Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about the St. Hubert’s K-9 Cotillion for dogs and their owners, an Opus winemaker’s dinner at the Bernards Inn in Bernardsville, Terrazza Italian Ristorante in Nutley, and much more news about NJ restaurants.

ST. HUBERT’S K-9 COTILLION GOING TO THE DOGS

On March 28, a charity event, the St. Hubert’s Canine Cotillion for dogs and their people, will be held at Hamilton Farm Golf Club, 1040 Pottersville Road, Gladstone, to benefit the St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, which feeds, shelters, and provides care for nearly 4,000 animals each year. The evening will begin with a gala cocktail reception, which will be followed by a seated gourmet dinner for two-legged guests with their canine companions by their side. Doggie delicacies at the Bone Appetit Dog Bar will be available for the pooches. Silent and live auctions will add to the festivities, including prizes designed to transform your canine into a star. Guests will also have the opportunity to capture their memories with a picture by the award-winning portrait photographers from the Image Maker. This year’s MC is Mizar Turdiu, a television broadcaster best known for her longtime tenure as anchor for News 12 New Jersey. The 2009 honorary canine co-host and spokesmodel for the event is a regal Belgian Malinois named Ruby, who is owned by Bill and Cindy Peskoff of Lebanon Township. 6 PM; $275 per person, which includes admission for one dog. Ties and tails are optional, and guests are welcome with or without canine companions. For more information and reservations call 973-377-4962.

 

Ruby, spokesmodel for the St. Hubert’s Canine Cotillion.

************

OPUS WINEMAKER’S DINNER

On March 24, a three-course Opus winemaker’s dinner will be held at the Bernards Inn, 27 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville. The event will be hosted by Inn wine director and sommelier Terri Baldwin and will feature a presentation by Michael Silacci, the winemaker at Opus One Winery. $175 including tax and gratuity. For reservations call 908-766-0002.

**********

FIRE & OAK, LITTLE FALLS

Fire & Oak (previously known as South City Grill) has opened at 1 Route 23, Little Falls, offering a casual menu that includes favorites from the South City Grill menu as well as a variety of new dishes. Examples are rotisserie chicken, aged steaks, BBQ ribs, ground-to-order burgers, and entrée-size salads. For reservations call 973-785-4225. Two other Fire & Oak restaurants will be opening soon, in Montvale and Jersey City.

***********

BELLEVIEW WINERY COOKING CLASS

On March 25, a demonstration cooking class with Chef Joe Messaglia from Mama Mia’s in Seaville will be held at Bellview Winery, 150 Atlantic Street, Landisville. The evening will begin with an aperitif wine and a tour of the winery, followed by a three-course dinner paired with two of Bellview’s wines. 6 PM; $47 plus tax. Tickets may be purchased at Bellview Winery or over the phone at 856-697-7172.

*********

TERRAZZA ITALIAN RISTORANTE

We found Terrazza Italian Ristorante, 507 Franklin Avenue, Nutley, to be a bustling neighborhood establishment that was packed on a weekday night. The menu has some of the usual dishes found at Italian restaurants, including crispy calamari and eggplant rollatini, plus unusual items like fried Blue Point oysters with cayenne mayonnaise and crispy leeks, and coconut shrimp in tangy ginger sauce. There are plenty of pastas to opt for: crabmeat and cappellini in tomato and white wine sauce; shrimp and broccoli rabe sautéed in garlic and extra virgin olive oil over angel hair pasta; and my favorite, cavatelli and pot cheese with Italian sausage in tomato basil sauce. Chicken, whether saltimbocca or Parmesan style, is available, as is veal Milanese and pork braciola. The humungous grilled pork chop served with sautéed onions, hot cherry peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and oil would make any caveman happy. There is a full-service bar, and the wine list is very reasonably priced. For reservations call 973-661-4300.

***********

BRANDL, BELMAR

Chef Toni Froio, whom many of us remember from the Farmingdale House, Farmingdale, will be cooking a five-course dinner on the third Tuesday of each month at Brandl, 703 Belmar Plaza (9th and Main), Belmar. The next dinner will be on March 17. For more information and reservations call 732-280-7501; BYO.

************

PLUCKEMIN INN, BEDMINSTER

The Pluckemin Inn, 359 Route 206 South, Bedminster, is now serving lunch on Saturdays from 11:30 AM to 2 PM. For more information call 908-658-9292.

********

ST PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVITIES

A St. Patrick’s Day party with Irish spirits, bagpipers, traditional Irish music, Irish fare, and the 29th annual “Longbeard” contest will be held at Alchemist & Barrister, 28 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Festivities start at 5:30 PM with Irish beer offered at a discounted rate as well as a special Irish menu, including a steamship round of corned beef. For reservations in the dining room call 609-924-5555.

********

DINING DEALS

In addition to the $20.09 menu, every Sunday David Burke Fromagerie, 26 Ridge Road, Rumson, features Hubert’s Cube, a three-course menu of classic Fromagerie favorites, for $19.72. Also, in the bar on Thursday nights through March, enjoy a complimentary glass of house wine with the purchase of an appetizer or entrée. For more information and reservations call 732-842-8088.

Epernay, 6 Park Street, Montclair, is now offering a $24.95 prix-fixe dinner menu Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sunday nights from 5 to 10 PM. For more information and reservations call 973-783-0447; BYO.

Show your corporate ID at Grand Cru, 36 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, and get 50 percent off all food and drinks. For more information call 201-568-3939.

************************

Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].

[justified_image_grid exclude="featured"]
Read more Table Hopping articles.

By submitting comments you grant permission for all or part of those comments to appear in the print edition of New Jersey Monthly.

Required
Required not shown
Required not shown