So...where'd you eat this week?

[menton1]

Interesting. Looks like a far different environment than Davey's, an old-school Irish Pub vs a modern contemporary space. Vale's menu looks like there are some far better choices than burgers. Davey's, stick to a burger.

[E.L.A.]

I've been. Nothing special in the food dept, but they seem to have a good cheaters bar scene. Personally I'd go to Davy's to get the same kind of food and in the case of the burgers, better, for 2/3 of the price.

 

Thanks...agreed...The burgers at Davey's are excellent IMO...as far as all the local places in that area, IMO, they are the best (for my likes, tastes, etc.).

 

They were always on my top 5 or so list of the best burgers in Bergen County. Thanks again.

[menton1]

Anyone been to Sparkill Steakhouse? Sear? Locale?

[ngatti]

I was at Locale not long after it opened. These places are all very local to where I work. My wife wants me to take her to Sear.

 

One of these days.

[E.L.A.]

I am going to be at Sear in the next couple of weeks...I stopped by Red's recently and posted on the other thread. Had another -- as usual -- very good meal recently at E&V's...and also had a very good lunch at Roots (Morristown) just the other day...and a very good sushi dinner at Masago (Ridgewood) -- excellent fish, fresh, tasty, flavorful, well prepared. Small place, and when they get busy it's tough to get a table, but well worth it to me. The service is "fair" but they do a good job.

[ngatti]

Lunch at Shake Shack today. Good burger (Shack Cheeseburger). Okay Chocolate Shake with malt with little malt flavor. An entirely skipable hot dog. The dog was split and had a lot of junk on it. I think Jersey rippers are a superior product. I'm also not a fan of the yellow mustard.

 

Our consensus (me and my sous)? Better than Smashburger. I personally liked the ambiance at BuCu better. Worth a stop if you are reasonably in the nabe. Not worth a drive from Alpine and I probably wouldn't make the trek and U-turn from route 4 shopping.

 

Just my opinion. YMMV

[E.L.A.]

Lunch at Shake Shack today. Good burger (Shack Cheeseburger). Okay Chocolate Shake with malt with little malt flavor. An entirely skipable hot dog. The dog was split and had a lot of junk on it. I think Jersey rippers are a superior product. I'm also not a fan of the yellow mustard.

 

Our consensus (me and my sous)? Better than Smashburger. I personally liked the ambiance at BuCu better. Worth a stop if you are reasonably in the nabe. Not worth a drive from Alpine and I probably wouldn't make the trek and U-turn from route 4 shopping.

 

Just my opinion. YMMV

 

I would agree...I didn't get the shake, and no offense, I wouldn't consider ordering a dog, LOL. Sorry. LOL.

 

For me, my tastes, yes, without question better than Smashbuger. I think the SS burger and the BuCu burger were very close -- I might give a slight edge to SS. However, I didn't like SS as much as Bobby's. All 3 are very nearby my office, so it's easy. That said -- BuCU was a PITA. Take 4W, OK, but then it's not only turning around -- it's 4 and 17, or 17N and backroads, etc. Perhaps it's the same thing for someone going to Bobby's heading east, but you don't have to contend with 4 and 17. Bobby's is easy, but parking there can be brutal. The SS -- you are right -- turnaround, north, south, 4 and so on -- disincentive. But I liked it. I don't know that I would go out of my way, or at least a lot out of my way, so I very much see your points.

[Rail Paul]

Parking in the area of the old Bergen Mall has always been brutal. Exceeded only by the risk you take walking to the stores. People don't slow down, much less stop. They do lean on the horn to remind you to get out of their way, however.

 

That's one of the many things Garden State Plaza holds over the other place. There's usually parking, although you'll have to walk a ways. And if you go off hours (M-Tu-W early evenings), space in one of the parking towers can be had.

[E.L.A.]

Parking in the area of the old Bergen Mall has always been brutal. Exceeded only by the risk you take walking to the stores. People don't slow down, much less stop. They do lean on the horn to remind you to get out of their way, however.

 

That's one of the many things Garden State Plaza holds over the other place. There's usually parking, although you'll have to walk a ways. And if you go off hours (M-Tu-W early evenings), space in one of the parking towers can be had.

 

Agreed. It's been problematic as well with all the walkways and drivers/cars not stopping for people walking. When the mall was "bare" and slow, of course it wasn't a major problem -- but now -- it can be the wild west, LOL.

 

For me -- convenience/parking can be an issue -- especially during lunchtime, if you don't have a lot of time to waste, etc. That's the main problem with Bobby's, although I rate their burger # 1. BuCu was always easy -- that lot was never full and that plaza had a lot of "drive by" high traffic, but not a lot of "visitor" high traffic. Shake Shack is going to contend with their own issues. Anything close to the interchange is going to have it's hurdles for people coming from one or more directions. The further away you are, then you deal with the direction you are coming from and the potential "turn around". The simple one is if the respective place is "on the way" so to speak.

