Another year has passed where we have licked our plates clean and delighted in the food of many talented New Jersey chefs. Here are some of the best dishes from New Jersey restaurants that we had in 2015.
ABRIL COCINA, MAPLEWOOD: Pulpo tostadas; smoked wild shrimp taco; brisket taco; hanger steak with fresh corn grits.
Pulpo Tostadas with avocado, red onion, radishes, shredded romaine and a spicy chipotle aioli.
ADA’S LATIN FLAVOR, LONG BRANCH: Mofongo and the combination platter with injera.
AMA, SEA BRIGHT: Fusilli with lemon zest and fava beans topped with Grana Padano; rigatoni with crumbled Italian sausage, English peas, tomato, cream and Parmigiano Reggiano; Prince Edward Island mussels in a San Marzano tomato and fresh basil sauce.
ANDRE’S, SPARTA: Artichoke soup; braised pork belly with fresh noodles, pickled cucumber and a soft egg with a ramen style broth; duck topped with mixed greens; deconstructed lemon meringue pie.
Braised pork belly with fresh noodles, pickled cucumber and a soft egg with a ramen style broth.
ARIANE KITCHEN & BAR, VERONA: Prosciutto and Gruyere beignets; Cuban pork sandwich; juniper cured porterhouse pork chop with bacon onion jam, Brussels sprouts and grits.
AVENUE, LONG BRANCH: Salmon tartare avocado crème; white asparagus with fava beans and a mustard vinaigrette; coconut cake with kaffir lime anglaise and mango salsa.
Salmon tartare avocado crème.
BIRRAVINO, RED BANK: Spaghetti con Cozze with fresh mussels; Strozzopretti Bolognese; deconstructed cannoli.
BURG, NEWARK: Classic burger; Korean burger; crispy broccoli florets.
Classic Burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato and special sauce.
BURGER WALLA, NEWARK: Burger with Burger Walla sauce.
CHURRASCO GRILL, LAKE HIAWATHA: Whole bronzino.
THE COMMITTED PIG, MORRISTOWN: Burger; grilled cheese.
DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE, HOBOKEN: Rib eye; loaded potato cakes.
ESCAPE, MONTCLAIR: Fried eggs with grits.
FARM COOKING SCHOOL, STOCKTON: Garden crudité with dirt; raviolo carbonara.
Garden crudité with dirt.
GREENE HOOK, JERSEY CITY: day boat scallops with salsify, yellow roasted beets, apricot, maitake mushrooms and a crushed almond puree; lemon meringue with huckleberry compote, ladyfingers, lemon curd and Italian meringue.
HO-HO-KUS INN, HO-HO-KUS: Hudson Valley duck and sweet potato gumbo with Andouille, dirty rice and cornbread Madeleines; lobster and white truffle gnocchi.
Gumbo with duck, sweet potato, Andouille, dirty rice and cornbread Madeleines.
HUONG VIET, NUTLEY: Shrimp summer rolls; stir-fried eggplant with a ginger sauce.
JOCKEY HOLLOW BAR & KITCHEN, MORRISTOWN: Grilled octopus with sea beans, oyster, potatoes and saffron vichyssoise; creamy scrambled eggs with American caviar; duck liver agnolotti with fava beans, pecorino and mint gremolata; dry aged prime sirloin with Brussels sprouts and bone marrow au poivre.
Duck liver agnolotti with fava beans, pecorino and mint gremolata.
LA ISLA, HOBOKEN (uptown location); vegetable empanada; beef empanada, flan; key lime pie.
LIGHT HORSE TAVERN, JERSEY CITY: Steamed mussels with a tomato, Brooklyn Lager, scallions, cilantro and chorizo broth.
MARITIME PARC, JERSEY CITY: Chopped salad; garganali seafood pasta with bay scallops, crab, shrimp, corn, scallions and red pepper in a lemon thyme reduction topped with Rock Chives Cress.
Garganali seafood pasta with bay scallops, crab, shrimp, corn, scallions and red pepper in a lemon thyme reduction topped with Rock Chives Cress.
MEHNDI, MORRISTOWN: Baby lamb chops with a tomato and a garam masala coating; Dal Mehndi (black lentils) seasoned with ginger, powdered fenugreek leaf and butter; creamy eggplant concassé with green peas, tomato, onion, garlic, whole red chili and yogurt.
MISHMISH, MONTCLAIR: Shepherd’s salad; Jerusalem style lamb kebabs; masbacha hummus; smoked eggplant dip; shakshuka; buttery scrambled egg and cheese sandwich with herbed aioli and roasted tomato on an English muffin.
PLUCKEMIN INN, PLUCKEMIN: Scottish salmon with porcini, leeks, potato puree, walnuts and pea shoots; shortcake with macerated strawberries, whipped cream and strawberry and cream gelato.
Scottish salmon with porcini, leeks, potato puree, walnuts and pea shoots.
RAVAL, JERSEY CITY: Secreto Iberico de Bellota, a Bellota pork secret steak (similar to flank steak) a la plancha with salsa verde; Crema Catalana, a baked custard with orange compote, vanilla bean whipped cream and burnt sugar.
REDUX, MADISON: house cured bacon; fried baby artichokes; roasted beet and spinach rice paper wraps; salmon with sweet corn puree.
Fried baby artichokes.
SALUGO BISTRO, VERONA: Scarola soup (escarole, white beans and baby meatballs)
SCALA DEL NONNA, MONTCLAIR: Wild mushroom ravioli in a sauce of Parmigiano Reggiano, cream and black truffles; marinated sea bass lightly grilled with scarola Sicliana; walnut/honey tart.
Walnut/honey tart.
SEAR HOUSE GRILL, LITTLE FALLS: Double cut loin veal chop.
Double cut loin veal chop.
SERGIO’S BISTRO, CLIFTON: Crabmeat encrusted salmon with lobster sauce.
SEOULVILLE, SOMERVILLE: Shrimp and scallion pancake.
SHANGHAI 46, FAIRFIELD: Steamed juice buns with pork; minced pork with cellophane noodles; lion head pork meatballs.
STRIP HOUSE, LIVINGSTON: strip steak, garlic herb French fries, lobster roll, grilled cheese and tomato soup; baked Alaska.
Baked Alaska.
TALDE, JERSEY CITY: Skuna Bay salmon coated with miso; grilled short rib with sesame, Asian pear and kimchi.
THAI WEST, WESTWOOD: Scallop Thai pancake.
TURTLE + WOLF, UPPER MONTCLAIR: Chicken liver toast with Amerena cherries and pickled onion; sweet potato agnolotti; roasted and braised rabbit with polenta and Nicoise olive.
WOLFGANG’S STEAKHOUSE, SOMERVILLE: Chopped salad; lamb chops; rib eye steak.
Rib eye steak.
WOOD STACK PIZZA KITCHEN, PINE BROOK: 30-hour porchetta.
ZINBURGER, MORRIS PLAINS; Napa salad; Zinburger burger; Banana Royale.
Banana Royale.
Photos Courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
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