Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about Arturo’s in Maplewood, Garam Masala in Parsippany, upcoming charity events, and much more news about NJ dining.

ARTURO’S OSTERIA & PIZZERIA COMPANY
The wood-burning oven at Arturo’s Osteria & Pizzeria Company, 180 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, produces a beautifully charred thin-crust pizza that we love. But artisanal pizza isn’t the only reason we go to Arturo’s, as chef/owner Dan Richer also offers hand-cut pasta, fresh-made mozzarella, house-cured meats, and salads. He is so passionate about using fresh, local ingredients that he frequents Garden State Urban Farms (www.gardenstateurbanfarms.com) as well as farmer’s markets for his seasonal produce. We recently shared a beet salad, pasta cinghiale (pasta with wild boar ragù and mushrooms), and a Margherita pizza topped with handmade fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and fresh basil. Saturday nights at 7:45 PM are special, as a six-course dinner for around $42 (higher if foie gras or lobster is on the menu) is offered by reservation only; diners can expect to find dishes such as tagliatelle with shaved black truffles, braised short ribs over creamy polenta, and cannelloni filled with sausage and braised rabbit and topped with béchamel sauce and truffles. For reservations call 973-378-5800; BYO.




Margherita pizza at Arturo’s, Maplewood.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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GARAM MASALA, PARSIPPANY
It didn’t matter that the decor was bleak and a bit strange (empty picture frames hanging at odd angles from the ceiling), because the staff was very friendly and the food quite good at Garam Masala, 77 New Road, Parsippany. We munched on an assortment of four breads—butter naan, garlic naan, onion kulcha (flatbread stuffed with onions), and aloo paratha (whole-wheat bread stuffed with potatoes and spices)—while perusing the large menu. Beware: The bread is so good that it's easy to fill up on it.

If it's available we usually order an appetizer sampler the first time we eat at an Indian restaurant, as it gives us a good introduction to the quality of the food. We were not disappointed here with the batata vada (fried mashed potato balls), rice pakoda (rice ball mixed with spices and deep-fried), kothimbir vadi (fried fresh coriander with dry spices), and sabudana vada (deep-fried patty made with mashed potatoes, sago seeds, and peanuts). Although everything was fried, the dishes were not greasy. Entrées were shared; our favorite dish was a colorful shrimp tandoori that came sizzling to the table. Among the marinated jumbo shrimp were green and red bell peppers and a tangle of onions. We also had nani chicken curry, a Garam Masala specialty, containing cubes of chicken in a ground-spice curry; aloo gobi mutter, a combination of fresh cauliflower, potatoes, and green peas cooked with Indian spices; and lamb saagwala with tender cubes of lamb and fresh spinach. We wouldn’t hesitate to order any of these dishes again, but next time Lowell wants to order one of the five goat dishes (bone in) listed on the menu, as we seldom see this meat in restaurants and it is usually off the bone. One caveat: We ordered all of our dishes medium spicy, and they were served mild. If you want heat, be sure to emphasize that.

When I saw that the menu offered gajar halwa, a dessert made with sweetened carrots that are slow-boiled in milk, I had to order it. The last time I had this memorable dish was at the now closed Piquant Bread Bar and Grill in New Brunswick. I loved it so much that I asked the owner for the recipe (which is still sitting in my kitchen drawer). It was as exciting and different at Garam Masala as I remember it: sweet, with a tantalizing texture. We weren’t as thrilled with the ras malal, as the homemade sweet cottage cheese had a dry texture and we didn’t care for the taste of the cold saffron-flavored milk. Perhaps this is an acquired taste. Garam Masala, a BYO restaurant, is open daily for dinner, and a buffet is offered at lunch. For reservations call 973-808-6666.



Shrimp tandoori from Garam Masala, Parsippany.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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CHARITY EVENTS
On October 26, Gary’s Wine and Marketplace, Madison, Bernardsville, and Wayne, will hold its Grand Tasting at the Madison Hotel, 1 Convent Road, Morristown, with proceeds going to the Gagnon Heart Hospital at Morristown Memorial and the Interfaith Food Pantry. This event will feature more than 500 wines, spirits, beer, a wedding-style buffet, and gourmet cheeses. 6 to 9 PM; $75. For tickets call 888-99-GARYS or stop by one of the stores.

On November 2, the YCS Festival of Flavors, a gourmet food and dessert tasting event with fine wines, beers, and spirits, hosted by Gary's Wine and Marketplace, will be held at the Panasonic Corporation of North America, 1 Panasonic Way, Secaucus, to benefit the Youth Consultation Service (YCS). YCS is a nonprofit agency that provides services that educate, shelter, advocate, and care for children in need and their families. More than 30 restaurants and wine vendors will be in attendance. A cake decorating demonstration will be held by Chef Vincent Tropepe. 6 to 9 PM; $75. For more information and tickets visit www.ycs.org or call 201-678-1312.

On November 6, the six-course Dinner of Hope 2009 with paired wines will be held at Pleasantdale Chateau, 757 Eagle Rock Avenue, West Orange, to benefit Creative Heartwork, an organization that utilizes the power of the arts to heal children who have experienced trauma, loss, serious illness, or disability. 6:30 PM; $1,000 per plate, $5,000 for a table of ten. For tickets call 973-889-0809.

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ALL HALLOWS’ EVE MASQUERADE BALL
On October 30, the Mill at Spring Lake Heights, 101 Old Mill Road, Spring Lake Heights, will have an All Hallows’ Eve Masquerade Ball, which will include a “spooktacular” four-course dinner, a champagne toast, and dancing under the full moon to the sounds of the Jack Goodman Orchestra. A premium cash bar and wine list will be available. Costume prizes will be awarded for best overall couple, most original, scariest, and funniest. 8 PM to midnight; $104 per couple plus tax and gratuity. Call 732-449-1800 to make your reservation.

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ITALIAN AND SPANISH WINE TASTING
On November 1, taste 40 Italian and Spanish wines along with hors d’oeuvres at Restaurant Serenade, 6 Roosevelt Avenue, Chatham. 2 to 4 PM; $65 plus tax. For reservations call 973-701-0303.

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DINING DEALS
Avenue, 23 Ocean Avenue, Pier Village, Long Branch, offers a three-course prix-fixe menu daily until 6 PM and all night long on Tuesdays for $28.95. For reservations call 732-759-2900.

High Street Grill, 64 High Street, Mount Holly, has a Sunday-night prime rib dinner for $25, which includes Caesar salad and dessert. 5 to 8 PM. For more information and reservations call 609-265-9199.

Mahogany Grille, 142 Main Street, Manasquan, has a three-course menu for $25 Tuesdays through Thursdays. In addition, on Thursdays the restaurant offers 25 percent off all bottles of wine $100 or under. For reservations call 732-292-1300.

There is no corkage fee on Tuesday nights at the Manor, 111 Prospect Avenue, West Orange. For reservations call 973-731-2360. No jeans or sneakers; jackets required for gentlemen.

Rio Rodizio, formerly Rio 22, 2185 Route 22 West, Union, offers an all-you-can-eat Brazilian rodizio and salad bar from noon to 4 PM on Sundays for $24.95. For reservations and more information call 908-206-0060.

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Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to rosie@njmonthly.com.