Step into an Italian restaurant with a strongly individual cooking style, where the excitement comes from the intriguing food & dazzling décor & all the while, you are coddled by the attentive staff. What Chef Maurizio Peccolo, along with Owner/Managing Partner William Burris deliver, is a memorable dining experience that will have you eager to return for another magical dining night. General manager Giuseppe “Pino” Algeri, from Calabria, assures that the food ranges from sublime to divine. He presents service that is first class & the stylish surroundings offer the perfect setting for exquisite elegant dining...
09/16/2024
08/23/2024
MATISSE: Best Prix Fixed Eclectic Dining Destination, August 2024
This exquisitely decorated dining gem with a magnificent European ambiance inspired by the artist Matisse has two seasonal tasting menus & is the culinary darling of North Jersey. Ensconced in the picturesque town of Rutherford, the location alone is enough to lure you into its pleasant precincts. The historic exquisite eatery enhanced with a romantic décor is so perfect for specialty dining. The tasting menu is every bit the match of the stylish setting. Chef Greg Power has carried on the tradition with exquisite presentations, some of which I have seen for the very first time. His entrées, are positively ethereal & his appetizers are prepared to melt-in-your-mouth perfection. The kitchen is infinitely concerned with flavors, textures & the impeccable quality of the ingredients. Love for fabulous food & love for those you invite to your table is the theme here. The specialty dishes & uniquely matched sauces will intoxicate you with your first bite...
CROSSTOWN DINER / SEA CREST GRILLE: The Best Uniquely Delicious Mother's Day Dining, Daily News, May 2024
CROSSTOWN DINER:
The light & airy dining rooms with inviting tables, booths & a comfy counter, create a delightful backdrop for those who appreciate casual global cuisine, with a creative flair at affordable prices. Perfect for daily visits, family celebrations or creative lunches, and any size outside catering event, Crosstown Diner is a true ‘foodie’ find! Located very close to the George Washington Bridge in the Bronx, the comfortably designed diner continues to define itself as a dependable but exciting eatery, for breakfast, lunch & dinner & extensive catering, with good tastes & healthy dining selections. Owners Peter & Billy Tsibidis, who arrived here in 1982, (Diner was open since 1935) are always looking for the newest taste & remain dedicated to producing an endless stream of deliciously different dining souvenirs. They are changing the way folks view diners. In the future, they will be building the first ever “Drive Through” on a diner & have been selected to open soon in Jet Blue Terminal in JFK...
THE SEA CREST GRILLE:
The restaurant is marvelously designed in shades of blue, gold & white with glittering chandeliers, high ceilings & marble tabletops. They offer the finest cuts of USDA, perfectly seared prime, dry-aged steaks, a superb raw bar selection and an award-winning carefully selected wine list. I love that if you have a wedding or large family event, you can book hotel rooms at the Shore Club for your guests. I’ve already booked a Memorial Day Weekend here & I can’t wait to swim in the exquisite pool. The dining team, directed by the extraordinary Chef Abel Urena, (formerly the renowned head restaurant & banquet Chef at Doolan’s), are really concerned with their customer’s satisfaction and in delivering a superb dining experience...
GIULIO'S / MARIO'S OF ARTHUR AVE.: Best Italian Dining To Take Your Mom, Daily News, May 2024
GIULIO'S:
This enchanting Queen Anne Victorian mansion located in the charismatic town of Tappan, still hypnotizes everyone who enters. The famous Giulio’s has been here since 1969 with Beny here for 3 years. The full service bar presents a wine list with an assortment of domestic & imported wines, including specialty Italian wines & creative cocktails such as my favorite, the CHOCOLATE MARTINI. The dining room’s roaring fireplace sets just the proper mood for the marvelous dining experience yet to come & reminds me of my trip to Rome...
MARIO'S OF ARTHUR AVE:
I have been writing about this restaurant since the 1980’s & I still get happy butterflies when I’m assigned to return, as they set the famed Arthur Avenue bar for class & dining elegance, along with the best parties in the entire area. Chef Massimo Calso presents a bevy of classic Italian selections that enchanted our critics. Host-owner Regina Migliucci Delfino is the great-great granddaughter of Scolastica, who concepted the original family pizza restaurant in 1919. Scolastica would certainly be thrilled with the cuisine at the restaurant now, that is modern, but retains the old school favorites, that are loved by their loyal clientele...
COUNTRY MARKET / AMSTERDAM ALLEY / ALGONQUIN THEATRE: Where to Find Fresh & Reasonable Dining & Theatre, Daily News, April 2024
COUNTRY MKT DINER:
The new Country Mkt Diner equals panache, informal sophistication, splendid art work by Paul Gerber & delectable cookery, taking one on a gastronomic journey. They have a team who really want to see happy faces & buy directly from Farmlind Produce & local suppliers (Pat Lafrieda Meats) in order to utilize recipes from all over the globe. This perfect ‘Dining Chateau’ serves dishes prepared with the best raw materials one can buy, with painstaking detail...
