McLoones in the reservation?
The atmosphere feels entirely fake to me. . . it's as if you are eating at the Great Wolf Lodge or a Disney Resort.
For Example: Instead of using real stone on the walkways they used painted sculptured concrete that is supposed to look like real stone (it just comes off as cheap).
Re whether or not you can smell the zoo from the restaurant, I don't think so. We walk the path around the reservoir several times a week (and have over the past year) and I've never smell any zoo smells, even when I've been on the zoo side of the reservoir. So I don't think you would pick any up if you were sitting outside the restaurant. The one time we sat outside I did not notice anything.
skadave said:
The atmosphere feels entirely fake to me. . . it's as if you are eating at the Great Wolf Lodge or a Disney Resort.
For Example: Instead of using real stone on the walkways they used painted sculptured concrete that is supposed to look like real stone (it just comes off as cheap).
Essex County built the building that houses McCloone's. Others would argue that the stamped concrete was a valid value engineering choice to reduce costs. Can't please everyone.
Sigh...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/west_oranges_mcloones_boathous.html
hankzona said:
serious question....if you are sitting outside and the wind is blowing in the right direction, can you smell zoo? I was hiking up in the reservation behind the reservoir last month and wasn't that close to the zoo, but certainly could smell it.
I've never smelled that - not even while walking around the reservoir. Maybe it was something left by an off-leash dog in the rez?
jimmurphy said:
skadave said:
The atmosphere feels entirely fake to me. . . it's as if you are eating at the Great Wolf Lodge or a Disney Resort.
For Example: Instead of using real stone on the walkways they used painted sculptured concrete that is supposed to look like real stone (it just comes off as cheap).
Essex County built the building that houses McCloone's. Others would argue that the stamped concrete was a valid value engineering choice to reduce costs. Can't please everyone.
Sigh...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/west_oranges_mcloones_boathous.html
"Valid value engineering choice to reduce costs" sounds like "Cheap" to me.
TigerLilly said:
hankzona said:
serious question....if you are sitting outside and the wind is blowing in the right direction, can you smell zoo? I was hiking up in the reservation behind the reservoir last month and wasn't that close to the zoo, but certainly could smell it.
I've never smelled that - not even while walking around the reservoir. Maybe it was something left by an off-leash dog in the rez?
Perhaps there was a dead body nearby.
skadave said:
The atmosphere feels entirely fake to me. . . it's as if you are eating at the Great Wolf Lodge or a Disney Resort.
For Example: Instead of using real stone on the walkways they used painted sculptured concrete that is supposed to look like real stone (it just comes off as cheap).
Yes that said it better than I did.
TigerLilly said:
hankzona said:
serious question....if you are sitting outside and the wind is blowing in the right direction, can you smell zoo? I was hiking up in the reservation behind the reservoir last month and wasn't that close to the zoo, but certainly could smell it.
I've never smelled that - not even while walking around the reservoir. Maybe it was something left by an off-leash dog in the rez?
would have been a dog the size of large zoo animals then! No it was distinctly zooey and came from that direction. And it wasn't right around the reservoir but I smelled it on the trail in the back higher above the reservoir. Maybe it was the right timing to experience it based on freshness and wind direction. Im glad people cant smell it at the restaurant...looking at their wine list, I didn't notice any that would have a barnyard scent characteristic.
mrincredible said:
hankzona said:
Santa Margherita at $14 a glass/$54 a bottle is a steal! Or is it robbery? I guess they aren't making enough money.
Isn't Santa Margherita generally robbery? They could be pouring glasses of Cavit and claiming it to be Santa Margherita. I don't know who would know.
Atmosphere and a liquor license seem to cost a heck of a lot more than good food around here.
For an average of $20 to $25 a bottle retail, it is generally robbery. It is a wine mass produced by a cooperative, and although there are some great co-op wines out there, this isn't an example of one, or an example of how co-op wines can be excellent values. This is simply name recognition/familiarity...but people in many cases don't want to delve deeper or give it much thought and go for a familiar name or logo (its why a lot of private label wines out there have names and/or labels that seem familiar). Its an example of how their business model, which clearly works, goes for the familiar and a certain price point...but when I see a list of big name, mass produced, not terribly interesting wines, I wonder where else are they cutting corners or pandering to just the largest vendors out there. Its like the time I went to what was considered one of the top restaurants in Northern NJ in mid August with a client and tomato and mozzarella salad she ordered came with pink hothouse tomatoes. In August? In New Jersey? I was embarrassed for them and wanted to bring them a bag from my garden.
enjoyable to sit outside with a drink and appetizers after a walk and/or a visit to the zoo otherwise food is "meh".
I do try to visit one of his restaurants on occasion because his foundation sstarted Holiday Express, a fine charity, IMO. So, I do try to show my appreciation
Isn't Santa Margherita generally robbery? They could be pouring glasses of Cavit and claiming it to be Santa Margherita. I don't know who would know.
Atmosphere and a liquor license seem to cost a heck of a lot more than good food around here.