STRIP HOUSE, WESTMINSTER HOTEL, LIVINGSTON
Chef de cuisine Bill Zucosky at the Strip House, Westminster Hotel, 550 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston, presents consistently excellent cuisine. We have been dining here since 2003 and always leave with a smile on our faces.
At a recent dinner, our appetizers included a crisp wedge of chilled iceberg lettuce with smoked bacon, tomatoes, and a Stilton cheese vinaigrette; sea scallops with edamame succotash, black truffle butter, and corn broth (would love to have this as an entrée); roasted golden beets and grilled asparagus with Stilton and a sherry vinaigrette; a marvelous, silky-smooth lobster bisque; and the Strip House plate of bacon. The bacon served here is special, as it is house cured, marinated, roasted as a slab, thick cut, and then crisped up in a pan—a delight. The Strip House offers various cuts of prime steaks. Filet mignon is served on the bone, an offering that we don’t see often. The succulent bone-in rib eye is bursting with flavor and beautifully charred. Ditto for an opulent veal chop, which is thick, juicy, and huge. New York strip with or without the bone, porterhouse, and a special “cut of the night” are also available. Seafood (tuna, red snapper, and lobster) is on the menu, as are linguine and chicken. Lip-smackin’ sides can be shared. Our favorites are the crisp goose-fat potatoes, the corn pudding that gets oomph from chipotle, and the sweet potato partnered with cinnamon butter. The ubiquitous but delightful black truffle creamed spinach is available and served in a copper pot. Other sides include steamed broccoli and sautéed green beans. French fries are hand cut and drizzled with garlic butter, garlic chips, and herbs.
Yes, you do want dessert. Some options, which are meant to be shared, include the signature 24-layer chocolate cake, mile-high creamy cheesecake, brownie with ice cream, and apple pie. As with our last visit we ordered the theatrically presented baked Alaska, covered with Italian meringue, surrounded with vanilla crème anglaise, and garnished with chopped candied pecans—a perfect ending to our dinner.
Sea scallops with edamame succotash, black truffle butter, and corn broth.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
Strip House veal chop.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
The Strip House is open for continental breakfast daily, buffet breakfast on weekends, lunch Monday through Friday, and dinner daily. Reservations can be made at 973-548-0050.
Baked Alaska.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
For a special occasion or just a mini escape, check out the promotions and packages (romance, birthday, couples retreat, spa, shopping) at the Westminster Hotel (www.westminsterhotel.net, 973-533-0600), where the Strip House is located. The hotel has had a green makeover, and some of the new features include a Zen-style garden, a patio that can accommodate 75 people for a reception, an outdoor pergola, a business center off the lobby, a spa, and new bamboo-based and 100 percent green-compliant linens and terry towels. The hotel also has a commitment to exhibiting quality art. Check out the “Hugs & Kisses” picture and the Edison hologram, both in the lobby. Regular, kosher, and glatt kosher catering are available for up to 800 people or 500 to 600 people with a dance floor. The ballroom can be divided into three rooms, each seating 200 with a dance floor. Smaller private rooms throughout the hotel can accommodate from 20 to 60 people, and a wide range of audiovisual services, including Wi-Fi, are available as well.
*******************
PARK STEAKHOUSE AND PARK WEST TAVERN AT THE BEARD HOUSE
On August 16, chef/co-owner John Halligan from the Park Steakhouse in Park Ridge and the Park West Tavern in Ridgewood, along with chefs Jeffrey Kellish and Paul Scheffler, will present an Ultimate Steak dinner at the James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, New York City. The following menu will be served:
Hors d’oeuvres: miniature eggs Benedict with chive hollandaise; citrus-marinated lobster tacos; truffled potato pierogi; chatty patty crab cake sliders; rib-eye spring rolls; Kumamoto oysters with shaved Bloody Mary ice
(Cristalino Brut Cava NV)
Classic steak tartare reinterpreted
(2010 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier)
Braised oxtail fettuccine Bolognese with porcini and olive oil–poached tomatoes
(2002 Oriel VQM)
Guinness-braised Kobe beef short ribs with Mother Halligan’s famous lumpy mashed potatoes
(2008 Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon)
Beef Battle Royale: dry-aged and wet-aged certified Angus beef sirloin with roasted bone marrow, smoked sea salt, and watercress
(Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter)
Irish zeppole with ricotta cheese and cinnamon
(2007 Ste. Chapelle Winemaker’s Series Riesling Ice Wine)
7 PM; $170, James Beard Foundation members $130. For reservations, call 212-627-2308.
************************
CHEF CARDIE MORTIMER AT KINGS, SHORT HILLS
On August 9, a cooking class, View to a Grill: Tailgate Party With Cardie, will be taught by Cardie Mortimer at Kings Cooking Studio, 778 Morris Turnpike, Short Hills. The following menu will be demonstrated: grilled corn on the cob with Parmesan and garlic; grilled littleneck clams in a champagne and lemon sauce; grilled marinated rib-eye steak with caramelized onions and wild mushroom ragout; grilled marinated buttermilk chicken with raspberry purée; and grilled caramelized peaches with butter, honey, and cinnamon drizzle. 6:30 to 9:30 PM; $55. For reservations, call 973-258-4009.
******************
DINING DEALS
Bibi’z Restaurant & Lounge, 284 Center Avenue, Westwood, serves a two-course prix-fixe meal every Sunday for $16 as well as a three-course express lunch Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 3 PM for $16. For reservations, call 201-722-8600.
Monday through Thursday evenings until September 1, Elements, 163 Bayard Lane, Princeton, will offer a three-course, $39 summer bounty dinner created from just-harvested NJ and Pennsylvania produce. For reservations, call 609-924-0078.
Madison Bar & Grill, 1316 Washington Street, Hoboken, offers a three-course first-seating menu on Mondays from 5 to 10 PM and Tuesdays through Fridays from 5 to 7 PM, for $18.12 per person plus tax and gratuity. There is also a first-seating wine list, with bottles priced at $15. For reservations, call 201-386-0300.
*********************
Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].