The top three choices in our Favorite Restaurant poll grabbed more than half of the nearly 160 votes, and in the end, it was something of a nail-biter, with just three votes separating the top two choices:
Continue reading Poll results: Favorite restaurant in Rahway
It’s hard to believe that our last “Favorite Restaurant” poll took place more than three years ago, so why not try it again. The poll includes BYO restaurants as well as restaurants with bars, so it’s a mix of both — really anywhere there is sit-down service for more than a few tables. Base your vote on what you think is best, period, whatever that might mean to you, whether it’s food, service, etc. Feel free to share your thoughts as to why in the comments section.
You’ll have about two weeks to cast your vote so get to it. We’ll post results when they’re completed and this time we’re trying a new format for voting. Have fun!
Click here to take the survey or scoll down.
Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.
Rahway Rising is a lovable toddler today. Two years ago I launched this blog to get some of the information in my head out to the public, hopefully informing our community about what’s going on in their neighborhoods.
For a look at our first year, here’s a blog post from Nov. 1, 2008. We now have about 230 subscribers by email,which fluctuates from 225 to 250 regularly. About 150 visitors come to the site daily, some days breaking 200. We cracked 300 visitors in one day for the first time last month, just after a post about foreclosures beginning at Riverwalk.
Here are some stats from our first two years in existence, according to Google Analytics:
20,408 visitors
73,709 visits (42% direct visits to the site)
127,542 page views
1.73 pages/visit
71.9% bounce rate
1:56 average time on site
27.75% new visits
Some other tidbits from Google Analytics: As far as keyword searches, the top five are all related to Rahway Rising (16%), rahway blog, or rahwayrising.com, although coming in fourth was “rahway new jersey skyview condos for sale”. Also in the top 10 of keywords searches were Brooklyn Pizza, rahway nj skyview, nancy’s townhouse rahway, and cubanu restaurant rahway.
Food/restaurant-related blog posts, regardless of how old, continue to be among the most widely viewed. Here are the top five posts since we began tracking:
1. On Tap for 2008: Park Square, Sky View, 1,747 page views
2. Cubanu: A review, 1,284
3. Luciano’s set to open, 893
4. Pizza pizza, 866
5. Brooklyn Pizza coming to Rahway, 642
Surprisingly, all those posts are from 2008 yet still garnered the most page views. Among the most viewed posts of 2009 are Carriage City violating redevelopment agreement (428 page views), Carriage City declared in default of agreement (353), Return of White Castle in the works (347).
In our second year, we’ve ventured onto Twitter and Facebook, with about 40 followers and 75 fans and friends, respectively. We’ve also started Google AdWords, and as you can imagine, I’m already planning my retirement.
I said it before and I’ll say it again, hard to believe another year of blogging has gone by, and we still haven’t organized an official Rahway Rising happy hour, despite the urging from some readers. Well, let’s change that. Pick a night that’s best for you and vote in the poll. Let’s try to set a date before the holidays get into full swing (We’ll also take suggestions on where to have it). Unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to make it to The Taste this year — which is always fun for meeting up with readers — so now we must have a happy hour.
I often write “We” when referring to the blog. Although I’m the only writer, there’s a cadre of people I turn to for their opinions on potential blog posts, coverage and general advice. To them, I say thank you for putting up with me and always being willing to listen to my rambling and brainstorming. When I use the term “We,” I’m also referring in a sense to our readers, who often email their tips and observations or comment on blog posts. Thanks to all who have taken the time to read the posts and comment, whether anonymously or not. I’m not sure how long I’ll keep this up, but hearing from you at least makes it seem a worthwhile endeavor. Thanks everybody.
The New York Times on Friday had a review of Cubanu, calling it “uneven but generally satisfying.” They loved the starters, particularly the crab and avocado salad, and the desserts. They also described the restaurant as three years old but it’s more like two, having opened in late 2007.
Last year, The Star-Ledger gave Cubanu 2 1/2 stars, and of course, here’s our take from way back in January 2008 soon after it first opened. I’ve been back since and I’d say the appetizers still are my favorite part of the menu.
Wow, it wasn’t even very close. Flynn’s and The Waiting Room had been neck and neck for awhile in the latest poll, but the last few weeks, it’s been aaallll Flynn’s. No need for a run-off even.
“Who makes the best cheeseburger in Rahway?”
