Wine, Beer and Restaurant Reviews

A day in The City, Biking the Hudson, Lunch at Chelsea Market, Hudson Hotel Sky Terrace, Movies, and Dinner at Indian Road.

As you know we love playing tourist in our own New York Metro area. This Saturday we covered much of Manhattan with a day that started with a fabulous bike tour up and down the Hudson on the magnificent bike paths in Hudson River Park. If you have not explored this part of New York City please put it on your summer calendar.

We rented our bikes from a place on 55th Street, Central Park Sightseeing, they were very nice and fairly well organized.  We rode up to 106th Street but the paths go up the GW Bridge, that will be our destination next trip.

We circled back and stopped off at the Chelsea Market at 16th Street for lunch, then cycled uptown to drop off our bikes before heading off to see Wes Anderson's new film, Moonrise Kingdom. On the way we stopped for a rest and a drink, ummm drinks, at the Sky Terrace in the Hudson Hotel. Met some nice people from San Fransisco there. After the movies we went all the way uptown to 218th Street to a favorite bar and restaurant, Indian Road Cafe.

Le Salbuen, Yes every bit as wonderful as they say. The Cafe & Market Montclair has been missing.

With excited anticipation we drove downtown for our first visit to the wonderful new cafe and market, Le Salbuen, Montclair.

The day, which became our first on the beach, 2012, was promising to be quite beautiful. Looking for a desperately needed break in routine, we skipped our usual morning espresso or french press at home and jumped in the car, top down, and motored down Grove to Walnut.

Early Farmers Market vendors were setting up their stalls and people were wandering the streets. We were greeted with visual delights as we stepped into La Salbuen which is destined to be a darling of Montclair. There are barely words to describe how much we love this place and the spirited hardworking owners Christina and Jon Salierno.

Gabrielle Hamilton's Restaurant Prune on a Warm Spring Night

You have probably heard of Gabrielle Hamilton from all the press on her popular memoir "Blood, Bones and Butter." You may have read the book, like almost everyone else I know. I had the pleasure of meeting her at a signing at Watchung Book Sellers last year.

You have not really experienced Gabrielle until you dine at Prune her tiny but very fulfilling restaurant downtown on 1st Street, between First and Second, NYC.

It is particularly nice in the Spring when the front windows are opened facing the park on this quite street.

Samba Montclair, Ceia de Novo Um Novo Favorito

People always ask me, "What are your favorite restaurants in Montclair?" Here is a place that is newly on our list.

I had been hearing a lot of good things about Samba Montclair the quaint Brazilian restaurant on Park Street in Montclair. We first dined here soon after its opening in December of last year.

Since then Samba has just gotten better with refinements in service and the menu. We loved our dinner last week, and having chatted it up we find that we are no alone.

We enjoyed a very nice Albarino, a luscious white wine from Rías Baixas, Spain, called Lo Lo with dinner.

Koreander Fusion Restaurant Split Personality or Identity Crisis?

I was so excited to see a Korean restaurant, an interesting one at that, coming to Montclair. I was sad to see QBA go, but never expected them to last. They just did not have the right mix. I am afraid that Koreander, even with its delicious Korean cuisine, might fall to the same fate. The pre-opening signage was well designed and the interior was looking good. Today the windows were covered with offers of exotic teas and shakes. So is this a drink place or a restaurant?

Inside it is warm and bright, I opened the menu to see a lot of tempting Korean dishes. I do really Korean Cuisine, go up to Palisades Park as often as I can. But, as I gazed to the right page of the menu there is a big selection of sushi. Sushi, really? I can get that in 6 or 7 other places in Montclair. Why?

We loved the dishes we had. But the pleasure of our dinner was interrupted by the grind of a shake maker.  Koreander, please just be a really good Korean restaurant.