Hello all,

I’ve chatted with some of you on Twitter over the past month, and I certainly apologize for not being all that current with updates. To be honest, my real world job has taken over a bit, and I haven’t had as much time to devote to the site as of late. However, I’ll give you some quick hits:

Tomaso’s in Edgewater, NJ – avoid at all costs! The decor is tacky, there’s a “charming” (meaning horrid) accordion player on Friday nights, and the food is terrible. This place is near our house and we thought we’d give it a shot. Not even worth the time for its accessibility, which is good. I don’t care how great a place is accessibility-wise if the food is worse than tasteless.

The Chart House, Weehauken, NJ – good food, good accessibility. Yes, it’s a chain but it doesn’t feel like one. Parking is a bit tight but valet is available as is a large, free parking lot across the street.

Bhatti in Murray Hill, NYC – went with a friend of Indian descent to this BYOB establishment. If you want “non-traditional” Indian food, this is your spot. However, if you crave Chicken Tikka Masala, what you receive won’t be what you’re expecting. Also, there is no real dessert menu, nor are there any non-lactose filled beverage options. We were not impressed.

The Crab House
541 River Road
Edgewater, NJ 07020
Tel: (201) 840-9311
The Crab House

The Crab House is turning into my “local watering hole” as it has excellent happy hour food and drink specials, the atmosphere is casual, and the view of New York City off the back patio (and anywhere near a window, actually) is really good.

I’ve been a few times for drinks, appetizers, and dinner, and the food is solidly good. Although it is technically a chain (owned by Landry’s, which also owns Joe’s Crab Shack and The Chart House, for example), it doesn’t have that “chain” feel, which I like. The waitstaff is attentive and pleasant, and it’s a leisurely meal. The crowd is mixed, from families to professionals to senior locals.

There is plenty of parking and the entrance and restroom is very easy for someone in a wheelchair to use.

Kinara Cuisine of India
880 River Road
Edgewater, NJ 07020
Tel: (201) 313-0555
Kinara Cuisine of India

I love Indian food….a good friend introduced me to it many years ago, and I’m always looking for a great place to get my Masala on. Kinara Cuisine of India certainly fits the bill.

Kinara serves a buffet-style lunch every day, closes for a couple hours, and reopens for dinner at 5:30 pm. Also, Kinara is BYOB (which is common in North Jersey).  So one day last week my husband was working late and I needed to grab some dinner, so I figured I’d try it out.

YUM! That’s the first word that comes to mind.  I started with a homemade Indian lemonade, which was a blend of lemon, lime, ginger, and mint. It’s not sweet like American lemonade, but it’s quite tasty. I was also offered poppadum, which is a crunchy light cracker (think of Pringles).  For dinner, I enjoyed Chicken Tikka Masala (my all-time favorite Indian dish) and rice and plain naan (bread).  The food was savory and slightly spicy (you can have it spiced to your personal preference). Another bonus was that there were plenty of leftovers to enjoy the next day.

There is accessible parking available in the parking lot (it’s part of a large building, the entrance is on the side). The entrance is basically flat to enter the restaurant (tiny lip but nothing that would pose a problem). The staff were pleasant and were able to seat me in my power wheelchair without difficulty. Next time I go I’ll check out the restroom situation.

 

Elaine’s Salon and Day Spa
461 River Road
Edgewater, NJ 07020
Tel: (201) 945-6006
Elaine's Salon and Spa

Although I ultimately decided to go to another salon/day spa for my personal needs, I do feel that Elaine’s deserves a mention on MetroNYConWheels.  The salon and service areas are wheelchair accessible and the owner was more than willing to show me around and point this out. Restrooms are accessible as well. Since it’s in a suburban location, parking is plentiful.

Blu Salon
19 Edgewater Towne Ctr
Edgewater, NJ 07020
Tel: (201) 941-5400
bluesalon

Blu is great! Since I am new to the area, I took the time to check out a couple salons in the area before choosing one. First off, when I walked in, the manager immediately introduced himself to me and took some time to talk about the salon and get to know me a bit. He then recommended 3 stylists to me based on my hair type and (somewhat) on my personality.

I called the next day for an appointment and the manager answered the phone and remembered me once I gave a brief reminder of who I was. He guided me toward making an appointment with Nikki, which I happily accepted.

Nikki was great! Good personality, listened to what I had to say, and didn’t get chop-happy or overly creative beyond what was discussed. I held off a few days before posting a review since I wanted to do my hair myself to determine how good the haircut itself was, and it’s fantastic! I will certainly return to her for my next haircut and color.

Since this is a more suburban area, parking is free and readily available. The restrooms were completely accessible and easy to get to.

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