HIGHLAWN PAVILION, WEST ORANGE
Having a leisurely lunch at the Highlawn Pavilion (Eagle Rock Reservation, West Orange; 973-731-3463) is so delightful. With a view of the New York City skyline, (sit on the patio weather permitting), memorable food by executive chef Mitchell Altholz, and exemplary service, we just roll out of this restaurant swooning. And if you want to walk off your meal, a poignant 911 Memorial is nearby or bring your sneakers and walk the Lenape Trail just behind the restaurant. Just follow the yellow blazes.
Cod with black rice and corn in a lobster sauce.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
A recent lunch started with tomatoes from the garden tossed with feta cheese, pressed yellow and red watermelon and balsamic vinaigrette. The restaurant grows a lot of its herbs, fruit, and vegetables, so some of the food was picked that very morning. Entrées included Parisienne Cobb salad with juicy, sous vide Griggstown chicken over frisée and field greens, Applewood smoked bacon, ramps, organic soft-boiled egg, avocado mousse, and Roquefort; a wild-mushroom risotto with English spring peas, fava beans, and parmigiana-reggiano; and a gorgeous piece of cod with black rice and corn in a lobster sauce. Dessert was fresh fruit and berries, and sorbets in an addictive almond tulip peanut-brittle cup. Any chance that the peanut brittle could be available for purchase? Yes, it’s that good. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, noon to 3 pm.
Fresh fruits and sorbet in an almond tulip peanut-brittle cup.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
.*****************
WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED
It’s not always easy to make healthy food choices. Once a month at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, a special What the Doctor Ordered, lunch promotes healthy eating. Dr. Hillel Ephros, chairman of the department of dentistry and program director of oral & maxillofacial surgery, founded this program, which is affiliated with the Wellness at Work program, which also sponsors health fairs for employees.
We were recently invited for lunch and met with Dr. Ephros, who told us how he got interested in healthy eating. “I was 40 pounds heavier about 10 years ago. [I] changed my relationship with food and have stuck with it. I exercise daily,” he says. Our visit featured vendors from companies such as Fresh Nation (freshnation.com), a business created by farmer’s market operators to connect farmers, food artisans, farmers’ markets, and consumers. There were also free blood-pressure screenings; a demonstration about optimal computer posture (If you don’t have an ergonomic chair, sit with your butt to the back of the chair and a rolled towel on your lower back.); nutrition advice; health insurance information, and much more.
Healthy recipes, created by doctors or drawn from other sources and “doctored” to be more healthful, can be found on the program’s website: what-the-doctor-ordered.com. In addition to recipes, you’ll find informative sections such as Consultation (ideas for healthy dishes); Kitchen Prescriptions (different ways to prepare fish); and Second Opinions (references and resources).
Kudos to the staff at St Joseph’s for caring for its staff, as well as patients.
Dr. Hillel Ephros with his What the Doctor Ordered lunch of fish taco with cilantro slaw, green beans with orange and saffron, and raisin couscous.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
**********************
UPDATE ON AGRICOLA, PRINCETON
Although the windows are covered, this is what the inside of Agricola (11 Witherspoon St, Princeton) looked last week. Agricola, owned by Jim Nawn, is set to open this fall and will offer a rustic American menu featuring organic ingredients from local sources, including his Great Road Farm in Skillman. Josh Thomsen will serve as executive chef. Tempting menu items will include goat cheese/potato terrine with slow-roasted beets, arugula and balsamic; “this morning’s” poached, farm egg with pancetta, beans, frisée and whole-grain mustard vinaigrette; and roasted-heirloom carrots, quinoa, wheatgrass, and lemon verbena.
Construction on the dining room and private-dining area at Agricola, Princeton.
Photo courtesy of executive chef Josh Thomsen.
*******************
A TOMATO DINNER IN WEST ORANGE and TOMATO TASTING IN PITTSTOWN
Until August 26, The Manor (11 Prospect Ave, West Orange; 973-731-2360) will offer the following Chef’s Signature menus, featuring the heirloom tomatoes grown at their Pleasantdale Farm in West Orange.
