Sweet Jamaica Cafe
Explore the highest potential of jerk, curried goat, deeply burnished oxtails, black cake and coconut-charged coco bread at this charmer of a storefront eatery where both the cooking and the service reflect the warmth of the island from which inspiration is drawn.
Taking a Chance
The folks behind each of these winning dishes are taking pathways that diverge from the norm. In the process, they up their games – and diners’ experiences at their tables.
Pardina Lentils-Carrot Stew
It’s time for a party. Let the inspiration come as it may, for all that matters is you gather a crew and feed them something hearty, yet healthy, and roundly flavorful. This no-talent-needed stew is an option for you to exercise.
Grits & Grace
Today’s Restaurant Revue column posts with hope in our hearts and faith in the folks who have created this welcoming eatery in Bayville that’s aimed at feeding locals the kinds of lovingly prepared and warmly served foods every community would be honored to have in their midst. For late Monday night, an accidental fire caused damage and partial collapse of its building, leaving an extended family of diners firm in the conviction that their gathering place will rise again to serve its hearty and heartfelt dishes. In the meantime, this column posts exactly as written soon after eating lunch last week at Grits & Grace.
Aleppo Lavash Crackers
Unadorned crackers may have their place in the eating world, but one speckled with a flaky red pepper that’s fruity, tangy, smoky and packs a bit of heat is a cracker that merits contemplation. It’s new in the bakery at Windy Brow Farms in Fredon.
Juniper Hill Restaurant and Bar
In the middle of no-man’s-land season, when so little actually is in season, a chef plows the possibilities of a fine-dining lunch menu that’s resolute in its mission to spotlight local farms and rhapsodic in its appreciation of what farmers are growing, raising and producing at this moment. For Craig Polignano, every micro-season is high season.
Sunchokes
Don’t hesitate if you come across this tuber that looks a little bit like ginger and will taste, after roasting, like a nutty version of a potato. It’s a vegetable that looks more difficult than it is to prepare and offers major rewards in the taste department.
Lady and the Shallot
Long shoehorned into a high-traffic space inside Trenton Farmers’ Market, this vegan eatery now makes its home in a brighter, bigger space on the edge of the campus of The College of New Jersey. It’s still dishing out lessons in cheerful plant-based fare.
MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos
The second brick-and-mortar offshoot of the Boardwalk phenomenon in Asbury Park tackles most of the blended-culture street fare as its older siblings. Thirteen years hence, has the concept mellowed with age? Are we just accustomed to its ways and flavors? Is familiarity breeding acceptable pleasantness?
Complex Simplicity
They all sound simple enough, this round’s crowning achievements, but nothing’s simple about the preparations that lead to such stimulating and spectacular results for a cake, dumplings, clams, noodles and a ragu.
Contemplating Grapefruit
Celebrated chef André deWaal has delighted and educated diners in the Garden State’s Northwest Kingdom for decades. Today he shares his knowledge and love of all things culinary with readers of TPW in special edition of our weekly cooking column by squeezing juicy truths out of a common citrus fruit.
Kurobuta White Charcoal Grille
Labels play a major role at this pork-focused Japanese restaurant that also zeroes in on seafood in non-sushi ways. Despite the name games, there’s fine fare to be had – a hat-tip to a mostly conscientious kitchen.