Nina "Needlepoint" W.'s Profile

I went during their soft opening, so keep in mind -- soft openings are usually pretty rocky [working out the kinks] and this was no exception.

We were one of the first diners seated and we sat near the window.

Our waiter was very friendly but seemed a bit frazzled [nervous?] about the first night.

The beginning, it was all minor stuff: had to ask for water, took a long time for our drinks, and then no drink refills.

I had ceviche as an app and it came with shrimp and calamari and looked really beautiful in presentation but tasted ultra-fishy. Like really, really fishy.

For dinner I had 3 tacos chorizo, carnita taco, and fish.

Definitely did not like the carnita but that's because it had fennel or anisette in it and that's my least favorite flavor...licorice in food, meh.

The chorizo was okay but it tasted a little Coca-cola-y. And the fish was...not a fan favorite. It tasted...very...earthy; that's all I can really say...

Then I had the fajitas which were okay -- the steak was cooked fine but there wasn't a lot of flavor to it.

Plus side: salsa was awesome...very thick, like a chili and the pico de gallo was really fresh and delicious.

The drinks were typical $10 drinks...and perhaps a bit weak.

By the time we left the place was packed and the whole restaurant seemed anxious for their food.

Again, SOFT opening so there's plenty of room for improvement and I'll probably give them another try in a month or so...

Underwhelmed by everything at the table for dinner.

Drinks were great, atmosphere was very cool although it was incredibly loud [which is fine but forget having a conversation].

Aside from the blah food the service was wonky and slow.

I'm not sure what I was expecting -- maybe more of a "wow" factor but everything was just okay not great and for the price, I'd say, try somewhere else.

On a side note, the Royal Pacific property is absolutely stunning!

We stopped in Montebello for a quick snack and we found this place to be perfect and delicious.

We ordered two sandwiches: chicken and ham & swiss.

Both were fresh and hit the spot [even the chicken which was basically just shredded chicken on white toast].

There's an outdoor patio and lots of beers on tap.

The waitresses were friendly and very patient with my very butchered and confusing French!

Sorry to my girlfriend that recommended this place but me thinks not.

I was looking forward to tasty burritos and tacos and drinks but was super disappointed.

Jalepeno poppers were ordered for an app and they were a bit cold [bleh].

I had the "famous" bbq tofu taco and it was yuck yuck. The bbq sauce was like molasses and sugar and it was just all wrong--no bite, no tang--just sugar on tofu.

The beef taco was kind of like Tacobell beef which I like but only at Tacobell.

The drinks were okay...nothing impressive.

Maybe I went on an off night? Eh, don't think I'd go back.

I was looking for a sub shop on our road trip and could only locate Quiznos or Subway in the GPS and then I saw Jreck and made a u-turn--so glad I did!

The bread is what makes this sub amazing...it's soft and delicious and I could eat 90 foot longs [okay, maybe not but they are sooooo good].

They have a special condiment mix of peppers and spices for their subs [spicy!] and they also have chopped dill pickles.

I want Jrecks RIGHT NOW.

P.S. Some restaurants are cash only, so make sure you have a few bucks on you!

After a long night of wedding festivities, the next morning all I wanted was Aladdins -- should have gone to Five Guys.

I grew up going to Aladdins in Rochester on Schoen Place and Monroe Ave and those two location are always so good and super fresh, so I thought this one would be the same, but it wasn't [I don't think they are even the same owners as the Roc locations].

My gyro pita bread was hard as heck and it took sheer strength to rip it apart.

The shish kebab I ordered was DISGUSTING.
Aside from the pita bread always being stale, I opened the wrap up and the meat was sitting in a 1/4 inch of OIL. Sooooo revolting.

The dolmades were oddly flavorless and the only redeeming part of my meal was the fresh OJ mixed with fruit--and that was just okay.

Sad. Would never return to this location.

I had a reservation at Emme but a last minute change brought me to this place.

Servers and hostess [and owner] were all very friendly and quick to bring over a bread basket with some sort of tomato jelly...delicious.

At the table: paglia e fieno [which is white and green fettuccine, peas, prosciutto, and LOTS of cheese...it was actually a gratin], Bolognese and clams vongole.

My fettuccine was amazing--although a bit too rich for my taste and I had to stop short of finishing the entire plate. The pasta was really fresh and like I said, major cheese overload, so I recommend this dish for cheese lovers.

The Bolognese was good--I love Bolognese with veal and this had plenty. The pappardelle was also super fresh.

The clams vongole was also really tasty, albeit, the wine sauce was a little too prominent in the dish. Lots of clams, maybe a dozen or more.

The place looks big enough to accommodate a large party or a corporate event and the interior is very elegant and modern.

On warm days they open up the front windows for a semi-al fresco dining experience.

The wine list is extensive, with an average mark-up [few wines pricing out well above $100].

Overall, I was very happy [considering I'm not a huge pasta-eater] with the meal and would definitely come back.

After searching all over Fairfield County for decent BBQ, I ended up just over the border at this place--and it was well worth the short drive.

Let me start by saying, BBQ is totally preferential because some people like sauce all over their meats, some prefer dry rubs, some like vinegar sauces, some like smokey sauces, and so on.

I love all BBQ, when it's done correctly. At Q I picked up the sampler platter [chicken, brisket, ribs, & pulled pork plus 2 sides...I chose potato salad and baked beans].

The chicken was smoked to perfection.

The brisket was a bit dry by itself but I added some of their BBQ sauce and it was magically delicious.

The ribs were the best: smokey, peppery, saucey--the meat came off the bones fine for me and my only complaint was that there wasn't enough [only 4 in the sampler]

The pulled pork was tender, although it was light on flavor by itself, so I again, doused it in sauce.

Sides were both great--although small, so I'm really hoping their $4.25 price on the menu gives you a bigger portion than what they gave in the sampler.

The restaurant has a few raw bar options and a decent selection of draft beers.

We took our food to go but I definitely want to come back and enjoy a few beverages alongside some delicious BBQ.

CHOCOLATE, CAKES, DONUTS, TRUFFLES, BROWNIES.

You name it, Café Fleuri has it.

Despite their limited 2-seating option [I believe an 11am and a 1pm], when I came here, the restaurant was a bit empty--good for me: more sweets.

The place was filled mostly with little girl's birthday parties, bridal showers, and then the rest were mostly chocoholics.

All of the desserts are bite sized, so it's easy enough to try everything and not feel like a pig.

My favorite was the tiramisu cheese cake and beignets aka glorified donuts.

This was a one-time-only trip to this place [$38 p/p for chocolate is okay, but just once], so give it whirl if you're feeling gluttonous.

I've been to this place before and I'm happy it hasn't changed much over the years.

Their bread is made onsite and it's so delicious.

They have a large selection a burgers and their menu seems to have something for everyone.

Nightly specials are usually very excellent [last week their sirloin and Cabernet-butter hit the spot].

This place is definitely great for groups--they have a big outdoor patio and there's also plenty of room inside for large parties.

The staff is friendly [although a tiny bit aloof] and the whole place is very cozy/inviting.

Some people mentioned the price not being great but to me, it all seemed very reasonable [maybe $15-20 per person].

I'm looking forward to my next meal here.