Ron B.'s Profile

Ok, so I finally caught my first game at The Rock last month for a Devils game. My best friend told me how the place doesn't have a bad seat and he wasn't kidding. Spacious arteries and while the seats in nose-bleed don't really give you a lot of room to work with, he was right that their are seemingly no unobstructed views anywhere in the house. Food was decent for arena food with a good selection and price wasn't terrible. (keep in mind, I don't drink beer...)

All in all, a very good arena experience and one that I'm glad I got to experience. Access to Penn Station is super easy, just two blocks away and parking is a bit more of a pain if you want that. Still a hundred times better than the arena experience at the old Meadowlands, so kudos to Jersey for putting an arena in its largest city like other states do.

There were good points and bad points. The good included the staff responsiveness and politeness. The location was also good if you had a specific reason to be downtown near the convention center. Our room wasn't very large, but I didn't really expect it to be. The water pressure in the sink was too strong and there's no real parking nearby unless you go late at night so you can pay for the hotel's valet service for $15 which can save you the hassle of searching for a spot when you need one if you'll be out and about during the day.

The room was very clean, the DVD player was a nice touch too. Our room was adjacent to another party who were very loud consistently and because it was a connecting room, it always felt like they were going to try to come in. But save for that, you can't beat the price of this place coupled with the location. There might be better options locally, but it was certainly an above average experience for what amounted to Motel 6 prices.

I've had Indian food in a lot of places, but Korma Sutra's attention to detail was impressive. The portions were large for the Tandoori Chicken and the Lamb Vindaloo at medium heat is still easily the most spicy I've ever had it. The waitstaff were attentive always buzzing around looking for ways to improve the dining experience and there wasn't a very long wait for dinner either. Like one of the other reviewers, the Chicken Tikka wasn't like normal Chicken Tikka Masala at most indian restaurants, there was no sauce. It wasn't a major source of contention; I was just explaining what it would look like to my friend and was confused when it was different.

They even give you dessert -- we were too full -- afterwards. A very nice place, easy to find and enjoyable meal experience overall.

Was in the neighborhood and wanted takeout to bring home. Ran across Pinto and was impressed. The lamb massaman curry was generally flavorful and not spicy at all so if you wanted a mild dish this would be that. Had I been given the option or eaten here before, I'd have implored them to spice it up. Service was responsive and my order came quickly. If I had company, would've surely stayed and enjoyed the atmosphere, as it seems to be a nice place to have dinner with a small group.

I drink A LOT of tea. I'm talking at least eight cups a day. I knew when I came home to visit, I needed tea and so I decided to check this place out since it was close to where I was staying. I'm trying not to be too provincial about my rating, because it's clear to me that New Yorkers pay a lot more for fresh loose leaf than I'm accustomed to paying in other parts of the country. But when you get past that part, it's a nice enough place with a large selection of teas. The system is somewhat inefficient. You come in, there's a long line (when I came in) and then someone goes to fetch your tea for you once it's your turn to order. It's efficient in a sense and everyone is polite enough, but it's a bit clunky if you've been to any other kind of tea store in a (less populated) different place.

So I guess the verdict is, it's nice enough. But a bit on the pricey side and if you're a newcomer to loose-leaf tea looking for a selection, this is probably not the first place I'd recommend because it's daunting and not especially inviting. But for my purposes, it got the job done. Especially if you need loose-leaf tea and are staying in Jersey, because it's literally a block from the PATH. (There's also Indian and Thai across the street. An extra treat!)

If you find yourself in the hinterlands of western Nebraska, it's a very good spot for lunch or dinner. Healthy portions, very attentive service and diverse menu.

Ok, so I'm gluten free because allergic to most wheat products. I found this out after a summer of allergic reactions. Anyway, I knew about these guys from the NYC location, but had never managed to get here.

The brownie ones are the best, because they taste absolutely amazing. The others -- red velvet and vanilla -- were very good if you've had other gluten free stuff, you realize how AMAZING this stuff is comparatively. It's sweetened differently and you'll notice that. But they keep impressively well if you freeze them, the frosting is fresh and delicious too.

So if you find yourself in a pinch and unable to acquire high quality delicious gluten free treats, I'd recommend these guys wholeheartedly. Some places are hyped for no good reason, but I'd recommend that what they do is quite good, fresh and homemade without having to worry about them being hit or miss as you would in some other situations.

Went here for dinner and had the gluten free pizza. I think its sweet spot is clearly breakfast or lunch, as the menu offerings seem to be better suited for those meals as opposed to dinner, but I think my own inability to eat most things exacerbated that. For someone who needs (or prefers) gluten-free, they have an impressive array of customizable options and I thought that was great.

Served quickly, service friendly and the atmosphere was good. It had the feel of a chain restaurant in terms of its professionalism, but without the cardboard tasting food or dorky uniforms. Worth recommending.

The east coaster in me can't really get past bakeries. So having breakfast here was a delight. Service was responsive, food was brought quickly and was well presented and good. Just so many things on the menu that seemed good, on a day when I was hungrier it would've been even more of a treat.

A great place to visit for dessert or for a meal, not crowded and everything was fresh and even accomodated to my somewhat picky tastes. I imagine on a busier day it'd be harder to navigate and the menu wasn't rife with so many options that you'd get overwhelmed. But for the price and offerings, a very good morning experience.

Came to see a friend from out of town and had a bit of time to kill beforehand. Was happy to see this little spot near where we were having lunch. Well lit and in contrast to most coffee shops, it was spacious and lots of room for sitting down or couches if you prefer, too.

A good tea menu and lots of other offerings. There is also outside seating and when I came in the morning, there were some older gentlemen and a woman playing guitar and banjo. Since most coffee shops has music blaring, this was a nice addition. I'm sure if you came to study, that might get old...but that's why they invented headphones.

Nice little place worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood. Also, whatever the wifi policy was when that past reviewer came in Feb, that's not the case any longer.