Really? Wonder how I read it yesterday. Hmmm. It’s all about the MEGA expansion of Top’s in East Newark.
Well, Patch.com has an article on top local businesses (for each town they cover), and Matawan/Aberdeen includes several restaurants, led by … Shanghai Bun!
https://patch.com/new-jersey/matawan-aberdeen/locals-rave-these-matawan-aberdeen-businesses
Great to see it getting some love!
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Collab at Una tomorrow if anyone is interested. Porchetta pizza and meatball parm pizza. NOt sure if the links will display here…
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Below is a link to a post I made in the Costco section for those that are interested. Costco is having their annual Christmas D’Artagnan sale. It’s a great deal; $200 worth of food for $125.
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I don’t know if this is officially news, but hey–we’re all bored and it’s something new. 
**
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"Viana loves these cultural homestyle dishes himself, so much so that he hopes to open a Portuguese restaurant this year, reflective of his own heritage. " (As in, David Viana of Heirloom Kitchen.)
FINGERS CROSSED IT’S IN THIS AREA.
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Seen on FB. Patsy’s of NYC to open an Asbury Park pop-up with plans to open a permanent location. Not sure how to link (or whether its even possible) to the FB post.
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Yeah, a friend just texted me. In the Berkeley Hotel.
YAWN.
Of course, Patsy’s had also looked at, and thought about, opening in the old Fromagerie space…
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Calandra’s in Fairfield thinking inside the bubble. I hope they are getting some good tips for that trip into some NJ ultra-reality.
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I’m seeing more and more of these around, and I honestly don’t understand how there’s anything ‘safe’ about eating/drinking inside of those! If anyone can explain it, I’d love to know the rationale aside from diners not having to be inside a building. There doesn’t appear to be air circulation in those, and I can’t imagine they can be sterilized for the next group. Aside from protecting you from the elements, what’s the point?
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Just saw a report on Facebook that Birravino is charging $50 to dine in one of their “igloos” and $100 for the big one. Can anyone confirm?
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I’m guessing that the theory is it’s just one “party” per igloo so the diners limit their risk to whom they know, excluding waitstaff, and thus are making an “informed” choice. Of course the waitstaff has no choice in the matter.
Maybe they open the door between parties?
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The rationale is for restaurant owners to be able to make more money during the winter with limited indoor seating 
I guess as long as you are dining in these igloos with trusted family members it is a little safe since you won’t be exposed to other people dining indoors (except supposedly masked servers).
The igloos contain zippered flaps and windows to facilitate air flow. They are opened and aired out for at least a half hour after each dining session, and the restaurant staff are supposed to use these foggers (leaf blower like contraptions) that contain hospital-grade and food safe disinfectant mist to sanitize the bubbles. Some restaurants even hire sanitation companies to disinfect all indoor dining spaces including igloos twice a month.
Bloom restaurant in Verona recently got them but I haven’t tried them yet, or not sure if I plan to try them. If we did try them we are usually the first diners of the evening so wouldn’t be exposed to other customer’s germs.
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Thanks for this, Eli. I didn’t know about the air flow part of it, and appreciate the rest of the description of how they’re supposed to be sanitized.
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