Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about corkage fees in NJ restaurants, Just Restaurant in Old Bridge, a summer cooking camp for kids, and much more news about NJ restaurants.

DINE WITH YOUR OWN WINE
New Jersey has a large number of BYO restaurants, and by law they cannot charge a corkage fee. Restaurants with a liquor license, however, can charge you to open your own bottle. In a recent informal survey of restaurants with liquor licenses, we found corkage fees that ranged from nothing to around $35. Some restaurants do not allow BYO under any circumstances. But when you want to dust off that special bottle in your cellar and take it to a non-BYO restaurant, here are some options and fees you will encounter.

On Sundays, BLUE MOREL, MORRISTOWN, allows guests to bring their special bottle with no corkage fee. Other days there is a $35 corkage fee per bottle.

BOULEVARD 572, KENILWORTH, charges a $20-per-bottle corkage fee. No hard liquor may be brought in.

CHAKRA, PARAMUS, charges a $25 corkage fee per bottle and prefers that the bottle is not offered on the restaurant’s list.

Didier Jouvenet, owner of CHEZ CATHERINE, Westfield, has two levels of corkage fees. Tuesday through Thursday, the charge is $25; Friday and Saturday, it is $35.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS, HAMBURG, does not allow outside wine to be brought in.

DARYL, NEW BRUNSWICK, features 56 wines by the glass and a “50-50-50” wine list (50 reds, 50 whites, each under $50), as well as 300 bottles on the reserve list. The entire wine list is available for purchase to take home. Outside wine is not permitted.

DAVID BURKE FROMAGERIE, RUMSON, has an extensive wine cellar and also offers customers the option of purchasing and storing their own wine in climate-controlled wine lockers so they can enjoy wines that may not be available on the current list. Included in the annual membership fee is the ability to purchase wines at a 20 percent discount for the lockers, as well as invitations to special wine dinners and tasting events. David Burke Fromagerie also allows outside wine for $25 per bottle.

ELEMENTS, PRINCETON, has a $25-per-bottle service fee for opening and servicing wines brought in by guests. It also has a “buy one, waive one” policy for guests who buy wine at the restaurant and also want to enjoy a special selection from their own cellar.

Executive chef Adam Weiss from ESTY STREET, PARK RIDGE, says the restaurant charges a $34 corkage fee per bottle, which also happens to be the price of the least expensive bottle on the wine list. Additionally, the BYO wine must not be on the restaurant’s Wine Spectator Award–winning list.

HARVEST RESTAURANT GROUP, owners of Ciao and 3 West in Basking Ridge, Grato in Morris Plains, Huntley Taverne and Roots in Summit, Roots and Urban Table in Morristown, Tabor Road in Parsippany, and Trap Rock Brewery in Berkeley Heights, charges a $25 corkage fee per 750 ml bottle. Diners may not bring in wine that these restaurants have on their wine lists.

HO-HO-KUS INN, HO-HO-KUS charges a $20 corkage fee except on BYO Mondays, when the fee is waived when an entrée is purchased.

THE MANOR, WEST ORANGE, allows patrons to bring wine into the Terrace Lounge for $30 a bottle. On Wednesdays, the Manor has special wine promotions along with no corkage fee.

MARITIME PARC, JERSEY CITY, charges a $30 corkage fee for all 750 ml bottles brought in. No limitations.

MOONSHINE MODERN SUPPER CLUB, MILLBURN, says, “We charge $15 per bottle and really don’t have any limitations…unless someone brought in a bottle we have on our list, of course. That wouldn’t be very polite!”

NICO, NEWARK, the newly opened restaurant at NJPAC, charges a $20 corkage fee.

Brooke Sabel, wine director at NINETY ACRES CULINARY CENTER AT NATIRAR, PEAPACK/GLADSTONE, says, “We welcome people to enjoy wine either from their cellars or from ours. Our corkage policy is $35 per 750 ml bottle.”

Executive chef/co-owner John Halligan from the PARK STEAKHOUSE, PARK RIDGE AND PARK WEST TAVERN, RIDGEWOOD, charges a $20 corkage fee at both restaurants, with no restrictions.

PLUCKEMIN INN, BEDMINSTER, has a corkage fee of $35 per bottle, with a magnum considered two bottles. BYO wines must not be on the wine list, and there’s a limit of one bottle per couple. On many occasions, though, if a guest brings a bottle of wine but also purchases a bottle of similar (or greater) value from the list, the restaurant will waive the fee.

RAT’S RESTAURANT, HAMILTON, allows outside wines except bottles on the restaurant’s wine list. The corkage fee is $35 per bottle.

ROSA MEXICANO, HACKENSACK, charges a $25 corkage fee, with no limitations.

SALT CREEK GRILLE, RUMSON, has a $10 corkage fee. The restaurant also features great wine deals, with half off bottles of wine on Sunday and Monday nights; on Wednesdays, all wines by the glass are half price.

STAGE LEFT AND CATHERINE LOMBARDI, NEW BRUNSWICK, don’t allow outside wine.

STRIP HOUSE, LIVINGSTON, has a corkage fee of $25. The wine must not be offered on its list.

