Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about Blu in Montclair, the Black Horse Tavern in Mendham, Indigo Kitchen & Bar in Maplewood, a mac and cheese contest at Tortilla Press Cantina in Pennsauken, NJ chefs at the James Beard House in New York City, and much more news about NJ restaurants.

BLU, MONTCLAIR
Blu, 554 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, is still serving “Blu-tiful” food under the ownership of chef Zod Arifai. The menu changes weekly, so items we loved on our last visit may not be available. We started with a dish called polenta gnocchi, with wild mushrooms and truffle broth; it was actually a disc of polenta, not the little knots or lumps that we’re used to seeing. It was so light that it could have been called a soufflé. Another winner was the Maine sweet water shrimp swimming in a tart lime sauce with finely diced apples and olives. This beautiful dish was quickly finished by Lowell. Mains included skate, one of my favorite fish, with forbidden black rice and crisp, bright green snow peas, surrounded by a spicy coconut broth. Tuna lovers should opt for the tuna served here, no matter what the preparation. Ours came with shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, and ginger broth. Hanger steak, chicken, salmon, and duck breast were a few of the other options on the menu. Our favorite dessert is the apple and peanut butter Napoleon with caramel ice cream, a perfect comfort food. We also tried the pumpkin panna cotta, which was a delightful change from the vanilla flavoring that is often used. Blu is open for dinner Tuesdays through Sundays. For reservations call 973-509-2202. If you can’t get a reservation, try Next Door (next to Blu), which is also owned by Chef Arifai and is open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays through Sundays (973-744-3600). Both restaurants are BYO.




Maine sweet water shrimp with finely diced apples and olives.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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BLACK HORSE TAVERN
A lot has changed since the late 1700s, when the Black Horse Tavern, 1 West Main Street, Mendham, was the main stagecoach stop between Newark and Scranton, Pennsylvania. Now patrons can enjoy the eclectic cuisine of executive chef Cooper Vergelin while dining comfortably among eighteenth-century artifacts and antiques, which create a charming ambiance. We were recently at a “family and friends” night to view the newly decorated rooms and to sample menu items. Based on this visit we have put the Black Horse Tavern on our go-to list. Servers were passing hors d’oeuvres, and our favorite was the crab cake with remoulade sauce. It’s on the menu as an appetizer and an entrée. The perfectly cooked shrimp on the raw bar were humongous, and there was a variety of dips, so it was hard to stop eating them. Penne à la vodka was being cooked tableside, and we thought it was excellent. But the dish that won us over—one we don’t often see in restaurants, and one that’s not always cooked properly—was the tender and flavorful spit-roasted prime rib. It’s served in the tavern with horseradish sauce, a twice-baked potato, and creamed spinach. Other menu options include soups, salads, tuna, scallops, steak, lobster, rack of lamb, and chicken. Desserts are baked on the premises by pastry chef Mike Horty, who is also the general manager of the Black Horse Pub, which is next door to the tavern. The tavern has rooms for private events and can accommodate parties ranging from 15 to 125 guests. For reservations call 973-543-7300.

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INDIGO KITCHEN & BAR
Executive chef/owner Lance Knowling has brought his Kansas City Q (known as BBQ to most of us) to Maplewood, where he has opened Indigo Kitchen & Bar at 177 Maplewood Avenue. Unlike his Montclair restaurant, Indigo Smoke, which has been open since 2002 and has won numerous times in the Best Barbeque North category for the NJ Readers’ Choice Restaurant Poll, the Maplewood location has a liquor license and an eclectic menu. You can certainly get the baby-back ribs, pulled beef brisket, and BBQ chicken smoked in a blend of hickory and applewoods, but non-Southern cuisine is also available. The kitchen platter, which is enough for two to share, contains white bean hummus, artichoke dip, olives, raisin couscous salad, and grilled pita. A Cobb salad (with or without grilled chicken), burgers, and grilled salmon are available as well.

Dinners start with Helen Knowling’s buttery pull-apart bread. She’s Chef Knowling’s mom and is also the resident artist at both Indigo restaurants. A refreshing Indigo blue cheese salad comes with mixed greens, tomatoes, and white balsamic vinaigrette. We loved that this salad was presented in a cold steel bowl, keeping the ingredients at a perfect temperature. We’ve never met a mac and cheese we didn’t like, and the version here, made with cheddar, Monterey Jack, and cream, was wickedly rich. Our entrées were a special of short ribs with a tangy and sweet red wine gravy served with mashed potatoes, a medley of vegetables, and fried onion rings, and blackened cod paired with a bacon red potato hash. Next time we vow to try the fried okra and one of the BBQ dishes served with whipped sweet potatoes, cabbage and collard greens, and cornbread. Prices are very reasonable. Entrées run from $12 for fried chicken to $19 for the brisket-rubbed skirt steak, which is one of the most popular dishes according to chef de cuisine Luke Finn. Desserts to try if you’re not stuffed include apple pie, red velvet cake, and dark chocolate brownie. Indigo Kitchen & Bar is open for lunch Mondays through Fridays, brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and dinner from 5 PM daily. For reservations call 973-327-2247.