Amuse-bouche: Chef’s daily selection
(Domaine Chandon Sparkling Rosé, California n/v)
Yellow-tomato gazpacho with lobster salad, lemon-basil oil
(La Scolca Gavi, Piedmonte 2009)
Spanish olive-oil-poached halibut with petite-tomato tartlet, and smoked, black-Brandywine tomato
(Coulis Joseph Drouhin Domaine de Vaudon Chablis, Burgundy 2005)
American lamb loin with tomato-infused tabouli, Merguez lamb sausage, wild mushrooms, tomato and lamb jus
(Château Coucheroy Graves 2000)
Choice of:
Melon-tarragon mousse on vanilla chiffon with honey-roasted grape tomatoes, toasted-pine nuts, and compressed melon
(Robert Mondavi Moscato d’Oro, Napa Valley 2010)
Or
Chef’s assortment of four artisan cheeses: Ibores (Spain-Goat), Cypress Grove Purple Haze (USA-Goat), Pecorino Toscano (Italy-Sheep), and Bleu d’Auvergne (France-Cow) with toasted olive bread, honey, quince paste, candied walnuts, mâche greens, fig and almond cake.
(Clos de los Siete Malbec Blend, Argentina 2009)
Each guest must order the menu; $59, with selected wines, $25 additional.
On August 29, the Annual Great Tomato Tasting will be held at Rutgers Snyder Research & Extension Farm (140 Locust Grove Road, Pittstown); 3 pm to dusk; $7; children under 10, free. This event will include: tasting of over 60 heirloom and hybrid tomato varieties, as well as honey, basil, apples, and peaches; chef demonstrations; educational wagon tours; square-foot gardening demonstrations; and advice from the Hunterdon County Board of Health staff regarding stink bugs, mosquitoes and black flies. Attendees are asked to support Rutgers Against Hunger by donating a nonperishable food item. RSVP: njaes.rutgers.edu/rsvp/tomato/
************************
SAVE THE DATE: BAKE OFF
Home bakers are invited to enter their best cookies—cooked the day before at Chef Central in Paramus—and professional bakers to bring their cupcakes to the 47th Annual Country Fair at Memorial Field, (behind the Wyckoff Library at 200 Woodland Ave, Wyckoff) on Saturday, September 29; 11:30 am to 2 pm. This event will benefit the Eastern Christian Children’s Retreat, a nonprofit organization that serves the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities through a congregate care center, community-based group homes, and short-term respite care. I will serve as a cupcake judge, along with Amanda Longo, head pastry chef at the Venetian in Garfield; Wyckoff mayor, Christopher DePhillips; Lee Tremble, owner of Iron Horse in Westwood. The public will vote for the best cookie. For applications, rules, and more information visit eccretreat.org; e-mail: info@eccretreat; or call, 201-848-8005.
**************************
DOUBLE BROOK FARM, HOPEWELL
Double Brook Farm (20 Long Way, Hopewell; 609-466-3594) will sell fresh produce, meats, and eggs on August 28, 3 to 7 pm; August 29, 3 to 7 pm; and August 31, 10 am to 2 pm. Bring a cooler and reusable bags. This sale is for farm products only; there will be no hayrides or tours.
************************
DINING DEALS
Wednesdays at Bar Cara (1099 Broad St, Bloomfield; 973-893-3681) feature All You Can Eat Mussels for $20.12, including one glass of wine or draft beer. Choices include: Mussels Arribbiata (steamed PEI mussels, sweet onion, spicy tomato broth); mussels Sicilliano (capers, black olives, herbs, white wine garlic broth); Mussels Morocco (tomatoes, chickpeas, couscous, harissa jus); Mussels Americano (bacon, peas, sweet onion, beer broth); Greek-style steamed mussels (roasted peppers, artichokes, oregano, bread crumbs); and chef Ryan DePersio’s mussels (pancetta, scallions, fregola, shellfish broth). Limit: one bowl per person at a time.
Brian’s, (9 Klines Court, Lambertville; 609-460-4148) is featuring a prix-fixe menu: Tuesday through Thursday, $30 and Friday through Sunday, $36. Call for reservations; BYO.
The Wildwoods Restaurant Week will be held August 26 to 31. Participating restaurants are offering a four-course meal for $30, plus tax and gratuity. For the full list of participating restaurants and menus, visit wildwoodbythesearestaurantweek.com or call 609-522-8300.
*********************
Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].