LEMONGRASS, MORRIS PLAINS
We hadn’t been to Lemongrass, 1729 Route 10 East, Morris Plains, in almost a year, and after our recent dinner we were sorry that it had taken us so long to return to this casual storefront Vietnamese/Thai restaurant. Not only did we enjoy the food, but this BYO is so inexpensive ($35 for two with tax and tip) that getting a bang for our buck certainly left us smiling. The appetizer platter, which can easily be shared by four people, is a good place to start if you’ve never sampled this cuisine. It contains spring rolls, shrimp rolls, crispy wontons, beef and chicken skewers, and mango salad. Also recommended is the large tom yum noodle soup with a generous amount of shrimp and a tangy, spicy broth, which two of us shared and also enjoyed the next day for lunch. Pho with beef got an extra boost from a spray of lime, a handful of basil leaves, and crunchy bean sprouts, and two orders of pad thai (one with beef and one with chicken), which is one of Thailand’s national dishes, had the perfect spice level for us. If you like your food “Thai hot,” just ask for the heat level to be pushed up a few notches. We finished our meal with a scoop of ice cream; sorbets, fruit shakes, milk bubble tea, and Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk are available as well. For reservations call 973-998-6303.
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JULIO’S, WEST ORANGE
Julio’s, previously on Ashland Avenue and then Northfield Avenue, both in West Orange, has reopened at 459 Mount Pleasant Avenue. The restaurant has a full bar and also offers pitchers of red or white sangria for $24. The usual pastas, appetizers, and salads are on the menu, including lasagna, fried calamari, and scungilli salad. Entrées come with a crisp house salad and the choice of a baked potato or vegetable. Kudos to our waiter, who offered me pasta with my eggplant parmigiana rather than the starch and veggie. Also, when we ordered mussels in white wine sauce and I wondered aloud if we should order them with tomato sauce, the waiter graciously brought us a cup of tomato sauce. Lowell’s chicken country style was a generous serving made with chicken on the bone, sausage, red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Although the restaurant is new and the tables are covered with cloths, the room was drab, with fake plants and forgettable pictures. For reservations call 973-325-1307.
Chicken country style at Julio’s, West Orange.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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TEAM NEW JERSEY AT THE BEARD HOUSE, NYC
On January 26, a Team New Jersey dinner will be held at the James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, NYC, with chefs Michael Giletto, Cherry Valley Country Club, Skillman; Geoff Johnson, Copper Fish, West Cape May; Scott Romano, Charlie Palmer at the Joule, Dallas; Brian Wilson, Le Castagne Ristorante, Philadelphia; and Matthew Zappoli, Tre Amici, Long Branch. The following menu will be presented.
Hors d’oeuvres: foie gras pavé with cranberry purée and potato bread; house-made pork pastrami with gremolata and pepper aioli on celery crostini; poha rice–coated frogs’ legs with kaffir and Key lime–chile sauce; Taylor Bay scallops with pomegranate, elderflower, and tequila cocktail; black peppered veal and cranberries on butter crisps; wild boar brasato with Greek yogurt and mustard greens on spiced buckwheat pancakes; polenta-crusted sweetbreads with black garlic and apple slaw; brick-seared filet mignon with tasso ham and parsnips
(2009 Stellina di Notte Prosecco, 2007 Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Acacia Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay, 2008 Acacia Winery Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir)
Poached lobster tail and Oaxacan chili-lionfish ceviche with Buddha’s hand, fennel essence, pickled watermelon radishes, and lotus crisp
(2009 Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc)
Hazelnut-crusted black bass with heirloom baby beets, borage cress, and celery root coulis
(2008 Acacia Carneros Chardonnay)
Fossil Farms rabbit agnolotti with Parmigiano-Reggiano and white truffles
(2007 Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir)
Pistachio-crusted Parmesan flan with sour cherries and port reduction
(2007 Provenance Vineyards Three Palms Merlot)
Leek ash–crusted pork tenderloin and pork croquette with winter root vegetable hash and pickled onions
(2007 Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot)
Dry-aged sirloin and braised short ribs with bone marrow, braised greens, and shallot-orange marmalade
(2006 Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon)
Chestnut zabaglione with salted caramels and biscotti
(Provenance Vineyards Port)
7 PM; $170, James Beard Foundation members $130. Call 212-627-2308 to reserve.
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WASSAILING THE APPLE TREES
Bring your own noisemakers on January 23, to celebrate Wassailing the Apple Trees at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton. From 1 to 4 PM, follow the ancient British tradition of gathering around a bonfire to chant a traditional verse that invokes the positive spirits in the orchards, and make noise to keep the trees safe from evil spirits until the next crop of apples appears. Cider-soaked bread will be tied to an apple tree for the spirits. The Princeton-based dance troupe Handsome Molly will perform traditional and rural molly dances of 19th-century England, and free hot mulled cider, doughnuts, and marshmallows to roast will be available. For more information and directions call 609-924-2310.
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UPCOMING WINE DINNERS
The following wine dinners will be held on January 21.
A four-course Roy Estate wine dinner will be held at Copeland Restaurant, Westin Governor Morris, 2 Whippany Road, Morristown. 7 PM; $129 including tax and gratuity. For reservations call 973-451-2619.
The annual Mark Altom wine dinner with wines from Australia and New Zealand will be held at the Frog and the Peach, 29 Dennis Street, New Brunswick. 7 PM; $100 including tax and gratuity. For reservations call 732-846-3216.
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REMINDER
The Ultimate Chef of Bergen County competition starts this Saturday, January 15, at 11 AM at Chef Central, Paramus Towne Square, 240 Route 17 North, Paramus. In round one, Michel Ostros of Regina’s Steakhouse, Teaneck, will be competing against Bryan Gregg of the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn. Psst: I will be a judge.
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