Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about a “So You Want to Be a Food and Wine Blogger?” panel discussion in Montclair that she’s a part of, plus Oktoberfest with Amanti Vino in Montclair, upcoming charity events, and much more news about NJ restaurants.

SO YOU WANT TO BE A FOOD AND WINE BLOGGER?
On October 27, a panel discussion called “So You Want to Be a Food and Wine Blogger?” will be held at Montclair High School. Panelists include Sharla Blanz (http://njmonthly.com/blogs/on-the-vine), Peter Conway (http://manoavino.typepad.com), Sue Guerra (www.garyswine.com), Melody Kettle (www.hotfromthekettle.com), Deborah Smith (www.jerseybites.com), and me, Rosie Saferstein (http://njmonthly.com/blogs/tablehopwithRosie). The moderator is Karen Schloss Diaz, food and beverage consultant and columnist for the Montclair Times and SuzySaid.com. We will be discussing how we started blogging, the ups and downs, and what we’ve done right and wrong. Are you interested in blogging? Come and hear our stories. 7:30 to 9 PM; $20. More is info here on page 9: http://www.adultschool.org/catalog/ASM-Fall2011_web.pdf. Or call 973-746-6636.

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ULTIMATE CHEF BERGEN COUNTY QUALIFICATION ROUND AND MEATBALL THROWDOWN
On October 17, join me, along with Susan Sherrill, food editor for The Record, and John Pilouras, executive chef/partner at Nisi in Englewood, as we judge the Ultimate Chef Bergen County Qualification Round and Meatball Throwdown at Chef Central, 240 Route 17 North, Paramus. This special Ultimate Chef Bergen County (UCBC) qualification round will feature Johnny DeCarlo, aka Johnny Meatballs, against Ninamarie Bojekian of Ooh La La Catering. Both chefs will have one hour to prepare three dishes from three different regions of Italy, and they will also square off in a meatball throwdown. The event will be videotaped by Cablevision’s Neighborhood Journal and played on November 10 at the annual Charity di Vino event (www.grunico.org/Home_Page.html) at the Crossroads Sheraton in Mahwah, where the winner will be announced. The audience in both venues will judge the chefs. The winner will qualify to compete in the 2012 UCBC competition held in January and February at Chef Central in Paramus. 6 PM; free to the public.

The Ultimate Chef Bergen County at Chef Central is currently in its fifth season. There are four rounds, patterned after food-TV chef competitions. Each round pits two Bergen County chefs against each another in a head-to-head one-hour cook-off featuring a mystery ingredient. Each round’s winning chef advances to the next round, culminating in the crowning of the Ultimate Chef Bergen County 2012. For more information, call 201-576-0100.

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5 SEASONS BISTRO, RIDGEWOOD
Chef/owner Laurie Cera, who previously owned the Silver Spoon in Pequannock, opened 5 Seasons Bistro, 28 Oak Street, Ridgewood, in August. Her seasonal contemporary menu changes monthly, and we were immediately captivated by the appetizing amuse tray with mascarpone cheese studded with bits of fig and topped with fig syrup, slices of hard salami, champagne grapes, and bread. It set the tone for the meal to come and was a delightful change from a bread basket with butter or olive oil.

Layers of flavor in the local corn soup, sopa de elote, with jalapeño, red peppers, tomato, cilantro, and rafts of corn rather than individual kernels added up to a winner that just kept on giving. Another favorite at our table was the deconstructed spring roll made with flavorful duck, bean sprouts, and napa cabbage in a pomegranate sweet-and-sour sauce. It sat on a bed of frisée and was sprinkled with crispy wonton chips. A grilled local vegetable napoleon topped with fresh mozzarella and surrounded by pesto and bright red cherry tomatoes in a balsamic sauce was also enjoyed, as were the Prince Edward Island mussels with leeks, garlic, and chives in a lemon/white burgundy broth.

Limoncello sorbet with bits of lemon rind was presented before our entrées. The spicy tequila-braised Berkshire pork tenderloin with mole sauce and a fresh corn tamale was an appreciated departure from the usual grilled pork entrée one sees in many restaurants. Mahi-mahi fillet in a green chili coconut broth over sautéed spinach was also alive with flavor. A large porcini-crusted filet mignon over broccoli rabe with fonduta de Fontina impressed, while the Dueling Milanese, slices of veal and eggplant that were fried, topped with fresh mozzarella, and accompanied by a side of arugula and tomato, was not as exciting as the other dishes. Desserts were memorable. Fresh organic peach pie with a flaky crust and fresh whipped cream was fabulous, as were the three-layer brownies consisting of a brownie, cappuccino gelato, and dark chocolate espresso icing. But the dessert that really had us swooning was the bonbons. Can homemade toasted almond ice cream get any better? Yes, if it includes chunks of cherries and it’s dipped in dark chocolate to make bonbons.

