Janice a bistro

23 Sheridan Avenue

Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ  07423

201-445-2666

Date of Visit:  Saturday, March 27, 2009

The atmosphere at Janice's is simple and unpretentious.  It is chef owned and family run. Both my husband and I had heard rave reviews about Janice a bistro and were looking forward to an outstanding meal.  We made a reservation for 6:00 PM.  Upon arrival there were plenty of tables and we were given our choice of booths to sit.  I moved toward the back of the restaurant thinking it would be a little quieter and a bit more intimate.  I was wrong, as sitting near the kitchen was not only very noisy with the constant rattling of pots and pans and also included the greasy smell of garlic and oil cooking.  I would recommend choosing to sit closer to the entrance.

The wait staff was prompt and courteous.  After giving us an opportunity to review the menu, he told us about the daily specials which were priced about 10 to 20% higher than the standard menu.  We realized later our waiter hadn't provided us with all of the daily specials.

The menu includes a number of appealing appetizers, salads, pastas, and entree's including a few gluten free items; as well as daily specials (menu link attached below).

We chose our main entree' from the menu  a Wild Atlantic Salmon with lemon, capers and dill served over sauteed spinach with mashed potatoes at $24 and Pink Peppercorn crusted Breast of Duck served with sweet and sour sauce, mashed sweet potatoes with goat cheese and truffle oil $29.  Unfortunately it did not measure up to my expectation.  The Salmon was quite fishy and overcooked, the mashed potatoes were not quite warm; however the spinach was perfect.  The duck was tough, yet the sweet potatoes were piping hot and delicious.

The dessert menu was very tempting, as all of the desserts are made in house.  The mint chocolate chip gelato was superb and very reasonably priced.  I'd recommend trying the gelato.

Overall, when compared against other Ho-Ho-Kus establishments the value and quality were missing.

Link to Menu:  http://www.janiceabistro.com

Pat

Cafe Amici

4 Sycamore Avenue

Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423

201-389-6376

Date Visited: Friday, March 19, 2010

Café Amici is an Italian American family style restaurant located just east of the center of town with a warm welcome and congenial pub type atmosphere. Both the food and waitstaff service were exceptional.

They offer both a lunch and dinner menu and have something for everyone, including children. During our visit the Daily Specials Menu included Black sea bass with green and white asparagus, mushrooms, roasted potatoes and a saffron sauce for a reasonably priced $26 which included a choice of House Salad, Caesar Salad, Chicken Soup or the Soup of the day. The New England Clam Chowder was made with fresh ingredients, served piping hot in a large bowl, with a slice of toasted garlic bread and was positively delicious. The Sea bass was cooked to perfection with a delicately seasoned saffron sauce. A variety of desserts including homemade mint chocolate chip, chocolate peanut butter, caramel and coffee gelato as well as a variety of cakes and cookies.

The tables in the main dining area are a bit close, yet cozy and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. There are several interesting paintings around the room which are offered for sale.

All in all a wonderful dining experience. You'll want to visit Cafe Amici for a relaxing, enjoyable meal. All major credit cards accepted and it's a BYOB.

Link to Menu:  http://www.amicicafe.net/
Pat