dish, which seemed a bit dry and tasted a little too much of lime. The plantains were out of this world though! There are three parts of the menu...each comes with different sides. This made it a bit difficult to order because I wanted one entree from one part of the menu with the sides from the other parts! There are also plenty of tapas to choose from, so if you're unsure or you want to try different sides, consider ordering them a la carte. The price isn't overwhelming and you can then have the best of both worlds.
Dessert was equally satisfying. We had the flan and tres leches cake. The flan was divine, and since this was my first time eating tres leches cake, I was pleased at what I got.
The only major drawback is when someone is celebrating their birthday. They bring out a bongo drum and cowbell and start singing something which I couldn't understand. It was overwhelmingly loud, so much so that you had to literally shout at your waiter to order. At first it completely startled me, then it just got annoying. It can't hurt to tone that down a little, can it?
I think you'll enjoy the atmosphere and food at Cuban Pete's...I might find myself dancing my way back there soon. And NOT on my birthday.
Ambiance: **** (would've been 5 if it hadn't been for the loud birthday bongo!)
Food: ****
Service: ****
Overall: ****
I have to give kudos to Dominick (or whoever he hired to decorate) for the overall atmosphere and styling of the entire restaurant. It has a lot more room than you think when first approaching. Heavy wooden tables and plants seem to be everywhere. Overall it's a very inviting interior and feels like everyone's having a good time. Even the servers look like they're on siesta! And apparently some act like it with some of the reviews I've read about the service on other websites. But for us, tonight the service was just fine.
The menu seems to offer more Spanish inspired food than Cuban, although there were a couple of Cuban specialties on the menu. We ordered the Asia de Cuba punch, which was very lackluster and fell flat. I had only a couple of sips before deciding that it wasn't for me. I'm not sure about the punch idea...maybe if they were tasty and a little more original...and fresh...I might be more interested. For an appetizer, we ordered tostones, again lackluster. Just when I thought this might be a bust, our dinner came. I had the Carlito's Way Chicken...a grilled half chicken (a very very small chicken), with a white sauce on top, coconut rice, and a mango coconut yam on the side. The chicken was perfectly crispy...a little overcooked on one side which led to very dry meat, but overall a hit. The rice had great coconut flavor...I just wanted to keep eating it! It was sweet but not too sweet, and played well with the chicken and the yam. I didn't really taste any mango in the yam, and the coconut shreds on top of the yam didn't really do anything for me, but I do love yams so I can't complain. Yam yam yam.
Our friends seemed to enjoy their dishes. I tried the pork dish, which seemed a bit dry and tasted a little too much of lime. The plantains were out of this world though! There are three parts of the menu...each comes with different sides. This made it a bit difficult to order because I wanted one entree from one part of the menu with the sides from the other parts! There are also plenty of tapas to choose from, so if you're unsure or you want to try different sides, consider ordering them a la carte. The price isn't overwhelming and you can then have the best of both worlds.
Dessert was equally satisfying. We had the flan and tres leches cake. The flan was divine, and since this was my first time eating tres leches cake, I was pleased at what I got.
The only major drawback is when someone is celebrating their birthday. They bring out a bongo drum and cowbell and start singing something which I couldn't understand. It was overwhelmingly loud, so much so that you had to literally shout at your waiter to order. At first it completely startled me, then it just got annoying. It can't hurt to tone that down a little, can it?
I think you'll enjoy the atmosphere and food at Cuban Pete's...I might find myself dancing my way back there soon. And NOT on my birthday.
Ambiance: **** (would've been 5 if it hadn't been for the loud birthday bongo!)
Food: ****
Service: ****
Overall: ****
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Stamna Taverna, Bloomfield
It was during my last outing to Holsten's that I discovered Stamna. Located on Broad Street in Bloomfield, this is a restaurant that makes you feel right at home in the horio. It's been a loooong time since I've had good authentic Greek food a la yia yia in the "old country", and I'm talking more than gyros and spanikopita. No longer do I have to cross several bridges and pay exhorbenant amounts of money just to get good Greek eats.
The restaurant itself makes you feel as though you're eating in someone's home...from the music playing on the stereo to the soccer on television, Stamna delivers more than just the typical blue and white color scheme. The painting on the wall of some old men sitting at a kafenion reminded me again of when I used to run around as a kid in the village while my elders sat and drank caffe.
All the waiters, Greek themselves, are your typical Greek men...hairy and speaking so quickly you can't understand a word they're saying. Thankfully, I've had my fair share of thick Greek accents, so I had no trouble. I brought two family members with me, my sister and nephew. Along with a bottle of Boutari Moschofilero, I was all set to enjoy a hearty Greek meal. And oh my god did Stamna deliver!
