GRATO, MORRIS PLAINS
When the Harvest Restaurant Group opens a restaurant, they do it right. After all, they’ve had practice, with six restaurants so far. The owners of Ciao (Basking Ridge), Huntley Taverne (Summit), Roots Steakhouse (Summit), Tabor Road Tavern (Parsippany), 3 West (Basking Ridge), and Trap Rock Brewery (Berkeley Heights) have now opened Grato (“grateful” in Italian), at 2230 Route 10 West, Morris Plains. The restaurant features an Italian menu and Italian wines under the direction of executive chef John Schaefer, who previously worked at Irving Mill and Gramercy Tavern in NYC. Joe Murphy is the executive pastry chef; he was responsible for pastry with the Jean-Georges Restaurant Group and also worked under Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar and Grill in NYC. Grato’s interior design is dramatic, with lots of stone, an open kitchen, a wood-burning stove, and fireplaces. A stunning floral arrangement is the centerpiece of the room, and there’s a private “tapestry room” that seats twenty.
Bread sets the mood at any restaurant, and at Grato you know right away that this place is different. Crispy Italian bread was presented with creamy ricotta topped with a light pesto, a refreshing change from olive oil or butter. Appetizers run the gamut and include chicken liver and pancetta bruschetta; a salumi plate; pizzas; salads such as arugula and strawberry with caciocavallo cheese; and crispy calamari or grilled baby octopus with potatoes, fennel, and lemon vinaigrette. Most of the pastas are made in house and can be shared. The airy pillows of potato gnocchi and lamb Bolognese with al dente peas, tomato, and mint had a variety of textures and well-balanced flavors. We loved this dish. The grilled veal chop Milanese was crisp on the outside and tender inside and was accompanied by an addictive potato purée and grilled asparagus. The grilled pork chop came with yellow and green bean soffritto and polenta, a hearty dish. Fish dishes include cioppino, grilled tuna steak, grilled salmon, and roasted tilapia with cockles. For dessert we couldn’t keep our spoons out of the warm house-made Nutella dip. Other options are mascarpone tart with blood orange sorbet and house-made gelato. Curbside pickup is available for takeout. For reservations call 973-267-4006.
Grilled pork chop with yellow and green bean soffritto and polenta.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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ICE CREAM SOCIAL TO BENEFIT ANIMAL SHELTER
Bring the entire family—even your dog—to an ice cream social sponsored by the St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the humane treatment of companion animals. The event will be held on July 8, July 22, August 5, and August 19 at the Madison Animal Shelter, 575 Woodland Avenue, Madison. 6:30 to 8 PM, weather permitting; $5 per adult, $3 per child (ages ten and under), and $2 per dog. Limit one dog per adult. All proceeds will help support the homeless animals at St. Hubert’s shelters. For additional information call 973-377-7094 or visit www.sthuberts.org.
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HAVE YOU BIN HERE FOR BRUNCH?
Bin 14 Trattoria & Wine Bar, 1314 Washington Street, Hoboken, is now serving brunch on weekends from 9 AM to 3 PM. Some items on chef/owner Anthony Pino’s menu are: cheeses; cured meats; salads; bruschettas; pizzas; Bin 14 Benedict with focaccia, pancetta, and hollandaise; frittatas; and sweet Tuscan toast with Chianti cherries. Outdoor seating is available, weather permitting. For more information call 201-963-WINE.
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ELEMENTS, PRINCETON
On July 17, Brunello and Bolgheri Tuscan wines with guest sommelier Robin Shay will be featured at Elements, 163 Bayard Lane, Princeton. Wines will be paired with the nightly tasting menu, and all wines will also be available by the glass for those opting to engage in à la carte dining. Reservations and walk-ins will be accepted anytime during the regular service hours of 5:30 to 11 PM. Questions can be directed to Beth Rota at 609-924-0078 or [email protected].
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SUPPER AT JACK’S CAFE, VERONA
Supper is now being served at Jack’s Cafe, 684 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona, with Chef Maria Giordano manning the stoves. This casual BYO eatery also serves breakfast and lunch but transforms itself into a cafe at night. Some menu items are: fried macaroni and cheese; arugula salad; handmade ravioli (lobster was offered when we dined there); fish and chips; chicken potpie; and meat loaf. One dish that we found to be alive with taste was the chicken Savoy on the bone. Unlike most “Savoy” dishes, this one didn’t overwhelm the chicken with vinegar, and the meat was juicy, not overcooked. Salmon and tilapia, both generous pieces, were accompanied by multicolored diced sautéed peppers and a choice of potato. Chef Giordano, a Verona resident, started her career by selling ravioli to local establishments. She worked previously at Gotham Bar and Grill in NYC and the Ryland Inn in NJ. Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday from 5 PM. You can eat well here and not break the bank. The highest-priced entrée is $16.75, for a steak, and most dishes are priced in the $12 to $14 range. For reservations call 973-239-5321.
