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East West Restaurant
Anthony
February 18, 2012
Lechon!
Filipino buffet with good reviews.
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Featured Cuisines
Essex
Binh Duong
Anthony
February 18, 2012
Update – November 2015
Binh Duong has opened a second location in Hillside, NJ.
Update – February 2012
Vietnamese Beef Stew
Binh Duong is one of my top five Vietnamese spots in Jersey.
On this visit, we enjoyed the super-crispy Spring Rolls (shrimp and pork), a tasty Crispy Fried Crepe (egg crepe filled with shrimp & pork), and of course, the rich and flavorful Beef Pho. For something a little different, try the Bo Kho – Vietnamese beef stew served with bread, rice noodles or egg noodles – large chunks of braised beef and carrots in a rich, fatty broth. Perfect for a cold winter night.
The servers are still friendly and happy to explain the more obscure menu items and ingredients.
Review – October 2010
Shrimp Pho
When I ordered the Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Pork & Beef Rice Noodle Soup) from the “Chef’s Special” section of Binh Duong’s large menu, the waiter asked me if I wanted blood.
“Blood?” I asked.
“Blood,” he muttered.
“Sure, with blood,” I said.
Don’t be afraid. The blood appeared in my soup as wine-colored, tofu-textured, cubes. Not too strong by themselves, adding a slight morcilla flavor to the already savory broth. All together, a delicious bowl of rice noodles, pork slices, and beef chunks on the bone. Not only did they ask about the blood, the owner offered some friendly advice for eating the Bun (rice vermicelli) when he thought my wife hadn’t added enough sauce to the bowl.
Crispy Spring Rolls
Crispy Spring Rolls, succulent Roasted Quail, deep-fried Buttered Frogs Legs, nested Fried Sweet Potatoes with Shrimp, and a cold Shrimp and Papaya Salad made for a hearty table full of appetizers when we visited Binh Duong for a Friday night dinner with friends. One of those friends with Vietnamese roots declared the food and, importantly, the Pho, to be good.
In a Bloomfield strip mall that includes a Filipino restaurant and bakery, Binh Duong has about twelve tables in a simply decorated room. Service is fast and the crowd is a diverse mix of Asians and non-Asians.
With good food, friendly service and low prices, Binh Duong is a nice addition to our Jersey Vietnamese list.
J & J Caribbean
Anthony
December 30, 2011
My mouth is still tingling from this plate of J & J Caribbean’s jerk chicken. Order the “small” portion and you get everything pictured above – wonderfully spicy-sweet jerk chicken pieces, rice and peas (beans), sweet plantains and some vegetables (mostly cabbage). The jerk spices here are hot, so be warned if you’re not used to it. I’m sure the roti (Caribbean meat and potato wrap) is just as good, but they had none when I visited.
It doesn’t get more hole-in-the-wall than this tiny Jamaican storefront on Valley Street in South Orange. The cash only menu is on the wall, there are maybe six small tables, and the display cases are empty, except for the one with an array of savory Jamaican patties – beef, chicken and veg – also spicy. The decor consists of a few old Jamaican posters. Clearly, the magic is taking place in the small hidden kitchen. Ask what’s available that day. On weekdays, J & J’s is filled with students from nearby Columbia High School snagging a quick patty for lunch. I wish my high school had served Jamaican food.
Harris Diner
Anthony
December 11, 2011
An old style diner that’s seen better days, with a stainless steel counter, booths and wobbly tables. Kudos for four kinds of Disco Fries on the menu and extensive breakfast selections, including “Hobo Eggs” (with hot dogs).
Stamna Greek Taverna
Anthony
November 1, 2011
Guest review by Michelle Stavrou (@JerseyGirlEats) of Jersey Girl Eats
Keftedakia (photo by Michelle Stavrou)
“Growing up in a half-Greek household taught me to be picky about what I consider exceptional Greek food. I’ve eaten at a number of Greek restaurants in New Jersey, and I can easily say that Stamna in Bloomfield ranks near the top.
My husband and I met my parents for lunch at Stamna. The four of us decided to start with a variety of appetizers, then order main dishes if we were still hungry. First up was tzatziki, the popular yogurt cucumber dip. Stamna’s version was creamy and had great flavor, a perfect accompaniment to the fresh pita bread. We also ordered the Cypriot salad, though I’m fairly certain they brought us a regular Greek salad instead. We didn’t even notice though, as the salad was packed with bright red tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and some of the best feta I’ve had. Along with the salad we got grape leaves (dolmadakia), meatballs (keftedakia), and cheese pies (tyropitakia). The standouts were definitely the meatballs. Crispy and well-seasoned, I had to restrain myself from finishing them off. The individual cheese pies had a creamier filling than we were used to, but the taste was spot-on.