The décor at 5 Seasons Bistro is tired and old, and although there were some changes made when it was Bazzini at 28 Oak on Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay, we felt that the narrow room, mirrors, and carpeting were depressing. The food excelled, though, and that’s enough of a reason to dine here. Call 201-857-5900 for reservations; BYO.




5 Seasons Bistro’s local corn soup.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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OKTOBERFEST WITH AMANTI VINO
On October 21, feast on roast pig, bratwurst, and vegetarian dishes, all washed down with many choices of beer, when Amanti Vino, 30 Church Street, Montclair, celebrates Oktoberfest 2011 to benefit Intensive Therapeutics, which provides occupational therapy for children. The event will be held at the Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour Street, Montclair, and some of the participating breweries are Brooklyn Brewery, Stone Brewing Company, Yards Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing Company, and NJ Beer Company. General admission, 7:30 to 11 PM, $80, includes unlimited food and beverages; VIP tickets, $150, allow access at 6:30 PM, all of the above, access to the balcony area, and a swag bag. For tickets, call Amanti Vino at 973-509-9463.

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CAFE AMICI, MONTCLAIR
Carmine Fanco, owner of the newly opened Cafe Amici, 32 Church Street, Montclair, has an inviting menu with something for everyone. Diners who want to eat lightly can opt for one of the many salads offered at lunch and dinner or the oblong pizzas. We were impressed by the Margherita with mozzarella and tomato sauce but would certainly want to try the “that’s different” fig and prosciutto pizza made with mozzarella, blue cheese, fig spread, arugula, prosciutto, Manchego, and balsamic glaze, or the bacon and egg pizza with speck, asparagus, mozzarella, shaved Parmesan, and poached egg. If you’re tired of sirloin burgers, alternatives are ground turkey, grilled Portobello, crab cake, and veggie burger. It’s nice to have these choices. For a more substantial meal, pastas are available (some are handmade), including rigatoni arrabbiata with hot sausage, shitake mushrooms, tomatoes, cream, and red pepper flakes. If you’re really hungry, try a NY strip steak served with truffle Parmesan fries, a filet mignon, or a 36-ounce charbroiled steak for two. Fish and chicken round out the menu. For dessert you can’t go wrong with affogato, gelato with a shot of espresso to pour over it. For reservations, call 973-233-0300; BYO.



Cafe Amici Margherita pizza.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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UPCOMING CHARITY EVENTS
On October 19, the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, 1 East Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, will host a dinner to benefit Memorial-Sloan Kettering Pediatric Cancer Research. The black-tie-optional event will include a cocktail reception and four-course autumn menu by Chef Bryan Gregg, a cancer survivor himself, and pastry chef Patrick Muller from the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, plus New Jersey guest chefs including Alexander Gorant of Axia in Tenafly and Baste in Ridgewood, Ryan DePersio of Fascino in Montclair and Bar Cara in Bloomfield, and pastry chef Josip Franc of Lunello’s in Cedar Grove. Each course will be paired with wine. The event will also include a silent auction of premium items. 6 PM; $195 plus tax. Prepaid reservations are required by calling Kathleen at 201-445-4115.

On October 22, the Far Hills Race Meeting will be held at Moorland Farms, Far Hills, to benefit the Somerset Medical Center. At this event attendees will enjoy culinary feasts while surrounded by hay bales, flower arrangements, and ice carvings that create a distinctive picnic area. Online ticket sales run through October 17, with general-admission tickets $50 and parking tickets $30. On the day of the event, general-admission and parking tickets may be purchased only at the gate. Event-day general admission is $100 and parking $30. For more information and a list of registered caterers, or to purchase tickets, log on to www.farhillsrace.org.

On October 24, the Harvest Shoot & Taste of Autumn Gourmet Gathering to benefit Project Self-Sufficiency, a nonprofit agency that specializes in services for low-income families, will be held at the Hudson Farm Club, 270 Stanhope Sparta Road, Andover. The event will feature a twenty-station clay shoot on the 3,000-acre hunting preserve, followed by a five-course meal in a renovated farmhouse on the property, by restaurants including Andre’s Restaurant & Wine Boutique, Perona Farms, Salt: A Gastro Pub, and the Dining Room. Each course will be accompanied by wine. Attendees have the option of participating in the all-day event ($450) or the dinner alone ($250). Lunch and registration will begin at 12:30 PM, with the outing scheduled to start at 1:30 PM. Dinner will begin at 6 PM. To register or to find out more about the programs and services available at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500.



Hudson Farm dining hall.

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DINING DEAL
Equus, 1 Mill Street, Bernardsville, is now offering a special $48 prix-fixe dinner menu on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. The promotion includes choices from two appetizers, three main courses, and two desserts, with a glass of house wine. For reservations, call 908-766-3737.

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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.