FAVORITE DISHES OF 2011
Here are items that made us sit up and pay attention—and lick our plates clean—this year. Post about some of your own favorite dishes, and let us know which restaurants are on your go-to list for 2012.
5 SEASONS BISTRO, RIDGEWOOD: sopa de elote (local corn soup); bonbons
Sopa de elote.
AH’PIZZ, MONTCLAIR: any of the Neapolitan pizzas; eggplant rollatini
Eggplant rollatini.
ARTURO’S, MAPLEWOOD: Margherita pizza; pasta with wild boar ragù and mushrooms
BASILICO, MILLBURN: fried rice balls stuffed with peas, meat sauce, Pecorino, and caciocavallo cheese; pappardelle with lamb ragu; lemon bundt cake with lemon sorbet
Rice balls stuffed with peas, meat sauce, Pecorino, and caciocavallo cheese.
BERNARDS INN, BERNARDSVILLE: sweet potato ravioli with black truffle Pecorino, toasted Austrian pumpkin seeds, sage, and brown butter sauce; Lantern Bay scallops with potato gnocchi, porcini, celery root purée, foie gras, and yuzu emulsion; surf and turf with Maine lobster out of the shell and braised veal cheeks; marshmallow graham cracker ice cream
BLUE MOREL, MORRISTOWN: roasted Barnegat scallops with succotash, smoked tomato, and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms; grilled octopus with dried chorizo, blistered shishito pepper, arugula, and roasted red pepper basquaise; Jersey peach torte with vanilla schlag
Scallops with succotash, smoked tomato, and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms.
BLU, MONTCLAIR: polenta with wild mushrooms and truffle oil, topped with a poached egg
Polenta with wild mushrooms and a poached egg.
BOULEVARD FIVE72, KENILWORTH: lump crab salad with avocado, mango and papaya cubes, and Spanish chips; shrimp corn chowder with apple-smoked bacon
CASA VASCA, NEWARK: roast suckling pig
CINNAMON INDIAN RESTAURANT, MORRIS PLAINS: chicken tikka masala; gajar halwa (carrot pudding)
Carrot pudding.
CORSO 98, MONTCLAIR: Pan-roasted Prince Edward Island mussels with Pinot Grigio butter sauce, roasted garlic cloves, and Roma tomatoes; Italian icebox cake made with layers of graham crackers and chocolate pudding, topped off with fresh whipped cream
DARYL, NEW BRUNSWICK: duck meatballs; seafood dumplings in spicy coconut broth; chicken liver agnolotti with sage, balsamic, and caramelized onions
DI PALMA BROTHERS, NORTH BERGEN: mussels in red sauce; eggplant parmigiana; Grandma’s meatballs
Mussels in red sauce.
DIVINA RISTORANTE, CALDWELL: eggplant parmigiana
DREW’S BAYSHORE BISTRO, KEYPORT: duck wings; shrimp and grits; clams and andouille in tomato broth; Funny Bones dessert
ESTY STREET, PARK RIDGE: sautéed Hudson Valley foie gras peach cobbler made with warmed peaches, streusel crumbs, fleur de sel, and raspberry vinegar reduction; wild mushroom chawanmushi (savory egg custard) with sautéed wild mushrooms, edamame, scallions, and mushroom dashi broth; Montrachet brûlée cheesecake served in a crisp phyllo basket with berry compote and balsamic vinegar reduction
Montrachet brûlée cheesecake with berry compote.
FLANNERY’S PUB, FANWOOD: Mac and cheese made with fusili; Irish Cheddar with Guinness, smoked gouda, and caramelized sweet onions; hamburger
GREEK TAVERNA, GLEN ROCK: moussaka
HIGHLAWN PAVILION, WEST ORANGE: ravioli of duck and rabbit with sautéed foie gras, wild mushrooms, and black truffle sauce
LORENA’S, MAPLEWOOD: tuna sashimi, avocado purée, yuzu, radish, lime, and ginger; Long Island crescent duck, wild rice, braised fennel, currant-orange duck jus
MARITIME PARC, JERSEY CITY: summer cobbler with local strawberries and cherries, topped with lemon-buttermilk ice cream
ORANGE SQUIRREL, BLOOMFIELD: kabocha squash ravioli; pistachio-dusted lamb chops
PATRIA, RAHWAY: Portuguese octopus seared with garlic and paprika over yellow chili mashed potatoes with marinated peppers and capers and a black olive sauce
PICNIC: THE RESTAURANT, FAIR LAWN: pecan-crusted halibut with plum and Pommery mustard compote
RESTO, MADISON: Dijon-crusted skate wing with sweet-scented vanilla thyme beurre blanc; braised monkfish fillet with green and white cauliflower and a nutty brown butter hollandaise
Monkfish with green and white cauliflower.
RISTORANTE GIORGIA, RUMSON: pasta e fagioli
ST EVE’S, HO-HO-KUS: Chilled heirloom tomato gazpacho, peekytoe crab, avocado, cumin crisp
SALUTE, MONTCLAIR: pork braciole
STRIP HOUSE, at Westminster Hotel, LIVINGSTON: lobster bisque; Strip House roasted bacon; bone-in rib eye; veal chop; baked Alaska
Baked Alaska.
URBAN TABLE, MORRISTOWN: Urban Table burger; mac and cheese
URSINO, UNION: baked Nebraska (a take on baked Alaska where every component on the plate, besides the meringue, has some element of corn in it); handmade cavatelli with short rib, sugar pumpkin, peppercress, and tartufo Shepherd cheese.
Photos courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
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ARIANE DUARTE OF CULINARIANE, MONTCLAIR, AT YOSEMITE
Get your plane tickets and pack your bags. NJ’s own Ariane Duarte, chef at CulinAriane in Montclair and past Top Chef contestant, will be participating in the Chefs’ Holidays at the Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park, California, on February 1 and 2, 2012. The Chefs’ Holidays event is a series of eight sessions held from January 9 through February 2 and includes talented, well-known chefs who have been recognized with James Beard Awards or participation in such shows as Iron Chef America and Top Chef. Chef Duarte will present a cooking demonstration of venison chili and ricotta crostini and will prepare the main course for the gala dinner, rack of lamb with rosemary Dijon mustard, vadouvan (a French spice that’s derivative of Indian curry) carrot purée, wilted Tuscan kale, and lamb reduction. This is her third year participating in the event.
At each session, Chefs’ Holidays includes a Meet the Chefs reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres, cooking classes and demonstrations followed by tastings, behind-the-scenes kitchen tours, and a five-course gala dinner that includes four paired wines. Joining Duarte in this collaborative dinner, titled the Women of Bravo TV’s Top Chef, are host chefs Percy Whatley and Paul Padua from the Ahwahnee, Jen Biesty of Scala’s Bistro in San Francisco, and Antonia Lofaso of Black Market in Studio City, California. This session will be moderated by Janice Wald Henderson, a food and travel journalist. For more information or to attend, log on to www.yosemitepark.com/SpecialEventsPackages_SpecialEvents_ChefsHolidays.aspx.
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