MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE, HACKENSACK
It’s the attention to detail that often distinguishes one restaurant from another. White napkins replaced with black for diners wearing dark colors, wineglasses replaced even when the same bottle is reordered, a complimentary photo taken of the table when a special event is being celebrated, and personalized and dated menus offering a celebratory greeting. In our case it was a happy birthday, and we were at Morton’s the Steakhouse, Riverside Square Mall, 1 Riverside Square, Hackensack. Our starter was an easily shared center cut of iceberg lettuce with chopped egg, tomato, bacon bits, and Morton’s blue cheese dressing. The plate was cold, the lettuce crisp—this is one of our favorite salads. An equally delicious appetizer was the chopped salad with iceberg, romaine, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, bacon, blue cheese, chopped egg, purple onion, tomato, and avocado with Dijon mustard vinaigrette. If you prefer fish as a starter, then try the lump crabmeat, lobster, or shrimp cocktail; tuna tartare; oysters in various preparations; lobster bisque; or chilled or baked ocean platter that can serve from two to six people. Steaks rule at Morton’s, and while the fish entrées look appealing, it is meat, which we eat little of at home, that we order here. For me it’s the domestic double rib lamb chops, and Lowell orders the bone-in rib eye. Our relatives always have the filet (mignon) Oskar, containing asparagus, jumbo lump crab, and béarnaise sauce, or the double-cut filet mignon. Sides were grilled asparagus with balsamic glaze, sautéed garlic green beans, and crisp Lyonnaise potatoes. Desserts were so good that we couldn’t pick a favorite. Highly recommended are the key lime pie, the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and the upside-down apple pie, which must be ordered at the beginning of the meal, as it is made to order. For reservations call 201-487-1303.
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CHEF HUMBERTO CAMPOS JR. AT THE JAMES BEARD HOUSE, NYC
On May 17, executive chef Humberto Campos Jr., co-owner (with his wife, Lorena) of Restaurant Lorena, 168 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, will be cooking a French Seasonal Dinner at the James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, New York City. The following menu, with wines, will be presented.
Hors d’oeuvres: espresso of spring pea soup with white truffle oil and mint; rillette of Hudson Valley duck confit with pickled red onion, cornichons, whole grain mustard, and cranberry walnut bread; big-eye tuna with caponata salad; organic beet tartare with orange emulsion, Roquefort, and pistachio
(Champagne Claude Genet Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut NV)
Oysters with yuzu espuma and wakame gelée
(2008 Prager Hinter der Burg Grüner Veltliner)
Scottish salmon tartare with wasabi tobiko, sesame, crème fraîche, and fried wontons
(2008 Itsas Mendi Bizkaiko Txakolina)
Roasted sweetbreads with spring vegetables fricassee, orange zest, and veal jus
(2007 Domaine Gachot-Monot Côtes du Nuits Villages)
Baby lamb confit with young garlic, baby spinach, shallot confit, sweet pepper marmalade, black olives, rosemary lamb jus, and chèvre
(2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
Apricot bread pudding with almond tuile and crème anglaise
(2008 Maculan Dindarello Muscat)
7 PM; $165; James Beard Foundation members $125. For more information and reservations call 212-627-2308.
Executive chef Humberto Campos Jr.
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WILLOWWOOD ARBORETUM FUNDRAISER
On May 16, a Lilac Party with wines and hors d’oeuvres will be held at the Willowwood Arboretum, 300 Longview Road, Far Hills. The event is a benefit for the arboretum. 4 to 7 PM; $75. For tickets call 908-234-1815 or e-mail [email protected].
Willowwood Arboretum.
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MING TSAI TO BE GUEST OF HONOR AT TABLE TO TABLE EVENT
On May 19, the Great Grill & Pig Out will be held at the Estate at Florentine Gardens, 97 Rivervale Road, River Vale, with guest of honor Ming Tsai. The 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; $195. For more information and tickets log on to www.tabletotable.org or call 201-444-5500.
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GRAND WINE TASTING AND BUFFET
On May 14, a Grand Tasting & Silent Auction hosted by Joe Canal’s Discount Liquor Outlet will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2 Albany Street, New Brunswick, to benefit Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The event will feature more than 300 wines, beers, and spirits, plus a full buffet. 7 to 11 PM; $89. Tickets can be purchased online at www.parentprojectmd.org/pour. Cash and checks are also accepted at the Joe Canal’s Discount Liquor Outlet location at 489 Route 1 South, Iselin (732-726-0077).
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A HAMBURGER A DAY
To celebrate National Hamburger Month, Iron Hill Brewery, 124 East Kings Highway, Maple Shade, will offer a different burger every day throughout May, with 31 distinct offerings available for one day only. For more information call 856-273-0300.
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DO YOU GANACHE?
On May 13, Ganache Groupies will be holding their monthly gathering; this event, at the Italian Pantry Bistro, 13 Eastman Street, Cranford, will feature food artisan and chocolatier Diane Pinder and Chef Frank Rizzo and will include a selection of tapas by Rizzo, two wines from a New Jersey vintner, chocolates that Pinder matches with the wine selections, and a four-piece box of chocolates to go. 7 to 8:30 PM; $30. To sign up call Diane Pinder at 908-272-4380.
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CRAWFISH SEASON AT ODDFELLOWS, HOBOKEN
On Tuesday nights through June 29, it’s crawfish season at Oddfellows Restaurant, 80 River Street, Hoboken. The freshwater crustaceans, which look like small lobsters, are served by the pound. For reservations call 201-656-9009.
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LOOKING AHEAD
On September 4, an Outstanding in the Field dinner will be held at Mosefund Farm, Branchville, with host farmer G.C. Anderson, Chef Michael Clampffer of Mosefund Farm, and Chef Scott Anderson of Elements, Princeton. 3 PM; $220. For tickets log on to
www.outstandinginthefield.com/events/north-american-tour/?dinner_id=16.
From September 24 to 26, the Second Annual Summit Wine and Food Festival will be held at the Grand Summit Hotel, 570 Springfield Avenue, Summit. This three-day event will include cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, seminars, and food and wine pairing dinners. For more information log on to www.summitwineandfood.com or call 908-277-6565.
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DINING DEALS
Blackbird Dining Establishment, 619 Collings Avenue, Collingswood, has introduced Sunday Night Supper, a family meal that costs $59, plus tax and gratuity, for four people. For more information and reservations call 856-854-3444; BYO.
Pasquale’s, 1655-200 Oak Tree Road, Edison, has some wallet-friendly promotions that are available now through the summer. Tuesdays through Thursdays, $10 off any order over $50, and children under ten eat free pasta or pizza with the purchase of one adult entrée. Tuesdays through Fridays, happy hour in the café from 5 to 7 PM, with a half-price appetizer menu, $3 draft beer, and specialty cocktails. On Sundays, a family supper is available, with a choice of salad and fresh pasta served family style, individual entrées, and dessert, plus a complimentary bottle of wine for a table of four; $29 per person plus tax and gratuity. For reservations call 732-947-3010.
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