Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Cafe Monet lets diners build their own menu combination.
Café Monet is a quaint bistro ripe with character. Large, colorful paintings of fruit and the French countryside adorn the walls of the two dining rooms. These rooms are separated by a solid wall, which creates the feeling of two small cafes that share nothing more than an entryway. Comfortable booths line the perimeter, but one of the rooms can easily be rearranged to accommodate groups of eight or more. The server seemed to be part of the atmosphere. He spoke in a heavy, authentic French accent. He was attentive and knew the menu well. As we debated our main course options, he was able to offer on-point suggestions, from which plates to combine to which wines would complement each dish. Unfortunately, the wine will have to wait until our…
40.724445
-74.304939
Cafe Monet
309 Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ
/articles/a-cozy-cafe-ripe-with-character
4811
/locations/190669
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Fresh ingredients abound on the sizable menu.
Basilico serves up tasteful dishes sure to please any palate. The dining room was already packed when we arrived around 7 p.m., and continued to see a steady stream of customers throughout the night. Owner Mario DeMarco greeted us at the door, as he does with all of his guests. His presence was felt throughout the evening. We were seated at a comfortable but small table along the wall. The long dining room has booth tables along a mirrored wall, leading in to a separate square dining room. There are also several round tables to accommodate groups. The pricey menu is enormous, making it difficult to decide where to begin. The antipasti selection alone includes 16 options, such as Tartare di Tonno ($11.95), Calamari e Vegetali Fritti ($10.…
40.723857
-74.306132
Basilico
324 Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ
/articles/basilico-lives-up-to-reputation
4429
/locations/77913
Monday, April 20, 2009
Chocolate Grand Marnier Souffle is Highlight of the Meal
Khun Thai is a trendy Thai and Asian Fusion restaurant. Playful purple elephants line the brass banister leading up to a loft. The lower level is decorated with Buddha statues and bamboo shoots. While the layout is open, tall leafy plants create the feeling that you are in two or three separate dining rooms. The staff is courteous and eager to please. Our waiter popped in throughout the meal to make sure everything was to our liking. He never let us see the bottom of our water glasses. His best move of the night was suggesting dessert. As we placed our appetizer order, but still debated our entrees, he asked if we would like to pre-order the Chocolate Grand Marnier Soufflé ($7). I soon understood why. The chocolate soufflé is reason enough…
40.719856
-74.319262
Khun Thai Restaurant
504 Millburn Ave, Short Hills, NJ
/articles/room-for-improvement-at-khun-thai
5836
/locations/18440
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thai Grill is a great place to catch up with old friends
Thai Grill is a simple sushi house and Thai restaurant located in the former IHOP on Millburn Avenue. The quiet, subdued atmosphere is ideal for a night out with old friends. I met my friend Lindsey Kmit for dinner. We hadn’t seen each other in ages, and spent nearly two hours catching up. The waitress didn’t rush us as we mulled over the menu. And mull we did. We both wanted to find a low calorie option without sacrificing any flavor. By the time we ordered, we had quizzed our waitress on just about every menu item. I ordered a batch of my favorite appetizer, edamame ($3.95), to snack on while we considered the many options. Next we ordered a summer roll ($6.95) and mango seaweed salad ($7.95). The summer roll was similar to a spring roll…
40.724309
-74.301961
Thai Grill
271 Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ
/articles/a-quiet-dinner-at-thai-grill
6482
/locations/18126
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Packs in crowds even on weeknights
At Semolina, the décor is strikingly low-key in comparison with the top-notch service and delectable dishes. Paintings of Italy line the stucco walls of the small dining room, which seats about 40 people. On a Wednesday evening, only one table sat empty as families and groups of friends young and old crowded the space. In the warmer months, the restaurant can accommodate an additional 40 diners in the outside patio area. I was greeted at the door with a "buon giorno" from owner and executive chef Joseph Catalano. He escorted me to the dining room and chatted with me as I waited for my parents to arrive. Long before glancing at a menu, I knew I was in for an enjoyable evening. The menu speaks to Catalano's years of experience in kitchens …
40.7239
-74.307281
Semolina Ristorante
343 Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ
/articles/semolina-lives-up-to-reputation
4255
/locations/17907
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Pizza is the way to go
One look around and it's obvious: pizza is the way to go at Pizzeta. There are plenty of other options, but every table had at least one pie. Most were enjoying two or three. The Main Street pizzeria draws a solid dinner crowd. In the hour and a half that I was there, none of the seven tables sat empty for more than five minutes. Families, high school students and professionals alike were grabbing a slice after softball practice or work. Considering the crowd, I expected service to be swift. I was wrong. It was painfully slow. I recommend ordering from the counter if at all you are in a hurry. Only accept table service if you have time to kill. We had to wait even to sit down, as there were chunks of pasta and marinara sauce on the only …
40.724001
-74.307227
Pizzeta
44 Main St, Millburn, NJ
/articles/pizzeta-draws-solid-dinner-crowd
4259
/locations/17479
Friday, March 27, 2009
Stepping inside is like entering an alternate universe
The Millburn Delicatessen could easily change its name to the Millburn Circus. Don’t be fooled by its simple exterior. One step through the door and you enter an alternate universe where employees gobble, toot horns and sing out sandwich orders. Not even slightly daunted by a constant stream of customers rushing in and out, they have enough energy to power a city. The deli, located at 328 Millburn Ave., has been popular with locals since opening in 1946. There are colorful sarcastic signs and figurines hanging all over the walls—even on the ceiling—and a menu with so much variety it makes your head spin. As soon as my sister Christine ordered, I figured out what the hoopla, heard constantly throughout the day, is all about. It means …
40.724064
-74.306524
The Millburn Delicatessen
328 Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ
/articles/millburn-deli-is-a-circus-of-flavors
4548
/locations/16880
Friday, March 20, 2009
Make sure to make your reservations at least a day in advance for this popular downtown restaurant
My only mistake Saturday night was calling La Campagna to ask for a 7 p.m. reservation at 4:30. Don’t dare wait so long if you want one of the prime seating times. The host nicely informed me that the only remaining reservations were at 5:30 and 9:30 p/m. I chose the 5:30, giving me just less than an hour to get ready, run out the door and find a parking spot. By the time I met my friends Debbie and Katie at the restaurant, located at 194 Essex St., we had missed our slot by about 15 minutes. No worries, the hostess told us, but we would have to be done by 7:30, when the table was next reserved. Once seated, the service was constant, if not a bit overbearing. Our wine glasses were never empty, fresh silverware and plates were provided for …
40.724742
-74.307389
La Campagna
194 Essex St, Millburn, NJ
/articles/la-campagna-italian-dining-with-a-twist
4500
/locations/16468
Millburnite
7:00 pm on Friday, July 16, 2010
If you love food then this is a great restaurant. The service has improved, thankfully, but the food has always been great. The Goat Cheese Napolean is awesome. As is the Braised Short Ribs. more ›