Category Archives: restaurants

What’s your favorite restaurant in Rahway?

We’ve done polls on your favorite pizza, favorite burger, favorite bar, but with several “Best of” restaurant stories lately, it occurred to me that while we’ve polled readers about the types of restaurants they’d like to see in Rahway, we’ve never blogged about their favorite existing restaurants.

We’ll have the usuals like Luciano’s, The Waiting Room and Cubanu, and others outside of downtown, like Beana’s but since I hate to leave out any establishments, we’re open to suggestions on what places to list in the poll — either post in the comments below or send me an email [rahwayrising(at)gmail.com].

For this poll, we’ll stick to the larger, sit-down places and leave the smaller eateries and takeout joints for another, separate poll. Either way, it gives us something to do during the slow summer months, like while I’m on vacation.

I’ll give you a few days to come up with some ideas and suggestions and post a new poll by next week.

KC Jazz not likely in 2010

Not that it’s any surprise but don’t expect KC Jazz Restaurant to open during 2010.

Redevelopment Agency Commissioner Courtney Clarke inquired about the status of the project during the March 24 Redevelopment Agency meeting.

City Administrator and Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier said the project at the corner of Irving Street and Seminary Avenue is not likely to be realized this year. Developer Casey Granieri is expected to go out to bid again and resubmit quotes to the bank, which had advised him to reduce the costs of the project by $500,000, Pelissier said.

Casa Borinquen grand opening Friday

Casa Borinquen will have a grand opening on Friday after several months of interior renovations.

Specializing in Puerto Rican fare, the restaurant will replace Taste of Portugal, which closed in 2009 after more than two years at the East Cherry Street location. At one time the space housed the popular Eat To The Beat Cafe.

Casa Borinquen is family owned and operated by Rahway residents. I met the co-owners while I was strolling downtown on Sunday and they were putting some finishing touches on the place.
The building is among several East Cherry Street properties owned by Dornoch.

***

The grand opening of Chess Mates, originally scheduled for March 1, was postponed. No new grand opening date has been set, but construction has been delayed due in part to the recent inclement weather.

The chess cafe will occupy the second retail space in Park Square on Irving Street, next to Eyes On You.

Irving St. restaurant slowed by sewer fee dispute

A dispute over sewer connection fees apparently is holding up development of an Irving Street restaurant and bar.

City Administrator and Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier told commissioners Wednesday night he was told by partners in the Station Bar & Grill that they could not do the project if they had to pay the city’s total calculation. The city doesn’t want to stop the project, he added, but is willing to work within the confines of the ordinance.

The calculation for the connection fee range, set by city ordinance, is based on a property’s historic data and previous occupants. The amount the developers want to pay, according to Pelissier, is about a quarter of the calculation by the city’s construction official. The developers, he added, have shared their calculation with the city and what they think they should be charged.

The Planning Board approved a minor site plan for the 6,900-square-foot project last June.

***

In case you somehow haven’t yet heard about “Rahway’s snow babe,” it first appeared Saturday via CNN’s iReport, before getting picked up in Wednesday’s Star-Ledger, and then on and on.

New White Castle taking shape

Construction is under way on a new White Castle and it’s been taking shape along Routes 1/9 North in recent weeks.

Work started at least a month ago but since there was such a good response to the entry about the recent opening of a White Diamond in Rahway, I figured I’d post an update. It was just a matter of getting a good photo of the site without having to play Frogger in the northbound lanes. It turns out that Sunday mornings are a good time.

The Planning Board approved the 36-seat project last year but it was a little tricky to figure out where it was on a Google Map. It’s essentially between the Dunkin’ Donuts and Murphy’s Towing on the northbound side of 1/9, near East Scott Avenue and the southern end of Merck’s facility.

KC Jazz redesigns, eyes 2010 for opening

KC Jazz restaurant has its sights set on 2010 for an opening.

Developer Casey Granieri said in an email last month that the project is going out to bid after a redesign to lower the cost. Any changes will be in materials and roof modification, he said, and if everything gets done in a timely manner it will open next year.

During last month’s Redevelopment Agency meeting, Redevelopment Director and City Administrator Peter Pelissier mentioned that a developer with experience in Newark’s Ironbound section was brought in to help with the changes while there also were some financing details to iron out. The former Kelly’s Pub building, at the corner of Seminary Avenue and Irving Street, gained Planning Board approval in July 2007.

***

It looks like there’s a comfortable lead for Friday to be the day for a Rahway Rising happy hour. If no one has any objections, why don’t we call it 6 p.m. at The Waiting Room this Friday (Nov. 13). See you there!

Work moves to exterior at Station Bar & Grill

Work on the future site of Station Bar & Grill on Irving Street appears to have made its way to the front exterior of the building last week.

Some interior work looks like it was going on for a few weeks. The project was approved by the Planning Board in June, details of which can be found in the earlier post.

***

For a look at what some nearby towns have in mind as far as redevelopment, here’s a piece from nj.com about Fanwood’s efforts to make its downtown more like Cranford or Westfield.