Melting the Night Away

Having already had a lukewarm experience with fondue dining at the Magic Pot in Edgewater, I was wary of going to another similar restaurant. But I had a gift card to the Melting Pot, so I decided to give it a shot. What I found was a much more pleasant experience all around. Allow me to contrast and compare.

My date and I arrived for our reservation a little early on Sunday night, Valentine’s Day weekend. Our table wasn’t quite ready, so we had a drink at the bar while we waited. The bartender was very friendly and told us about some of the exclusive cocktails he had developed, off-menu, for the restaurant. While his offerings sounded great, we decided to keep it simple with wine and beer.

After a while, we looked around and noticed there were several tables free. We wondered why were still waiting to be seated. Just then our host came over and explained that they were clearing off a spot for us in “lovers’ lane.” When we got to our table, we found a semi-private, enclosed table for two. Happy belated Valentine’s Day to us!

The meal at the Melting Pot started off much the same as the one we had at the Magic Pot. Our server came by and took our order (we went with a fixed price selection to get the most variety). When he returned, he began mixing and melting our cheese appetizer – this was just a little awkward, since we ran out of comments as we watched him swirl the stuff around and just sat in silence. But again, the cheese was delicious, and there was a better variety of things to dip – chunks of veggies in addition to the apples and bread. We went with a classic Wisconsin blend, just one of an impressive six choices.

Our appetizer was followed by a salad, and it was a nice break to eat something cold and with a fork – an option the other restaurant didn’t offer. Just as with the appetizer, we were allowed to deviate from our fixed menu and choose from one of the other four options on the regular menu, so each of us could try something different and share a few bites with the other.

Next came the main course, and this is where the Melting Pot really took the lead versus the Magic Pot. We had a wider variety of items, including lobster, filet mignon, rigatoni, pork, and chicken (although it was more expensive - $88 versus $80 at the other place, and no drinks included), with a surprising number of different dipping sauces. But more importantly, the execution was much more streamlined. My date and I had only two skewers each, and they were color-coded. This led to far less confusion about what ingredients were in the pot and how long they had been in there. We only had to keep track of two items each at one time instead of what had seemed like dozens at the other restaurant. The broth was also nicer, with fewer herbs floating around and getting in the way at the surface of the liquid. And hats off to the person who decided to put the overhead lamp directly over the pot so I could see what the hell I was doing in there.

The service between courses was pretty slow, since they got busy just after we got there, and the presentation of each course is rather time-consuming for the server. But I was glad for it, since I really needed the time to digest and avoid that unpleasant impending-stomach-explosion feeling. Plus I didn’t mind relaxing and enjoying my surroundings.

Finally, it was time for dessert. Again, we were allowed to substitute whichever option we wanted off the regular menu. In this case, we were selecting a chocolate blend. There was a raspberry dark chocolate, milk chocolate with peanut butter, and a cookies and cream blend, among many others. But we went with the Bailey’s Irish cream mixture. I wouldn’t have minded an extra shot of the liqueur, as the flavor was very subtle. But it was tasty nonetheless. We happily dunked our pieces of Rice Krispie Treat and cut-up strawberries.

The Melting Pot seems to have a better handle on how to make fondue dining a fun and easy experience; maybe because it’s a national chain, they’ve worked out more of the kinks than the Magic Pot. (I didn’t even almost pull the cord out of the wall!) The Hoboken location has a great atmosphere, even outside of lovers’ lane, and I definitely recommend it for a date. All that steam and low lighting just lends itself to romance.

The Melting Pot
100 Sinatra Drive
Hoboken
(201) 222-1440
http://www.meltingpot.com/

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Familial Culinary Joys

Gencarelli’s Cucina in Montclair is a new feature of Bloomfield Ave, having opened only a few months ago. My friends and I tried the place out for my birthday a few weeks ago (no, it’s not too late to send cards/gifts). When we arrived, we discovered they had not received our reservation, which had been left on their answering machine. The staff hustled to find us a table in the modest, brick-lined dining room. I was aghast when I realized we were being placed right next to the middle-aged lounge singer, his keyboard, and his giant tip jar, all crammed in next to the dessert case. More on him later.

As we waited for the remainder of our party to arrive, our attentive high-school-aged waiter opened up our BYO bottles and checked on us regularly. We indulged and ordered a few appetizers; allow me to recommend the mozzarella in carroza, which is basically a giant mozzarella stick that you cut up and dunk in marinara. Mmmm, salty.

While our dinners were nothing spectacular, they were tasty and satisfying. I had the cavetelli with ricotta, which was like baked ziti without the baked part. The creamy ricotta mixed with marinara was delicious, but the choice of pasta was a little too thick in this type of sauce. Come to think of it, ziti would’ve been perfect. Prices were reasonable, falling in the $15 range for non-meat dishes and $20-25 for seafood and meat.

Gencarelli’s offers a wide variety of traditional desserts and coffees. I had the key lime pie, which wasn’t bad although the whipped cream was the best part. I probably should’ve tried something more Italian. I also heard raves about the chocolate lava cake and chocolate peanut butter cake.

