Re: High-end Dining: Expectations and Reviews
 

if anyone ventures to northern NJ, might I recommend Lorena's. First-rate and reasonable. Chef from March, Daniel, Nicholas (also in NJ and likewise worth the trip).

http://restaurantlorena.com

Re: High-end Dining: Expectations and Reviews
 

I dine at your so called high end places quite frequently. recently I spent $250.oo for a meal for two with no bottle wine at this place called El Milano in ceasers forums Las vegas. Place cracks me up, they try to push $50 dollar plates of sea bass flown in from belgum. Now what makes this so special baffles me. I had the Lamb shank. It was a huge piece of tender meat with a bone that included a small fork to eat the xxxing bone marrow. has anyone ever tried the bone marrow?

Re: High-end Dining: Expectations and Reviews
 

[ QUOTE ]
I had the Lamb shank. It was a huge piece of tender meat with a bone that included a small fork to eat the xxxing bone marrow. has anyone ever tried the bone marrow?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, it's like a meat puree.

It seems a shame you didn't try it. As you can gather from the thread, most people like the high end dining as a way to experience new things.

Re: High-end Dining: Expectations and Reviews
 

[ QUOTE ]
if anyone ventures to northern NJ, might I recommend Lorena's. First-rate and reasonable. Chef from March, Daniel, Nicholas (also in NJ and likewise worth the trip).

http://restaurantlorena.com

[/ QUOTE ]

Lorena's is great -- high-end NYC quality at NJ prices.

Another wonderful place along the same lines is Cafe Matisse in Rutherford.

They don't have traditional courses; instead, it's a "small plate" menu that you can mix and match. So you can pick a six-plate dinner and essentially design a mini-tasting menu of your own.

Also, they don't have a liquor license (Rutherford is a dry town), but there's an attached wine shop with a fantastic selection of bottles and no restaurant markup. Last time I was there I picked up a Leeuwin Estates Art Series Chardonnay for about $85.

Re: High-end Dining: Expectations and Reviews
 

[ QUOTE ]
bone marrow

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Think meat-flavored butter. It's that good. Honestly, I would rather have marrow than foie gras.

Though neither compare to the Wagyu carpaccio that I had at Craftsteak earlier this year. Mmmmmm.

Re: High-end Dining: Expectations and Reviews
 

Ate at Vitners Grill in Summerlin on Friday. Great food. Most notable was a caesar salad wrapped in prosciutto. ZOMG.

Re: High-end Dining: Expectations and Reviews
 

went to bleu raisin in montreal last night. Small (10 tables) byob restaurant near downtown montreal. French or quebecer cuisine.

Entree was seared foie gras. Iv had it here before and it really is the best foie gras iv ever tasted. They serve it with a caremelized pear and sauce that is out of this world good. Drank a decent bordeaux but the name escapes me.

Main course was Maigre de canard. Another very good dish. They always nail the meats like duck, caribou and venison. My friend ordered the fish which he claimed was only average, but this isnt surprising since they are not known for their fish.

Desert was a chocolate cake and 10 yo port. Also very very good. Dinner with tax and tip ran to 84$ but we easily saved 35 a person on the wine. This is high end in montreal. Id say it was worth the cost.