At URSINO, UNION, the new restaurant on the Kean University campus, patrons are not allowed to bring their own wine. Richard Spaulding, general manager, says, “We operate under a state-issued permit, which does not allow BYO. Basically, because we are on a university campus, they want more controls in place than a typical license.”

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JUST RESTAURANT, OLD BRIDGE
Upon entering Just Restaurant, 2280 Route 9 South, Old Bridge, we were greeted by spiffy-looking waiters in black shirts and pants with red ties. The room also caught our attention, with its glassed-in mirrored wall holding wine bottles on their sides, red banquets, multicolored mood lighting, and onyx bar. We were here for a press dinner, and executive chef Ira Siegel certainly impressed us with his new American cuisine. His menu changes seasonally and features top-quality ingredients, including wild-caught seafood and free-range and organic meats. Chef Siegel spoke about each dish before it was presented and showed us a sample plate of the full-size serving. We had the following delicious, visually appealing, and ambitious tasting dinner.

Tuna tartare napoleon with bigeye tuna, Japanese mayo, tobiko caviar, and unagi sauce

Shrimp bruschetta cocktail with champagne-poached shrimp, pear, tomato, and salsa vinaigrette

Nantucket Bay day-boat scallops with saffron potatoes, asparagus purée, candied carrots, and fresh radish

Hudson Valley foie gras with petit apple tatin, port syrup, and sauterne gelée

Filet of Kobe beef and foie gras Just sliders on brioche buns with straw potatoes

Long Island magret duck breast risotto with mango, pomegranate, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, followed by champagne granita

Burgundy-braised milk-fed veal cheeks with creamy Parmesan polenta, sweet-and-sour pearl onions, and thyme demi-glace

Porcini- and black trumpet mushroom–crusted Australian boneless rack of lamb with eggplant purée, stewed leeks, wilted spinach, and rosemary port demi-glace

Agave-glazed Chilean sea bass with horseradish potato purée, carrot, and coriander sauce

Pastry chef Lauren Genco presented a Just dessert sampler containing a chocolate pyramid, hot chocolate, dark chocolate cake with frozen milk chocolate mousse, peanut butter terrine, and ovals of whipped cream. Along with these fabulous sweets, addictive pistachio biscotti also accompanied the coffee.

Just has a full bar and a wine list to complement any course. Prices start at $28 for a 2010 Circa Pinot Grigio, with many options in the $30 to $50 category. An after-dinner lounge will be opening soon with an in-house DJ as well as celebrity DJs monthly.

Be aware that when you’re driving south on Route 9, you have to pull into the entrance of a Delta gas station. Look to your right, and you’ll see Just. Also, there’s an Emporium II International Foods store connected to the building, which sells a variety of Russian foods, including borscht, potato or cheese pancakes, stuffed peppers, salted fish, and meat, potato, or fruit dumplings.

Just is open daily from 6 PM. Reservations: 732-707-4800.
Photos courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA AWARD DINNER
On April 16, Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, will receive the Distinguished Citizen Award, and Arthur McGreevy (1927–2011), president and owner of Arthur’s Tavern and St. Moritz, will receive the Spirit of Scouting Award at the Boy Scouts of America 2012 Hospitality & Food Dinner at Maritime Parc, 84 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City. Participating chefs include Mitchell Altholz (Highlawn Pavilion), Joseph Catalano (Above), David Felton (90 Acres), Anne Heap (Pink Cake Box), Corey Heyer (Bernards Inn), Andrew Lattanzio (Pluckemin Inn), Scott Anderson (Elements), Michael Cetrulo (Scalini Fedeli), Dominique Filoni (Avenue), Bill Hendra (Huntley Taverne), James Laird (Serenade), John Schaefer (Grato), and Chris Siversen (Maritime Parc). 6 PM; $175. To register, log on to www.give.ppbsa.org.

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ANY TWO FOR $22 AT ELEMENTS, PRINCETON
Mix and match at Elements, 163 Bayard Lane, Princeton, at lunchtime between 11:30 AM and 2 PM Monday through Friday, and choose any two courses from a wine, appetizer, entrée, and dessert menu for $22. Three courses are $33. If you prefer a burger, Elements now offers a nine-ounce version made from 48-hour short ribs and brisket, dry aged 14 to 18 days, and served on a potato bun with homemade bacon, locally sourced cheese, and ketchup from NJ, for $16. Hot foie gras can be also added. Reservations: 609-924-0078.

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GARY’S WINE & MARKETPLACE

Congratulations to Gary Fisch, owner of Gary’s Wine & Marketplace in Wayne (1308 Route 23 North, 973-633-3900), Madison (121 Main Street, 973-822-0200), and Bernardsville (100 Morristown Road, 908-766-6699), one of New Jersey’s largest fine wine, spirits, and gourmet specialty food retailers, for being chosen 2012 Retailer of the Year by Beverage Dynamics, the influential trade publication targeted to beverage retailers. The publication recognized that the three-store chain, “since opening in 1987, has elevated the wine experience in northern New Jersey.” What sets Gary’s apart? A commitment to friendly, attentive service by knowledgeable employees; a passion for wine, beer, spirits, and related products; extensive staff travel each year to the wine-producing regions of the world; and myriad wine and food events for the public. We love the 24,000-square-foot Wayne store, with lots of wine to browse through and a fine-foods deli.

