October 22
...serving up your daily dish.
With the rain? Get it all out here -- it's cheaper than therapy.
October 22, 2005 in The Daily Chat | Permalink
So this didn't work last time but I wanted to know everyone's favorite restaurants. Maybe you will tell me them now. TELL ME THEM NOW!
Posted by: katie | Oct 22, 2005 1:01:34 PM
PS in Montclair I mean, or "baristaville" which I still don't understand why it's called that.
Posted by: katie | Oct 22, 2005 1:02:29 PM
My fave restaurants are: Raymonds, Mesob, Brookside Thai, Tinga, Star Tavern, and Greek Delights. Are all very affordable and yummy - with good ambiance.
My favorite bar is Rascals, with Egans being a close second (just can't stand the high noise levels and it's a bit pricy).
Posted by: butchcjg | Oct 22, 2005 1:59:49 PM
Curious, what's the lowdown on Carousel, the restaurant that replaced Top Notch...anyone try it yet?
Posted by: Miss Martta | Oct 22, 2005 2:02:25 PM
Love Raymond's, Sushi Hana, Taj Palace, Egan's and Bloomfield Steak House. As far as Egan's and noise, if you go on an off night, it's not too bad.
Posted by: Miss Martta | Oct 22, 2005 2:04:48 PM
Alan@495. Everytime we go there the maitre de and Alan himself always give us a big hello. And you can sit at the counter, watch the meals get made, and get some special freebies. And there's wine out the back door across the parking lot. What the heck else could you want. Besides incredible italian food.
Posted by: montclair_is_crazy | Oct 22, 2005 2:15:40 PM
Somebody posted that Le Carousel was full of hot guys. They didn't mention the food that I can recall.
I have had some good dishes at Taj Palace. Lalezar, the Turkish place up the street, has some terrific appetizers. The entrees were good but I'd somehow expected them to be spicier - not in the Indian sense, just spicier. I like their ambience.
But the best food comes out of my own kitchen, of course. ;=)
Posted by: crank | Oct 22, 2005 2:21:08 PM
"Somebody posted that Le Carousel was full of hot guys. They didn't mention the food that I can recall."
Well, if I was single, this would matter....:-) Now I'm just interested in the food!
Posted by: Miss Martta | Oct 22, 2005 2:34:31 PM
I just did an MSN MapPoint search on 67 Church St. to see precisely where those Unitarians are. At the highest "magnification," the map shows various landmarks such as Monclair COC, Essex Co. Municipal Court & Hillside School.
ALso shown, on Church just below S. Park, is something called Gang Touring. Now what the heck is that?
Posted by: crank | Oct 22, 2005 2:35:57 PM
Star Tavern hands down best pizza! I like Sesame, Round Trip (the old train station by Bellevue), Egans (on the off nites) place called Josephs by the police station in Glen Ridge and a little further out of Barrista - American Bistro on Washington Ave in I think its Nutley but might be Belleville
Posted by: megan | Oct 22, 2005 2:51:49 PM
And in response to yesterday's post, Iceman, my father, god love him, is the biggest L7 I know. Anyone who knows him will tell you that he may be the most genuine and kind-hearted man this side of heaven, but he definitely isn't a rocker or a one-time pot smoker.
I know you were probably thinking that I come from a liberal, hippie household, but that is so not the case. My parents are very cool BUT............................ they did vote for Bush. Excuse me while I go throw up for the 100th time....
Posted by: Dana | Oct 22, 2005 3:56:44 PM
....and back to Dana's question
....what about those men ...how old are they and what night can they be found at Le Carousel (I knew they were hiding them somewhere in this town!)
as for restaurants ... love Star Tavern for Pizza, Mesob - Ethiopian, Thai Chef is the best of the Thai restaurant's, Table 8 - my new all around favorite
Posted by: girlesq | Oct 22, 2005 9:37:18 PM
girlsq - Brookdale Thai in Bloomfield is better than Thai Chef and the entres are $6!!!!!
