Normally I'm one to offer recommendations, but I'm looking for restaurant recommendations for a group business dinner anywhere between Westfield to Edison/Metuchen area. Need to be able to accommodate vegetarians and folks who are ultra food snobs. It's a black hole of a region for me for fine dining, so I need your collective help!
OT: Soliciting Restaurant Recommendations from Westfield to Edison
- Thread starter RUevolution36
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Sorry, wish I could help. But Greasy Tony’s represented the apex of fine eating establishments to me. Food snobs like tiny food for crazy money. I like bad food and lots of it. 🙂
One of the group is a person who grew up in San Sebastian in Basque Country. Michelin starred restaurants are a dime a dozen there and they are very difficult to please
For vegetarian, Indian Food will be the best. Non Veg people can have chicken.
Here’s a veg restaurant:
Swagath Gourmet-Traditional and Authentic Tasty Indian Vegetarian
Swagath Gourmet evolved as traditional,authentic and tasty Indian vegetarian restaurant in edison. our food is inspired by the authentic home cooking of beautiful and herbal spice-rich.Preparing food in an age old way is our passion, prepared for you always with devotion, love, and the finest...
www.swagathgourmet.com
Here’s a Veg and non veg restaurant
Indian Restaurants | Catering Services | Edison NJ
We’re one of the best Indian restaurants in Edison NJ known for our ambiance and food. We also offer catering services in Edison NJ. Reserve a table today.
www.deccanspice.com
I sometimes get dragged to these foo foo restaurants with friends, or with an ex-GF, and they’re all oooh and aaah and I’m staring at a menu where I can’t pronounce anything on it, let alone tell you what any of the ingredients are. Then my “food” arrives on a huge plate with acres of depressing emptiness except for what looks very much like someone hawked a loogie, wrapped it in a garden weed and shook some dandruff on it.
The waiter asks if I’d like some pepper while brandishing a three foot long pepper mill, to which I’m thinking “how the fvck should I know”, but I’m afraid to ask what it actually is so I can form an appropriate answer.
The whole production looks like a bit of stuck on-remains from a poorly functioning dishwasher. On the menu it says “market prices” for the price. On the bill, the market price is like $439.99 like calling it $440 would’ve put it out of reach.
Hard pass.
Gimmie a 3 to 5 pound slab of beef, waved in the general direction of a fire, and I’m a happy guy.
Have no experience with either, but Chez Catherine and Sweet Waters Steakhouse in Westfield may fit the bill.
Probably not fancy enough, but Casa Giuseppe in Iselin is an Oasis of Italian food wedged in a not so nice area. Popular lunch and dinner spot for BASF employees and other companies in MetroPark office park.
Metuchen Inn is certainly sophisticated enough for the food snobs (and the setting is in an impressive almost 200 year old mansion) and they have some vegetarian apps and will modify the pastas to hold the meat/seafood upon request (but very few vegan options). Irving Social in Rahway has a very good and eclectic menu (plenty of vegetarian options - not as snobby as Metuchen Inn) and is in a very cool space, including one of the best al fresco spaces in CNJ, IMO (it's an interior courtyard that is gorgeous). The Garlic Rose (Italian-ish) in Cranford is also quite good with plenty of options, some of which are superb. Have had work dinners at all of these places and had almost all happy customers.
Following up on @Knight Shift's post, Chez Catherine is one of the best French restaurants in NJ, so you'll impress folks, but they don't have a single vegetarian option there for dinner. Sweet Waters steakhouse is very good, but also doesn't have much for vegetarians.
We would be remiss if we did not include The White Rose. 😜
I’m a food snob. I can tell you the fanciest restaurant in that area will not impress the people you described. My suggestion is to find a more “authentic” cuisine and not worry about the decor. Like someone said earlier, vegetarian and Edison points to Indian food.
I would check the menu to make sure you can satisfy the vegetarians. With that said I would go with
https://metucheninn.com/ Old historic house, lots of history and old money
http://www.loucasrestaurant.com/ BYOB
https://garlicrose.com/ Might not have enough choices for the vegetarians
https://metucheninn.com/ Old historic house, lots of history and old money
http://www.loucasrestaurant.com/ BYOB
https://garlicrose.com/ Might not have enough choices for the vegetarians
Agree with you.
One of our absolute favorite places to eat is the Loteria in Asbury Park. Never have had a bad meal there. Authentic Mexican food. Dinner for two last weekend with desserts for both of us- $51. The place looks like a Mexican dive restaurant.
Maybe our expectations are set too high when we reserve at "high end" and fancy schmancy restaurants, and we wind up disappointed.
Food snobs are funny to me, but to each their own. For me and my non-food snob wife, we find the "best" food at the more moderately priced places. But the food snobs would vehemently disagree.
I'm a food snob myself. But more in that it needs to taste good. I don't care if it's the diviest of dives if the food is great. What I can't stand is any place that has average or below quality food.
I have no problem paying high end prices for high end food. I enjoy more paying low end prices for amazing food. Give me a dive with ridiculous food any day leave the pretension behind.
I had an unlimited expense account and ate and stayed at the best places in the country. My wife and I always get more enjoyment of finding a place off the beaten path that has a niche product that blows our minds at an affordable price.
Good for you. Any recommendations in Scotch Plains or Clark? Back on topic 😀
Agree that someone from san sebastian won't be impressed with anything on this side of the atlantic. I bet they never had american bbq tho. Most bbq joints that i frequent i NJ are not fancy at all.
I do find Oasis in Cranford very food. Probably the best morroccan i have ever had on this side of the atlantic. Their chicken tajine is very close to the real thing.
I do find Oasis in Cranford very food. Probably the best morroccan i have ever had on this side of the atlantic. Their chicken tajine is very close to the real thing.
I ate at the vine and oak in Cranford and it was good but may not be good enough for what you are looking for.
Edison has Lu Cas which is probably the best restaurant in Edison that is not Indian.
Clark really doesn’t have high end restaurants. Bistro 1051 is probably the best but not fancy enough for what you need.
Edison has Lu Cas which is probably the best restaurant in Edison that is not Indian.
Clark really doesn’t have high end restaurants. Bistro 1051 is probably the best but not fancy enough for what you need.
I am thinking that foo-foo corporate guy needs to go the when in Rome route. Clearly he/she ain’t going to be impressed with fine dining around here but may be happy with the most authentic, local cuisine in a non-pretentious setting. It may be their version of slumming.
That’s a good suggestion. Used to be Werner’s Lake Edge for years and had a good rep. Haven’t read anything bad about W&W.
La Griglia in Kenilworth has pretty much identical menus with Water & Wine in Watchung (same owners). I prefer Kenilworth of the two but very little difference.
I've been twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. So sample size isn't very large.
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