Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about Next Door in Montclair, Trattoria Bel Paese in Cranford, a meeting of Slow Food Northern NJ in Morris Township, and much more news about NJ restaurants.

NEXT DOOR, MONTCLAIR
Have you had lunch or dinner at Next Door, 556 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair? This is the casual, family-friendly offshoot of Blu, also owned by Chef Zod Arifai, who has received an excellent rating from David Corcoran of the New York Times as well as accolades from New Jersey Monthly. Dinner here can be as simple as a twelve-ounce hamburger or as elegant as sesame-crusted mahi mahi with Asian greens and spicy sesame ginger sauce. Whatever you have, there’s lots of bang for the buck, as the quality of the food is as high as you would find at Blu but more on a comfort level with lower prices. On a recent visit we started with caramelized onion risotto with bleu cheese, which has become the risotto that we compare others to. Shrimp with cold spicy sesame noodles, scallions, and peanuts was equally delicious and better than anything we’ve had at a Chinese restaurant. Entrées were salmon with black beans and peanuts with a sweet and sour glaze, and the above-mentioned mahi mahi. If you’re not that hungry, large salads such as Napa cabbage with peanuts, crisp wontons, snow peas, carrots, and spicy peanut dressing, or black beans, red peppers, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, and chipotle are on the menu, and they can be rounded out with chicken, shrimp, or steak. Pasta dishes run the gamut from fettuccine with wild mushrooms to spaghetti Bolognese. Do not miss dessert. We were giggling like kids as we ate the banana split with homemade chocolate and caramel ice cream. We couldn’t remember the last time we’d had this concoction. Also recommended are the cappuccino bread pudding and the mocha semifreddo. Service was professional, with water glasses being refilled, silverware being replaced between each course, and plates not being removed from the table until Lowell and I were both finished. So my recommendation is to put this restaurant on your must-try list.

Shrimp with cold spicy sesame noodles, scallions, and peanuts.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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TRATTORIA BEL PAESE, CRANFORD
It seemed as if the whole neighborhood, children and all, was at Trattoria Bel Paese, 104 North Union Avenue, Cranford, the night we dined there. Be forewarned that this restaurant gets crowded and noisy, tables are close together, seats are uncomfortable, and silverware is not replaced between courses. This is not meant to be a negative but rather a heads-up that this is a very casual spot. Portions are big, prices are small, and service is attentive.

Our two favorite appetizers were four creamy balls of baked fresh mozzarella wrapped in imported prosciutto and surrounded by a light tomato sauce, and a baked half eggplant with garlic, cheese, and tomato sauce, which was large enough to be an entrée. A house salad of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber was fresh, and a stuffed artichoke, which got its oomph from bread crumbs, provolone, fresh herbs, and pine nuts, was a treat, as you don’t often see this thistle on menus. Bread crumbs with onion, saffron, raisins, and cheese added interest to a special of stuffed whiting rollatini served with a side of spaghetti with garlic and oil. Another special, mahi mahi fillet, was quite tasty and competed for room on a plate filled with fresh green asparagus, potatoes, leeks, and a side of whole-wheat ravioli, all surrounded by a light tomato sauce. For $22 this was quite a deal and the price of the most expensive special that evening. Entrée prices on the regular menu didn’t exceed $20. Eleven chicken entrées were listed and priced at $13, and while it was a large portion, the Pollo Contadina, chicken sautéed in garlic and oil with sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, was bland and our least favorite dish. We also ordered an entrée that was on the appetizer list, zucchini stuffed with rice, ground beef, cheese, and fresh herbs, topped with bread crumbs and surrounded by tomato sauce. No dessert for any of us. They are brought in from the outside and were not tempting enough. The restaurant offers $10 take-out dinner specials Sunday through Friday, which include an entrée, salad, bread, soda, and two sides. Trattoria Bel Paese is also a gourmet deli Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 3 PM, serving breakfast and lunch. For reservations call 908-276-3336; BYO.

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SLOW FOOD NORTHERN NJ MEETING
On May 2, the annual meeting of Slow Food Northern NJ will be held at Fosterfields Historical Living Farm, 73 Kahdena Road, Morris Township. The day will include a moderated panel of three grass farmers, a discussion of the Growing Minds Program Partnership, information on community-supported agriculture, and a local-foods picnic lunch. Attendees will also be able to purchase pastured and grass-fed eggs, beef, and pork. 1 to 4 PM; $10 for Slow Food members with up-to-date dues, $20 for non-members. For more information and to purchase tickets call 908-654-3242 or log on to www.slowfoodnnj.org.

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CHEF CHRIS BRANDL LEADING TRIP TO SPAIN
Looking to take a foodie vacation? Chris Brandl, chef and owner of Brandl, 703 Belmar Plaza, Belmar, will be hosting a gourmet food and wine trip to Barcelona, Spain, and the Basque area, from October 8 through 17. For a detailed itinerary contact [email protected] or call 732-280-7501.

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NEW LOOK, NEW CHEF AT DORIS & ED’S, HIGHLANDS

Doris & Ed’s, 348 Shore Drive, Highlands, was redesigned this winter and has reopened with executive chef Thomas Donohoe, who trained with Thomas Keller and Jonathan Waxman and was most recently executive chef at Rainbow Ranch Lodge in Big Sky, Montana. The menu is seafood based, but prime meats and poultry are also offered. The Shore Yesterday side of the menu features tried-and-true favorites, while the contemporary Shore Today items include seasonal and local ingredients such as sautéed red snapper over rock shrimp and fresh tomatoes with a warm herb vinaigrette, or Atlantic fluke sautéed in brown butter with cauliflower, baby French beans, olives, and capers in a Pinot Gris pan sauce. Adding to the choices are a prix-fixe menu of three courses for $33, a bar bites menu, and a selection of bottled wines priced at $25, $35, and $45, as well as a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence wine list. For reservations call 732-872-1565.

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TABLE TO TABLE CHEF’S GALA
On April 29, a Chef’s Gala will be held at the Alpine Country Club, 80 Anderson Avenue, Demarest, with guest of honor Emeril Lagasse. This event will benefit Table to Table, a community-based food rescue program that collects prepared and perishable excess food and delivers it to organizations that feed the hungry in Bergen, Passaic, Essex, and Hudson counties. 6:30 PM; $350. For more information and tickets log on to www.tabletotable.org or call 201-444-5500.

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MENU ADDITIONS AT A MANO, RIDGEWOOD
A Mano (“by hand” in Italian), a Neapolitan trattoria located at 24 Franklin Avenue, Ridgewood, has added shrimp, tilapia, veal, and chicken entrées to its menu, along with several new appetizers, pastas, and panini. The restaurant also offers a selection of 25 pizzas, some of which are new, available with traditional, whole-wheat, or gluten-free dough. For reservations call 201-493-2000; BYO.

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LOOKING AHEAD
Work is moving along at Maritime Parc, 84 Audrey Zapp Drive, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, which is expected to open in early June. The 30,000-square-foot restaurant and event space is located on the river and has panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Executive chef and co-owner Chris Siversen’s menu will have an emphasis on seafood as well as dishes using ingredients from local sustainable farms and purveyors.

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Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].

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