Jersey City and Northern NJ

[cjsavino]

@Jay Miller

Anyone tried Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge, NJ? The chef is David Viana formerly of The Kitchen at Grove Station. Once Arnold gets back from Manila I’ll try to make a trip down there.

Know people that have done cooking classes there, need to put this on our list for places to try.

[Joe_Chanley]

Any word on La Griglia in Kenilworth?

[cjsavino]

@Jay Miller

Anyone tried Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge, NJ? The chef is David Viana formerly of The Kitchen at Grove Station. Once Arnold gets back from Manila I’ll try to make a trip down there. BYO with a small selection of wines available for purchase.

At this restaurant, you can eat, shop and learn how to cook

[Paul_Jaouen]

@Joe Chanley

Any word on La Griglia in Kenilworth?

I haven’t been in a couple years but the food was good and they have a nice wine list. Nothing innovative but good solid food. I had some dinners downstairs with my NJ wine crew as well. Again, haven’t been in a couple years so don’t know if anything has changed.

[Jay_Miller]

@cjsavino

@Jay Miller

Anyone tried Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge, NJ? The chef is David Viana formerly of The Kitchen at Grove Station. Once Arnold gets back from Manila I’ll try to make a trip down there. BYO with a small selection of wines available for purchase.

At this restaurant, you can eat the food -- and then learn how to cook it - nj.com

Sounds promising. I really liked his cooking at The Kitchen at Grove Station and would love to visit and see what he’s doing now. It would also be a chance to ask about a dish of his that I’ve tried (with no noticeable success) to replicate.

Maybe an offline?

[cjsavino]

@Jay Miller

@cjsavino

@Jay Miller

Anyone tried Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge, NJ? The chef is David Viana formerly of The Kitchen at Grove Station. Once Arnold gets back from Manila I’ll try to make a trip down there. BYO with a small selection of wines available for purchase.

At this restaurant, you can eat the food -- and then learn how to cook it - nj.com

Sounds promising. I really liked his cooking at The Kitchen at Grove Station and would love to visit and see what he’s doing now. It would also be a chance to ask about a dish of his that I’ve tried (with no noticeable success) to replicate.

Maybe an offline?

Set it up, late Feb or March

[JeromeHan]

Has anyone been to Pluckemin Inn before? I’ve never really heard of it before until stumbling upon their wine list online. The prices seem to be great deals and the menu seems classic.

[Paul_Jaouen]

Yes. Very good restaurant. We did some dinners downstairs in their private room. I still recall doing a 1982 Bordeaux dinner there that was awesome. Brian Hider is the Somm and is a very nice and knowledgeable guy. My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

[Mike_Cohen]

@Paul Jaouen

My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

I think the proper term is “geographically undesirable”

[JeromeHan]

@Paul Jaouen

Yes. Very good restaurant. We did some dinners downstairs in their private room. I still recall doing a 1982 Bordeaux dinner there that was awesome. Brian Hider is the Somm and is a very nice and knowledgeable guy. My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

Now is it worth the 45 minute drive for me? So very tempting.

[cjsavino]

@JeromeHan

@Paul Jaouen

Yes. Very good restaurant. We did some dinners downstairs in their private room. I still recall doing a 1982 Bordeaux dinner there that was awesome. Brian Hider is the Somm and is a very nice and knowledgeable guy. My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

Now is it worth the 45 minute drive for me? So very tempting.

Now through March 31st they are offering 1/2 off wines under $100 and $50 off bottles over $100 on Fridays

[JeromeHan]

@cjsavino

@JeromeHan

@Paul Jaouen

Yes. Very good restaurant. We did some dinners downstairs in their private room. I still recall doing a 1982 Bordeaux dinner there that was awesome. Brian Hider is the Somm and is a very nice and knowledgeable guy. My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

Now is it worth the 45 minute drive for me? So very tempting.

Now through March 31st they are offering 1/2 off wines under $100 and $50 off bottles over $100 on Fridays

So… yesssss…

[Paul_Jaouen]

@JeromeHan

@Paul Jaouen

Yes. Very good restaurant. We did some dinners downstairs in their private room. I still recall doing a 1982 Bordeaux dinner there that was awesome. Brian Hider is the Somm and is a very nice and knowledgeable guy. My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

Now is it worth the 45 minute drive for me? So very tempting.

