CAFE PANACHE, RAMSEY
Congratulations to Chef Kevin Kohler, owner of Cafe Panache, 130 East Main Street, Ramsey, who recently celebrated 25 years in business. This noteworthy milestone, a silver anniversary, is a very special occasion in the restaurant business, as about one in four restaurants closes or changes ownership within its first year, and over three years that number rises to three out of five. It is even more commendable when the restaurant is BYO, as Cafe Panache is, because these establishments don’t have the income generated from a bar or liquor license to help with the costs of running the business.
We recently dined at this 84-seat restaurant, which serves eclectic cuisine using many ingredients picked each morning by Kohler at a nearby farm. The menu changes weekly. There are three separate rooms, all with a warm and inviting ambiance, comfortable chairs or banquettes, and tables spaced far enough apart to allow for quiet conversation. On a Monday night the restaurant was filled with families, twosomes, and everything in between. Many diners were regulars, as evidenced by the greetings they received from the chef.
Our wine was opened and poured, and dinner started with warm, crispy rolls with butter. We opted to start with marinated heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella, which is on the menu in the summer only. Beautifully plated with basil sauce and fresh mint, this dish was fresh-from-the-farm delicious. We were told that the filet mignon ravioli was a “don’t-miss dish,” but the house-made Jersey corn agnoletti with chanterelles and a butter sauce won out. We can recommend that you order two servings of this most scrumptious dish, because you will not want to share it. This pasta is now on my “best dishes of 2010” list.
Mozzarella with marinated heirloom tomatoes.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
Entrées were seaweed-steamed salmon with black rice and spicy miso aioli, a light summer dish that we can recommend highly. The crunchy seaweed provided texture, the spicy sauce combined well with the richness of the salmon, and the black rice offered a nutty essence, creating a well-balanced dish. The Berkshire pork, a more robust entrée, was accompanied by fingerling potatoes, balsamic cipollini, and a red wine sauce that we mopped up with the bread.
Seaweed-steamed salmon with black rice and spicy miso aioli.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
Don’t leave Cafe Panache without having dessert. The palate-pleasing ice cream, three scoops, served with fresh raspberries was a refreshing finish to our meal along with a luscious and juicy Georgia peach charlotte, which came with a scoop of whipped cream.
I asked Kohler how his menu has changed over the past 25 years. He said, “We don’t serve foie gras anymore, as it doesn’t sell, but surprisingly one of my best sellers is the calf’s liver with mustard seeds, raisins, and port wine sauce.” Go figure! He also explained that he can now get fresh vegetables daily, which was not an option 25 years ago. “It’s all about the food now,” he said. Food is indeed the thing at Cafe Panache. Do try this BYO restaurant. For reservations call 201-934-0030.
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THE BLACK HORSE TAVERN, MENDHAM
We saw lots of roasted prime rib, sirloin steaks, and filets make their way to the surrounding tables at the Black Horse Tavern, 1 West Main Street, Mendham. Not a surprise, since the restaurant spit roasts its prime rib, a tender and tasty cut. It’s served with a horseradish sauce that gives the meat an extra boost. The sirloin steak is prime—and tastes that way. Those who don’t eat meat can opt for shellfish from the raw bar, sesame-crusted tuna, live lobsters, scallops, a variety of fish, or chicken. If it’s available don’t pass up the strawberry shortcake for dessert. For reservations call 973-543-7300.
Strawberry shortcake.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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EPERNAY, MONTCLAIR
Lowell and I were way overdue for a visit to Epernay, 6 Park Street, Montclair, since we hadn’t been to this BYO French bistro since Courtney and Mark Papera sold it in April 2006. The restaurant recently hired a new chef, Jayson Grossberg, formerly of Alphabet Soup in Audubon, where he received impressive reviews along with an Excellent rating from the New York Times, making us even more anxious to dine there. The entire menu has recently been redone by Chef Grossberg, but about half of the old Epernay menu was offered on our visit.
The food was as tasty as we remembered it, although we missed the French baguette plopped on the table, which has been replaced by an Italian-style bread in a basket. We also missed our favorite dish, the côte de boeuf, which wasn’t listed on the summer menu. However, the plats du jour are still offered, with tempting choices such as crab cakes (Tuesday), bouillabaisse (Wednesday), fried chicken (Thursday), braised short ribs (Friday), duck confit (Saturday), and lobster rolls (Sunday). The addictive mussels are still available (yay!), as are the steaks and frites. We tried a delicious appetizer of pan-roasted Mayan shrimp with jicama slaw and citrus vinaigrette. The crunch from the jicama and the uplifting dressing made for a well-balanced dish. A country-style pork chop came with chorizo, caramelized cabbage, black grapes, and potato purée, a filling dish. We were told that Chef Grossberg wants to lighten up the menu. He did with the sauce in the lobster potpie, which was made with fish stock and herbs. Although the potpie was swimming with chunks of lobster meat, carrots, and potatoes, we would have preferred a richer, creamier sauce. Anyway, this dish has been replaced by the lobster roll and may no longer be available. For reservations call 973-783-0447.
