Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about Twofiftytwo Restaurant in Bedminster, Amanti Vino’s Oktoberfest 2010 in Montclair, a Festival of Flavors charity event, and much more news about NJ restaurants.

TWOFIFTYTWO, BEDMINSTER
The menu at Twofiftytwo Restaurant, 252 Somerville Road (Route 202), Bedminster, states, “The belly rules the mind.” How true this Spanish proverb is. Our bellies were bursting when we left Twofiftytwo, and we were in a relaxed, stress-free state. We applaud executive chef/owner Melissa Hill, whose American cuisine is mostly created using fresh, seasonal ingredients, sourced locally from organic farms that use ethical or sustainable farming practices.

When you’re seated, do indulge in the strawberry butter, which can be slathered on warm biscuits. It was a wonderful way to start our meal. A warm potato tart appetizer with arugula, figs, prosciutto, and truffle vinaigrette was an indication of the way Chef Hill pays attention to detail. The potatoes were mashed and served with goat cheese and bits of Granny Smith apple that at first we thought were onions. This excellent tart was topped with baby arugula and prosciutto and served on a plate dabbed with spicy mustard. Another starter was a refreshing baby arugula and fennel salad with navel orange and grapefruit, invigorated by a citrus vinaigrette. Both of our entrées were meat, and each contained an ingredient that we had never had before. Lush lady creamer peas, a side with the grilled Niman Ranch pork chop, reminded us of white pearls and were a new vegetable for us. Accompanied by a whole-grain mustard sauce and polenta, this well-assembled dish had as its centerpiece an extremely juicy and flavorful pork chop. The never-seen-before ingredient in our second entrée was flap steak, which had been marinated for a few days in an Asian-style marinade. Flap comes from the bottom of the short loin and is similar to flank, hanger, and skirt steak. The meat was not as tender as a piece of prime grain-fed meat and had a gamy flavor, as it was from a grass-fed cow. However, served sliced against the grain, medium-rare, with lentils, baby bok choy, and a gingered carrot sauce, this dish certainly blazed new trails for us. Salmon, sea scallops, chicken, and rack of lamb were other entrée choices. Desserts were listed as “the end” on the menu. If it’s available, do try a most gratifying strawberry rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream. Twofiftytwo Restaurant offers full service catering and is BYO. The interior is stark, with bare walls, wood floors, clothless wood tables, cloth napkins, and mini candles on each table. Twofiftytwo is open for lunch Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 AM to 3 PM, for dinner Tuesdays through Thursdays from 5 to 9 PM and Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10 PM, and for Saturday brunch from 10 AM to 2 PM. For reservations call 908-234-9093.




Flap steak with lentils, baby bok choy, and a gingered carrot sauce.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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BOOT CAMP FOR FOODIES
On November 5 and 6, Seaview, 401 South New York Road, Galloway, is offering a package, Seaview’s Boot Camp for Foodies: Holiday Entertaining, with Chef Sean Kinoshita and senior executive pastry chef Stefan Zareba, who will guide students through the experience of fine dining, including wine pairings, in hands-on classes. The package includes a two-night stay, a welcome cocktail reception, breakfast on Saturday morning, an Easy Holiday Entertaining cooking class, an Elegant Holiday Desserts Decoded cooking class, and a four-course wine dinner. Each student will receive a diploma of completion, a boot camp apron, recipes, and a photo DVD; $650 per couple, $425 per individual. For more information and reservations visit www.dolceseaview.com or call 609-652-1800.

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OKTOBERFEST WITH AMANTI VINO
On October 23, Amanti Vino, 30 Church Street, Montclair, will celebrate its fifth birthday with Oktoberfest 2010 at the Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour Street, Montclair. This “all you can eat, drink, and dance celebration” is $75 for general admission at 7:30 PM and $150 for early entry at 6:30 PM, which includes a special beer and wine tasting and a menu of appetizers provided by CulinAriane. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Intensive Therapeutics, a nonprofit charitable organization that provides group and individual occupational therapy services to children with special needs. For more information and tickets call 973-509-9463.

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SECOND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT ELEMENTS, PRINCETON
Through October 31 in honor of its second anniversary, Elements, 163 Bayard Lane, Princeton, will be offering a special $85 seven-course tasting menu featuring Chef Scott Anderson’s most popular presentations of the year. Each dinner guest will also receive a complimentary glass of champagne to toast the occasion. For reservations call 609-924-0078.

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MONTCLAIR: A MULTICULTURAL FOOD MECCA
On October 25, sample food from area restaurants and enjoy a Q&A with local chefs at an evening event, Montclair: A Multicultural Food Mecca, sponsored by the Adult School of Montclair. Participating restaurants include 32 Church Street, Chia Asian Bistro, Dai Kichi Japanese Restaurant, Greek Taverna, Montclair Station, QBS (a Cuban kitchen on Wheels), and Ruthie’s BBQ & Pizza. The moderator will be Karen Schloss Diaz, a food and beverage consultant and columnist for the Montclair Times. The event will be held at the George Inness Annex of Montclair High School, 100 Chestnut Street, Montclair; 7 to 9 PM; $25. For questions call 973-746-6636, and to register log on to www.adultschool.org.

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AUTUMN CULINAIRE
On October 21, a food, wine, and beer tasting, Autumn Culinaire, will be held at the Trenton Country Club, 201 Sullivan Way, West Trenton, to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County. Twenty of the area’s restaurants, such as Acacia, Anton’s at the Swan, the Brothers Moon, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Salt Creek Grille, and Witherspoon Grill, will be on hand to serve up samplings from their menus, and Glendale Liquors will be offering tastings of fine wines and international beers. 6 to 9:30 PM; $85. For tickets call 609-656-1000 or log on to www.bbbsmercer.org.

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MISS NICKY’S GOURMET TOFFEE
On October 21 and 22 from 12 to 3 PM, Nicolette (Nicky) Mesiah, owner of Mesiah Event Planners and a graduate of Peter Kump’s Cooking School in NYC, will be at Bloomingdale’s Short Hills, offering samples of her (most delicious in our opinion) Miss Nicky’s Gourmet Toffee. Her Website is www.missnickys.com.

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DINING DEALS

On Wednesdays, Blackbird Dining Establishment, 619 Collings Avenue, Collingswood, is offering a Wine and Pasta Lovers special. You bring the wine, and they’ll serve you a three-course dinner for $18.95 plus tax and gratuity. For reservations call 856-854-3444; BYO.

Nisi Estiatorio, 90 Grand Avenue, Englewood, is offering a two-course lunch ($14) or three-course lunch ($17) daily as well as a daily three-course dinner ($29). For reservations call 201-567-4700.

Friday Date Night is back at Steakhouse 85, 85 Church Street, New Brunswick, with a bottle of wine, appetizers, entrées (including an eight-ounce filet mignon), side dishes, and desserts for $99 per couple. For more information and reservations call 732-247-8585.

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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.