Restaurant News

SERENADE IN JUNE

James and Nancy Laird, owners of Restaurant Serenade, 6 Roosevelt Avenue, Chatham, are featuring bounty from their organic mini farm in new dishes at their restaurant.

Menu items include: Griggstown quail with goat cheese croquette, asparagus, and marinated strawberries; sweet pea soup; halibut with spring ramps, baby carrots, zucchini, and Thai lobster broth; and roasted rack of lamb with Sicilian caponata, fava beans, pea shoots, and cherry tomatoes. The Lairds grow fruits, herbs, vegetables, and flowers that are used throughout the season, and they also have five heirloom-breed roosters and fifteen hens that provide fresh eggs all year. For dinner reservations call 973-701-0303.

WALKING TOUR OF NEWARK’S IRONBOUND
On June 21, discover Newark’s Ironbound section at a culinary walking tour led by Daniel Rosati and sponsored by Classic Thyme Cooking School, Westfield. Guests will meet at the Newark Penn Station information desk at 10 AM, and the tour will end around 3 PM. Highlights will include visits to: an authentic Portuguese bakery; a butcher shop, to see how chorizo sausage and presunto-style hams are made; fresh poultry, seafood, and produce markets; imported giftware and kitchenware shops; coffee shops; and wine merchants. The tour will conclude with lunch at a Portuguese restaurant. $65 including tastings and lunch. For reservations call 908-232-5445.

TRADITIONAL TUESDAYS
During June, Fascino, 331 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, will be offering a traditional Italian menu in addition to the regular menu. Items may include: shrimp arrabbiata with spicy tomato sauce; scungilli and red onion salad with lemon vinaigrette; chicken cacciatore with roasted peppers, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes; linguini with red or white clam sauce; and pork Milanese with creamy polenta and Portobello mushrooms. For reservations call 973-233-0350.

TROPICANA EATS
Are you going to Atlantic City? Here are some of the dining options at the Tropicana Casino and Resort, Brighton Avenue and the Boardwalk:

The Comedy Stop serves a buffet-style breakfast every Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 2 PM; $7.77 plus gratuity (second-helping charge $5).

Cuba Libre serves a prix-fixe dinner Sundays through Fridays; $39 plus tax and gratuity.

Fiesta Buffet; $24.95.

The Palm presents Wine Down Wednesday every week, with bar appetizers and wine-list specials.

Wellington’s
features the Michael Pedicin Jazz Trio every Friday and Saturday from 8 PM to midnight.

At Corky’s, you can buy one half rack of ribs and get a second half rack at half price.

For more information call 800-THE-TROP.

FLIGHT NIGHT
It’s Flight Night every Thursday at Napa Valley Grille, Garden State Plaza, 95 Route 17 South, Paramus, where patrons can sample three wines along with a taste of small bites and receive a note card explaining the distinct nuances of the wines. For more information call 201-845-5555.

WINE FESTIVAL

On June 14, Sharrott Winery, 370 South Egg Harbor Road, Winslow Township, will hold its Grand Opening Festival; noon to 5 PM; free. The day will include wine tastings, food vendors (or you can bring a picnic lunch), a crafts show, and live music, plus tours of the winery, where the vines were planted in 2005. The family-owned winery uses sustainable practices in its vineyard. For more information call 609-567-WINE.

KIDS’ COOKING CAMP
For a fun and different summer experience, send your child to cooking camp at Classic Thyme Cooking School, 710 South Avenue West, Westfield. From June through August, classes of three, four, or five days are being held for children ages four to six, seven to nine, ten to twelve, thirteen and up, and fifteen and up. For more information and to enroll call 908-232-5445 or log on to www.westfieldtoday.com/classicthyme and select New Cooking Class Schedule Summer 2008.

Chef Central is offering a cooking camp as well, for kids ages eleven to seventeen, from June through August, with each session running Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 1 PM; $425. This year, Italian Cooking Camp and Baking Camp classes have been added. For more information call 201-576-0100 or visit www.chefcentral.com.

DEAL OF THE WEEK

Wine Tasting Wednesdays are being held at Stone House at Stirling Ridge, 50 Stirling Avenue, Warren, with five wines and hors d’oeuvres; 5 to 7 PM; $20. For more information and dinner reservations call 908-754-1222.

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

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