DREW’S BAYSHORE BISTRO AT THE BEARD HOUSE
On October 3, a Louisiana Style dinner will be presented at the James Beard House, 167 West 12th Street, New York City, by Chef Andrew Araneo, owner of Drew’s Bayshore Bistro in Keyport. The following menu will be served.
Hors d’oeuvres: pork rillettes with cornichons and whole-grain Dijon; miniature crayfish cakes with chipotle tartar sauce; Benton’s bacon, fig, and Gorgonzola flatbreads; muffaletta salad in phyllo cups; seafood rémoulade crostini; duck confit arancini with Creole mustard sauce
Roasted pumpkin and beet salad with field greens, black beluga lentils, goat cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds, and sherry-shallot vinaigrette
Voodoo shrimp with Worcestershire cream and jalapeño cornbread
Duck leg confit with duck, porcini, and Tasso ham jambalaya, white truffle oil, and Tabasco gastrique
Root-beer-glazed Berkshire pork strip loin with whipped New Jersey sweet potatoes and brown butter Brussels sprouts
Braised beef short rib with applewood-smoked bacon, mushrooms, caramelized pearl onion cheese grits, and braised New Jersey collard greens
New Jersey corn ice cream sundae
Wine for the main course will be the 2009 DeBiase Wines Fritchen Vineyard Pinot Noir from Sonoma, produced by Thomas DeBiase III, who grew up in New Jersey (www.debiasewines.com). 7 PM; $170, James Beard Foundation members $130. For reservations, call 212-627-2308.
Winemaker Thomas DeBiase III.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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BHOJ, ELMWOOD PARK
Bhoj (the word means “feast” in Hindi) is located at 430 Market Street, Elmwood Park, in an easy-to-miss, run-down strip mall. The interior, with 42 seats, is also forgettable, but the food was good and the staff attentive. Meals start off with papad (Indian lentil crisps) and three dipping sauces: mint, tamarind, and onion. We ordered everything with medium heat, which was perfect for us, as the spiciness didn’t hide the flavors. If, however, you like to break out in a sweat, order your food hot.
On a first visit try the vegetarian or non-vegetarian sampler, which may include vegetable or lamb samosas, aloo tikki (deep-fried spiced mashed potatoes), pakoras (fritters made with mixed vegetables or chicken), green chili fritters, or any of the specials of the evening. Along with an order of bread—we liked the onion kulcha—the appetizer sampler may be filling enough that two people could share one entrée. Mains include dosas with and without fillings, tandoori items, and chicken, lamb, seafood, and vegetarian dishes. We can recommend the lamb vindaloo, bhaigan bharta (roasted eggplant in a tomato sauce), and tandoori chicken wings. Gajar halwa, grated carrots simmered in milk, was a sweet finish to our meal. Be forewarned that we were charged extra for basmati rice, and a 15 percent tip was added to our bill. Bhoj is open daily and also offers a lunch buffet. For reservations, call 201-797-6800; BYO.
Bhoj chicken wings.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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CHEF JESSE JONES
Watch the latest entertaining and informative video by Chef Jesse Jones at www.youtube.com/watch?v=h670JWfGLro. Chef Jones, known for his New Carolina cuisine, a fusion of Southern and French cooking, will come to your home and conduct a hands-on cooking class that will result in a three-course dinner for you and your guests, for $50 a person. For more information, call 973-580-2203.
Chef Jesse Jones.
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SATIS, JERSEY CITY
In addition to being open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, Satis, 212 Washington Street, Jersey City, is now open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 3 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 3:30 PM. For more information and reservations, call 201-435-5151; BYO. If you haven’t been yet, just know that we tried Satis last spring and loved it. (http://njmonthly.com/blogs/tablehopwithRosie/2011/5/4/restaurant-news.html)
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UPCOMING WINE EVENTS
On September 28 and 29, a South African wine tasting paired with tapas will be held at High Street Grill, 64 High Street, Mount Holly. The evening will include a discussion of the region, climate, terroir, winemaking techniques, a tasting of five wines, and an information packet to take home. 6:30 to 9:30 PM; $35. For reservations, call 609-265-9199.
On October 3, a dinner, lecture, and wine tasting featuring the wines of legendary Barolo producer Paolo Scavino, with winemaker Elisa Scavino, will be held at Undici Taverna Rustica, 11 West River Road, Rumson. Featured will be the Langhe Nebbiolo, Barolo DOCG, Barolo Bricco Ambrogio, Barolo Carobric, and Barolo Bric del Fiasc. 6:30 PM; $99 all-inclusive. For reservations, call 732-842-3880.
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LOOKING AHEAD
With an opening planned for mid-October, Montclair will soon have a restaurant, Adara, that specializes in molecular gastronomy. Located at 77 Walnut Street, Adara is owned by Chef Tre Ghoshal, previously from Market and Nouveau Sushi, both in Montclair, who will be creating cuisine to entice the mind and palate. Chef Ghoshal and his chef de cuisine, Daniel Pashin, will be using immersion circulators, liquid nitrogen, the Anti-Griddle, the Smoking Gun, the centrifuge, and more to create cutting-edge dishes such as White Truffle Envelope, where Hudson Valley foie gras is cooked sous vide, spherified, placed in a truffle raviolo, and served with kumquat mostarda, pomegranate, cappuccino, and pistachio tuile. Offered will be an à la carte menu as well as a three-, five-, and seven-course prix-fixe menu with choices, plus a grand twelve-course prix-fixe menu. Dinner will be served Wednesday through Sunday; BYO.
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. This black-tie-optional event includes a cocktail reception and a 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 selected by wine director Robert Lipkin. The event will also include a silent auction of premium items, including exclusive chef dinners, local wines, and donations from local merchants. 6 PM; $195 plus tax. Prepaid reservations are required by calling Kathleen at 201-445-4115.
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DINING DEALS
Monday through Thursday evenings through Thanksgiving, Elements, 163 Bayard Lane, Princeton, will offer a three-course farm-to-fork dinner created from just-harvested NJ and Pennsylvania produce, for $39. For reservations, call 609-924-0078.
Resto, 77 Main Street, Madison, is now offering a four-course chef’s tasting menu Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesdays), for $45 per person plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 973-377-0066; BYO.
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