Wally’s
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served year-round at an eatery on LBI that’s too intimate to be a roadhouse, too original to be a diner and too happily quirky to be a chain. Make an off-season date to comb a nearby beach and menus that are familiar yet idiosyncratic.
The Whirl of Sandwiches
Anything goes when it comes to layering fundamentals and accents on breadstuffs and calling it a hearty meal. This time, it’s a mash-up of many inspirations from far-flung ports.
Amuzgo
After a couple of suppers at this new and polished Mexican where a veteran chef’s personal vision is re-making menus that have fallen on too-familiar times, you may relegate Taco Tuesday to Taco Twice a Year.
Besos Pan Dulce
At Primavera Bakery in Perth Amboy, Mexican pastries of all stripes reign. The one whose name translates as “kisses” and looks something like a giant yo-yo will seal the deal to be your new sweetheart.
The Inn at Sugar Hill/Dockside
Sitting pretty on a river in the county seat of Atlantic is this landmark full-service inn, restaurant and tavern where charm, warmth and setting are the draws.
Big Differences
Such variety in this two-week span of eating! And no lack of major flavors, either, in these interpretations of foods familiar but given a bit of a spin.
Broc-‘n’-Bread
Can a summertime salad be fused onto an autumnal green? Yes, it can. With a splendidly grown specimen, anything is possible.
Li Zhou, Nemo
The newest inductee into TPW’s chef-picks-chef society of top toques has a resume that spans the globe, and every stop our honoree has made, be it professional or personal, shows in what he serves today at his multifaceted Asian restaurant in the Bayshore borough of Keyport.
Matiz Shore House
There’s music, a scene, a whole lot of salsa going on once late-night sets in at this snazzy, expansive lounge and restaurant in the West End of this Shore city. But there also are exciting Latin American dishes on the docket and you’d be wise to dine early and catch them at their best.
The Plants Are Alright
No longer dubbed hippie-crunchy fare, no longer largely doled out at “natural foods” stores' smoothies counters, dishes that don’t employ animal products of any sort aren’t just having a moment; they’re having a growth spurt.
Daikon Slaw with Tinned Fish
Slaw as an entrée? You bet. If it’s based on the fat white radish that loves cohabiting with other sorts of raw produce and includes smoky fish that lends a bit of heft without weightiness.
Thonglor Thai Bistro
A new addition to a burgeoning downtown culinary scene is well-suited to this moment in time in a northwestern Morris County hub, with both food and setting offering a bit of drama and a playful attitude.