What to eat in Northern NJ

This time of year, we often go up to "the mountains" for the weekend and drive home to Brooklyn on Sunday late in the day. I've often thought about stopping in northern NJ to eat dinner on the way home, but don't really know what's good.

So what are the best kosher restaurants in northern NJ? I'm most interested in Fairlawn, because our driving route takes us near there, but I realize that most recommendations will be in Teaneck. We're really looking for the best options and would like to try a few of them over the course of the summer.

I'd even consider Monsey or Passaic or (dare I say it?) New Square or Kiryas Yoel, if there are good choices in those places too.

Thanks.

[zsero]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Mosaica, in Vauxhall NJ. It's about half an hour down the Garden State from Fair Lawn, and then you can proceed to Brooklyn via the Holland Tunnel or the Goethals, so it's not really all that much out of your way. You did say you wanted the best options, and though I've never been there people on this board keep raving about it, and its former chef went on to create Tierra Sur, so it must be worth a try.

[hwarren1949]

How kosher is Kosher? Kosher Nosh in Glen Rock/Fairlawn has Hebrew National and is open seven days a week. If this is not sufficiently kosher for you, you have a choice between Monsey and Teaneck. In Monsey, get off the Thruway at 14B, Airmont exit, make a right, and then a left on 59. There's Kosher DeLoxe just past Tuvia's, a pita/pizza place on the left in the same general area. Further down is Monsey Kosher, and there's another pizza-pita place there. If you continue on there's a place on the NW corner of 59 and 308, which has a fleishige restaurant that's very good, and the Purple Pear, which is dairy, a bit more expensive than the other dairy places, but reputedly excellent.
In Teaneck there's Noah's Ark on Cedar Lane, and Noah's Ark Dairy Restaurant, a few others, including a fleishige Indian restaurant that I will cheerfully vouch for. On Queen Anne Lane, about 3/4 mile north of Route 4, you'll find Glatt Express. On the side streets near Glatt Express (a grocery) to your left are at least seven kosher restaurants, including Dougie's BBQ, Persian Grill, and a great Chinese takeout (takeout only, sadly), and down by the RR tracks is a rather expensive steak house. On the right just past Glatt Express is a bagel place (great bagels) and I believe a deli as well.
Enjoy! Teaneck is THE best place to eat out kosher outside of NYC.

[azna29]

Fair Lawn has a sit down glatt kosher restaurant called Perfect Pita, its on river road just passed fair lawn ave. Its an israeli place , falafel, shawarma etc.. and its very good. IMO the food and prices their are way better than anything in teaneck for that type of food and they have a very pretty dining room. They have a lot of home cooked food which makes it worth it, fresh and yummy. Its like going to a sefardic mom's home for dinner. I find that most of the places in teaneck taste like re-heated frozen food.

Was at a Chasunah last night and the guy sitting next to me was raving about Manny's, a new upscale deli in Pomona, near monsey. It's only a minute or two off the Palisades, but you would have to call for directions (I don't have the phone number) and to see when they are open till.

Manny's Deli info:

1581 Route 202, Pomona, NY
(next to Stop&Shop)

845-362-2333

Uncle M,

I have no idea what creative routes you use on the way back from the Catskills to Brooklyn. Any route that allows for Fairlawn allows for Teaneck as well, and Monsey is always somewhere along the way.

Al di La in Monsey [Route 306] is your standard Italian/Milchig fare. Service is good.
Kyo Kosher [Monsey] is on route 59, Japanese restaurant. Pretty decent as well.
Pizza stores in Monsey, Chai Pizza [Route 59] is the best of them all.
I haven't been to the Purple Pear yet so I can't comment.

Monsey is your best bet as a stopover because you have numerous approaches to Brooklyn ranging from the Tappan Zee, the GWB, Lincoln Tunnel, and even the Goethals!!! You can email me if you need any recommendations route-wise. I have an account with gmail and my alias is the same as the one I use to post to chowhound [challenge to spammers...]

Best of luck.

[DebbyT]

Adding to the previous Teaneck offerings; Cedar Lane has Smokey Joe's, a Tex-Mex fleishig place, Chan's Glat, an Asian restaurant (haven't tried), Mabat and Sababa, both Israeli fleishig, Noah's Ark - a deli, Shelly's, which is Noah's Ark's milchig sister, Cafe Adam, an Israeli dairy place, Pizza Crave and Shalom Bombay.
The West Englewood area has Chopstix, Chinese takeout, Chickies, which is similar to Shnitzies, Royal Persian Grill, Dougies, Rabica (dairy), Sushi Metsuyan, Pasta Factory (fleishig, but will have a Parve menu for the 9 days), Poppy's Bagels and Pizza, ETC Steakhouse, EJ's Pizza and Sammy's, which is 3 separate stores; bagels, deli and Italian.
Hope I didn't miss anything!

[vallevin]

Lazy Bean!!! You forgot Lazy Bean!!, and Kosher Experience. and Fish of the C's.

That was actually fun. And I have to agree with the other Posters... if you are going to be near Fairlawn (I assume you are coming down 17), you might as well come to Teaneck (does Fairlawn have any sit down places?). I'd vote for Shalom Bombay,

[DebbyT]

I cannot believe I forgot Fish of the C's! I just ate there yesterday...YUM. No Way Way!! (Hameivin Yavin)
But I specifically omitted Lazy bean because Uncle Moishy said they'd be driving here at night, and they are not open then.
Oops re: KE...actually prefer it to other deli-type places in Teaneck!