Clifton Journal from Clifton, New Jersey • A33

CLIFTON JOURNAL OCTOBER 21, 2011 33 DINING OUT Red Cat Restaurant And Martini Bar 1168 Broad St. 973-928-4951; Open 7 Days Red Robin Restaurant 265 Route 3 973-773-8960 Riverside Bar And Grill AMERICANREGIONAL 2 South Parkway 973-859-0777; Entertainment: Karaoke Night Wednesdays; Open 7 Days www.riversidebargrill.com Romansa 394 Lexington 973-546-4446 Rumors Bar Rest AMERICAN 315 Lakeview Ave. 973-772-9819 Rutt's Hut 417 River Road 973-779-8615 San Remo Pizzeria 1102 Main Ave. 973-779-5885 Seasons Chinese Cuisine 1061 Bloomfield 973-777-5538 The Shannon Rose Irish Pub Clifton Commons 98 Kingsland Rd 973-284-0200 Snack Bar 1033 Clifton 973-778-3837 T.g.i. Friday's 850 Rt 3 973-778-1828 Tick Tock Diner 281 Allwood Road 973-777-0511 Top Shelf Caterers 1348 Clifton Ave.

973-773-3062 Century Buffet CHINESE 166 Main Ave. 973-471-8665 Chengdu 46 CHINESE 1105 Route 46 East 973-777-8855 Chevy's Mexican Restaurant MEXICAN 365 Route 3 East 973-777-6277 China Garden Restaurant 306 Main 973-773-7633 China House Food Take-out 402 Lexington 973-546-0012 China Inn 261 Clifton 973-772-5552 China Wok 90 Market 973-773-6628 Clifton Buffet 79 Ackerman 973-772-8438 Clifton Chinatown Gourmet 850 Van Houten 973-614-8227 Corner Bakery Cafe 850 Rt 3 973-272-1422 Corral 499 Hazel 973-772-0941 Crooks Cafe 381 Crooks 973-772-7734 Dalto Ristorante Italiano ITALIAN 14 Market St. 973-778-4533 De Feo Deli Grill 606 Van Houten 973-777-6644 Dillingers 349 Hazel St. 973-767-2647 Dingo's Den 615 Van Houten Ave. 973-471-7767 Restaurateurs: To Contact Us About Your Local Listing, Please E-mail Restaurantlistnorthjersey.com Or Call Your Newspaper Sales Representative.

Boston Market 1160 Rt 46 973-591-0111 CLIFTON Al Cavaliere Ristorante ITALIAN 247 Piaget Ave 973-928-3766 Alex's Luncheonette 312 Lexington 973-772-6850 Alexus Steakhouse Tavern STEAKHOUSE 995 Valley Road 973-746-6600 Americo's Restaurant 112 Fornelius Ave. 1 973-340-1465 Amore Pizzeria ITALIAN 1279-1281 Main Ave. 973-340-3900 Applebee's Neighborhood Grill 375 Route 3 973-471-6161 Bogey's Sports Pub AMERICAN 103 Valley Road 973-523-4653 Boston Market AMERICAN 1342 Clifton Ave 973-778-7879 Boston Market 1160 Rt 46 West 973-591-111 Buco Restaurant ITALIAN 953 Allwood Road 973-779-3500 Cafe And Grill.com ITALIAN 1376 Clifton Ave. 973-777-6844 El Fogon 1025 Main Ave. 973-778-7979 El Mexicano 1293 Main Ave.

973-546-2348 The Famous Midtown Grill AMERICAN 1218 Main Ave. 973-546-0121 Foodies Cafe ITALIAN 1348 Clifton 973-773-3062 George's Coffee Shop 227 Parker 973-546-0920 Golden Palace 403 Piaget 973-478-2899 Grand Saloon Restaurant ITALIAN 940 Van Houten Ave. 973-472-5207 Happy Garden 1154 Main 973-614-0601 Hearth Restaurant AMERICAN 1116 Route 46 973-473-6444 Hector's Sports Bar 85 Center 973-772-9851 Hong Kong Restaurant 244 Lakeview Ave. A 973-546-7050 Hot Grill 669 Lexington 973-772-6000 Jamie's ITALIAN 915 Bloomfield Ave. 973-779-8596 Jamito's Chinese Restaurant 389 Lexington 973-546-2549 Joes's Crab Shack 850 Rt 3 973-777-5114 Kamil's Restaurant 1489 Main Ave 973-772-972 King Co 1184 Main 973-340-0808 La Riviera Trattoria 421 Piaget 973-478-4181 Lila's Place 231 Ackerman 973-546-9720 Luxor Restaurant Banguets 341 Crooks 973-772-2700 Mario's Restaurant Pizzeria ITALIAN 710 Van Houten 973-777-1559 Master Pizza Deli Caterer 1326 Main Ave.

