Oasis
Moroccan classics may get the respect they’re due at this downtown storefront in a restaurant-rich town. Or they may not. Poor handling of what could be, what should be satisfying signature dishes results in failures too ignoble to dismiss.
Fajji’s Ice Cream
A fixture in Perth Amboy is this ice cream stand where the churner in charge pushes butterfat content to its limit even as he fully respects the flavor quotient. And there are quenching helados tropicales on board. Salud!
Flavor, Forward March
What’s ripe and ready at this moment of harvest and what comes from well-honed skills following tradition or riffing on old ways rise to the top in this round of favorites from the two weeks just past.
Colorful, Creamy and Crunchy
Watts Organic Farm’s Adirondack Blue and Pink potatoes inspire a salad built on unexpected textures and zesty elements.
Cap’n Cat Clam Bar
A stalwart for seafood in Gloucester County’s Franklin Township is this old-school spot with a lively bar and throwback vibes that vindicate those who favor the basics, particularly when it comes to shellfish.
In Good Company
Should beans of all stripes find their way into your kitchen, there’s a tie that can bind them into an entrée fit for right now.
A Cheeky Proposition
We’re back with Cape May Captain Brady Lybarger, who this time has carved out of his jumbo tilefish catches a delicacy that might inspire us all to get on board with a little advocacy that’d help make an uncommon part of a fish a bit more accessible to aficionados.
AwesomeYo’s Kitchen
There’s more in store than celebrated baked goods at this downtown Indonesian hotspot piloted by a mother-and-daughter team who pay homage to grandma in the most delicious of ways.
G.O.A.T. Waffle
Lorena Cabra laces her made-on-the-spot waffles with a salty cheese from Colombia then drizzles them hot-off-the-griddle with a fruited sauce or dulce de leche. A more delightful breakfast at a farmers’ market you’d be hard-pressed to find.
Heroes of Sincerity
It’s the highest compliment in food and the favorites of the two weeks just past have it in spades: the best blueberries, a braised pork Thai stew, Japanese cucumbers, earthy red lentil balls, and an Indonesian breakfast soup.
Sashimi Cucumbers from Eastbound Acres
A bio-intensive market garden farm in southern Ocean County grows an uncommon, highly desirable Japanese cuke variety known for its crispness, sweetness and light seed content. It makes for refreshing eating completely unadorned as well as a delightful vessel for hors d’oeuvres.
Toasting the Garden State’s Indies
On Independence Day, we declare ourselves in awe of, inspired by and devoted to New Jersey’s independent restaurants. Long may their doors be open for them to serve forth foods that are all about love.