Mano a Vino

The Orange Squirrel - Bloomfield, NJ Restaurant Review

We dined at the stylish new Bloomfield restautant called The Orange Squirrel that has "opened" to much buzz and fanfare on the web.

We went on a Tuesday night and just loved, loved, loved the place for many reasons.

That is not to say there are not some flaws, which seem to manifest, as you might expect, mainly on the weekend. The grand opening is planned for later in the spring. We will be back but not on the weekends. We like eating at home or with friends at home on weekends anyway. 

Brookside Thai Bloomfield NJ Restaurant Review

I haven't dined at Brookside Thai in some time, though friends keep telling me to go there. Last time was way back before their renovation which has made the restaurant much more appealing.

Located on what I call the Broad Street Restaurant Row in Bloomfield, Brookside Thai is worth a trip. Had dinner there a couple of weeks ago and got take-out the other night. We were very happy with both. 

Hesketh Shiraz 2006 Usual Suspects

Here is a really exceptional Australian Shiraz that you can find for under $20.00.

I love the names and labels the Aussie's come up with for their wines.

I didn't pick this just because it shares a name with one of my favorite movies Usual Suspects but I bet that Keyser Söze would like this wine and if you have seen the movie you know that we like to keep Keyser happy.

The wine is described as "meaty, lush Shiraz with exceptional balance and flavor.Scrumptious with washed rind cheeses. "

Greek Delights Bloomfield, NJ Restaurant Review

One of our favorite restaurants Greek Delights has moved from the little diner they were in on Park Street to a beautiful new space on Bloomfield Avenue.

They are now at 558 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair. With a larger space are they now able to take reservations.  Phone 973-783-9100.

Their new space is done in warm soft yellows with beautiful murals of Greek land and seascapes.

17th Annual Taste of the Nation Princeton, NJ

This is an event you should not miss. www.tasteofthenation.org/princeton 

 

In anticipation of another successful Taste of the Nation event, the Princeton chapter is delighted to announce a top tier line-up of restaurants and vendors for their annual benefit to alleviate children’s hunger in

America

. We applaud the restaurants, vendors and sponsors who support this continuing mission, especially at a time when the economy is slow and so many are vulnerable to hard times.

 

 

Waters Crest Wine Tasting - Jim Waters' North Fork LI Wine

Last evening we had a group of friends over to taste some Long Island wines. They include 5 bottles from the award winning Waters Crest Winery operated by Jim and Linda Waters in Cutchogue, Long Island, NY.

I had no real expectations for these wines. Truly good wines from NY or NJ are few and far between in my experience.

The wines we tasted included Waters' 2006 Reserve Cabernet Franc, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Campania Rossa, 2007 Private Reserve Chardonnay and their 2007 Late Harvest Night Watch. As it turned out every wine was found to be quite enjoyable by our guests.