What's Your Ohmygodiloveitloveitloveitsomuch Favorite Restaurant?

[Avalondaughter]

One thing I have noticed since I joined CH is that any chance I will get, I will recommend The Iron Forge Inn in Bellvale. It's my favorite restaurant in the whole world. I can't ever stop recommending it. I can't stop talking about it. I compare every restaurant I eat at to it. ("It's really good, but it's no Iron Forge Inn.") I won't rest until everyone I know has eaten there and experienced it. I love it that much.

Do you have a restaurant that you're abosolute crazy about? One that you love more dearly than any other place? One that you will shout out from the mountaintop about how wonderful it is? One that you will recommend every chance you get? One that you feel you must tell everyone you know about before you die?

I want to know what restaurants around here inspire this much passionate devotion - or if I'm the only person this crazy about one restaurant.

[phDuh]

Sabor Peru in Rutherford, NJ. I'm working my way through the menu.

[The Chowhound Team]

Hi - Please keep your responses limited to you favorite restaurants in the Tri-State area, so that we can keep this board focused on great chow in this area. We have removed some off topic posts on this thread.

Thank you.

[lattelover]

I'm surprised no one has even mentionned either Thomas Henkelmann or Jean-Louis in Greenwich because they are considered such meccas in Zagats. I went once to Henkelmann's and frankly don't even remember the food. We go to Jean-Louis once in a while and have a pleasant evening, but I wouldn't die without it.

[deborah24]

Il Portico in Tappan. Amazing service, aborable place, never had a bad meal. The place is an old house so it's broken up into rooms that seat not more than 10 tables each.

Plus they make an insane bloody mary.

[steve h.]

ferrante in stamford deserves some mention. not cheap.

[laylag]

After more thinking I have to add Frank Pepe's to my list. I can't get enough of the white clam pizza and, even when they were out of clams one night, their shrimp replacement was to die for too. I know Pepe's has it's detractors in New Haven - ie, Sally's or somewhere else is better with shorter lines, and detractors for the newer Fairfield locations - "it's not up to par with the NH original" and some who don't care for Pepe's and love Colony, which I've not tried yet, much more but from these boards there seems to be a lot of people who agree that Frank Pepe's pizza is ohmygodloveitoveitsomuch when it come to the pizza. The atmosphere or lack thereof is not worth discussing so it's not a complete dining experience.

Oh - and I agree - I love Le Provencal too.

[tada]

I would have to go with X20 in Yonkers and Provencal in Mamaroneck

[dolores]

And still, shame on Westchester.

2 bakeries, 1 OMG restaurant in Orange County, 1 in Putnam, and 4 in Westchester.

Four.

And that's been my experience too.

[lisette]

Right now, it's the Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood. And maybe X in Congers and Elm St. Oyster House in Greenwich.

[jfood]

It was hard for jfood leaving Elm St off. He really wants it to be there, mrs jfood loves it, but he just can;t get his fingers to type the name.

Please help. What should jfood get there next time?

[lisette]

I thought the paella was divine.

[jfood]

Wow, with the fish as fresh as they have, jfood will have to give that one a whirl. Thanks L.

[momof3]

The miso glazed salmon!!!!
By far the best salmon I have ever had, including that of X20's. My mother in-law had the paella too and is still talking about it weeks later.

[jfood]

jfood was looking forward to see what you chose and you did not disappoint. mrs jfood loves the salmon, but alas jfood has a huge aversion to ordering salmon or eating salmon. It was a staple for a while several years ago and jfood will cook it for anyone just cannot eat it.

The paella seems like the next order du jour.

[pobo]

I used to go to the Elm St. Oyster House when it first opened 12-13 years ago?) and it was one guy with a hot plate. Do they still serve the seafood chili? I have the recipe from the original owner - it is fantastic. If they still serve it, I would highly recommend it.

[sixelagogo]

sixelagogo's 4 restaurant A-list from NJ to CT:
1. Chowpatty: Indian in Iselin, NJ
2. The Vietnam Restaurant: Spring Valley, NY
3. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, NY
4. Le Petite Cafe: Branford, CT

[amanda3571]

Oh yes, Blue Hill is a must try. We had such a wonderful experience there.

[jfood]

Jfood's "A" List Gotta Haves from NC/STM/SONO/G'wich (In no order):

1 - Bonne Nuit
2 - Ocean 211
3 - Burger Shake & Fries
4 - Duo
5 - Rebecca's
6 - Rowayton Seafood
7 - Aloi
8 - Thali
9 - Colony Pizza
10 - Ching's Table
11 - Sole
12 - The Lime

[MasterofLightChick]

jfood - those are all you ohmygodiloveitsomuchrestaurants? if so, wow! i only could name a couple restaurants i feel this way about and none of them are in this immediate area. i'm envious of you.

[jfood]

The caveat in the first sentence "NC/STM/SONO/G'wich". And in each there is at least one dish that jfood would describe as a gottahave.

[laylag]

Not a restaurant excactly but since coming to Westchester 2.5 years ago, the only place I have that kind of passion about is Kneaded Bread in Port Chester. Love it, love it, love it - it has never failed me.

I also feel strongly about individual dishes at some of the authentic Mexican restaurants in PC and NR but each individually has it's strengths and shortcomings - as well detailed by Adamclyde in several threads - so there's no single ONE of those that has my complete devotion.

[MikiLovesSugar]

Not a restaurant but a bakery....... LULU'S!
I can never stop talking about them, thinking about them, eating their delicious desserts!!! Its really really that good <33

[valerie]

Same here. I've ordered many cakes (as well as attended functions with cakes) from some of the "best" places in Manhattan always in search of a better cake, and I have to say, that Lulu's has them all beat a mile.

[dolores]

I will have to try The Iron Forge Inn, Avalondaughter. I've been trying to come up with an OMG place -- and for me, it would have to be consistent and meet all my criteria -- and can't. The closest ones I have come up with are Le Provencal and Sunset Grille.

Posthumously, my picks would have to be Harrald's, Zen Tango and Paul's Hunan Village.

Shame on Westchester.

[Avalondaughter]

I would definitely put Le Provencal on one of my best lists for local places. Unlike the IFI, it's in walking distance of my home.

[MisterBill2]

Iron Forge Inn is on Restaurant Week and has a pretty nice menu. We'll be eating there next Sunday.