Mayan shrimp with jicama slaw and citrus vinaigrette.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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THAI PASSION
The owners of Summit Thai in Summit and East Hanover have opened Thai Passion at 225 Main Street, Chatham. This is a small BYO restaurant with a large menu and friendly service. We started with Se Ew, made with a flat noodle, which reminded me of chow fun. This perfectly textured and tasty stir-fried dish contained slivers of chicken, egg, and al dente Chinese broccoli. It came out of the kitchen steaming hot, as did the other two entrées we tried. Terrific spicy chili tofu was crispy and accompanied by steamed vegetables. The must-try dish, though, was the roasted, half-boneless Bangkok duck with green peas, pineapple, coconut milk, and green curry. We weren’t asked how spicy we wanted our food, so if you want fireworks in your mouth, let your server know. We found the spicing to our liking. It was not grab-the-water-or-rice hot but rather a pleasant throb that lingered briefly. Dessert was a refreshing bowl of sticky rice flavored with coconut sauce and mango slices. For reservations call 973-635-6600.
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SICKLES MARKET, LITTLE SILVER
Sickles Market, 1 Harrison Avenue, Little Silver, has added a new butcher department that features meat and poultry from purveyors personally selected by Mr. Sickles to ensure that the products meet the market’s high standards for quality and value. Two of the principal suppliers are owned and operated by New Jersey families: Holiday Meats of Little Silver and D’Artagnan of Newark. The department carries USDA choice and prime hormone-free beef, pasture-raised pork and lamb, and quality poultry such as Murray’s chickens, which are guaranteed free of antibiotics, pesticides, and steroids. Experienced butchers can make recommendations, cut meats to order, and offer preparation tips. House-made marinades are available along with stuffed meats and kabobs for the grill, stovetop, or oven. Sickles Market is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 AM to 6 PM and Sundays from 9 AM to 4 PM. For more information call 732-741-9563.
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ZITA KEELEY’S WINE SCHOOL
A six-week wine appreciation course taught by Zita Keeley of Zita Keeley’s Wine School will be held on Mondays from 7 to 9 PM starting September 13 at the Melting Pot, 100 Sinatra Drive, Hoboken; $390. To register log on to www.allidoiswine.com/WINESCHOOL.html or call 201-963-4986.
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HAPPY FIFTH ANNIVERSARY TO THE POP SHOP, COLLINGSWOOD
The Pop Shop, 729 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, will be celebrating its fifth anniversary throughout September with free breakfasts, free sundaes, and much more. The Pop Shop specializes in American comfort cuisine, including 31 kinds of grilled cheese and a dozen varieties of from-scratch pancakes, plus build-your-own burgers, creative blue-plate entrées, salads, sandwiches, hand-cut fries, and soda fountain favorites. Breakfast is served all day. For more information on all of the fifth-anniversary promotions log on to www.thepopshopusa.com.
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LOOKING AHEAD
On October 23, the 90th Annual Far Hills Race Meeting will be held at Moorland Farms, Far Hills, to benefit the Steeplechase Cancer Center at Somerset Medical Center. Grounds open to the public at 8 AM, and post time for the first race is 12:45 PM. Advance tickets are $50, and a parking pass is $30. On the day of the event, general admission is $100. For more information contact the Far Hills Race Meeting Association at 908-685-2929 or visit www.farhillsrace.org.
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DINING DEALS
In celebration of its 23rd anniversary, Da Filippo’s, 132 East Main Street, Somerville, is offering a $27.50 four-course tasting menu Mondays through Thursdays through September 30. Call 908-218-0110 for more information and reservations; BYO.
Restaurant Plan B, 705 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, offers a three-course dinner Tuesdays through Thursdays for $25. For reservations call 732-807-4710; BYO.
Restaurant Nicholas, 160 Route 35 South, Middletown, is offering a three-course bar menu Sundays through Fridays for $29. For more information call 732-345-9977.
Monday evening is BYO without a corkage fee at Vine Restaurant, 95 Morristown Road (Route 202), Basking Ridge. Celebrate your birthday with friends and family anytime on the week of your birthday and receive a free birthday entrée with valid proof such as a drivers license. For reservations call 908-221-0017.
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