Arben Gasi, Le French Dad Boulangerie
The perfect baguette – and many more very French baked goods – have made this true boulangerie in Montclair a mecca. Now its chef-owner is being inducted into our elite club of top toques, the chef-picks-chef society of highest quality in the Garden State.
LB’s Lunch Box
All is groovy – tasty, too – at a seasonal getaway for lunch, brunch and early dinner on Belhaven Lake deep in the heart of the Pine Barrens. A young chef with a knack for updating casual classics is the maestro of the good times.
Peaches, from Parks Farms
From a family farm in Chester Township more than a century old comes a steady stream of seasonal produce starring summer’s peak peaches. Ella Rapp also finds a pipeline to guidance in the duo who shepherds its farmstand.
Burnt Mills Ginger Ale
The cidery in Bedminster is a mecca for lovers of premium seasonally attuned hard ciders. But its ginger-strong ginger ale is a draw for those thirsty or underage (or both) who want to partake in its genial community scene.
Chofi Beach
Kim and Patrick Flammia let seafood dominate at the new beach town spinoff of their birria-centric cubby in Union City. The upshot: The summertime traffic along Ocean Avenue in Monmouth County is only going to get worse.
Philly Fluff Cake
The name of the cake that bewitches its many, many fans betrays its “secret” ingredient and its texture. Ella Rapp explains why this confection is in high demand at Natale’s Summit Bakery – and why she always buys two.
What to Do with Honeydew
Cool, calm and ever-so-collected, this favorite melon can become the centerpiece of a no-cook supper with the right hit of spice.
Scallop Bowl
At Matthews Seafood in Cape May Court House, Adam dives into a true oxymoronic trifecta: superb bargain seafood. It comes directly from the source, fisherman and scalloper Tom Matthews.
Water Dog Smoke House
Say a stream of hosannas daily to Betty, the inspiration for this utopia where smoked fishes rule and additives of any sort have been chased out of town by champions of purity and craft.
7 Doors Down Ramen Co.
High-style, carefully composed ramen, meticulous ceviche and a bunch of well-crafted Nikkei-or-not dishes come out of a bullish kitchen that’s the spawn of a Detroit pizza spot. Only in New Jersey.
Stars Shining Brightly: 7-18-22
Five are here – and five got left on the cutting room floor. That’s how very fine the eats were in the fortnight just past. Blueberries, rich ramen, a beast of a bagel sandwich, gregarious giardiniera, and hale and hearty oysters are the honored best.
The Cucumber Cure
Hot and bothered? Nature’s very own remedy for high-heat days is being harvested in the Garden State right now.