Posted by: butchcjg | Oct 22, 2005 9:46:21 PM
This is one of my favorite subjects!! and thank you to those of you that read my reviews and send me emails with feedback - i know i sux at returning them, but i do read them, so thx. I know not everyone will agree with me, but I do love the food at Richie Ceceres, I always sit in the kitchen and I always get the fresh oysters which are so fab. I also really like Parkside - Casa Turano on Broad street, the food is always delicious - delivery is fast and correct. My two other picks are Taste on Bellevue ave. it is always neglected but the food is really perfect, i never had anything i didnt like, the staff is great and they have parking!!! yeah!! if you are going outside of baristaville, my picks are "Dish" in passaic - very funky and the food rocks - also "Strip House" at the Westminster Hotel in Livingston, they never miss a beat, the atmosphere is to die for and the staff trip over one another to please, they have the best cold seafood appetizer around. I can't forget "Park and Orchard" in Rutherford - worth getting on rt 3 for and "Il Mondo Vecchio" in Madison - yummy, now im hungry - I'll give out some props to Fasciano, Brookdise Thai and Deja Vu (did the service get any better there?) ok last but not least - you'll have to go to "REMEDY" for "coffee and". This place is so Phat, the staff is great, I think they have the best coffee around and its so cozy and yes i have "held court" outside on the patio a few times. The owners could'nt be nicer if they tried - im really glad they are there and the inside is gorgeous - Yeah for them! they totally got it right. -R
Posted by: roberto | Oct 22, 2005 11:46:34 PM
Star Tavern for Pizza hands down!! Plus their penne vodka w/chicken is also really good.
Brookside Thai
Josephs
I agree with Taste's food - always has been good - have gone a few times on the 1/2 nights, but the crowd is not my style
Rattlesnack Ranch (Denville) I know it's not in Baristaville, but it's great Mexican and very east to get too.
Lalezar - really like that place.
Church Street Cafe - mussels and pome freites - YUM
Best burger (believe it or not) is at Tiereny's - with cheese of course, big, cooked just right along with their onion rings and a pint of guinness - when I need my beef/grease fixins - that's the place to get it. The only downside is the smoke [cough cough]. If only NJ could do what NY did, it would be great and NO LOSS OF BUSINESS!!! We were in Ireland this past Spring and the pugs were PACKED TO THE GILLS with great music and plenty to drink and NO SMOKE!!
Posted by: Anne | Oct 23, 2005 8:35:34 AM
"If you are going outside of baristaville, my picks are "Dish" in passaic - very funky and the food rocks "
They had the dreaded "re-opening shortly" sign on the door last week. Anybody know the deal?
We had lunch at Carousel and it was "Okay" I'd give it another shot. I didn't see the hot guys though. In fact the only other party there looked like holdovers from Top Notch.
We had a KICK@$$ dinner at Dolce Bistro on Friday, I can report.
Posted by: echriscopal | Oct 23, 2005 9:29:06 AM
Pandam in Bloomburg. Reservoir Tavern on 202 in Parsnippity -- good abetz. Want lots of good food cheap? The Huddle Inn in West Wonder Bread (I mean Caldwell, sorry). Best burger and jazz piano on an early Thursday evening? Cloverleaf, also Caldwell. La Riviera in Clifton has good italian food and a wine list, too. Must try "Dish" if it is still open. Sushi bar at Ginza in Caldwell, too, is very good.
Posted by: Conan the Grammarian | Oct 23, 2005 9:51:19 AM
Katie: Ask Deb Gallant when she gets back why she titled our area "Baristaville." I think it has more to do with snarkiness than anything else. Barista, literally, is the Italian word for bartender; taverns and trattorias in Italy are places where people go not just to eat and drink, but to catch up on the latest news and gossip. Kinda like our blog. Baristaville, in my mind, describes a sometimes shallow, always funny, mini-climate of faux sophistication mixed with arched eyebrows. I would try to explain it better, but I just can't find the words.
Posted by: Conan the Grammarian | Oct 23, 2005 10:03:46 AM
Daruma, near the A&P in Montclair is the best suchi in town, hands down.
I'm also partial to Egans (the free soda bread is the best part!) and the place that used to be called Suzettes on Church Street. The Gothic salad is to die for.
Posted by: Katie Janks | Oct 23, 2005 10:35:17 AM
Isn't "Baristaville" a convenient shorthand for the collective geographic area comprising Montclair, Glenridge and Bloomield?
Posted by: skppy | Oct 23, 2005 10:43:17 AM
Baristaville I think just literally means the areas that the Baristanet site covers.
Posted by: butchcjg | Oct 23, 2005 12:24:48 PM
"baristaville" a place in your head if u happen to live in the essex county area-mentored by the barista herself-or themselves-
-"the barista" whispers something to us and gets our brains/hearts working-it is the "spike" in our essex county souls--
--it includes the activities that we think about-the food that we indulge in-the news items that talk to us-it is the love and hate of our neighborhood-it is the politics that we care about- it is the gossip we refuse to engage in, yet often get caught up in--
if you live in "baristaville" you never leave-not really...
Posted by: cstarling | Oct 23, 2005 1:04:15 PM