Flynn’s, 37 percent (59/156)
Big Belly Deli, 26 percent (42/156)***The Waiting Room, 14 percent (22/156)
Firehouse Pub, 6 percent (10/156)
Just A Little Healthier, 5 percent (9/156)
Stewart’s, 3 percent (3/156)
Bachmann’s Tavern, 3 percent (5/156)
Rahway Grill, 1 percent (2/156)
Other, >0 percent (1/156)
Cubanu, 0 percent, (0/156)
Technically, the burger at Just A Little Healthier is a bison burger. Cubanu had been nominated but never got a vote. Anyone want to share who their “other” vote was? Rocky’s Bar and Grill? Some other place we missed?
1. Cubanu: A review, 855 page views
2. Luciano’s set to open, 847
3. On tap for 2008: Park Square, Sky View, 837
4. Luciano’s open for business, 446
5. Luciano’s: A review, 427
6. Pizza Pizza, 404
7. Zoning Board KOs condos at Koza’s, 387
8. Rahway welcomes Hollywood, 330
9. Eatery targets July opening, 267
10. The Waiting Room by a mile, 238
Hmm…I sense a restaurant theme. Maybe we’ll focus a bit more on that if that’s what readers want, although of the 132 posts in 2008, 20 were restaurant related. It’s likely a common way to find the blog, while looking for info about new restaurants, particularly Luciano’s and Cubanu. In 2009, we’ll also try to more consistently offer news outside of downtown, like Route 1 or St. Georges Avenue.
First and foremost, thanks to everyone who’s been reading the blog over the past 365 days, and for commenting and sending e-mails. Hard to believe it’s been a year, but in the time since I started the blog, Hotel Indigo and SkyView at Carriage City Plaza have both opened and Hamilton Laundry finally was demolished. The economy has tanked altogether as well, forcing changes to two projects in town.
I started the blog because I’m interested in what goes on in my neighborhood and in my town, and I figure most people are as well. Unfortunately, while there are plenty of cable news channels screaming about the presidential election (granted, it’s important too), there’s precious few media covering what’s happening at a local Zoning Board or Planning Board meeting. What can I say, I’m a community journalist at heart, from my days as, well, a community journalist for a weekly newspaper.
You’ll notice there’s no advertising on the site. I’ve thought about messing around with Google AdWords but I thought it probably wouldn’t be worth the four cents a week I’d rake in. The blog isn’t what pays my bills either, so it’s really more a hobby/community service.
For those who are curious, here are some random readership statistics about the blog. I started tracking blog traffic in earnest with Google Analytics in mid-January, so these figures are for the last 8 1/2 months or so, and not a full year:
30,408 Visits
57,605 Page views
1.89 Pages per visit
2:23 Average time on site
8,384 Visitors
We have 151 subscribers by email, compared to 68 after six months (and 156 just yesterday…?). It’s been around 150 for a few weeks now. The highest number of visits in a day (226) was July 7; perhaps after a post about the number of units closing at SkyView. Not surprising considering SkyView is among the most popular key word searches that end up on the blog. We also get a number of visitors searching for Luciano’s and Cubanu, with a few looking for The Savoy. The most widely read posts also are still the ones about Luciano’s and Cubanu.
Goals for the second year? I’d like to hopefully spice up the blog graphically, but sometimes it’s tough to find the time after writing a few posts a week. I’m also hopeful of “marketing” the blog a bit more and getting the word out. It’s just been word of mouth and Internet searches so far that have pointed people toward the site. I’m also hoping to get a regular poll back up and running more frequently; that kind of petered out a few months ago. I also might be open to finding a new name for the blog if anyone has suggestions. I’ve explained the title before but I get the impression people think the blog is a totally pro-redevelopment, positive-only place to visit. I’ll write about anything going on, but good or bad is for readers to decide.
As always, I’m open to suggestions for improving the blog. Feel free to tell me what you like or don’t like either via the comments section below or by email. There’s been talk amongst the inner circle for some time about hosting a Rahway Rising happy hour or some kind of get-together. Maybe I’ll just have everyone over for some Karaoke Revolution.
Thanks again for reading.
Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend. Rest assured we’re getting back in the swing here working on some updates for the coming week.
In the meantime, check out this review last week in where Cubanu received 2 1/2 stars from The Star-Ledger’s food critic.
This was our take last year when the restaurant opened. We’ve been back a few times and our opinion probably hasn’t changed much; it’s still a solid visit, but we’d agree with some commenters that service can be spotty at times for dinner, though the drinks and bar area can be a great visit. I’ve heard the busiest night tends to be Thursday for the free salsa lessons and dancing.