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SAVE THE DATE
Plans are underway for the Summit Wine and Food Festival 2012, which will be held at the Grand Summit Hotel, 417 Springfield Avenue, September 21 through 23. For more information, call 908-277-6565.

June 1 through 3, Michael Arnone’s Crawfish Fest will be held at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, 37 Plains Road, Augusta, featuring music, food, crafts, and camping. Menu items, which are $10 or under, include boiled crawfish, crawfish étouffée, boudin links, shrimp Creole, grilled alligator sausage, po’ boys, and much more. For more information, log on to www.crawfishfest.com.

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VACATION NOTICE
Andre’s Restaurant, Newton, will be closed for vacation April 1 through 15.

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JAMES BEARD FINALIST

Congratulations to Maricel Presilla, chef/owner of Cucharamama in Hoboken, for being named a nominee for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in the 2012 James Beard Awards. Winners will be announced on May 7.

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EASTER DINING

The following restaurants will be open for Easter (Sunday, April 8).

The Easter Bunny will be at the Bernards Inn, 27 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, on Easter Sunday with treats for children of all ages. A Grand Easter Buffet will be held in the ballroom from 10 AM to 4 PM, and a three-course prix-fixe menu will be served in the dining room from noon to 6 PM. Reservations: 908-766-0002.

Celebrate Easter at Blue Morel, Westin Governor Morris Hotel, 2 Whippany Road, Morristown, where executive chef Kevin Takafuji will present a three-course dinner. Seatings from 12:30 to 9 PM; $59. An à la carte children’s menu will be available. A breakfast buffet will be served from 6:30 to 10:30 AM for $19. Reservations: 973-451-2619.

Boulevard Five72, 572 Boulevard, Kenilworth, will be serving an Easter Sunday brunch buffet between 10:30 AM and 3 PM; $40, $17.50 for children under ten. In the evening, two menu options will be available: an à la carte menu and a $48 Sunday supper menu that includes family-style appetizers with the choice of an entrée. 4 to 9 PM. Reservations: 908-709-1200.

Catherine Lombardi, 3 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, will offer an Easter dinner as well as the regular à la carte menu, from 1 to 6 PM. Reservations: 732-296-9463.

Fascino, 331 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, will be open on Easter Sunday from 2 to 7 PM, offering an à la carte menu as well as spring specials. Reservations: 973-233-0350.

Executive chef Mitchell Altholz at Highlawn Pavilion, Eagle Rock Reservation, West Orange, will be serving a four-course Easter dinner, with seatings from noon to 7:30 PM. $59. Reservations: 973-731-3463.

The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, 1 East Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, will host an Easter brunch from 11 AM to 3 PM; $29.95, $14.95 for children ten and under; plus tax and gratuity. Reservations: 201-445-4115.

Kuzina by Sofia, 404 Route 70, Cherry Hill, is taking orders for whole ready-to-serve grill-roasted baby lambs and goats for Passover and Easter. Kuzina will also have a special menu for the Passover holiday, as well as a Greek Easter Family Dinner Party on April 15. Call 856-429-1061; BYO.

A three-course prix-fixe Easter brunch will be offered at Lorena’s, 168 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood. 11:30 AM to 5 PM; $49. A two-course menu for children under ten is $24.50. Reservations: 973-763-4460; BYO.

There area a few options for Easter dining at the Manor, 111 Prospect Avenue, West Orange. A brunch buffet will be held with seatings from 11:30 AM to 1 PM; $52.95, children ages four to twelve $19.95. An Easter dinner buffet will be offered from 2:30 to 6:30 PM; $52.95; children ages four to twelve $19.95. A four-course Easter dinner will be presented in the Terrace Lounge from noon to 6 PM; $69.95, children ages four to twelve $24.95. Reservations: 973-731-2360.

Easter brunch will be served at Rat’s Restaurant, Grounds for Sculpture, 16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, from 11 AM to 5 PM; $59; children ages five to twelve $22, children under four free. Reservations: 609-584-7800.

Restaurant Nicholas, 160 Route 35 South, Middletown, will be serving a three-course menu for $65, a four-course garden menu for $65, a six-course tasting menu for $85, and a children’s menu for $32. 1 to 7 PM. Reservations: 732-345-9977.

Rob’s Bistro, 75 Main Street, Madison, will be open for brunch on Easter Sunday from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM. In addition to the regular brunch menu, Rob’s will offer special starters, entrées, and desserts. Reservations: 973-377-0067; BYO.

Stage Left, 5 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, will serve Easter brunch from 11 AM to 2:30 PM; $39.95, children’s menu $19.95; plus tax and service. Reservations: 732-828-4444.

The Washington Inn, 801 Washington Street, Cape May, will be serving Easter brunch from 10 AM to 2 PM; $28, children $16. The regular dinner menu will be available from 4 to 7:30 PM. Reservations: 609-884-5697.

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Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].

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