Paratha, Cooked to Order
At the Holland Delta Mart, sitting astride its companion gas pumps in the far west of Hunterdon County, South Asian flatbreads are flipped off a hot griddle into the custody of fortunate passers-by. As well as those who know enough to make a special trip.
Fat Choy
It’s a mishmash of cultures, of times and of places. It should be fun. But this refugee from the other side of the Hudson is plagued by cooking lapses that shortchange its concept.
Only a Trio: 09-11-23
It’s not been the best of eating times, these last 14 days. Bad luck? Tired kitchens? End-of-summer slump? Hard to say. But nothing will be elevated as a “favorite” unless it truly is. So for this stretch, we’re talking about a Top 3.
Everyday Figs
Don’t turn down an offer of this seasonal fruit, but do expand the scope of how you can make best use of them.
Growing and Gardening
Brittney Portes is digging in to a career in farming at an angle all her own. Paramus-raised and now heading up a community garden at Montclair State University, she aims to share passion and knowledge with those looking to grow with her.
Muddy Waters Gastropub
The Asbury of the Garden State’s northwest has an agrarian heritage that today is sparking a culinary hub. If a newcomer intends to be part of that burgeoning scene, it must dig into local sources and make connections.
Beauty of the Bounty
High-summer’s crops are in their glory right now, as TPW’s backyard farmer Alessia Eramo finds herself in constant harvest mode. Catch tips for making the most of what once was a lawn, as well as a recipe straight from Italy, in her latest dispatch.
This Soup is ON!
The new winner and the uncontested champ in a category we care supremely about is … the Garden State Tomato Soup.
The Smoky Cottage
Its sign now may say “Salt & Smoke,” but a name-change suited to its residential neighborhood on the borough’s East Side is in the offing at this market with outdoor seating and a giant smoker out back. Family-style barbecue is, and will be, the focus.
New Noodles
Sitting in an unmarked baggie at the checkout counter of a local Asian market were bunched-up noodles, not a shred of commentary, description or clue to their provenance to be found. Irresistible, wouldn’t you say?
Catch to Kitchen
Amanda Axelsson and Brady Lybarger champion the scallop, that free-living species in the bivalve family capable of swimming like an Olympian and realizing the fantasies of seafood-centric chefs from Japan and China to the Iberian Peninsula to the Jersey Shore.
Le Salbuen
This eclectic café aims to do it all. But its atmospheric charms can’t make up for missteps in the kitchen that result in plates delivered to diners with serious flaws.