Ideal Lasagne
At Porta Rossa in Maplewood, the layering of flat noodles, tomato sauce and cheeses reaches its apex thanks to a process that requires a couple of extra steps. It’s time that proves very well spent.
Makana’s
Breakfast-lunch eateries have seized the dining scene and continue to make themselves at home in our downtowns. This happy place, anchored in the Jewel of the Jersey Shore, is where the work-from-café crowd congregates and the notion of “nutritious” eats promulgated. How’s that panning out?
Simple Only at First Glance
A quintet of dishes that seems to be composed of mild-mannered members – an omelet, a whole fish, a cake, a lasagne and a stir-fry – is distinguished either by expert cooking or thoughtful partnering accents. Or both.
Garlic Confit
An easy-to-make preserve is turned by a skilled and imaginative culinary pro into a hearty snack that can be the star of the playoffs-to-Super-Bowl season. Bet on it scoring big with your fellow game-watchers.
Bonney’s
A couple with irreproachable technical skills and a love of jolly good food took fundamentals of Filipino fare and Jamaican dishes and mixed till matches were deemed sound. They call it fusion, and it’s a delicious new way of eating island-inspired foods.
Bakers Going Roadie
The downtown bakery is alive and well and sometimes even a hub for its community. But these days, those who work with flour, water, butter and sugar also might be setting up temporary shops at our farmers’ markets in order to reach crowds of folks who seek the stories behind those scones, fruit tarts, boules and puffs of brioche.
Karley’s Brussels Sprouts
Jeff’s Organic Produce, a farm in Upper Freehold Township, offers a fresh-harvest winter crop of lovely little cruciferous-vegetable globes that can work magic in dozens of dishes – including one that riffs off a cousin from the Far East and makes a fitting showcase for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
Shanghai Bun
Explore the authentic Chinese menus at this dressed-up storefront near the train station at Princeton Junction and find a wealth of house specialties you’ll be hard-pressed not to order on repeat visits. The solution? Order your favorites and also order new dishes destined to become new favorites.
Dick Zimmer, for the Farmers
An elected public official as well as an activist for his entire adult life, the former congressman and state legislator who died last week saw many of his most important missions come together in his advocacy for agriculture in the Garden State. He was the primary sponsor of New Jersey’s first farmland preservation law and a steadfast friend to our farmers.
A Flair for Upgrading the Ordinary
Taking a chance on a switcheroo or doing something new to something old benefits the eats that are the favorites in this latest round of standouts. Time not just to say ahh, but ah-ha.
Asianese Sauce
How a star supper dish was born – or, the story of the vegetable-strong sauce that bests beloved Bolognese. It’s your ticket to supper for a crowd that includes lots of kids.
Blue Point Grill
Longevity becomes a seafood-centric restaurant in an Ivy downtown, an any-night gathering place that locals count on for simple dishes that may not require ornamentation but depend on constant, mindful watch by the crew in the kitchen.