Rosie will be on vacation until mid-February—guest blogger Melody Kettle will post in her place.
Valentine’s At Home
Denville Meat Shop: Valentine’s Day Meat Packages
Impress your special someone with a restaurant-quality dinner in the comfort of your own home. The Valentine’s Day Meat Package menu includes items like double-cut, brined Berkshire pork porterhouse for two, with red-wine demi glace and cranberry-tangerine mostarda (36 oz., $48), and double-cut, dry-aged prime porterhouse for two with red wine demi glace (36 oz., $76). All packages include sauce and a choice of any two sides like truffle-roasted, garlic mashed potato for two, chorizo-sage-sweet potato hash for two, and grilled asparagus with Meyer lemon vinaigrette. Call in your order or stop in for special dietary needs and questions. All beef is “fresh hanging” and all products are locally sourced, all natural, GMO-antibiotic-hormone free, never frozen and prepared in house. Click here for the entire Valentine’s Day menu. 28 Diamond Spring Rd, Denville, 862-209-4088.
Pig & Prince’s Valentine’s Day Rescue Box
The Pig & Prince Valentine’s Day Rescue Box has everything to impress your sweetheart on February 14, including: chocolate-dipped candied bacon, chocolate-dipped strawberries, a fresh-cut bouquet of flowers, a bottle of Alhambra red wine, a bottle of LaLuca sparkling Prosecco, assorted chocolates. Pig & Prince’s Valentine’s Day Rescue boxes are $140 and available for purchase and pick-up (only) by calling Pig & Prince directly at 973-233-1006. 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair.
February 13,14,15
Pre-Valentine’s & Valentine’s at Chakra
On February 13, Chakra in Paramus is offering a Pre-Valentine’s Day four-course, prix-fixe dinner at $89 per person (plus tax & gratuity). On Valentine’s Day they will host a four-course, prix-fixe dinner at $112 per person (plus tax & gratuity). And, on Sunday, there will be a four-course, prix-fixe celebration, $89 per person (plus tax & gratuity) from 4 PM to 9 PM. 144 West State Route 4, Paramus, 201-556-1530.
Girasole-Atlantic City
The Mediterranean restaurant, Girasole, is offering three courses for $33 per person from Friday, 2/13 through Sunday, 2/15. 3108 Pacific Ave, Atlantic City, 609-345-5554.
February 13
Harvest Table Love Bites
Harvest Table & The Sipper’s Delight Wine Tasting Social Club are joining forces to present a fun and flirty Pre-Valentine’s Day evening of seductive food and wine pairings. Enjoy a menu of fresh "love bites" made from aphrodisiac ingredients prepared by Harvest Table, paired with enticing and romantic wines hand-selected by Sipper’s Delight. Selections will include four scrumptious mini-courses and four wines (sparkling, white, red and sweet) to please every palate. Guests will receive a detailed food and wine-tasting menu with wine tasting notes and suggested pairings. Advance Tickets: $25. Purchase on Eventbrite or at Harvest Table by Feb 10. 127 Halsey St, Newark, 973-494–8183.
February 14
Pilsener Haus & Biergarten’s 3rd annual "F*@k Valentine’s Day
Guests will be given half a card at the door. Find the matching half, and you and the other half-holder must go up to the bar together and do what is requested on the card. Then, you both will receive a free beer. One card per person please. 15th St (between Grand St. and Adams St), Hoboken 201-683-5465.
Cross & Orange
In honor of its opening weekend, Cross & Orange will be offering a special Valentine’s Day menu on Saturday, February 14. Reservations are being accepted now. For more information about Cross & Orange, visit the website or Facebook page. To view a sample of chef Sam’s culinary creations, follow him on Instagram. For reservations, call 732-361-5502 or place reservations online at Open Table. 508 Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park.
Fromagerie
This year, the Rumson staple will be offering a three-course, prix-fixe dinner for $99. In addition to a cheese plate of three or five artisanal cheeses for a supplement of $15 or $20 respectively, dishes will include ricotta Gnudi with butternut squash, sage, brown butter and black truffle; local scallop crudo with green apple, mustard seed, mint and lime; dry-aged Long Island duck breast with gingerbread pudding, parsnip, vanilla, watercress and jus ‘a l’orange; olive-oil poached halibut with clams, sunchokes, bacon and winter broth; and rum-roasted pineapple with mango sorbet and coriander meringues. Two main courses for two will also be offered for an additional $40/per person:
- 36-ounce 55-day, dry-aged ribeye with béarnaise & bordelaise sauce, potato and gruyere gratin and roasted brussels sprouts
- Two whole roasted Maine lobsters with Yukon gold potato with olive oil and herbs, roasted cauliflower and ‘happy lobster sauce’
For reservations, call 732-842-8088. 26 Ridge Road, Rumson
Ebbitt Room at The Virginia Hotel
The Ebbitt Room is offering a chef’s tasting menu of four courses, priced at $75 per person, with a complimentary glass of champagne. For reservations, call 609-884-5700. 25 Jackson St, Cape May.
February 20
3rd Annual New Jersey Winter Wine Festival
New York Wine Events is pleased to invite you to New Jersey Winter Wine Festival III on Friday, February 20, 7–10 PM at the Hilton Short Hills Hotel. Enjoy full-bodied reds, crisp whites, and many specialty wines wines selected by the Wine Library. A portion of the proceeds will benefit event co-host Family Promise of Bergen County. Tickets are $69 and can be purchased online. 41 John F Kennedy Pkwy, Short Hills.
February 28
Jazz House Kids Body & Soul
Jazz House Kids, a Montclair-based nonprofit that has gained a reputation as one of the nation’s preeminent arts education and performance organizations, will hold its 7th annual signature fundraising event, Body & Soul on February 28 at the Van Vleck House & Gardens. Early Show: 6:30–8 PM, $250 per person (includes the main set). Main Set: 8–11 PM, $150 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 973-744-2273 or visit the website. Van Vleck House & Gardens, 21 Van Vleck Street, Montclair.
SAVE THE DATES
March 20–22
New Jersey Food & Wine Festival
The New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort is a celebration of the world’s best wines and renowned local and national chefs, benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The weekend’s events are designed to allow food and wine lovers to meet and mingle with chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and fellow wine aficionados.
September 12
First Annual NJ Taco Festival
New Jersey-based hot sauce company Heartbreaking Dawns has teamed up with High River Sauces to present the first annual NJ Taco Festival. It will take place on September 12 from 11 AM–8 PM at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. More than 40 NJ-based restaurants will compete for the Best Taco’s in the Garden State. This day is additionally packed with contests, music, entertainment and the official Margarita Mixdown.