El Matador
Break out of your same-old, same-old rut at this Mexican stalwart, where the less-common shines and a spirit of adventure is rewarded.
The Butter Chicken Factory
While the marquee-billed star at this modest storefront does its part, the supporting cast doesn’t let it steal the whole show. Nope, not with forceful, focused flavors chewing scenery at every turn.
Cheers for Yellow Wax Beans!
Bring on the brine to add flavor and longer life to these at-peak string beans.
Tomato Salad, Kimchi’d
Don’t want to fridge tomatoes? With you on that. But what if you’ve sliced and chopped up too many to eat today and want to eat them in slightly different form tomorrow?
Lorena’s
In new and expanded quarters, with a bar to boot, chef Humberto Campos still pledges his troth to beloved French classics. But he’s got a knack for finding the shake of nuance that can ratchet up familiar to fabulous.
Bao Dumplings & Bao Tea
Made-in-house noodles with tomato and egg aren’t the headliner at this just-opened storefront a few steps from the DMV in Hazlet. But they mesmerize.
Sushi by Kazu
Ply the menu at this outlier where elegance in the artistry of Japanese cuisine long has been celebrated to find dishes that showcase the chef’s considerable skills. Avoid intrusions of mod oddities.
The Potency of Produce: 8-2-21
Fruits and vegetables, solo or blended or used to infuse, have a powerful influence on mid-summer eats.
The Many-Sided Watermelon
Mark Twain believed it’s what angels eat. Earthly beings who dare to do more than devour it out of hand know it’s among our most versatile fruits.
Mustache Bill’s
The summer love that lasts forever: That’s chef-owner Bill Smith best-of-all-time diner, where the fish and produce are local, everything’s made from scratch, and a culture of civility reigns.
The Borscht Belt
Cue the hype! Enter the schtick, stage left! Is this new deli a showstopper or a comedy of too many errors?
At Samaha’s
Tomatoes, corn and peaches: The Holy Trinity of High Summer in the Garden State. Farmers sew – and we are reaping.