Since it is a new establishment, Gencarelli’s owner and staff are eager to please. It seems they are really striving for a welcoming, familial atmosphere, which is all well and good, until the creepy lounge singer finds out it’s your birthday. You may not know this about me, but I am not fond of being the center of attention, particularly in the company of a room full of strangers. So when Donny (which I can only guess must’ve been his name) announced to all present that it was my birthday and handed me a maraca to help accompany him on his next number, I pretty much wanted to die. Thank goodness my best friends were there to make fun of me, as the situation warranted. But the best part of the evening was when they brought me my slice of key lime pie with a candle in it, and I inadvertently blew it out early. Obviously they made me light it again at the end of the song so everyone could clap. Mercifully, it was someone else’s birthday too, so the attention shifted to her. That’s when the dancing began. Check please!

Gencarelli’s Cucina
381 Bloomfield Ave
Montclair
(973) 744-8881
http://www.gencarelliscucina.com/

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Where Themed Food Goes to Die

Before I visited Lee’s Hawaiian Islander in Lyndhurst a few weeks ago, I had driven past it countless times, pondering its facade. It’s a huge, very orange, windowless building right smack dab in the middle of residential River Road, with a big sign that says Lee’s on top of it. Faux palm trees decorate the structure. What, I wondered, is this anomaly of a building? I never ventured in, though, because there was something inherently creepy about it. But co-editor-in-chief Ali and I were feeling adventurous one night, and we decided to see for ourselves what mysteries the interior held.

When you walk into the restaurant, you first see a tiki bar, complete with that grass skirt-type stuff hanging from above, little twinkly Christmas lights all over everything, and palm tree murals painted on the walls. The dining room leads off to the right, and that’s where you’ll find the real atmosphere. Booths along the perimeter feature giant Polynesian (I guess) masks, tiki wood walls, and more Christmas lights. One whole side of the dining room is a “rock wall,” with water trickling down from some unseen source above. “Lee’s” is spelled out in yellow flowers.

The thing about all this décor is, I get the feeling it looked really nice approximately thirty years ago. Something about it gives off a dejected retro vibe, a unique Hawaiian getaway of yesteryear that needs a fresh coat of paint and new fake flowers. The place was mostly empty when we arrived, and we sort of expected the wait staff to be falling all over themselves to serve one of their few customers. On the contrary, our waiter took our order in a perfunctory, half-disinterested manner, while his boss scolded him about goodness knows what.

The menu offers a number of cocktails with intriguing names, such as Flaming Virgin, Fog Cutter, and Love Potion. Descriptions of the drinks are nowhere to be found. So, in the spirit of adventure, Ali and I each selected something we had never heard of and hoped for the best. While we were getting ready to order our food, I surveyed another patron’s dinner out of the corner of my eye (a rude habit I have when I’m hungry). I couldn’t help but notice that one of the customer’s items arrived at the table engulfed in flames! I decided I too wanted fire at my table, so I ordered a random chicken dish with “flaming” in the title.

At last, our drinks arrived. They were appropriately tropical in flavor, topped with various combinations of pineapple chunks and maraschino cherries. I got the vague sense that some alcohol may have been involved in their preparation. On the plus side, I got to drink out of some kind of tiki man-shaped tumbler.

When the waiter dropped off our food, I couldn’t help but notice my meal was not in any way on fire. It was just a couple of chicken breasts, doused in sweet and sour sauce, served over rice. A token pineapple slice lay forlornly at the side of the plate. Ali’s meal, while satisfying, was also nothing to write home about. We may as well have stayed home and ordered Chinese.

Maybe to be fair I should go back and try something more Hawaiian. But frankly, the place creeped me out. And one final note, in case Lee’s wasn’t weird enough, the restroom looked like it had been lifted straight out of an elementary school girls’ room – mini toilets and all.

Lee’s Hawaiian Islander
768 Stuyvesant Ave
Lyndhurst
(201) 939-3777

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There are two courses to explore at the golf center, and while neither has any old-school accouterments like windmills or pirate treasure chests, they both offer tricky hills and valleys, faux sand traps, and a putt through a giant cave. There are also the classic mini-golf course waterfalls and streams, dyed a disturbing blue that makes me think someone dumped a whole bunch of pixie stix dust in there.

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Rooting For the Home Team In Newark

Going to baseball games is one of my favorite summer activities, but a visit to a major league park is a serious investment. While I love my Yankees, spending $50 for a nosebleed seat and a hot dog isn’t always the most appealing way to see a game. Local minor league teams offer a thrifty alternative for a great summer outing.

A few weeks ago, I checked out the Newark Bears, an independent-league team whose stadium is situated right on Route 21/McCarter Highway. Admission was just $9 and I got great seats (really, when a stadium only holds 6,500 people, there are no bad seats). And I learned that games on Tuesdays boast buy-one-get-one-free admission at the gate, if you want to get even more economcial. They don’t hose you once you get in the park, either; my boyfriend and I only spent about another $20 or so to keep ourselves fed and full of beer for the duration. Bonus: draft beer gets slashed to $2 during the seventh inning, right before they stop selling it. We were a little disappointed with the food selection (basic burgers, dogs, pizza, ice cream bars), mostly because I swear I smelled funnel cake, but there was none to be found.