Tyropitakia (photo by Michelle Stavrou)
By the time we were polishing off the last of the tyropitakia, we knew we were too full to order any additional food. One of the great things about Greek cuisine is the ability to make an entire meal from appetizers, giving you the ability to try a little bit of everything. We’re already planning what we’re going to order next time. I have a feeling it won’t be long before we work our way through the entire menu.”
Links
Brick Lane Curry House
Anthony
October 23, 2011
The Brick Lane Dining Room
Brick Lane brings the spirit and flavors of a British curry house to New Jersey at its Montclair location, opened in July. (The first two are in Manhattan.) I can easily see Brick Lane becoming part of our regular rotation for Indian food.
Past the “Mind the Gap” sign next to the door, the minimalist dining room features hardwood tables and some cool “colander” lighting.
British curry shops, originally serving the Bengali immigrants of London’s East End, focus on base sauces with spices added to make a variety of Masalas, Kormas and Vindaloos. Brick Lane offers an impressive list of curries served with lamb, chicken, goat, fish, shrimp, paneer (cheese), tofu or vegetables. There are also meat and breads from the tandoor clay oven. We grabbed some food to go earlier this month, and really enjoyed everything we tasted – a very spicy Madras Curry chicken; a yummy, also spicy, Biryani, rice dish flavored with whole cloves; well-made onion-chickpea fritters; a nicely charred Naan; and some tasty potato “veg. of the day” (Bombay Aloo). The Lunch Special and Lunch Box to go are a steal at $10 each. Follow the links below to read about Brick Lane’s Phaal Curry challenge, which involves the infamous “Ghost Chile.”
Parking on this stretch of Valley Road can be tricky. Try the A&P lot down the block.
Links
The Landmark
Anthony
September 3, 2011
The Landmark is one of those Jersey spot’s that’s very familiar. Inside the seemingly small, red-shingled house with a white picket fence alongside Route 10, there is enough room for a full bar, wooden booths and tables, at least eight television screens, and a snug kitchen serving solid bar food. The waitresses are friendly, the bartenders know people’s names, and the locals are happy. You might have eaten there growing up. If you haven’t been recently, it’s time to go back.
A very good blue-collar burger
Go for the pub-style burgers and bar-pie pizzas. Neither is the best available in New Jersey, but both are better than most. The Landmark’s burger is recommended by many in the know around Essex County and it is the reason the restaurant has been on my burger list of places to try. The half-pound “Jersey Giant” burger is cooked to order with barely a crust to it, and served on a soft sesame seed bun. A little too much bun for my taste, but it’s a very good blue-collar burger. Not too fancy, with plenty of toppings to choose from. My choice: jalapenos and cheddar cheese.
Cheeseburger Pizza
I didn’t expect The Landmark’s pizza to make EthnicNJ’s list. In fact, I was scared when my daughter ordered a Cheeseburger Pizza. Normally, that kind of frou-frou pizza topping is forbidden in my family. To my pleasant surprise, The Landmark makes very good thin crust bar pies. They pass the fold test, are not too greasy, and the crust has some flavor. No char on the bottom, but altogether tasty. Don’t tell anyone, but I like the Cheeseburger Pizza. It is essentially a regular cheese pie with little meatballs, and a hint of cheddar on top of the mozzarella and tomato sauce. The pizza here is not quite as good as Star Tavern‘s thin crust, but The Landmark is not as crowded either.
I will definitely go back the The Landmark for the pizza, the burgers, and of course, the Jersey atmosphere.
Petit Paris
Anthony
August 24, 2011
Review
Guest review by James L. Baker (age 12)
“Petit Paris, or, for those of us who spent French class throwing erasers at the blackboard, ‘Little Paris,’ lives up to its name. It is a charming little internet café that serves some of the world’s most delicious (and least nutritious) food ever. The most emphasized thing there are the macarons, of which they serve 17 different variations, including rose, mango and basic. We bought several and set to work.
The macarons have a crispy wafer shell, a soft , puffy layering, and, no offense, a filling with the texture of soft Oreo cream. The flavor makes up for it, especially in the case of the raspberry macaron. The chocolate macaron is freaking delicious.
The other desserts are the kind of thing to put in a heart-shaped box (cough, her birthday is next month, flowers are overdone, cough) and to have with your triple espresso. The coffee éclair is really espresso and not at all sweet; the reviewer’s mother was a big fan.
Generally, the pastries are high quality and tasty. Plus, there was one 20-something guy actually speaking French into his Bluetooth. Now excuse me, I need to work on my eraser-throwing.”
Links