ANI RAMEN, MONTCLAIR: Shoyu, Ani ramen, pork buns.
Pork buns.
BLU, MONTCLAIR: Skate with white-bean puree; duck, red cabbage, turnip, and fig-red-wine emulsion; chocolate and peanut butter crisp with caramel ice cream.
Duck with red cabbage, turnip, and fig-red-wine emulsion.
CAFÉ MATISSE, RUTHERFORD: Meatballs with garlic toast crostini topped with melted robiola cheese, and surrounded with a spicy marinara sauce. Caramelized brussels sprouts with cranberry relish, cranberry butter and toasted pumpkin seeds; cabernet balsamic-glazed beef short ribs with pumpkin-squash puree, caramelized brussels sprouts, potato fontina-cheese fritter, toasted pumpkin seeds and an apple cider vinaigrette; and cherry cheese cake with cherry marshmallow crème, bing cherry candied ginger jam and a caramelized banana.
CHENGDU 1 PALACE, GREEN BROOK: Spicy baby wontons, sautéed snow pea tips; Kung Pao chicken with peanuts.
CHEZ CATHERINE, WESTFIELD: Seared day-boat sea scallops with fennel-asparagus risotto and warm tarragon citrus caper vinaigrette; crisp rendered duck breast with spiced-root vegetable puree, warm beet salad and a lavender-honey reduction; cheese plate; raspberry soufflé.
Raspberry soufflé.
DE NOVO, MONTCLAIR: Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with almonds, and Gorgonzola; braised short ribs with creamy, soft polenta and brussels sprout leaves.
DIVINA RISTORANTE, CALDWELL: House-made cavatelli with shiitake and porcini mushrooms; ribollita soup.
FRICASSEE, MONTCLAIR: Cote de boeuf, mussels, lemon tart.
GRISSINI RISTORANTE, ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS: Artichoke stuffed with colossal crabmeat; pollo scarparello on the bone.
HIGHLAWN PAVILION, WEST ORANGE: 28-day, dry-aged DeBragga beef sliders with truffle pecorino cheese and applewood-smoked bacon; trio of fish tacos (tuna, salmon tartare, and lobster salad); heirloom squash soup and Gala apples, infused with cinnamon; New England-style Chatham cod with Meyer lemon dashi, bok choy, baby corn, wild mushrooms, and shaved baby vegetables.
JOCKEY HOLLOW, MORRISTOWN: Roasted sirloin with radish, carbonara and kale.
Roasted sirloin with radish, carbonara and kale.
LOVIN’ OVEN, FRENCHTOWN: Blueberry crisp.
Blueberry crisp.
MILLIE’S OLD WORLD MEATBALLS & PIZZA, MORRISTOWN: Coal-fired pizza with mashed potatoes, mozzarella, applewood smoked bacon, sour cream and Pecorino Romano.
MISTRAL, PRINCETON: Roasted duck ramen; charred squid salad; rye sourdough pancake with smoked cod butter, caviar and sauerkraut; shrimp toast.
NEXT DOOR, MONTCLAIR: Pumpkin ravioli; salmon with cranberries, brussels sprouts, and butternut squash; lamb loin with polenta, wild mushrooms and a garlic-herb sauce; mocha custard, topped with hazelnuts.
NOVO, RIDGEWOOD: Trio of tzatziki, carrot and hummus spreads; charred cauliflower that is slow-roasted in a stone-hearth oven served with currants, pine nuts and a green tahini sauce.
Trio of dips.
ORANGE AND OLIVE CATERERS AND CHEF’S TABLE, JERSEY CITY: 62-degree egg with a confit of sweated leeks, truffle-honey sabayon and bits of bacon.
ORANGE SQUIRREL, BLOOMFIELD: Mesclun salad; dry-aged rib eye; pan-seared diver sea scallop with brown butter, cauliflower puree and a wasabi poppy-seed tuille.
Salad.
PARK & SIXTH GASTROPUB, JERSEY CITY: Wings with Park & Sixth special sauce; dry–aged, rib-eye sliders.
Sliders.
PICNIC ON THE SQUARE, RIDGEWOOD: Salt-roasted pear with Stilton, candied pecans, mache and a port-wine vinaigrette.
PLUCKEMIN INN, BEDMINSTER: Cauliflower steak with organic grains, toasted nuts, lady apple, brussels sprouts and vadouvan; spaghetti alla chitarra with cherry tomato, Mangalitsa pancetta with Oldwick Shepherd cheese.
RAZZA PIZZA ARTIGINALE, JERSEY CITY: Any of their pizzas, housemade bread and churned butter; fire-roasted meatballs, kale salad.
Pizza.
SAMBA, MONTCLAIR: Whole acorn squash filled with shrimp in a creamy sauce.
Stuffed acorn squash.
SATIS, JERSEY CITY: Pappardelle al ragu di cinghiale with homemade spring garlic noodles, wild boar ragu, and spiced pine nuts; cacciucco, an Italian fish stew made with a seared diver sea scallop, braised calamari, and crisp rock shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce.
SCALA DEL NONNA RISTORANTE, MONTCLAIR: White bean soup; risotto porcini with arborio rice, peas and porcini mushrooms; double-cut butterflied pork chop; walnut-honey tart.
Walnut-honey tart.
SCHNACKENBERG’S LUNCHEONETTE, HOBOKEN: Grilled aged-cheddar cheese with leeks and onion on a multi-grain bread; coconut cake.
SERGIO’S MISSIONE, LODI: Fettuccini Bolognese; stuffed artichoke.
SEVENTY SEVEN WALNUT, MONTCLAIR: Lobster pan-roasted with scallions, fennel and tomato oil served over house-made garlic croutons; five-spice, pan-roasted pork chop with sweet and sour cabbage, bacon lardons and potato gratin.
STRIP HOUSE, LIVINGSTON: Porterhouse for two, 24-layer chocolate cake; baked Alaska.
Baked Alaska.
STUFFED BURGER, MONTCLAIR: Bacon Jam burger with Havarti cheese, bacon jam, roasted garlic aioli, and arugula.
UNION REPUBLIC, JERSEY CITY: House-made pappardelle with spring ramps in a creamy sauce; 28-day dry-aged rib-eye steak; ramen.
Rib-eye steak.
UZBEKISTANA MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE, BOONTON: Chochvera (boiled handmade dumplings filled with seasoned lamb and topped with yogurt and a slightly spicy tomato sauce).
Lamb dumplings.
VILLALOBOS, MONTCLAIR: Churros with stone-ground chocolate sauce.
WASHINGTON HOUSE, BASKING RIDGE: Niman Ranch sirloin steak; boneless Durdoc pork chop with warm barley salad, mint and grilled peach chutney puree, salsify, bok choy and pork jus; shrimp and grits.
WASHINGTON STREET BISTRO, MORRISTOWN: Warm wilted kale, shredded brussels sprouts and apple-smoked bacon salad tossed with a warm maple-hazelnut vinaigrette.
Photos courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
*******
Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].