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MARKET, MONTCLAIR
The food is healthy and affordable at Market, 14 Park Street, Montclair, a new BYO located in a small vintage diner that can barely seat four at a booth and has a bathroom that seems smaller than the ones you find on an airplane. Although the menu features locally sourced organic fruits and vegetables, there are a few meat dishes, including: wild game sausage plate; goat cheese and lamb burger; steak sandwich; roast chicken; and a spicy pomegranate-orange-glazed pork chop. Vegetarians will be in heaven here, with a daily market plate that allows them to pick four vegetables out of about eleven for $14, or one for $4. Items change according to what’s fresh, but a few recent offerings were: bok choy with ginger spring garlic and rice vinegar; lemon grilled asparagus with roasted red peppers; smashed red bliss potatoes in sage brown butter; wilted spinach with garlic chives; and roasted plum tomato with Asiago cheese. Reservations are not accepted, but you can call 973-744-2244 to see if this policy has changed. People were waiting for seats at 6 PM on a Friday, when we dined there. Service is amateurish—but it’s a diner, so we weren’t expecting much!
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RESTAURANT LORENA’S, MAPLEWOOD
Restaurant Lorena’s, 168 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, has the following new summer hours: Tuesday through Saturday 5 to 11 PM and Sunday 2 to 9 PM. A $39 prix-fixe menu is available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday (excluding holidays). For reservations call 973-763-4460; BYO.
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TEEN COOKING CAMP
If your teen (ages twelve to fifteen) loves to cook and is a fan of the Food Network, consider having him or her enroll in a hands-on cooking class, Recipes From Favorite Food Network Stars, which will be held at Viking Culinary Center, 4 Sperry Road, Fairfield, from July 20 to 24. Recipes from Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Rachael Ray, and Emeril Lagasse will be made, and on the last day of class students will create a buffet and be able to invite two guests. Classes start at 1:30 PM and end around 4 PM, except on the last day, when they end at 4:30 PM to allow time for the buffet; $375. For more information log on to www.vikingcookingschool.com or call 973-244-1580.
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FIREWORKS AT ALBA VINEYARD
Children’s activities, live music, and fireworks will be featured at Alba Vineyard, 269 Route 627, Village of Finesville, Milford, on July 18 (rain date July 25). Food will be for sale, and attendees are also welcome to bring their own picnic basket. Alba wines will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle. Gates open at 4 PM; no advance sales; adults $15; children ages six to twelve $10; children ages five and under free. Parking is complimentary. For more information contact Alba Vineyard at 908-995-7800.
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ROSA MEXICANO, RIVERSIDE SQUARE
Through July 19, Festival de Helados, an ice cream festival, will be held at Rosa Mexicano, Riverside Square, 390 Hackensack Avenue, Hackensack. Ice cream desserts include: guacamole with sweet additions served with chocolate-dusted sweet tortilla chips and sweet tomatillo sauce; baked Alaska with coconut and candied lime zest ice cream and toasted coconut and agave nectar crust; and Mexican rocky road with white coffee ice cream, Mexican chocolate chips, chocolate marshmallow swirl, and toasted almonds. For dinner reservations call 201-489-9100.
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COLLINGSWOOD RESTAURANT WEEK
From July 12 to 16, Collingswood restaurants will be celebrating Farm Fresh Collingswood Restaurant Week using fresh produce from the Collingswood farmers’ market. Participants include: Bistro di Marino, Blackbird, Cafe Antonio, Casona, IndeBlue Indian Cuisine, LoBianco, Nunzio Ristorante Rustico, the Pop Shop, Sapori, the Tortilla Press, Woksabi, and Word of Mouth. All restaurants are BYO and will be offering a prix-fixe four-course menu for $28. For more information log on to www.collingswoodmarket.com.
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DINING DEALS
It’s Customer Appreciation Night every Tuesday at Braddock’s Tavern, 39 South Main Street, Medford, with a three-course menu for $19.95. For reservations call 609-654-1604.
Feel like a burger? Docs of Sparta, 191 Woodport Road, Sparta, is now offering a ten-ounce steak-house burger for $8, with add-ons (cheeses, onions, mushrooms, bacon, lettuce, tomato) from $1 each. The burger is also served with bleu cheese coleslaw. Docs will be closed on Mondays through the summer. For more information and reservations call 973-729-0555.
Stephanie’s Italian Restaurant, 283 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, offers 20 percent off dinner from 4 to 5:30 PM Tuesday through Thursday. For reservations call 973-226-2142; BYO.
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Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].