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Liz
Citizen
Username: Mschiquita
Post Number: 118
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 9:45 am: |     |
We want to give the Ironbound a try, I grew up in Spain and am dying for real paella! Will you Iberian food aficionados please share your fave restaurants? Muchas gracias! |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 559
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 10:10 am: | |
Iberia is our favorite. If you go there, try the mixed seafood platter for two. It's nearly as big as the tabletop, and filled with fresh lobster, clams, scallops, shrimp, squid, and other stuff. Or the paella or the mariscada or... |
Rod
Citizen
Username: Skimrod
Post Number: 55
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 10:15 am: | |
Iberia is good but spain rest. in better |
redY67
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 840
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 10:49 am: | |
We went to Don Pepe's a few months ago, and it was delicious, great service and a ton of fun. |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 1575
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 10:52 am: | |
I like Don Pepe's also. Easy to find, park, and the food is great.
Just take 280E to 21 South, it's about 1 1/2 miles down on the left. |
David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 71
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 11:50 am: | |
I think Iberia's kind of hit and miss. I like Brasilia Grill on Monroe St. - Especially for rodizio. |
Debby
Citizen
Username: Debby
Post Number: 1743
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 12:01 pm: | |
Iberia is for the tourists. Don Manuel, next to Teixeira's central bakery, is much better. Also, Tony da Caneca's (Portuguese)is fabulous. |
canismajor
Citizen
Username: Canismajor
Post Number: 326
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 12:08 pm: | |
Forno's of Spain on Ferry St. is by far the best. Don Pepe's is pretty good also. Iberia is mediocre at best. |
Yonti2323
Citizen
Username: Yonti2323
Post Number: 24
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 4:00 pm: | |
I agree that Fornos is the best in Newark. Huge menu, terrific food, reasonable prices. |
shh
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 2328
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 4:43 pm: | |
Oooh, I think I went to Don MAnuel with Pippi, NOtehead, my husband and a few other couples. It was horrible.
We were one of 2 tables filled in the place. The waiter spilled a full glass of water on one of us. I got lobster, so how bad could that be, but anyone who got something else was not too happy. |
juju's petals
Citizen
Username: Jujus_petals
Post Number: 48
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 10:06 pm: | |
Another ole for Forno's. Huge menu and very good food. Great place to take out of town family -- the whole family. Go early, if possible. They don't take reservations.
We also like Tony da Canceca. Authentic Portugese cuisine. Smaller -- better for a more intimate dinner without the ninos.
Went to Brasilia Grill (that's the really big place, right?) at the recommendation of actual Brazilians. Lots of fun --- another place for a crowd. Went with whole and very extended family just before my son's christening. The part of my family that lived for a while in Brazil and Portugal, and like to practice their fluent to rusty portugese, love that place. The birthday band and spontaneous table dancing cracked me up.
If you you're in Manhattan and want to get Brazilian food again -- try Via Brazil in midtown. Below Rock Center . . . 45th and Sixth? |
Liz
Citizen
Username: Mschiquita
Post Number: 122
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 26, 2005 - 5:04 pm: | |
Thank you all sharing your thoughts and experiences - it helps so much!! Sounds like Forno's has the greatest positive reviews thus far...perhaps we need to try them, as long as we can go early. Am also very interested in the Brasilia Grill..sounds really fun and tasty and great for the whole family! Incidentally, when we lived in Manhattan, our favorite Brazilian place was Via Brasil... |
MAPLE
Citizen
Username: Maple1234
Post Number: 3
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 27, 2005 - 9:21 pm: | |
The best is Spanish Pavillion in Harrison nothing else compares! They are great with kids too. |
Liz
Citizen
Username: Mschiquita
Post Number: 123
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 28, 2005 - 9:57 pm: | |
maple - please tell me more! do they have a website maybe?? |
Taurus5208
Citizen
Username: Taurus5208
Post Number: 70
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 10:36 am: | |
Another vote for Forno's. Try the Garlic Shrimp...it's amazing. Don Pepe's is also really good, but we prefer the one in Parsippany because it's typically less crowded. |
Two Sense
Citizen
Username: Twosense
Post Number: 54
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 5:33 pm: | |
There's a second-floor Portuguese/Brazilian restaurant in Harrison, on the north side of Harrison Avenue, that's the real deal. It's just to the right of one of the over-priced places.
Does anyone know the name? |
Jonathan Ben-Asher
Citizen
Username: Jonathanba
Post Number: 97
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, April 7, 2005 - 11:18 pm: | |
Iberia Peninsula and Iberia are great, but Forno's is the best. However, it is very crowded on weekend nights. A good alternative is go to for lunch, when the rooms are sunny and bright and everything is very relaxed. |
IShep
Citizen
Username: Twinsmom
Post Number: 77
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 3:39 pm: | |
Well, until I read this entire thread, I had only been to Iberia. I had good experiences there, but became really curious about trying Fornos. We went on Friday and had a really good time--in spite of the fact that I took my three young ones who were particularly rambunctious that evening. We showed up early (6:30 is very early for us) and it was already pretty crowded. The food was good. The garlic shrimp really good--and would have been even better if they had used uncooked shrimp first, rather than the cooked shrimp that appeared to be just tossed with the sauce. Nevertheless the sauce was very yummy. Though I admit that in general the food was better than at Iberia, but the paella was not better. In fact, it lacked the essential taste of saffron. It was as if they had colored the rice with something else, and cooked it separately from the meats and shellfish that should be cooked with it. I found this to be very disappointing. A Spanish restaurant without good paella is not a good thing. Next time, I guess I will try some of the other places recommended here. |
juju's petals
Citizen
Username: Jujus_petals
Post Number: 74
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 5:58 pm: | |
In truth, some of the best paella around here might be at Puerto Spain in Hoboken. The sangria is a killer, too. It has been a while since we went there (nearly 3 years now since moving to Maplewood). I recall that you have to be prepared to tolerate smokers, come often to get to know your waiter who will reward your generous tipping habit with complimentary after dinner drinks, find the kitchy decor charming, never bother ordering the soup, and save room for dessert. Oh, and ordering the second pitcher of sangria is NOT a good idea unless you can stagger home to your apt. a few blocks away. But, there a parking lot just for the restaurant right next door if you must drive. A nice walk after dinner along the pier and view of the midtown skyline would be nice way to complete the evening. . . for suburban tourists (Sigh.) like us. |
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