Yaraku Ramen
At this old-school practitioner of a now-ubiquitous craft, there are bowls that shine and bowls that stumble, with options other than noodles that do much the same. Find your favorites, sip and slurp – and then feel relaxed about the end-game reasonable tabs.
Gorditas de Nata
A Mexican breadstuff proves its mettle – and versatility – in a partnership with a market’s homey queso crema. For starters, that is.
Libelula Bakery + Kitchen
A wife-and-husband team of chefs revives and even glamorizes standards from the repertoires of both Peru and the Dominican Republic with lots of TLC and no shortage of kitchen skills. Mark it on your dine card for breakfast, lunch and weekend dinners.
Corn Chowder, Elote-style
For Super Bowl chowing, make a simple soup that’ll bring a spot of warmth to the frozen tundra that’s embraced the Garden State. It’s a cheery bowl that’s mighty customizable, too.
Forks Along Restaurant Road
Restaurant criticism and even basic restaurant reportage has undergone a seismic shift in the past dozen or so years, pitting an ever-widening sea of paid-by-the-subject content creators against a small pond of trained-in-journalism food critics. Is it about revitalizing something that has grown stale? Or are we losing sight of disciplined discernment?
Celebrating Lunar New Year
Festivities that toast Lunar New Year this year begin February 17 and end March 3, giving us plenty of time to visit restaurants and usher in the Year of the Horse in style.
Chocolate Chip Cookie from Benchmark
Consider this an official proclamation: New Jersey’s best Triple-C is made by bread bakers in Little Silver. The search is over.
La Braise African Grill
The bold and bodacious foods of West Africa come to the Garden State courtesy of chef Karen Koblan, who brings dishes she grew up on – including fiercely authentic versions of choukouya and kedjenous – to the tables of her welcoming storefront eatery.
May These Forces Be with You
Emphatic flavors rocket the quintet of favorites that stand out from a crowd of good eats in the two weeks just past to the top. Go forth, diners, and power into mucver, mackerel crudo, jollof rice, hamachi kama and exceptional eggs, all handled expertly.
Lemon Chutney
Icy days call for meal-brightening measures. Here’s one for the chilliest season.
The Flying Pig Market
In downtown Asbury Park, a new food market stocks necessities and specialties that meet the needs of a neighborhood that both year-rounders and part-timers call home. It’s where you can find selections that speak to mindful sourcing and a love of highly flavorful eats.
A Counter-to-Culture Valentine’s Day
Highlighted in this roundup of eateries to consider for dining out on the day of hearts-and-flowers are 10 places that defy the usual. We’re pointing out the trad-restaurants, but also offering alternatives to the expected.