Taking over the old Lone Star Steakhouse spot on Route 22 is a risk. Of course, there is the fact that Lone Star failed to stay open. But the property is also huge. Whoever took over that space needed to be able to appeal to a large crowd – a hard thing to balance with supplying an attention-grabbing menu, an organized staff and real personality. GrilleStone, which opened Nov. 27, has filled its seats so far. And it certainly brings some attitude: for example, an oversized ice sculpture of 1800-brand tequila. But it seems the size of it all prevents the kitchen from serving better prepared …
By all calculations, Tinga is a restaurant. It has the tables, the chairs, the waitresses and kitchen, the menu and food to prove it. But the food – burritos are this Mexican restaurant's forte, along with quesadillas, tacos and nachos – invites comparisons to the titans of the more fast-food-inclined Mexican establishments, such as Qdoba (right around the corner) and Chipotle (sprouting up everywhere). In this light, Tinga is stuck in purgatory, torn between identities as a "real" sit-down restaurant, and a place to grab a quick bite and burrito. But with a deep, flavorful menu, Tinga …
If I was a vegetarian walking the nighttime streets of downtown Scotch Plains with exactly $15 in my pocket, and suddenly I had an epiphany that eating meat was not only okay but beautiful, I would head straight to Portusa BBQ House. However, if my girlfriend called me and told me she had met a handsome, tall Portuguese pediatrician named João and I had one dinner to woo her once again, we would not head straight to Portusa – and not just because the fare might remind her of her tan, brown-eyed suitor and his affinity for children. Portusa's dining room is a lesson in contradiction. The …
Acquaviva delle Fonti, which translates to "living water of the fountain," claims to be "named for a town near the Lazio region of Northern Italy." However, the only Acquaviva delle Fonti on the map is in the Southwest province of Bari, and Lazio itself is on the west coast of central Italy. Despite the geographical mystification, the food of the restaurant Acquaviva is unmistakably brilliant and one-of-a-kind. If you want Italian, but you're looking to escape the heaps of pasta, red sauce, and chicken parm., look no further. The restaurant creates a dining experience that takes you out of …
When bagels were invented in 16th century Krakow, they were not the doughy donut they are today. They weren't a production either. The waves of cream cheese, the silky smooth lox, the rolling capers and the shimmering beefsteak tomatoes were all absent; the roll wasn't even sliced. It originally appeared to compete with the much more popular obwarzanek, a twisted hole-y bread very similar to the bagel. Now, half a millennium later, the bagel competes not with its weirdo Polish cousin, but with itself. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bagel Showdown.At each spot, I tested one plain bagel with plain …
Before I took a bit of anything, Flannery's was an Irish pub after my own heart – small, cozy, dimly lit, loud and featuring at least one kilt-wearing waitress. It's the type of place that downtown Fanwood needs. Among stores selling greeting cards, old-fashioned ice cream, old-fashioned haircuts and old-fashioned bagels, we finally have a place that can serve an Old Fashioned.Expectedly, the food was cheap. Unexpectedly, it didn't taste terrific.Flannery's patrons match the mood well. Comraderie fills the air and the constant laughter always makes it feel like someone just finished telling a…
In a restaurant scene where you need a magnifying glass and an encyclopedia to even make your way through the appetizers, The Brick Oven on Quimby Street is refreshing. Like the menu, the individual dishes don't overwhelm the senses with a "what is that?", but the few ingredients in each dish are carefully chosen and proportioned. The inside is somewhat narrow and split into one floor and one balcony level, fitting for larger parties and more intimate arrangements, respectively. And while the entire scene is well-lit, it is balanced perfectly by the dark woods of the furniture. Finally, the …
This week, the Westfield and Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patches launch a new weekly column, "The Restaurant Scene with Andrew Lipstein." Every Thursday, food critic Andrew Lipstein will review an area restaurant. To celebrate the launch, this week's installment features a two-for-one deal: a Westfield restaurant on the Westfield site, and a Scotch Plains restaurant on the SP-F site. Read below for Lipstein's review of the 16 Prospect, then click the link at the bottom of the article for his thoughts on the Stage House. This is a continuation of the Restaurant Scene column with a new columnist. …
When you walk into Mojave Grill on Elm Street in downtown Westfield you will immediately feel welcomed. The warm orange glow to the restaurant brought out by low hanging dim lights and candles on the tables is a precursor to the just as welcoming southwestern cuisine. But get your palette ready for a wild ride. What better way to start a meal in the southwestern tradition than to have chips and salsa. The salsa at Mojave Grill tastes homemade. Its chunky, rich texture makes you feel like you're having an appetizer. It's also not very spicy. The tri-color chips are crispy and not too salty. …
You may have seen commercials for Splash of Thai restaurant in Westfield. The restaurant claims to have some of the best Thai food in the state. The owners aren't shy of referring to the restaurant's appearance in New Jersey Monthly's magazine Best Restaurants of 2008. So when you walk into the restaurant on South Avenue, you're expecting good food. You won't be disappointed. The appetizer list at Splash of Thai is so varied that you could almost do a tapas style meal and order small appetizers for dinner. From chicken sate and curry puffs to seafood dim sum and mussels, you can give your …
In a town saddled with mediocre, take-out Chinese joints, the one month-old Asian Fusion restaurant on Quimby Street offers an interesting option for Westfield diners. The eatery serves up solid Chinese, Thai, Korean, and Japanese food in a sleek, tiny setting—all at take-out prices. The matchbox of a restaurant features a sushi station inside the front/take-out waiting area. One quick turn to the right, and you are in the dining room where seven tables are fit together like a sliding tile puzzle in the surprisingly small space. The restaurant’s larger tables (which are flanked by a long, …
New to downtown Westfield is the trendy Southern-based Five Guys restaurant serving up fabulous fresh burgers and tasty fries. Luckily, Westfield residents no longer need to travel to Route 22 for these mouth-watering meals. When you first enter the restaurant there is a distinct red and white checked pattern on the walls and even the lights are red and white. Signs touting the restaurant’s accolades such as “Heaven on a bun” or “Readers love Five Guys” adorn the walls. As my friend and I walked into the packed restaurant on East Broad Street, we were thoroughly impressed by the friendly …
Ferraro’s in downtown Westfield has become a local landmark since it first opened its doors in 1969. It began as a humble, family-run storefront, and over the years has quietly flourished, taking over one full block in one of the most enviable locations in town. Could such a culinary behemoth still treat its customers with the individual care locals have come to expect? Would a bigger clientele mean sloppy short-cuts in the kitchen? I am happy to report that Ferraro’s prevailed in winning my vote, proving that despite its size, it is still a dependable Italian eatery with the personal touch …
On a street lined with sandwich shops and pizza parlors, Boulevard Bistro stands out from the crowd. Located at 301 South Ave., on the corner of South and Boulevard, this new Italian restaurant offers made-to-order meals, homemade pasta, and reasonable prices. The space itself is small but used well; it’s not overly crowded, and the tables are set up so that you won’t be bumping elbows with your neighbor. The yellows, oranges, and browns that make up the floors, hanging lamps, and furniture provide a sense of calm that is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the commuters and the train …