My partners ordered a chicken souvlaki and pork souvlaki platter with a side of lemon potatoes each. I ordered the Stamna Thalassina Platter, which included calamari, octopus, and shrimp, all grilled to a crispy blackened perfection. Along with my side of steamed greens, I really was in heaven. I couldn't help but pick at my sister's lemon potatoes though, they were absolute perfection. And I was sad that I didn't get my own brick of feta and tub of tzatziki for myself. I think that if given the opportunity, I would have overeaten at Stamna and probably have to be carried out in a stretcher.
As if the dinner wasn't enough, I just had to partake in some Galaktoboureko for dessert. A heavenly custard nestled between sweet phyllo sprinkled with cinnamon and swimming in a sweet syrup, I just stuffed myself almost to the point of disgustingness.
Stamna is open every day except Monday, and they even have a catering menu. For a Wednesday night, the place was busy and it was very easy to see why. I will continue to come back to Stamna, and next time I'm bringing a few more hungry folk with me!
Food: *****
Ambiance: *****
Service: *****
Overall: *****
The restaurant itself makes you feel as though you're eating in someone's home...from the music playing on the stereo to the soccer on television, Stamna delivers more than just the typical blue and white color scheme. The painting on the wall of some old men sitting at a kafenion reminded me again of when I used to run around as a kid in the village while my elders sat and drank caffe.
All the waiters, Greek themselves, are your typical Greek men...hairy and speaking so quickly you can't understand a word they're saying. Thankfully, I've had my fair share of thick Greek accents, so I had no trouble. I brought two family members with me, my sister and nephew. Along with a bottle of Boutari Moschofilero, I was all set to enjoy a hearty Greek meal. And oh my god did Stamna deliver!
My partners ordered a chicken souvlaki and pork souvlaki platter with a side of lemon potatoes each. I ordered the Stamna Thalassina Platter, which included calamari, octopus, and shrimp, all grilled to a crispy blackened perfection. Along with my side of steamed greens, I really was in heaven. I couldn't help but pick at my sister's lemon potatoes though, they were absolute perfection. And I was sad that I didn't get my own brick of feta and tub of tzatziki for myself. I think that if given the opportunity, I would have overeaten at Stamna and probably have to be carried out in a stretcher.
As if the dinner wasn't enough, I just had to partake in some Galaktoboureko for dessert. A heavenly custard nestled between sweet phyllo sprinkled with cinnamon and swimming in a sweet syrup, I just stuffed myself almost to the point of disgustingness.
Stamna is open every day except Monday, and they even have a catering menu. For a Wednesday night, the place was busy and it was very easy to see why. I will continue to come back to Stamna, and next time I'm bringing a few more hungry folk with me!
Food: *****
Ambiance: *****
Service: *****
Overall: *****
Monday, July 21, 2008
Thatcher McGee's, Pompton Lakes
I eat way too much. At least I'm beginning to think so since I've posted about five blogs in one month? That's crazy! No wonder why I'm always broke!
Sometimes you'll find a restaurant that won't exactly break your bank, and that's what we think about Thatcher McGee's. First, it's affordable, second, the atmosphere is cool, and third, the food and drink are pretty amazing. Step inside Thatcher McGee's and you'll feel as though you're inside a pub in Ireland. Notice the quotes all over the walls...you'll get a real kick out of some of them. For example..."My mother never saw the irony when she called me a son of a b.... Jack Nicholson". Keep looking and you'll find one or two that'll knock your socks off. We chose to sit at a high top in the bar area right by the dartboard. I believe our waitress even had an accent, though she was a little on the flaky side.
Thatcher's offers a typical bar type menu, but with additional dishes. Their reuben is huge and tasty, their fries crispy, hot and delicious, and their chicken wrap with spinach, tomatoes, and swiss was incredibly satisfying. I was a little annoyed when it came without the swiss...one or two bites and I was happy with it but I really wanted the swiss. When it came back to me, it had the cheese but for some reason a lot less tasty than the first go-round. The real winner on their menu is the "Taste of Ireland". It's huge, hearty, and soul-satisfying. I literally could not stop eating off my partner's plate. They start with mashed potatoes that they use as barriers to separate the four entrees on the plate: Guinness beef stew, Shepard's pie, chicken pot pie, and lamb stew (I think...). On top of that, there are fried onions and bangers (sausages). For $13.99 I consider this a bargain, and super flavorful to boot!
Of course you will get a perfectly poured Guinness every single time. The atmosphere is lively and jumping, even on a Sunday afternoon. Get your Irish fill at Thatcher McGee's the next time you're roaming around northern Jersey.
