Food Events

Rosie dishes about delectable things to do, including the Westminster Hotel and the Strip House being named 2014 Businesses of the Year.

WESTMINSTER HOTEL AND THE STRIP HOUSE, LIVINGSTON
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
Congratulations to Westminster Hotel and Strip House Restaurant, 550 W Mount Pleasant Ave, Livingston for being named 2014 Businesses of the Year by the Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce. To celebrate, a 2014 Awards Reception and Dinner will be held on Wednesday, April 30 at 6 PM, which will showcase the music, décor and special touches the venue is known for, as well as a top-notch Strip House dining experience. Executive chef Bill Zucosky will present the following Awards Dinner menu: cocktail hour toast (with a Four-Diamond Cocktail developed just for the occasion) along with Peking duck & Asian noodle station; pigs in a blanket; and tuna tartare with spiced wontons; dinner of roasted red-and-yellow baby beets, asparagus, stilton cheese with sherry vinaigrette; choice of filet mignon or roasted Atlantic salmon and spring sponge cake with strawberries, cherries & blueberries.

Since the hotel and restaurant first opened 11 years ago, both establishments have consistently ranked among the best in the state. In 2012 U.S. News & World Report Travel listed the Westminster as one of New Jersey’s Top 10 hotels. Strip House was recently awarded a 3-1/2 star New Jersey Monthly review and named "Best Steak in Essex County" by Suburban Essex.

"Strip House in New Jersey was our first venture outside New York City," notes Penny Glazier of Manhattan’s The Glazier Group. "We continued our company philosophy to give back to the community by participating in local charitable food and wine events and becoming involved with many local charities and organizations."

To order tickets for the Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce 2014 Awards Reception: call 973-992-4343 or visit the chamber website. With the purchase of an $80 ticket, attendees will receive a free weekend overnight stay followed by morning brunch for two at Strip House ($200 value).
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OTHER FOOD EVENTS
FRIDAY APRIL 25
SILVER OAK WINE DINNER

A Silver Oak wine dinner will be held at the Pluckemin Inn, 359 Route 206 South, Bedminster. 7 PM; $170, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations: 908-658-9292.

EVENTS FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 26
COOKING WITH MARILYN AND FRIENDS

Cooking with Marilyn and Friends, a charitable cooking demonstration, which includes a six-course dinner, wine and cocktail pairings that highlight the seasonal, vacation-inspired cuisine featured at chef Marilyn Schlossbach’s restaurants (Labrador Lounge, Normandy Beach; Langosta Lounge, Pop’s Garage, Asbury Park Yacht Club and Libby’s Beach Shack and Dauphin Grille all in Asbury Park) will be held at Langosta Lounge, 1000 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park. The theme of the evening will be Cooking Healthy Meals for Kids with Ocean of Love is the local beneficiary. 6 PM; $65. Reservations: 732-455-3275.

COOKING CLASS WITH SARA MOULTON AT KINGS
A cooking class with Sara Moulton will be held at Kings Cooking Studio, 778 Morris Turnpike, Short Hills. 11 AM to 2 PM; $100. To register, visit the Kings Cooking Studio website or call 973-258-4009.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26 AND SUNDAY, APRIL 27
LAMBERTVILLE SHAD FESTIVAL

The Lambertville Shad Festival will be held at the Lambertville Bridge and Union streets with food, entertainment, artists and crafters, shad seining demonstrations and much more. 12:30 to 5:30 PM; free admission. For more information, visit the event website.

MONDAY, APRIL 28
TASTE OF TEANECK
The Taste of Teaneck
will be held at Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe, 100 Frank W Burr Boulevard, Teaneck, to benefit local charities and international humanitarian projects. 6 to 9 PM; $35; $40 at the door. For tickets, visit the event website.

MONDAY APRIL 28 TO SUNDAY MAY 4
MORRISTOWN RESTAURANT WEEK

Morristown Restaurant Week will have participating restaurants offering discounted meal.

