FARM TO TABLE DINNER
On August 23, head on over to Starbrite Farm, 141 Brighton Road, Andover, where a Farm to Table dinner will be held. Organic farmer John Krueger will host, and Chef Andrea Carbine, co-owner of A Toute Heure, Cranford, will prepare a five-course dinner with organic and heirloom vegetables from Starbrite Farm and grass-fed beef and poultry from Plaid Piper Farm. Chef Diane Pinder, a chocolatier, will create dessert using exotic cherries from Starbrite Farm. All of these healthy, locally grown foods will be paired with handmade organic/biodynamic wines selected by wine director Ian Dorin from Wine Library. And if that isn’t enough, the mood will be enhanced by a guided tour of the farm and live music. 4 to 7 PM; $145. A portion of the proceeds will support Slow Food Northern New Jersey’s programs. Tickets can be purchased at www.sustenanceevents.com.
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IT’S FOR THE DOGS
In August 19, an ice cream social sponsored by St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the humane treatment of companion animals, will be held 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 younger), and $2 per dog. Limit one dog per adult. All proceeds help support the homeless animals at St. Hubert’s shelters. For more information call 973-377-7094 or visit www.sthuberts.org.
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CORN!
It’s all about corn on August 28, at a four-course Jersey Corn dinner with wine at the Pluckemin Inn, 359 Route 202/206 and Pluckemin Way, Bedminster. The evening begins at 7:30 PM with butler-passed hors d’oeuvres and the choice of a themed cocktail or a glass of champagne, followed by dinner. $100 plus tax and gratuity. You may book the entire table with a party of twelve or join the table as a single diner, a couple, or more. For more information and reservations call 908-658-9292.
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STAY-CATION AT THE BERNARDS INN
Summer is not over yet, so if you need a vacation and want to stay close to home, the Bernards Inn has two packages that may fit the bill. The Savor Summer getaway for two includes overnight accommodations, a pitcher of wine director Terri Baldwin’s secret-recipe sangria (either red or white), a presentation of goat cheese lollipops and assorted crackers, a six-course tasting dinner created by executive chef Corey Heyer paired with a selection of fine wines by Terri Baldwin, and an à la carte breakfast. This package can be booked for any night of the week, subject to availability, and is being offered for the special summer price of $425 including gratuities. Taxes are additional. A Sunday Bed & Breakfast getaway for two is also being offered any Sunday night during August for $199 plus tax and includes overnight accommodations and an à la carte breakfast in the morning. Reservations for either getaway can be made by calling 908-766-0002.
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XOCOLATZ RESTAURANT & GRILL
It’s been around since 2002, but we didn’t make it over to Xocolatz Restaurant & Grill, 235 Elmer Street, Westfield (this is the second location), a casual BYO spot that’s open for lunch and dinner, until recently. We tried a special of the day, an ample portion of marinated flank steak quesadilla with peppers, onions, cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese served with yellow Spanish rice, salsa, sour cream, and fresh guacamole. It’s hard to say no to any type of pierogi, and the sweet potato pierogi served with caramelized onions and sour cream was tempting; it’s on our list of what to try next time. Ditto for a meatloaf sandwich with sautéed onions, spinach, and mozzarella on toasted rye bread. Healthier choices include curry mango chicken salad on seven-grain bread; salmon salad over greens; and grilled veggie salad. Sweets like caramel pecan bars à la mode; apple empanadas with vanilla ice cream topped with cinnamon and caramel; and brownies à la mode are a few of the choices on the seductive dessert menu. Xocolatz is open daily. For reservations call 908-232-3962.
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ZEN OASIS AT SUSHI LOUNGE, TOTOWA
The 1,100-square-foot outdoor Zen Oasis is now open at Sushi Lounge, 235 Route 46 West, Totowa, featuring a sixteen-person communal table, lounge seating, and several tables for dining. There’s a full bar, flat-screen TVs, and a screen projected on the adjacent building, where dinner and a movie are featured on Monday nights. Happy hour is celebrated Mondays through Fridays from 4 to 6:30 PM, with half-price martinis and appetizers. For reservations call 973-890-0007.
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LOBSTER CHOICES
A limitless lobster buffet is offered at the Manor, 111 Prospect Avenue, West Orange, Wednesdays through Fridays starting at 6 PM and on Saturdays starting at 5 PM. Options include lobster, shrimp, scallops, and other seafood selections. Some non-fish items are carved prime rib, lamb, turkey breast, and dishes from the pasta station. Wednesdays through Fridays, adults $45.95, children ages four to twelve $19.95; Saturdays, adults $55.95, children ages four to twelve $24.95. For reservations call 973-731-2360. Jackets are required for men.
Through August, Wednesday is Lobster Night at Nero’s, 618 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston. Dinner includes New England clam chowder, steamers, one-and-a-half-pound Nantucket lobster, corn on the cob, coleslaw, and oven-roasted potatoes for $39.95. For reservations call 800-55-NEROS.
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WE ALL NEED A VACATION
Elements, 163 Bayard Lane, Princeton (609-924-0078), will be closed for vacation August 17 through 26.
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DINING DEALS
Cafe Matisse, 167 Park Avenue, Rutherford, has a printable coupon on its Website (www.cafematisse.com), giving diners a 15 percent discount any day of the week when they pay with cash. Through September 1. For more information and reservations call 201-935-2995; BYO.
Tuesdays through Thursdays, a three-course prix-fixe menu with choices is offered at Blue Bottle Cafe, 101 East Broad Street, Hopewell, for $36 plus tax and tip. Some items that may be offered are: red pepper and sweet onion soup with cornbread croustade and radish corn salad; fillet of salmon with tabbouleh, marinated cucumber, and tomato salad with tomato vinaigrette; and a selection of house-made pastries. The summer à la carte menu is also available. For reservations call 609-333-1710; BYO.
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