FLANNERY’S PUB, FANWOOD
Gourmet pub food is offered at Flannery’s Pub, 200 South Avenue, Fanwood (908-322-3700), where the motto is “Eat, drink, and have fun.” The very talented executive chef/co-owner is Brian Walter, a graduate of New York City’s French Culinary Institute and an honorary James Beard Foundation member who has worked with Mario Batali, at Le Cirque in New York City, and at Acqua Ristorante in NJ, which became Char Steakhouse. The burgers are made with prime meat, the hot dogs are made with Kobe beef, the steaks are Black Angus, and the fabulous potato chips are hand cut to the thickness you request. Gourmet pub food indeed.
Don’t miss the Sam Adams ale–battered fish and chips served with house-made tartar sauce and those addictive potato chips. The portion is huge, the fresh cod is moist, and the batter is crunchy. The shepherd’s pie made with tender lamb cubes rather than ground meat, plus root vegetables, has a thick red wine sauce and a mashed potato topping. And the mac and cheese made with fusilli is delightfully different and deliciously rich because of the Irish Cheddar with Guinness, smoked gouda, and caramelized sweet onions. Other menu items include Celtic wings (marinated overnight), soups, salads, an Asian BBQ short rib po’ boy, a corned beef Reuben, and bangers and eggs.
Of course, beer rules at any Irish pub. At Flannery’s you’ll find, among other choices, Guinness, Smithwick’s (a dark Irish ale), Sam Adams seasonal beers, and Brooklyn Pilsner. Standard domestic and imported light beers (Miller, Coors, Bud, Corona, Heineken) as well as Carlsberg and Woodpecker Cider are also available. Popular cocktails include the Cookiepuss (a dessert martini with vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate, butterscotch, and a crushed cookie rim), the Key Lime Pie (coconut rum, hazelnut liqueur, fresh juices, and toasted coconut), and the Betty (a modified cosmopolitan with premium ingredients and grapefruit essence).
Flannery’s Pub is very small. There are only a few high-top tables, plus the bar and a long shelf along the wall to sit at. Plans are in the works, however, to expand and create a beer garden in the back. Outside seating is available, weather permitting. The pub is open daily from noon to 2 AM.
Fish and chips at Flannery’s Pub.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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GREEK FESTIVAL
On Friday, May 27 (5 to 10 PM), Saturday, May 28 (12 to 10 PM), and Sunday, May 29 (12 to 9 PM), the Seventh Annual Opa! Big Fat Greek Festival: A Taste of Greece in Hunterdon County will be held at Razberry’s Banquet Center, 834 Route 12 East, Frenchtown, to benefit the church-building fund of the St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church. . Greek food will be offered, along with Greek wine and beer. The event will also feature Greek music, folk dancing, children’s activities, vendors, handcrafted items, imported Greek specialties, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, an art exhibit, door prizes, and dance contests. Free admission and parking. For more information and directions, visit www.stannagoc.org, e-mail [email protected], or call the St. Anna parish office at 908-782-9741.
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CANAL HOUSE COOKBOOK
The Grocery Store, the luscious bright-green sixth volume in the series of seasonal cookbooks by Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, is now available. Filled with easy-to-prepare recipes for both novice and experienced cooks, the book is visually appealing and offers tempting dishes from dips to soups, vegetables, fish, and chicken, plus recipes that celebrate spring, including a stew of baby artichokes and fava beans; savory asparagus bread pudding; and meringues with strawberries and roasted rhubarb. Hirsheimer and Hamilton publish three volumes a year: Summer, Fall & Holiday, and Winter & Spring. You can buy a single book for $19.95 or subscribe or give a gift to Canal House Cooking (three seasonal books a year) for $49.95. Orders delivered to New Jersey addresses must include 7 percent sales tax. E-mail [email protected] or call 609-802-7997. For more information, visit www.thecanalhouse.com.
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CHEF SCOTT ANDERSON AT CHEFS & CHAMPAGNE EVENT
Executive chef Scott Anderson, co-owner of Elements, 163 Bayard Lane, Princeton (609-924-0078), has been invited to participate in the James Beard Foundation’s annual Chefs & Champagne event on July 23. This year Emeril Lagasse will be honored at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York, where more than 30 celebrated chefs will be showcasing their culinary creations alongside Wölffer Estate wines and Nicolas Feuillatte champagne.
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A TASTE OF SOMERSET
On May 23, A Taste of Somerset will be held at the Palace at Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, to benefit the PeopleCare Center for Nonprofits. Food and drink from more than 50 restaurants, caterers, and beverage purveyors will be featured. 6 to 9 PM; $75. For tickets, call 908-725-2299 or visit www.peoplecarecenter.org.
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CRAWFISH AT ODDFELLOWS, HOBOKEN
Crawfish shipped live from the Bayou are available every Tuesday evening through June 28 at Oddfellows Restaurant, 80 River Street, Hoboken. For more information and reservations, call 201-656-9009.
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Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].