Food: ****
Ambience: *****
Service: ***
Overall: ****
Sometimes you'll find a restaurant that won't exactly break your bank, and that's what we think about Thatcher McGee's. First, it's affordable, second, the atmosphere is cool, and third, the food and drink are pretty amazing. Step inside Thatcher McGee's and you'll feel as though you're inside a pub in Ireland. Notice the quotes all over the walls...you'll get a real kick out of some of them. For example..."My mother never saw the irony when she called me a son of a b.... Jack Nicholson". Keep looking and you'll find one or two that'll knock your socks off. We chose to sit at a high top in the bar area right by the dartboard. I believe our waitress even had an accent, though she was a little on the flaky side.
Thatcher's offers a typical bar type menu, but with additional dishes. Their reuben is huge and tasty, their fries crispy, hot and delicious, and their chicken wrap with spinach, tomatoes, and swiss was incredibly satisfying. I was a little annoyed when it came without the swiss...one or two bites and I was happy with it but I really wanted the swiss. When it came back to me, it had the cheese but for some reason a lot less tasty than the first go-round. The real winner on their menu is the "Taste of Ireland". It's huge, hearty, and soul-satisfying. I literally could not stop eating off my partner's plate. They start with mashed potatoes that they use as barriers to separate the four entrees on the plate: Guinness beef stew, Shepard's pie, chicken pot pie, and lamb stew (I think...). On top of that, there are fried onions and bangers (sausages). For $13.99 I consider this a bargain, and super flavorful to boot!
Of course you will get a perfectly poured Guinness every single time. The atmosphere is lively and jumping, even on a Sunday afternoon. Get your Irish fill at Thatcher McGee's the next time you're roaming around northern Jersey.
Food: ****
Ambience: *****
Service: ***
Overall: ****
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Holsten's, Bloomfield, NJ
Although going to a funky restaurant with a cool atmosphere brought on by decor and hipsters can be somewhat satisfying, you always need an old standby. You know what I'm talking about because just about every one of us knows a place with awesome food but crappy decor. It almost makes you want them to change it but then again you don't want them to because it might bring about a whole different type of patronage. So then you're left telling yourself that you wouldn't change a thing!
Holsten's is that kind of place. They've been around for decades, and it's obvious that the last time they renovated or did any kind of decorating was in the 70's. Wood paneling is everywhere, as is the once-cool color palette. Every now and then you can see details of the old school Holsten's: the now defunct phone booth, the wood details...it screams 1945 and you want to scream back YES! I would love for the owners to restore the place back to its origins. I'm dying for a real old-school ice cream parlor so I can put on a pencil skirt, slingbacks, and red lipstick. Maybe that's another blog!
Holsten's is no frills and the quality is in its food, most notably, in its confections. Admittedly, I've never actually had anything else on their menu except the ice cream and chocolate milk (I'm a HUGE sucker for chocolate milk!). All I can say about the other food is that at least it looks good from what I can tell.
I love that they make just about everything from scratch...homemade ice cream, homemade chocolates and candy and cakes, oh my! And it all tastes divine. Order a sundae from the menu and they bring it to you in an old fashioned tall glass sundae dish piled high with ice cream and all the trimmings. Try the Duster Sundae...your choice of ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, malt powder and whipped cream...I like to swap the syrup out for hot fudge. The malt powder makes this a huge winner in my book. If the sundaes don't tickle your fancy, you can always build your own concoction, and don't worry, they have plenty of toppings to choose from. Have a glass of water to wash down the richness, or make it worse with a tall glass of chocolate milk. You're having ice cream, so why not indulge?
Holsten's is a big hit with kids and adults alike. I make the drive because it's worth it, and so should you!
Holsten's is that kind of place. They've been around for decades, and it's obvious that the last time they renovated or did any kind of decorating was in the 70's. Wood paneling is everywhere, as is the once-cool color palette. Every now and then you can see details of the old school Holsten's: the now defunct phone booth, the wood details...it screams 1945 and you want to scream back YES! I would love for the owners to restore the place back to its origins. I'm dying for a real old-school ice cream parlor so I can put on a pencil skirt, slingbacks, and red lipstick. Maybe that's another blog!
Holsten's is no frills and the quality is in its food, most notably, in its confections. Admittedly, I've never actually had anything else on their menu except the ice cream and chocolate milk (I'm a HUGE sucker for chocolate milk!). All I can say about the other food is that at least it looks good from what I can tell.
