Annually Stalking the Wild Asparagus
Chef Andre de Waal cedes to tradition, motherly influence and the incomparable product of a farmer friend whose stellar stalks he could eat at breakfast, lunch and dinner all season long. All too-short season long.
Toscano
If you’re of the mind that an atmosphere of gentility and a menu highlighting dry-aged steaks and thoughtful pastas are passe and that fine-dining on classics seems snoozy, Zack Melker will snap you out of it at his sophisticated and welcoming spot in Burlington County.
Chinese Roasted Duck
At a modest grocery in Middletown, poultry and pork are slathered with sauces and accents, subjected to blazing heat, then displayed at a small counter where wise shoppers snap them up. When duck’s on tap, the wisest of them are Johnny-on-the-spot.
Heated
A new sourdough café in the Somerset Hills is catching on with locals and catching the drift of these times, too. As it feels its way forward, it’s bound to gain needed confidence with accenting and experience with craft.
Kindred Culinary Spirits
Kindred Culinary Spirits: This quintet of favorites follows similar courses to standout status by taking a familiar dish or food and giving the kind of thought necessary to spin it in an unusual and provocative direction. Quite the achievement for all, during a seriously competitive time period. Subscribers can read all about it in a new Fortnightly 5 column at the link in bio.
Mustards & Dumplings
Take advantage of the greens of spring to make a supper that’s its own kind of comfort food. The cooking technique may startle, but it’s held up for 30 years of very happy eating.
Little Gem
All too soon, the charms of this bistro’s calming space, its thoughtful service and its kitchen’s precision and dedication to following the seasons will be well-known. So pop in now for a two-hour lunch before you’ll have to wait two hours to get in.
Inspiring Accents
Found at Garden State farmers’ markets are condiments that bring polish and refinement to everyday foods. When something rivetingly delicious also can be versatile at mealtime, it’s a sure-bet purchase.
Daphne’s Diner
Led by a chef-owner who has woven her personal and personable style of cooking into a menu of expected diner staples, this landmark in Mercer County has developed into a community hub that’s very wise to the times. It’s a credit to hands-on operator Daphne Kent-Wilczynski.
More Bok Choy, Please
Vegan, with meat, with seafood: This fresh-tasting type of Chinese cabbage is a ready partner and most amiable company for whatever kind of dinner your audience might command.
Adelaide
A newcomer in Bergen County isn’t about flash or wizardry, but assuredly is about the joy of craftsmanship in the kitchen – craftsmanship that delivers dishes at once exquisite, enlightening and frills-free original. Right now, it’s the one to beat.
Harry’s Smokin’ BBQ
Where there’s smoke, there’s great barbecue to be had at a storefront born out of a mobile enterprise. Some concoctions on the menu may read crazy, but as long as signature pork, brisket, ribeye and chicken play the leads, the results prove pitmaster pride.