973-772-4333 Matthew's Italian Restaurant ITALIAN 1131 Bloomfield Ave 973-928-4300 Milano Restaurant ITALIAN 561 Van Houten Ave. 973-614-0408 Moe's Southwest Grill 850 Rt 3 973-773-1700 Neil's Pizzeria Restaurant 57 Harding Ave. 973-546-8889 The New Corral AMERICAN 499 Hazel St. 973-772-0941 Papa John's 76 Lakeview 973-253-4433 Perico's Bar Grill MEXICAN 709 Van Houten Ave 973-928-2240 Portuguese Tavern 507 Crooks 973-772-9703 Pub 46 PUB 1081 Route 46 East 973-473-8184 Rakkas Mediterranean Turkish Cuisine Lounge MEDITERRANEAN 1462 Main Ave. 973-478-6116 Hamilton House Museum will hold Civil War candlelight tours TREhouSe Wah Yuan Chinese Restaurant 1164 Broad 973-365-2520 Zinburger Wine Burger Bar PUB 850 Rt 3 West 973-272-1492 In CRUST PIZZA 478 2226 Ldiye nes hi nr i Luncheons Garfield Take Out Only Hibachi SteaksN THIN 973 Open 7 Da Banquet Private Business 42 Plauderville Ave.

World Class CLIFTON The Hamilton House Museum continues a four year series of events including devoting this year's traditional candlelight tour to the Civil War period. To date the Civil War lecture conducted by Dr. Jack Houston in April and Civil War lady luncheon held in September have been sold out events. The Museum Curator Norma Smith, Board members, and volunteers anticipate the same response for the candlelight tour which will be held on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.

Admission is $3 per person. There will be holiday goodies including some foods from the Civil War and visitors will be entertained by the Clifton High School Madrigals. The museum will be decked with well-appointed Civil War period decorations. During the Civil War in 1881 while Christmas was celebrated it actually was not an official holiday until after the war in 1870 when then President Ulysses S. Grant declared it an official holiday.

A war time hero himself perhaps Grant felt some comfort with the Christmas celebrations at his camp during the war. Today Christians around the world celebrate Christmas and it is hard to imagine that it ever was not an official holiday. The first Christmas of the Civil War December 1861 found President Abraham Lincoln pre-occu-pied with a political situation; the Trent Affair. This international diplomatic incident had some in the United States threatening war with Great Britain. Lincoln wanted to and avoided further conflict with Great Britain.

Although there was a war going many Christmas traditions began in the 19th century, one of which was Santa Claus. It was Thomas Nast, cartoon artist, who created many visuals which would influence both Union war efforts and Christmas traditions. He is credited with the first images of Santa Claus taken from his native German portrait of St. Nicholas. Nast had many visuals of Santa Claus including the most popular that appeared in Harper's Weekly depicting Santa Claus in a red, white, blue outfit with stars.

For the children in the South things were a bit more difficult unlike the industrial North where people were close by to each other. Sometimes parents were not sure if they might have some Christmas treats for their children. Children began to tell stories in the South that Santa Claus had to make it though the Union blockade to bring treats to their stockings. Very much how children today rush to the computer on Christmas Eve to see where Santa may be these civil war period children particularly, Sallie Brock Putnams, plotted a course for Santa to use to avoid the union blockade. Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas of Augusta, told how a simple act of faith on the part of her children caused her to dig deeper for a holiday offering on Christmas Eve.

"I have written so much that it is now after 9 o'clock and yet I have said nothing of Turner's and Mary Bell's party which we gave them last week in lieu of the Santa Claus presents. Mary Bell has been told that Santa Claus has not been able to run the blockade and has gone to war yet at this late hour when I went upstairs Thursday night of the party I found that the trusting faith of childhood they had hung their little socks and stockings in case Santa Claus did come." The Christmas tree already a tradition would come into its own during the Civil War and gain fame. The Christmas tree would be decorated with hardtack (biscuitscrackers) and salt pork. The Christmas tree was the center of the home and often was small enough to stand on a table. Songs of the Civil War time were "Deck the Halls," "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." Hibachi Lunch Special from 7 Hibachi Dinner Special from 1 5'! Ala'carte Sushi Sashimi "NOW" 2 pieces per order i i- i rt rt i rtrt vii iy iuni.il iviun-rn i lu j.uupin Saturday Sunday Dinner Only Open 7 Days Lunch Dinner Catering Cocktail Bar Available Matsuya Japanese Steak House Major Credit Cards Accepted Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 490 Market Street, 201-843-581 1 www.matsuyasteakhouse.com.