Friends & Family
Don’t let modern marketing corrupt the meaning of the term. Gather loved ones, find a table out there in Restaurantland, and eat. We have some ideas for you – 20 of them, in fact.
10 No-Fuss Thanksgiving Dishes
When you don’t have time to preserve anything other than your own sanity, do what you must do and cut back. It’s OK. Very OK. Think of it as starting a new cherished tradition.
Hen Vietnamese Eatery
There’s a dish at this well-run storefront that you must eat on the premises and another you’d do well to take on the road. Start with one of each and then proceed with experiencing everything else on chef Andrew Ma’s all-star menu.
First Rate Second Takes: 11-21-22
You think you know a certain dish – and then you come across a new incarnation of a familiar favorite and fall in love all over again. Well, that’s what a top-tier chef does best.
Bean Tagine
Meaty only in its heartiness, this special-occasion stew steals from Moroccan traditions as it touts the current season and leans on potent seasonings. It’s an alternative entrée for Thanksgiving as well as a supper for a lazy weekend.
Harnessing the Superpowers of the Cranberry
It’s a Thanksgiving staple and deserving of its place on the table on the day we express gratitude for the harvest. But this berry must be cherished – and incorporated into our meal plans year-round. The how-to is right here.
Umai Sushi and Steakhouse
A classic Jersey guy redefines omakase and delivers an unmatched experience in a storefront strip mall. He's a purist and an independent cuss who simply wants to share his vision. It's your loss if you don’t take a look.
Las Crazy Pinas
Don’t let the jumbotron-size portions at this authentic Mexican storefront fool you: There’s serious thought and execution going into every single intimidating platter and cauldron of food chef Victor Rampel cooks and front-of-house conductor Fabi Rampel serves.
Duck, Duck, Salad
The next time a dining companion tells you not to fill up on chips, salsa and a starter at your favorite Mexican, invoke the Sue Rule and note that it’s all the good cause of tomorrow’s feeding. Today our resident food-upcycling wiz turns a special entree into a seasonal crispy duck salad.
Quince
Nothing matches the alchemy of a little heat and spice to transform a food that, at first, repels. Ella reconsiders a fruit and finds a new friend.
Mama Hill
A vegan grab-and-go treads onto uncommon ground by spinning conventional Southern and Latin American dishes into plant-based fare. Even so, the menu, courtesy of a couple who long have catered, pays proper respect to the legacy of home-cooking.
Peak Interest
The smartest shoppers know the time is now to hit our Garden State farmers’ markets. The selection is sizable, the quality and community can’t be beat, and the camaraderie the kind of contagious we actually appreciate. Buy as local as local gets this holiday season, and make a resolution to continue that practice in the new year.