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Aldo & Gianni is an attractive restaurant located at the site of the original Capra Mia. This strictly Italian eatery is worth the trip simply because the food is deliciously prepared. The pork chop special made me wonder why anyone would pay the silly prices most restaurants charge for a good veal chop. The fish and pasta dishes we tried were also excellent. Service was adequate. Our meal was marred only by inconsiderate smokers nearby. If only A & G would join the growing number of smoke-free restaurants! Reservations are not accepted, so go early on weekends. $$ -$$$ [3/99]
Something very exciting is happening in Franklin Lakes! The Chef’s Table is located in the Franklin Square strip mall. Owned and run by Claude & Dolores Baills, it has real potential! Claude, from Claude’s Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, is now unfettered by partners, high overhead, and history. He has created the type of dishes we expected but often didn’t get in Ho-Ho-Kus. This small restaurant features both French cuisine of very high quality. Everything we sampled (gravlox, duck, bouillabaisse, and steak) was superb, emphasizing balance and subtlety. The pleasant ambiance is comfortably modern and bright. The good acoustics actually allow for conversation at this non-smoking restaurant. The Chef’s Table is a must! $$$$ [2/99, revisited frequently] Italia Bella Italia Bella is set back from Allendale Avenue and shares a building with a pizzeria. This quite nice little Italian eatery is small, but laid out to give you plenty of room. The decor is cleanly pastel with pictures of Italy on the walls. The well prepared food is typically Italian, with some interesting specials. The bread is soft, but delicious. The stuffed artichoke hearts appetizer is exceptional. Service is pleasant and accommodating at this non-smoking restaurant. $$$ [11/98] JP's Italian Cafe
Located in the Boulder Run shopping center, JP's is a very nice little Italian restaurant. Connected to a pizzeria, it is far from an up-scale restaurant, but the food is quite good, the service is eager and there are some nice little touches that elevate this above most “pizza joints.” Most important, the wine glasses are exceptionally nice and this is a non-smoking restaurant! Yes, you can get pizza here, but there are some lovely, mostly seafood, specials. The regular items are quite Italian, but the pastas are interesting and varied, the salads are creative and substantial and the chicken/meat dishes are well prepared. The family style atmosphere could use some sound deadening and the kitchen seems somewhat stressed at peak times, but this is definitely worth a visit. $$ [10/98]
6 East Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood (201) 445-5056 Latour bills itself as a French American Grill, which is pretty accurate. One of the better eateries in Ridgewood, it isn’t cheap, but the dishes are interesting, well prepared and attractively presented. The service is excellent (the waiter even listed the prices of each special!) The Duck Confit appetizer was especially good, but the Salmon, Lamb and Duck breast entrees were close behind. Owner/Chef Michael Latour certainly seems to know what he is doing. Well worth a try. We were particularly pleased with the quality of the wines brought by the patrons - always a good sign! $$$-$$$$ [8/98, revisited frequently]
Baumgart's Cafe
Baumgart’s Cafe is a near duplicate of the fine restaurant by the same name in Englewood. Part very competent Chinese restaurant, part ice cream parlor, this is a fun place to eat. There is seating both on the main and second floor. The ambiance is on the down scale side for Ridgewood, but very pleasant, with booths and tables. Also unusual for Ridgewood, Baumgart’s has its own parking - a big plus! There are enough interesting entrees to avoid boredom and this is a great place to take the kids. $ [7/98, revisited 10/03] Azucar
Azucar is a wonderful Cuban restaurant. “Azucar” is Spanish for “sugar” and this is a very sweet little place. It is very Latin, complete with live entertainment on weekends and cigar smoke every night. The food is very authentic and very good. Seafood is a strength as one might expect, but there are also plenty of chicken and beef selections. The service is efficient and helpful. This gem is a bit out of the way, but it is definitely worth the trip. $$$ [7/98]
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The Chef's 