 

The larger malls can and have addressed parking. Perhaps not to the satisfaction of many/all, but, you can't please everyone all the time. LOL.

[E.L.A.]

Had dinner at Masago in Ridgewood -- very good as usual. Very good. Got there, it was almost full, by the time we left -- long line. LOL. Small, BYO, service can be "so-so" but the sushi is very good.

 

Also, had take-out dinner from Mack's in PL. Gave it another shot, and yes, take-out -- but it was "OK". Not a bad option if you want or need to stay in PL as there's nothing else like it -- but for me, my tastes, etc., it's OK. I'll go there and dine in another time, but I am just not excited. I've also been hearing a lot of comments like "overpriced" and "expensive" and "not worth it" -- I can see that.

[menton1]

Lunch at Shake Shack today. Good burger (Shack Cheeseburger). Okay Chocolate Shake with malt with little malt flavor. An entirely skipable hot dog. The dog was split and had a lot of junk on it. I think Jersey rippers are a superior product. I'm also not a fan of the yellow mustard.

 

Our consensus (me and my sous)? Better than Smashburger. I personally liked the ambiance at BuCu better. Worth a stop if you are reasonably in the nabe. Not worth a drive from Alpine and I probably wouldn't make the trek and U-turn from route 4 shopping.

 

Just my opinion. YMMV

Just thinking about places close to your 'hood, Nick. (My hood too) Ever tried the burger at Mountain House in Sparkill? They live sort of off pub food and so-called designer pizzas, but what about their burgers?

[ngatti]

 

Lunch at Shake Shack today. Good burger (Shack Cheeseburger). Okay Chocolate Shake with malt with little malt flavor. An entirely skipable hot dog. The dog was split and had a lot of junk on it. I think Jersey rippers are a superior product. I'm also not a fan of the yellow mustard.

 

Our consensus (me and my sous)? Better than Smashburger. I personally liked the ambiance at BuCu better. Worth a stop if you are reasonably in the nabe. Not worth a drive from Alpine and I probably wouldn't make the trek and U-turn from route 4 shopping.

 

Just my opinion. YMMV

Just thinking about places close to your 'hood, Nick. (My hood too) Ever tried the burger at Mountain House in Sparkill? They live sort of off pub food and so-called designer pizzas, but what about their burgers?

 

I've only had the pizza and that was a few years ago.

[double 0]

Mountain House has new owners. The pizza and burgers are not nearly as good as they use to be.

[ngatti]

French Fry Heaven at the Garden State Mall this past Saturday.

 

Tried the "Dutch" with "European Mayonnaise" .

 

Not even close. Wrong spuds and the Fritesaus wasn't there either. Pretty meh.

[E.L.A.]

Had dinner at Sear recently...they are doing well (at least it appears that way) as I've driven by several times, met an associate for a drink there (twice) and had dinner there as well.

 

My take -- good to very good food. I've heard several comments that it's "pricey" and in my opinion, I can see that, vis a vis the perceived value. My biggest complaint is service and even more specifically the "culture" and the "mindset" of some of the staff. I think the place overall is somewhat pretentious. Some of the service was very good -- attentive, quality, etc. Our waiter was very good, polite, personal, cooperative, and truly was committed to making sure everyone had an enjoyable experience. However, some of the other staff had an "attitude" and this pretentiousness which I find to be a major turn-off. I've seen and experienced the same thing at other high end places -- like Smoke (Englewood) in their recent years. If you have a "high end" or "affluent" clientele -- then "serve" them, be attentive, be accommodating -- be nice, make sure you are nice to deal with, make sure the entire experience is a good one, enjoyable.

 

Aesthetically, the place is very nice -- nice ambiance, nice environment, etc. and you can "enjoy" being there. They have a nice wine list -- good selection, depth, etc. The food -- good to very good. The appetizers were OK to very good. The wedge and caesar salads were OK. The sides were good -- mac and cheese, hash browns, asparagus, and spinach. The sauteed onions and the sauteed mushrooms and onions were good. The entrees -- the filet mignon was very good, very good cut/size, and good flavor, cooked perfectly as ordered. The NY sirloin (on the bone) was very good as well. The porterhouse for two was very good.

 

End result -- I'll go back and try it again. I'd have no problem meeting friends there if that was there strong preference. However, based upon my first dinner there, no, I won't make it my or one of my regular go to places. Without question I prefer the Assembly and the River Palm as destination spots for my steakhouse. Maybe my next visit will change my mind.