AMSTERDAM ALLEY:
Known for easy prices, a warm welcome, exquisite catering & addictive tastes, Peter & Izabela Czerepak, originally from Poland, discovered that the area didn’t have an authentic Polish restaurant & decided to offer & present dishes from their homeland. They succeeded in creating a perfect, very affordable eatery with very personable service, but it is the superior quality of the cuisine presented by Chef Juan & server Magdalena to us that sparked the imagination of the people & press. The staff are all well informed & are truly interested in the customer’s satisfaction. They promised to enchant the area with authentic, creative European cookery & they definitely enchanted the press with succulent dishes such as the CHICKEN CUTLET IN TRUFFLE PORCINI SAUCE, the lip-smacking CHICKEN LIVER & the stuffed breaded AMSTERDAM PORK CUTLET, with Mushroom & Cheese...
02/21/2024
FUSHIMI / SEA BAR / KEO KU: Rated 4 Stars For Valentine's Dining Destinations, Daily News, February 2024
FUSHIMI OF TIMES SQUARE:
The excellent quality of the Japanese & French Fusion menu with unique cooking techniques & the visually comfortable, gleaming decor, with many charming culinary nooks, sets just the proper mood for the amorous dining experience yet to come. This is the essence of Japan with a definite French fusion twist & with a menu that ranges from sublime to divine. The knowledgeable owners Daniel Chen & Ben Chen, assisted by Director Tommy Chen, Manager Han Ying & Captain Ricky Li, are dedicated to masterful preparations & superb plating designs...
SEA BAR:
Congratulations to the owners & staff for this much applauded eatery open since November 28, 2023. This new arrival translates into style, casual elegance, luxurious appointments, delicious cuisine & takes the diner on a seafood culinary adventure with new cuisine heights. With a celebrity staff that includes the very talented & knowledgeable General Manager Michael Farace, who believes in cooking from the heart & learned cookery from his Italian Nona. He stresses cleanliness & interacting as much as possible with his guests. Compliments to Executive Chef Greg Zapantis, who was the first culinary ambassador to Greece & a member of the prestigious Hellenic Chef’s Club of Greece. We were also impressed with the daily, creative Chef Mario Ponce, the FOH Captain Behrouz Dokoohaki, the very professional server Veronica Simonova & the Expeditor Victor Illescas...
KEO KU:
ZAGAT - “BEST IN NORTH JERSEY TO CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY. ROBUST Grass fed WAGYU BEEF cooked on grill in seconds at the table. Also try SKIRT STEAK, BULGOGI OR BEEF RIB-EYE, the JU MIL RUKI or Beef Prime Rib, ½ lb cubed, PORK BELLY or GALBI JIM &, the Beef Short Rib w. chunks of American Wagyu The comped 8 sides that come with dinner will please your best beau & the creative cocktails will warm the coldest heart...
GIULIO'S: Tappan's Best Romantic Italian Dining Destination, Daily News, February 2024
This exquisitely decorated dining gem with carved woodwork & beveled glass windows, is the culinary darling of all of Rockland. Ensconced in the picturesque town of Tappan, the location alone is enough to lure you into its pleasant precincts. The historic Victorian mansion enhanced with a romantic decor is so perfect for Valentine's Day dining. Host Beny Qosa is well known for the award-winning Il Vicola of Livingston NJ...
12/29/2023
ROSIE'S: Readers Vote Best Casually Fine Dining Culinary Adventure
Rosies is not just a plate of food, it’s an experience. Before you sit down to eat, you’ll notice that someone with an eye for design has been at work. There are so many small touches & interesting paintings, along with comfortable chairs & nicely spaced tables, that indicate someone is paying attention. The restaurant is named after Rosie Iaria (Susan’s mother) & there are small touches of Rosie’s influence everywhere in the restaurant. The blend of owners, Executive Chef Christopher Hermann, Robert Lange & Susan Iaria (Robert’s mom), along with General Managers Erin Costello & Gina Gearity, (who is also the talented decorator) & Kuki “The Greeter”, along with a very impressive, well-trained staff, represent the brightest star among the Ocean County restaurants. Our server, Sarah Berardi, was a delight & extremely professional. Our critics determined that the finest ingredients are handled with consistent care here...
SCARBOROUGH FAIR: Perfect Dinner Parties in Sea Girt, NJ
This Fotinas family affair, directed this evening by Elias Fotinas with an above average team of kitchen & wait staff professionals, offers the unique combination of creatively luscious cuisine with all the warmth, charm & friendliness of a neighborhood spot. They are all the rage as this chic dining champion is a place where the food quality ranges high, portions are man-sized & service is efficient. The culinary prowess’ of the remarkable kitchen, all of which have impressive backgrounds, attracts area foodies, that are perfectly attuned to the cornucopia of specialties, all of epicurean quality. In celebration of Charlie & Terry’s anniversary, the
chefs created a menu for our party of six that was a unique dining experience for adventuresome palates...
ROSIE'S: Ocean Gate's Custom Designed Lavish Dinner Parties
What a perfect setting for an impressive dinner party, an intimate surprise corporate special event, or an enchanting engagement surprise! The very comfortable country style dining room, conveniently located near the Garden State Parkway, is a popular destination for folks in the dining know. Here, owners Executive Chef Christopher Hermann, Robert Lange & Susan Iaria (Robert’s mom), along with General Managers Erin Costello and Gina Gearity, along with Kuki, “The Greeter,” emphasize fresh ingredients, a beautifully designed plate & extraordinary originality. The restaurant is named after Rosie Iaria, Susan’s mom & her influence is found throughout the restaurant. A very special dinner party area is private, but because of the creative design, very much a part of the dazzling dining room...