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Trickilo back in Bergen

Kenneth Trickilo, who left as executive chef of Paramus' Napa Valley Grille last spring in order to take a Florida position within the restaurant group, is back in Bergen County. He signed on today with the South City Restaurant Group.

He'll initially be working in all of the four South City locations before becoming executive chef at its the restaurant group's Fire & Oak, which will open in Montvale in February.

Ultimate Chef competitors set

Chef Central in Paramus has set its slate for this year's Ultimate Chef competition, which has expanded from four chefs to five and will begin at 11 a.m. Jan. 10.

Last year's winner, Joseph Cerniglia of Campania in Fair Lawn, has an automatic bye to the finals.

Two new Bergen delis

Two new places in northern Bergen County:

• Danny’s Kitchen: The deli and takeout business features a modest number of sandwiches, salads and paninis, as well as breakfast and dinner options. Several Polish specialties also are on the menu, including pierogies, kielbasa, and stuffed peppers. 650 Westwood Ave., River Vale; 201-722-5700.

• Frankie’s Italian Deli: The deli offers about 25 specialty sandwiches, as well as salads, wraps and breakfast items. 34 Union Ave., Cresskill; 201-266-6755.

Nice work if you can get it

Kitchen help wanted at Sultan Gyro in Lyndhurst. 12 hours a day, six days a week. The pay range starts at $500 an week, or $6.95 an hour assuming no overtime. This according to a Craigslist ad.

I'll give Sultan Gyro credit for being up-front about not treating employees fairly, or even paying them minimum wage. And that's about all they'll get credit for.

Joel's Malibu Kitchen closes

Joel's Malibu Kitchen, the funky, quirky California-style restaurant that has been a breath of fresh air on Oak Street in Ridgewood since the mid-1990s has closed.

It's the second Ridgewood closing in the last week. Silver Oak American Bistro had its last dinner service last night. It expects to reopen after renovations this winter.

What others are saying

Some restaurant reviews from elsewhere:

• Vasili's Taverna, Teaneck: The New York Times says it's Good. So do we; Elisa says its Avgolemono was one of the year's best dishes.

• Dalto, Clifton: New Jersey Monthly awarded it 2 1/2 stars.

Coal-fired pizza in Old Tappan

Dino's Cucina, a 102-seat coal-oven pizza restaurant with a bar, has opened in Old Tappan. It's owned by a quartet of local contractors who razed the former Parmigiano's restaurant and built this in half of the mixed retail-office building that replaced it. The menu includes mostly classic pizza toppings, as well as a limited number of sandwiches and basic pastas.

Dino's is at 183 Old Tappan Road, Old Tappan; 201-297-7444

Gingerbread rising

Here's a gingerbread house -- rather, gingerbread complex -- you don't see every day,  from the seniors at Bergen Academies in Hackensack. Teacher Mary Beth Brace said the students wanted to build a large-scale replica of Harry Potter's Hogwarts castle, along with the Whomping Willow, Hagrid's Hut and the Quidditch Pitch.

 

New menu at Palmer's Crossing

  Palmer's Crossing has unveiled its new winter menu, the first under Executive Chef Rene Abaring. The restaurant's news release is after the jump.

Palmer's Crossing is at 145 Dean Dr., Tenafly, at the Clinton Inn hotel; 201-567-4800; palmerscrossingrestaurant.

Another Armando's?

Armando Talocco, who has owned Armando's restaurant in Fort Lee for 30 years, has his eye on a new building in River Vale and hopes to put in a small Italian restaurant by summertime.

The restaurant, which would be in a new mixed retail-office building being constructed on Westwood Avenue, would seat 40 customers and be a BYO. He hasn't decided on a name.