LULU’S
Lulu’s, a spacious venue boasting a menu of shareable comfort foods and familiar favorites as well as a beverage program with cocktails such as “Moves Like Jagger” with Milagro tequila, coconut rum, caramelized pineapple and fresh lime juice with a coconut-salt rim opened on Saturday, February 1 at the W Hotel in Hoboken (225 River St.). LULU’s hours of operation are 5:30 PM-2 AM Tuesday-Thursday and 5:30 PM-3 AM Friday & Saturday. For more information, call 201-253-2520 for reservations.
Ama Ristorante
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Ama Ristorante at Driftwood (1485 Ocean Ave, Sea Bright; 732-530-9760) has reopened. The lineup of weekly specials have also returned: Tuesdays: 20 percent off bottles of Tuscan wines throughout the restaurant and half-off wines by the glass; Wednesdays: half-off wines by the glass; Thursdays: $7 specialty cocktails; Fridays: $7 specialty cocktails bar only, from 5-7 PM; Sundays: prix-fixe dinner, $32, no corkage fees, and $3 draft beers, bar only.
For Valentine’s Day, chef Trama will prepare a special menu (in addition to the regular menu), which also will be available on the weekend following Valentine’s Day (Feb. 15 and 16). Guests are encouraged to make reservations soon for this always-popular night. Dinner is served Tuesday—Friday, 5 PM, Saturday and Sunday, 4 PM. Closed Monday. Complimentary valet parking, wheelchair accessible and major credit cards accepted. Private dining room available for up to 60 seated guests.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room
After opening its doors in December 2013 at The Shops at Riverside, The Oceanaire Seafood Room (175 Riverside Square Mall) in Hackensack is now open for lunch with a new menu featuring items like seafood chopped salad (blue crab meat, jumbo shrimp, feta cheese, greek vinaigrette), Shanghai lobster roll (buttered brioche roll, shaved cucumber, red onion, light curry mayonnaise, tarragon), and black and blue burger (cajun-spiced burger with sherried onions and blue-cheese butter).Open Tuesday–Saturday, 11:30 AM–11 PM; Monday–Sunday, 5 to 10 PM.