EVENTS FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 29
TASTE OF WEEHAWKEN

The Taste of Weehawken to benefit Weehawken Free Public Library will be held at the Food Court at Lincoln Harbor, 1200 Harbor Boulevard, Weehawken. Some participants include: Amanda’s Restaurant, Canamelao Restaurant, Los Charrito’s, Chart House Restaurant, Cholita Dessert Bar, Clinton Social, , Cucharamama, El Unico Restaurant & Cafeteria, Flaming Burrito, G.P.’s, Gladis Homemade Cakes, Haven Riverfront Restaurant and Bar, Karma Kafe, Madison Bar and Grill, Masina Trattoria, Molos Restaurant & Catering, Palermo’s Bakery, Pizza Villa, Porto Leggero, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Son Cubano, Touch of Spice, Waterside Restaurant & Catering, Weehawken High School Culinary Arts and more. 6:30 to 9:30 PM, $60; 7:30 to 9:30 PM, $35. Tickets may be purchased at the Weehawken Library, 49 Hauxhurst Ave. Cash, check or money order only. Tickets may also be purchased online. Tickets purchased at the door subject to a $5 additional charge per ticket.

BEER TASTING

A UK Beer Tasting will be held at Satis, 212 Washington St, Jersey City. 8 PM; $45. Reservations: 201-435-5151.

TUESDAY, APRIL 29 TO FRIDAY, MAY 1
CHAKRA, PARAMUS

This month Chakra (144 W. Rt 4, Paramus, 201-556-1530), which opened in 2004, celebrates its Tenth Anniversary with a menu that honors the past while also showcasing the best of executive chef/partner Thomas Ciszak’s cooking. From April 29 to May 1, popular appetizers, entrees and desserts from Chakra’s early days will be featured for $20.04 each and include selections like skate wings with fennel, capers and lemon vinaigrette; short ribs of beef with glazed cipollini onions and mousseline potatoes; and brick chicken with confit lemon, garlic and rosemary. The full regular menu will be available as well. Also during the anniversary celebration, GM and beverage director Evelyn Ciszak has pulled some special older wines, many from the 2004 vintage, from the cellar to serve by the glass for $20.04. Also all wines by the bottle from the 2004 vintage will be 20.04 percent off.

TASTE OF PARAMUS

Enjoy signature dishes from area restaurants at the Taste of Paramus, which will be held at Assyrian Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary, 644 Paramus Road, Paramus. Wine tastings will be hosted by Stew Leonard’s Wines of Paramus and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Paramus student projects. 6 to 8 PM; $30.

EVENTS FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
ESCAPE AND SERENADE HOST A WINE DINNER
Bryan Gregg, chef/owner of Escape at 345 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair and chef James Laird owner of Restaurant Serenade in Chatham will host a five-course, Taste of Spring wine dinner at Escape. Dinner will include wines hand-selected by Amanti Vino proprietor, Sharon Sevrens. The following menu will be presented:

Amuse-Bouche: Fluke, green strawberry, sea bean, benne, chard scapes
(Parigot Blanc de Blanc)

Creamless asparagus soup, crab dumplings, fava beans
(Nigl Gruner Veltliner Freiheit 2012)

Union county ramp barigoule, Charleston rice grits
(Ferrando Erbaluce di Caluso 2011)

Potato-crusted halibut, clams, bacon, lovage
(Do Ferreiro Albarino 2012)

Rohan duck, smoked foie purée, pickled plums, Jersey morels
(Tortochot Gevrey Chambertin Jeunes Rois 2012)

Strawberry crèpes, vanilla parfait, rhubarb chips

7 PM; $95 per person, 50 percent of the food proceeds will be donated to benefit cancer research and treatment in New Jersey. Reservations: 973-744-0712.

AN EVENING OF PIEMONTESE FOOD AND WINE
Join Vic Rallo and wine maker Stefano Chiarlo of the Michele Chiarlo Winery, Piemonte for an evening of Piemontese food and wine at Undici Taverna Rustica, 11 West River Road, Rumson. 6:30; $79, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations: 732-842-3880.

NJ STAR CHEFS AT TABLE TO TABLE EVENT: BLACK TIE & ORANGE CLOGS OPTIONAL
On April 30, Table to Table will have their black tie Chefs Gala at the Pleasantdale Chateau, 757 Eagle Rock Avenue, West Orange with guest of honor Mario Batali. Participating chefs include Chris Albrecht (Eno Terra); Massimo Carbone (Brio); George Georgiades (Varka Estiatorio); Raffaele Ronca (Ristortante Rafele); Peter Kelly (Xaviars Restaurant Group) and Robert Albers (Pleasantdale Chateau). Celebrity auctioneer and Antiques Roadshow regular Nicholas Lowry of New York City’s Swann Auction Galleries will conduct the evening’s Live Auction. Proceeds from this event will support the Table to Table food rescue program. 6:30 PM; $450; $600 for VIP patron tickets. For tickets, visit www.tabletotable.org or call 201-921-9381.
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