CHEF PAUL LUSTBADER AT CENT’ANNI, MAPLEWOOD
For those of you who miss the scrumptious cuisine that Chef Paul Lustbader served at the now closed Trattoria Fresco, Caldwell, you can treat your palate to his cooking at Cent’Anni, 5 Highland Place, Maplewood, where he now mans the stoves. Some enticing dishes are: wild mushroom bread pudding with baby spinach salad; calamari tasting (fried with marinara, pan-roasted, and stuffed with ricotta); salmon-, crab-, and asparagus-filled phyllo wraps with lemon-chive vinaigrette; crispy snapper with prosecco-braised cabbage and snow peas; pork chop with roasted chestnuts, sweet sausage, melted leeks, and crispy herbs; and cacciatore-style short ribs. The menu is augmented with daily specials. Be sure to save room for dessert; we loved the butterscotch panna cotta. For reservations call 973-763-3083.
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STAGE LEFT WINE SERIES
On five Friday nights starting January 9, Francis Schott, co-owner of Stage Left, 5 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, will be offering a series of one-hour wine tastings/lectures. Each class will be followed by an optional dinner featuring the wines discussed that evening. Here’s the class schedule: January 9, Rhone Valley Red and White; January 16, Bordeaux, Cabernet, and Merlot; January 23, Burgundy, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir; January 30, Tuscany and Piedmont; and February 20, Southern Hemisphere. Classes begin at 7 PM and cost $100 each (a minimum of two classes is required) or $400 for all five. Post-class dinners start at 8:15 PM and are $79 plus tax and service. To reserve your spot, e-mail [email protected] or call 732-828-4444 ext 201.
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WINE AND CHOCOLATE TASTING FOR CHARITY
On January 23, a wine and chocolate tasting with a light buffet will be held at the Hyatt Regency, 3 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, to benefit Deirdre’s House, a center in Morris County for children who are victims of abuse or neglect or who have witnessed domestic violence. 6:30 to 10 PM; $65. For tickets call 973-631-5000.
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ARE YOU GAME?
Plains bison New York strip steak and pan-seared quail are two of the game dishes featured this month at Church Street Kitchen, 12 Church Street, Montclair. On January 16, a game dinner and wine pairing will be offered at 7 PM; $70. For more information and reservations call 973-233-0216.
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THE MILL AT SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS
À la carte dining has returned to the Mill at Spring Lake Heights, 101 Old Mill Road, Spring Lake Heights, Wednesdays through Sundays. For reservations call 732-449-1800 ext 111.
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DINING DEALS
Throughout the winter, Elysian Cafe, 1001 Washington Street, Hoboken, will celebrate Monday nights with a two-for-one special from the bar menu, with the lower-priced entrée deducted from your check. One entrée per person; no takeout. For more information call 201-798-5898.
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Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].