I had ordered my tickets ahead of time through the team’s website, which turned out to be wholly unnecessary. The park was less than half full, so I could’ve just paid at the gate and saved myself a couple bucks in processing fees. Poor attendance notwithstanding, we had a great time at the park. The facility was clean and in good shape, with plenty of bathrooms (another minor league perk: no lines!) and surprisingly pleasant employees. Transportation was easy, with a parking garage right next to the park that only charged $3. Many options for mass transit were also available.

The game itself was enjoyable, too. While not quite MLB caliber, the players were fun to watch. Both teams smacked a couple of home runs out of the standard-sized park. There was even an exciting play at the plate in which a base-runner slammed into the catcher and knocked him out (don’t worry, he was okay). And you never know when you might be watching a future major-leaguer - five Newark Bears pitchers have been sold to MLB teams.

While the game itself was fun, I could’ve done without the between-inning contests and activities. I know they want to keep the kids entertained, but games dripping with corporate sponsorship like “Put together a giant puzzle of the Applebee’s logo” and “Roll the giant Comcast die to win a prize” get a little tired.

One of the most pleasant surprises of the night was the fireworks display after the game, which they do every Friday. Since my July 4th experience had been rained out, I was extra excited to see some pyrotechnics. I wasn’t expecting much, but the display actually turned out to be pretty impressive. It lasted about fifteen minutes and produced plenty of ooh-and-aah moments.

If you’re looking for a cheap place to entertain your nephew, your out-of-town relatives, or even a date, minor league parks are the perfect warm-weather destination. Drop in on “the Den” and visit the Newark Bears, or see what the NJ Jackals, the Trenton Thunder, or the Lakewood Blueclaws have to offer. Baseball is better when you don’t need binoculars.

Riverfront Stadium
450 Broad St.
Newark
(866) 554-2327
http://www.newarkbears.com/

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Associate editor Nicole here, holding down the fort. Our faithful co-editors-in-chief Ali and Donna just checked in from their Munchmobile road trip. They finished up at Brothers Pizza in Red Bank, and are just sitting down to eat in South Amboy. Bless their little foodie hearts, they’re still hungry and going strong. Check back soon for their wrap-up of the Big Dog’s quest for the best pizza in the state.

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More Than Coffee, Books and Jazz, Man

Despite the slightly gruesome name, Van Gogh’s Ear Café is a pleasant coffee shop that somehow pulls off a cool-but-not-pretentious vibe. Conveniently located right off Parkway exit 140 in Union, the café is situated on a bustling main street. It’s hard to miss this place – there is a giant, faux-stained glass painting of Van Gogh on the front window.

Inside, shelves full of used books (for sale, by the way) line the large room and help to section off some of the more secluded areas. A huge Van Gogh-esque mural covers one section of wall, and there’s a fireplace at the far end of the room. The tables and chairs are typical of a café like this, in that none of them match. Each isolated seating area could easily be your friend’s dining room, your favorite reading spot, or grandma’s parlor, if you happen to have the sort of grandma who has a parlor.

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Pick Your Own!

Growing up in Essex County, I always thought of farms as distant, possibly made-up places. When I would happen to pass one on a family car trip, I would marvel, “Ooh, cows!” as if they were some sort of exotic creatures. Seasonal apple-and-pumpkin-picking outings were a big treat, but it was always a trek to get to the privately-owned orchards where such activity was available.

A few weeks ago, I was searching the state (via the internet, obviously) for a place to pick strawberries, and I stumbled across a site for a family-owned farm, situated right off of familiar route 23 in Wayne. At last! A quaint, rural atmosphere within minutes of a bustling three-lane highway. This is why I love New Jersey.

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Come Grab Life (Or At Least A Mechanical Bull) By the Horns!

The Colorado Café is a little slice of country, right here in our neighborhood… sort of. On a winding, un-lit road in Watchung, smack dab between routes 78 and 22, you’d never know you’re five minutes from civilization. This sprawling restaurant, bar, and dance hall isn’t hard to miss, as it’s the only thing on the road.

I visited this bar for the first time as part of a birthday celebration for Ali, our dear Go Out Jersey managing editor. My friends and I rolled up one Friday night, paid our $10 cover charge, and scoped the place out.

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It Wouldn’t Be Summer In Jersey Without It

Every summer I look forward to the state fair at the Meadowlands. My enthusiasm is chiefly based on my love for rickety carnival rides. Far more exciting than anything at a major theme park, the rides at the fair invoke that little, lingering fear that a structurally significant bolt will pop out at any moment.

Last year, I rode all my favorites – I don’t know what the fair actually calls them, but there are comparable equivalents at pretty much any fair or amusement park – the Gravitron, the Himalaya, the Pirate Ship, basically anything that spins me around or swings me back and forth at dizzying speeds is a good bet. The best and most unique ride at the fair is the Crazy Mouse. It’s a roller coaster with cars shaped like giant mouse heads, which spin around on wheels while riding forward along the track. When that mouse head really picks up steam and takes a hard turn, you almost feel like you’re going to go flying off into the glittering parking lot below. It’s awesome.

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