Indigo blue cheese salad.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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CHEF CENTRAL, PARAMUS
Who is the ultimate chef of Bergen County? A four-week Iron Chef–style competition will be held at Chef Central, Paramus Towne Square, 240 Route 17 North, Paramus, with four chefs from Bergen County restaurants competing two at a time to create four courses in one hour using a mystery ingredient in all of the dishes. Each chef will submit his or her food to a panel of three judges to determine the winner. The winner of the four chefs will compete with last year’s winner, Christine Nunn of Picnic Caterers in Emerson, on February 27. The winner of the final challenge match will earn the title of Ultimate Chef Bergen County 2010. Entrance to the events is free.

Here’s the rundown of the contests:

January 16, 11 AM: Jesse Jones (Heart & Soul Catering) vs. John Marsh (Green Door Cafe, Tenafly)

January 23, 11 AM: Adam Weiss (Esty Street, Park Ridge) vs. Ike Koutrakis (CookingInYourKitchen.com)

January 30, 11 AM: winner of round one vs. winner of round two

February 27, 11 AM: championship round

For more information call 201-576-0100.
Psst: I will be a judge on January 16.

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NJ CHEFS AT THE JAMES BEARD HOUSE, NYC
Local chefs will be cooking at the James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, NYC, in January and February.

On January 23, Michael Giletto, executive chef at Cherry Valley Country Club, 125 Country Club Drive, Skillman (609-466-4464), will present a Fennel Fete at 7 PM; $165, James Beard Foundation members $125.

On January 26, executive chef Juan Jose Cuevas and pastry chef Joseph Gabriel from the Pluckemin Inn, 359 Route 202/206 and Pluckemin Way, Bedminster, will present an NJ Farm Fresh dinner. 7 PM; $165, JBF members $125.

On February 18, Ariane Daguin of D’Artagnan Inc, Newark, will celebrate D’Artagnan’s 25th anniversary with a feast prepared by Gascon chefs, each of whom will craft a course inspired by D’Artagnan’s premium foie gras, duck, goose, and other decadent products. The meal will be accompanied by a selection of fine regional wines, including Cahors, Madiran, Jurançon, and Armagnac. 7 PM; $250, JBF members $200.

On February 19, a Wine Lover’s Luncheon with Anthony Pino, chef/owner of Bin 14 Trattoria & Wine Bar, 1314 Washington Street, Hoboken (201-963-WINE), and the Dining Room at Anthony David’s, 953 Bloomfield Street, Hoboken (201-222-8359), will be held at noon; $90, JBF members $75.

For reservations for any of these events call 212-627-2308.

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SAY MAC AND CHEESE
Who wouldn’t want a bowl of creamy mac and cheese? Taste as much of this beloved comfort food as you want on January 18 at a Mighty Mac contest at Tortilla Press Cantina, 7716 Maple Avenue, Pennsauken, with more than a dozen South Jersey chefs competing for the bragging rights to Best All-Around, Most Like Mom’s, and Most Creative dish. This contest is part of the January promotion Homestyle Classics, in which South Jersey chefs will showcase their version of favorite family dishes by offering four courses for $30 in their restaurants. Judges will be from the Food Bank of South Jersey, which is a charitable recipient of this event, and attendees will also be asked to give their opinion. 6:30 PM; $10, children under twelve $4. For reservations call Tortilla Press Cantina at 856-356-2050.

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KINGS COOKING CLASSES
NJs chefs will be teaching the following classes at Kings.

On January 22, A Graceful Winter's Supper cooking class taught by Walter Leffler, executive chef at the Olde Mill Inn and Grain House Restaurant, Basking Ridge, will be held at Kings Cooking Studio, 450 Route 206, Bedminster. 6:30 to 9:30 PM; $60. To register call 908-719-4966.

On January 25, learn how to make a Valentine’s dinner for your loved one at a Cooking for Your Sweetheart class taught by Scott Snyder, executive chef at Boulevard Five72, Kenilworth, at Kings Cooking Studio, 778 Morris Turnpike, Short Hills. 6:30 to 9:30 PM; $50. To register call 973-258-4009.

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DINING DEALS

Every Sunday in January, Fleming’s, 90 the Promenade, Edgewater (201-313-9463), and 500 Route 73 North, Marlton (856-988-1351), will offer a three-course prime rib dinner for $29.95.

A winter tasting menu with three courses for $30 and four courses for $35 is being offered at Lo Bianco, 2 Powell Lane, Collingswood. For reservations call 856-854-4500; BYO.

A three-course early dinner is offered at the Black Forest Inn, 249 Route 206, Stanhope, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4:30 to 6 PM for $22.50. For reservations call 973-347-3344.

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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.