It’s not for me. Having to worry about a designated driver or Uber is one issue. There are enough good BYO restaurants in my area and my cellar is decent enough that I don’t need to buy off a list. But I do understand the attraction.

[Ian_Dorin]

@Joe Chanley

Any word on La Griglia in Kenilworth?

I was there recently, and it was ok. Nothing to write home about.

@JeromeHan

Has anyone been to Pluckemin Inn before? I’ve never really heard of it before until stumbling upon their wine list online. The prices seem to be great deals and the menu seems classic.

The food is very good, and the wine list is insane. Ask for Brian Hider if you go, he’s amazing and a wealth of knowledge. Worth going for sure.

[Ian_Dorin]

@C Prince

Ate at Common Lot on Friday night. Peter - It’s really a lovely place, easy to get to and the wine was excellent! Oh…wait…that was our wine! Chris - was looking forward to trying the lobster bisque but it was not on the menu so bummer but had the cod over lentils instead. The scallop appetizer came with fried curry leaves which was a nice and unusual touch. We thought that the food was really good to nearly very good. The restaurant itself has a lovely feel to it - the stems are excellent and the tables are nicely spaced. Free corkage makes it a nice package.

Great notes! Chris has the pleasure of going with me that night, and chef usually sends out something he’s working on whenever I’m there They really hit on all levels.

For those that want to go, I strongly suggest going with a large group, and ordering like crazy and kind of eat family style. This way you get to try a lot of the menu. I was there not all that long ago with a group of 10, we ordered 27 items (a lot of apps were ordered twice for the table), and the bill was like $80 a person with tax and tip.

[Paul_Jaouen]

@Ian Dorin

For those that want to go, I strongly suggest going with a large group, and ordering like crazy and kind of eat family style. This way you get to try a lot of the menu. I was there not all that long ago with a group of 10, we ordered 27 items (a lot of apps were ordered twice for the table), and the bill was like $80 a person with tax and tip.

That’s crazy!!!

[Mike_Rotondo]

@cjsavino

@JeromeHan

@Paul Jaouen

Yes. Very good restaurant. We did some dinners downstairs in their private room. I still recall doing a 1982 Bordeaux dinner there that was awesome. Brian Hider is the Somm and is a very nice and knowledgeable guy. My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

Now is it worth the 45 minute drive for me? So very tempting.

Now through March 31st they are offering 1/2 off wines under $100 and $50 off bottles over $100 on Fridays

I think it is. Especially since the 50 off deal on Fridays was extended through April.

Had a great meal there a few weeks ago on my birthday - food was executed beautifully, place was beautiful inside - and with the discount, I think the Chablis and '06 Rhys pinot we had were both under retail pricing. Brian was real nice to chat with too.

[C_Prince]

@Mike Rotondo

@cjsavino

@Paul Jaouen

Yes. Very good restaurant. We did some dinners downstairs in their private room. I still recall doing a 1982 Bordeaux dinner there that was awesome. Brian Hider is the Somm and is a very nice and knowledgeable guy. My only issue with the restaurant is that it is not closer to where I live.

Now through March 31st they are offering 1/2 off wines under $100 and $50 off bottles over $100 on Fridays

Had a great meal there a few weeks ago on my birthday - food was executed beautifully, place was beautiful inside - and with the discount, I think the Chablis and '06 Rhys pinot we had were both under retail pricing. Brian was real nice to chat with too.

The Plucky has extended their ‘50 off Fridays’ through the end of May. Amazing deal. Looks like May 19th is the only Friday that is totally booked which makes sense since there’s a big equestrian event in Gladstone that weekend. The wine list is awesome as is the food.

[Sherr1_Shap1r0]

Enjoyed a good meal at Laurel & Sage in Montclair (it’s in the space that used to be Culinariane).

[Rich_Salsano]

@Sherri S h a p i r o

Enjoyed a good meal at Laurel & Sage in Montclair (it’s in the space that used to be Culinariane).

Agreed. Only been there once but we thought it was quite good too.