The beauty of finding a welcoming, dependable eatery as the evening slowly closes. Jimmy Tomato's Pizzeria & Family Restaurant (123 East Main Street\Route 53, Denville, New Jersey, located in the ACME Shopping Mall, 973-627-2453, www.jimmytomatospizzeria.com) coins itself "A Place for the Whole Family." I agree, and it suffices for just one person as well. I was a 9 p.m. visitor, the eatery's last customer, and enjoyed playful banter among Jimmy and his team, and was treated as if the doors had just opened at 11 a.m. The rightmost photo below exhibits just a small portion of what is offered at this convenient dining spot; yes, sandwiches but also an variety in abundance of appetizers, salads, entrees, and (yes) pizza. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, Jimmy's also offers a extensive catering menu. My choice during my short visit? A sausage, peppers, and onions sandwich on roll ($7.75), topped with Jimmy's homemade sauce. It should be noted that, as I ordered my sandwich at the counter, it was explained to me that Jimmy's offers different types of sausage sandwiches, and each was described patiently. Professionalism in even the tiniest detail.
In fact, Jimmy himself delivered my sandwich to my table. A nice touch. Thanks, Jimmy and team. Next time I am on Route 53, I may pop in again, this time with my family. Steve
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There are certain kinds of eateries that excel. Period. Reasons are a distinct few. A creative chef, given license of cuisine and menu; an innovative menu, items served linked to a chef that garners return visitation. And then there the hotspots that are just so uniform, by-the-book, and so darned reliable, visiting is like being in the comfort of an old friend. Nikko Hibachi Steak House & Lounge in Fairfield, New Jersey (38 Two Bridges Road and also off of Route 46 West, next to La Quinta Inn, 973-882-1688, www.nikkohibachi.com) is that type of place. What I am about to tell won't be news. Nikko has dynamic liquor and sushi bar offerings, superb dinner entrees, and many a hibachi grill. See, nothing you don't know in that last sentence. However, there is an extra something special about Nikko, and I wish I could pull that from somewhere -- and I just did: the word is "dependable." I assume Nikko ownership and management figure I can do better, but at the moment I can't, and won't try. What I'll say is visit this great place. We visited on a very (emphasis on "very") busy Saturday evening where tables were being patiently waited for by many guests. We opted for the Hibachi area, and Jennie was our server, Miki our chef, and he was perhaps the most outgoing and sociable sushi chef we've had. Pictured below is chicken and steak Hibachi combination ($21.00) that was grilled to perfection, while below that is a chicken and salmon combo ($20.00), both served with grilled vegetables, pork fried rice, and lo mein. And a special thank you to Miki: my wife Lucille asked that onions be omitted from her meal, and he was kind enough to cook hers separately. Thank you, Nikko Hibachi Steak House & Lounge, for an always great dining experience.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A special thank you to our server, Jaime, as we visited Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament (149 Polito Avenue, 201-933-2220, www.medievaltimes.com) in Lyndhurst. For me it was a first time experience, while Stefanie many times has enjoyed it. No doubt her love for theater increases her joy when she attends. The cuisine, which is pretty much standard -- tomato bisque soup, garlic bread, 1/2 roasted chicken, baked potato, corn on the cob, and lemon cake and coffee -- was excellent, as was Jamie's kindness and service. I have to wonder, how in the world does she and the other servers hold those platters topped with pitchers of drinks (not just one or two, but about 5 or 6) and pour at the same time? Amazing! Steve Many who read this blog certainly notice that most of the eateries I've highlighted are normally discovered during extended drives through the Garden State. This being said, it's also nice to find a spot close to home where good food and service are enjoyed, and equally pleasurable to write about. 10-year-old Pancake Palace of Nutley (547 Franklin Avenue, 973-320-2201, www.pancakepalacenj.com) is that kind of place. Good food and great service, the latter provided by 9-year Pancake Palace veteran, Denise. Open 6:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. seven days a week, the menu here is stocked with breakfast and lunch favorites, including an entrée that bears Denise's name, a specialty combo of egg, pancakes, pork sausage, turkey sausage, and maple sausage. We visited on a weekday, and the first thing I noticed was the comfort and cleanliness of the eatery. This, and Denise's friendliness, were the perfect lead-in for what was certain to be a great breakfast. Take a peek at the gorgeous sandwich below, a Western omelet on roll, side of home fries, and coffee ($10.50). What a sandwich, and the combo with the coffee made this the perfect breakfast for me. For a person who doesn't often order pancakes and occasionally opts for an omelet, but is a huge breakfast sandwich fan, partnering the omelet in a fresh roll is the best of all worlds. Lucille opted for a two extra large egg platter with bacon and multigrain toast and coffee ($9.50) and, as is our norm, we shared our meals. The below pictured entrée was abundant. A very nice, morning dining experience.
Who says you have to be a diner aficionado and trek to one to enjoy breakfast (or lunch). Pancake Palace is dependable and nearby. We will return. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thank you, Brandon England. As my wife's Starbucks gift card nears its "burial" (aka balance almost depleted), Brandon along with we two found a way to make light of it when we visited his location (1739 Route 10, Parsippany). No one likes to part with a gift card -- in fact, I THINK Lucille's card still has .23 remaining -- but when you can enjoy a laugh about it, it makes everything all right. You see, gift card or not, friendliness and good service encourage return patronage, and the Parsippany Starbucks is a well run operation. Hiring folks like Brandon is very important, and his kindness means we'll always consider stopping in when in the area. Lucille and I first sat inside, then ventured outside on the cool day. It was a restful way to end the weekend. Steve From My Seat, you shall hear, tales of great food, and writing so dear... Okay, the above IS pretty bad. And although I have in the past had a few poems published, I never claim writing in the genre my forte. But today I do offer great food, great writing, and all in a great area. Steven Freaney and Tim Deaver own TJ’s Pizzeria Cafes in Franklin, Sussex, Oak Ridge, and West Milford, and you'll often find Steven at the first location (109 Route 23, 973-827-7500, www.tjsmenu.com). Superb Italian cuisine, just minutes from the Garden State's highest elevation, High Point.
Lucille's entrée choice was one of her favorites, an eggplant parmigiana platter ($10.95) with a side of spaghetti. My entrée choice was a baked ziti with meat sauce ($9.75). Portion size more then trumped the price paid, and you get all of this with - as I previously mentioned - amicable service and conversation. It's the real deal. It has often been said to me by eatery owners that, when the doors of establishments open daily, it's like a play, a stage performance. You have to be at your best. Thank you, TJ's Pizzeria Café. I'm awarding you 4 stars! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A special shout out to Ben Oliveira, manager and barista of the Route 23, Franklin, New Jersey located Starbucks (973-209-4224), who took care of my drink order courtesy of a recently received gift card from a writer's group I'm a member of. Ben was called on to open both this location as well as a new Starbucks location on Route 46 in Parsippany. That spells "responsible." Following the latter, he returned to his Franklin post, where he not only provided counter service the evening we stopped in, but also scrubbed down the garbage cans, wiped the windows, and engaged me and my wife in fun, informative discussion. Thanks, Ben.
It appears there are a few good reasons to head northwest on Route 23. Steve |
AuthorAppetizers, hospitality, small plates - the best in dining! Archives
January 2023
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