ROSIE’S BEST DISHES OF 2010
These are some of the best dishes I had in 2010. (Please note that, of course, I have included only restaurants where I ate this year.) Be sure to post about your favorite restaurants and dishes as well.
AH’PIZZ, MONTCLAIR: Any of the pizzas, but we are partial to the Margherita.
ARTURO’S OSTERIA & PIZZERIA COMPANY, MAPLEWOOD: Margherita pizza; pasta with wild boar ragù and mushrooms.
A TOUTE HEURE, CRANFORD: Creamy polenta topped with a sunny-side-up pheasant egg and grilled ramps, with chili-garlic and rosemary vinaigrette; honeycomb tart with sweet caramel and candied nuts and a scoop of burnt caramel ice cream.
BIN 14, HOBOKEN: Spicy artichoke and ricotta pizza; cheese plate with grilled bread, honey, and fig spread.
BLACK HORSE INN, MENDHAM: Strawberry shortcake.
Strawberry shortcake at the Black Horse Inn.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
BLU, MONTCLAIR: Caramelized onion risotto with blue cheese; duck breast with braised red cabbage, caramelized turnips, and red wine fig emulsion; Jersey white corn pudding with vanilla ice cream.
BOULEVARD 572, KENILWORTH: Corn chowder with shrimp, apple-smoked bacon, and Yukon potato; grilled seafood salad made with yellowfin tuna, calamari, and shrimp with citrus vinaigrette.
CAFE PANACHE, RAMSEY: Homemade Jersey corn agnoletti; Georgia peach charlotte.
CAVALLO’S, NUTLEY: Eggplant Parmesan.
CHAKRA, PARAMUS: House-cured charcuterie plate; chili-cinnamon glazed Chilean sea bass with a potato-wrapped shrimp and baby bok choy.
COPELAND, MORRISTOWN: Ground Wagyu beef burger served on a brioche bun with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and house-made fries.
CORSO 98, MONTCLAIR: Farro soup in the style of Lucca; vitello tonnato (shaved round of veal with tuna aioli, fresh roasted peppers, and citrus-scented baby arugula).
DAVID BURKE FROMAGERIE, RUMSON: Grilled octopus Caesar salad with fried chickpea croutons; lamb T-bones with red wine lamb sauce and lamb and carrot tortelli.
DORIS & ED’S, HIGHLANDS: Butter-poached Gulf Coast shrimp with pea tendrils and creamed corn; Copper River salmon with asparagus, morels, and Pinot Noir reduction; Doris & Ed’s banana split with vanilla ice cream, banana semifreddo, strawberry coulis, fudge sauce, and banana brûlée.
Butter-poached Gulf Coast shrimp from Doris & Ed’s.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
GARAM MASALA, PARSIPPANY: Shrimp tandoori; gajar halwa (dessert made with sweetened carrots).
HIGHLAWN PAVILION, WEST ORANGE: Grand Chocolate Voilà, a banana and chocolate surprise where hot sauce is poured over a sheet of chocolate that covers the bowl. The chocolate melts and covers the ice cream in the bowl.
LA ISLA, HOBOKEN: Stuffed French toast, which beat Bobby Flay’s version on Food Network’s Throwdown With Bobby Flay.
Winning French toast from La Isla.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
LEMONGRASS, MORRIS PLAINS: Thai eggplant with tofu and spicy bean sauce.
LORENA’S, MAPLEWOOD: Skate wing with fennel, black olives, capers, and lobster-shellfish broth.
MARITIME PARC, JERSEY CITY: Pan-roasted black cod with lobster hash; crispy string beans with spicy aioli; chocolate cherry brick with pistachio meringue, sour cherry compote, and cherry sumac ice cream.
Black cod from Maritime Parc.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
NEXT DOOR, MONTCLAIR: Caramelized onion risotto with blue cheese; shrimp with cold spicy sesame noodles, scallions and peanuts; hamburger.
THE ORANGE SQUIRREL, BLOOMFIELD: Gnudi with wild mushrooms, parsley salad, and Parmesan consommé; Fontina macaroni and cheese; Colorado lamb chops.
PEACOCK INN, PRINCETON: Hudson Valley foie gras with strawberry-rhubarb blintz and balsamic verjus.
PICNIC, THE RESTAURANT, FAIR LAWN: Pecan-crusted baked halibut with cranberry shallot relish and autumn fruit couscous; braised short ribs with mélange of root vegetables and pearl onions.
RAT’S, HAMILTON: Diver scallops with foie gras, Swiss chard, roasted apple, and pine nuts.
SALUTE, MONTCLAIR: Two-minute eggs on ciabatta toast with spicy tomato sauce; cioppino.
Two-minute eggs from Salute.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
TWO FIFTY TWO RESTAURANT, BEDMINSTER: Warm potato tart with arugula, figs, prosciutto, and truffle vinaigrette; strawberry rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream.
UPROOT, WARREN: Agnolotti filled with fresh ricotta and accompanied by English peas, fava beans, and wax beans; Merguez-sausage-stuffed quail with ramp risotto and piquillo pepper coulis.
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VACATION NOTICE
A Toute Heure, 232 Centennial Avenue, Cranford (908-276-6600), will be closed from January 1 through 17 for a winter break.
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