I love that they make just about everything from scratch...homemade ice cream, homemade chocolates and candy and cakes, oh my! And it all tastes divine. Order a sundae from the menu and they bring it to you in an old fashioned tall glass sundae dish piled high with ice cream and all the trimmings. Try the Duster Sundae...your choice of ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, malt powder and whipped cream...I like to swap the syrup out for hot fudge. The malt powder makes this a huge winner in my book. If the sundaes don't tickle your fancy, you can always build your own concoction, and don't worry, they have plenty of toppings to choose from. Have a glass of water to wash down the richness, or make it worse with a tall glass of chocolate milk. You're having ice cream, so why not indulge?
Holsten's is a big hit with kids and adults alike. I make the drive because it's worth it, and so should you!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Nori, Caldwell, NJ
Well, here I am again on another sushi adventure. This time my travels take you to Caldwell to Nori, right on Bloomfield Avenue. Nori has been around for several years and has been reviewed by the paper and is also apparently a hit with Zagat reviewers. We went for dinner on a Friday night, got right in, and enjoyed.
Nori is a small establishment with a small sushi bar in the back and small square tables. Small. Not terribly small, but I can't imagine it being packed because you might have a problem having any kind of privacy in conversation. Anyway, there are the usual Japanese adornments with shoji screens, geisha pictures, and other types of pics and paintings. What's kind of interesting are the blowfish and puffer fish that have been "preserved" and find their new home hanging from the ceiling. There's a kind of quirky vibe to the place despite the standard Japanese decor.
The menu is easy to read and the list of rolls (maki) is looooooong. This excites me, I always like to see a sushi joint take their maki to the next level. There was plenty of variety for anyone. Their menu also includes traditional hot dishes, as well as other pan-asian fare. To see the menu, click here. One drawback that I noticed were the prices. The sushi is priced at 1 per order, and many of the pieces were at least $2.50 each. The menu online does not match the menu on site.
Service was very quick and on point. One thing I was skeptical about was the soy sauce. I asked for low sodium just as my dinner was arriving, and she pointed to the decanter on the table. I asked to confirm that it was low sodium and she said yes. One taste and I knew it wasn't. I don't know any low sodium soy sauce with that kind of flavor. I could be wrong, maybe they spring for some high end stuff that has a roasty full-bodied flavor?
The miso soup was actually hardy...lots of greenery and tofu, and the salad was okay. The sushi was pretty damn good. The California roll wasn't all that impressive. Believe it or not some are good but this was just eh. The remainder on my plate was almost perfect. Perfect amount of rice, perfect amount of fish, perfect texture. The rice didn't have that much flavor though. The most impressive of the night was the unagi (eel). This was by far the best tasting piece of eel that I've ever had. Slightly charred around the edges and warm and buttery everywhere else, it had the perfect amount of sauce to accompany as well. After eating this and almost dying from the enjoyment, I told my partner that I could have ordered an entire entree of just eel. And I think next time I will!
Food: ****
Ambiance: ***
Service: ****
Overall: ****
Nori is a small establishment with a small sushi bar in the back and small square tables. Small. Not terribly small, but I can't imagine it being packed because you might have a problem having any kind of privacy in conversation. Anyway, there are the usual Japanese adornments with shoji screens, geisha pictures, and other types of pics and paintings. What's kind of interesting are the blowfish and puffer fish that have been "preserved" and find their new home hanging from the ceiling. There's a kind of quirky vibe to the place despite the standard Japanese decor.
The menu is easy to read and the list of rolls (maki) is looooooong. This excites me, I always like to see a sushi joint take their maki to the next level. There was plenty of variety for anyone. Their menu also includes traditional hot dishes, as well as other pan-asian fare. To see the menu, click here. One drawback that I noticed were the prices. The sushi is priced at 1 per order, and many of the pieces were at least $2.50 each. The menu online does not match the menu on site.
Service was very quick and on point. One thing I was skeptical about was the soy sauce. I asked for low sodium just as my dinner was arriving, and she pointed to the decanter on the table. I asked to confirm that it was low sodium and she said yes. One taste and I knew it wasn't. I don't know any low sodium soy sauce with that kind of flavor. I could be wrong, maybe they spring for some high end stuff that has a roasty full-bodied flavor?
The miso soup was actually hardy...lots of greenery and tofu, and the salad was okay. The sushi was pretty damn good. The California roll wasn't all that impressive. Believe it or not some are good but this was just eh. The remainder on my plate was almost perfect. Perfect amount of rice, perfect amount of fish, perfect texture. The rice didn't have that much flavor though. The most impressive of the night was the unagi (eel). This was by far the best tasting piece of eel that I've ever had. Slightly charred around the edges and warm and buttery everywhere else, it had the perfect amount of sauce to accompany as well. After eating this and almost dying from the enjoyment, I told my partner that I could have ordered an entire entree of just eel. And I think next time I will!
Food: ****
Ambiance: ***
Service: ****
Overall: ****
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