The Seasoned Noob Rotating Header Image

NJ

Thailand Restaurant – New Jersey

Jul 1st, 2009
by dave.
1 comment

Thailand Restaurant - Pad Kee Mao

This is the 2nd of my two favorite restaurants from New Jersey. It’s been almost 10 years since I first ate there and wow, I’m sure glad they’ve stuck around (they’re still doing well, I think!). The biggest bummer was that they usually take two to three weeks of vacation in the middle of the summer (probably around the time I get to visit) and so I can’t get my Pad Kee Mao fix!

Speaking of which, their Pad Kee Mao is definitely one of the best recreations of that dish I’ve ever had. I’m not sure exactly what they do, but it ends up really flavorful and the vegetables don’t take away from the sauce, something I’ve found at some other restaurants I’ve been to. I’ve never been able to duplicate this in the kitchen though. Mainly, I can’t pan fry the noodles as well in my wok, the wok never gets hot enough to sear the noodles. But in addition, I can’t ever seem to get the sauce right (But I did get it right recently with some Pad Kra Pao – Thai basil chicken so maybe I’ll be close soon).

Anyway, I’m off on vacation for the next week and hopefully will have some more pictures to share when I get back!

Thailand Restaurant - Tom Yum Soup

Nagoya Sushi – Westfield New Jersey

Apr 27th, 2008
by dave.
2 comments

This is a little bit of an “aside” post I guess (since this is mostly a Boston blog) but I was visiting my parents in New Jersey this past weekend and got some great pictures of my favorite sushi restaurant. The place is called Nagoya, and it’s right near the center of town in Westfield. Westfield is about 30 minutes southwest of New York City and you can take the 113 bus toward Dunellen right to Westfield (stops about two blocks away from Nagoya!)


View Larger Map

Nagoya is family owned and run, and they’re open late too for the suburbs (10pm I think?) The food is mainly Japanese, but occasionally we get treated to a few Indonesian treats here and there. I’ve never actually ordered anything other than the sushi, though my sister has had some of their cooked food and seems to have enjoyed it.

But let me go on about the sushi now. Henry, the owner, has a whiteboard of all the popular “specialty” rolls up in plain sight where adventurous diners can put up their own creations. But beware, only the top 20 stay on the board, the rest are relegated to a separate menu. I actually have a roll of my own creation sitting at #3 on the popularity list, primarily for salmon lovers (pictures later).

Now, Nagoya treats the Westfield crowd so well, that it’s hard for me to eat sushi elsewhere. And since my family is there so often, Henry cuts us whichever piece of fish we fancy at the time, whether it be a slice of fatty tuna or getting creative with some of the other rolls offered.

Once, I went there four days in a row.

Anyway, onto the pictures! I ended up splurging on a brand spankin’ new DSLR last week and these are the first pictures with it. I’m a photography noob (go figure!) but I’m trying hard to get better at it :P

Salmon Tar-tar

Tuna, Yellowtail, and Salmon Sushi

Squid and Wasabi Tobiko handroll, Salmon, Tuna, Yellowtail sushi, and my special MicroBoston roll:

Closeup on the MicroBoston roll:

Christmas Tobiko

Spicy Yellowtail, Spicy Salmon, Eel/Tamago sushi, and Volcano Erupt Roll:

Closeup on the Volcano Erupt Roll