Mount Masala
For a complete sensory experience, trek to a Himalayan restaurant in Camden County and let Adam’s report on dishes that can be simultaneously soothing and ferocious be your guide.
American Melts
Think it’s easy, don’t you? That you can make a terrific toasty sandwich of cheeses and bread, something creamy, crusty and utterly satisfying, huh? Well, sample what Rick Brams turns out at his beyond-modest shack and think again.
Delaware Avenue Oyster House
The marquee bivalve gets the respect it’s due at this year-rounder on LBI. But so do other fishes – raw and preserved in tins, seared, fried, blackened and jumbled with accents equally feisty and fresh.
Seabra’s Marisqueira
What’s signature is special here at this seafood-strong anchor in the Ironbound rooted in authenticity.
Coniglio’s Old-Fashioned
There’s a new pizza king in town and his crowning achievements are not only to be found in his lineup of pies. P.S. He’s got a cohort in the kitchen who’s a major talent – and maybe more.
B2J Fish
Maybe “Chinese Sauerkraut Fish” doesn’t sound like a dish you’d put on your must-try list. But you should. Soon. And then eat it for the rest of your life. There’s now a place in New Jersey where it’s the specialty. We are the lucky ones, once again.
Kyma Greek Cuisine
One of the anchors of a diverse downtown restaurant scene is this true-to-its-school BYOB where straightforward classics merge with house spins.
Maximus Polish Cuisine Empire
The normally heartily seasoned, bold and warming classic dishes of Poland do not get their due at a restaurant-cum-banquet facility with a Latin name that translates as “greatness and power.” Orchids that garnish plates can’t hide across-the-board lackluster preparations and routine technical lapses.
Zoe’s Emilio’s Kitchen
An exemplary Mexican restaurant without gimmicks and with a focus on purity, freshness and respect for ingredients settles in to a Bayshore borough that reflects its style and soul. Family, first, second, third and always.
Soul Bowls
Fruits and their friends unite, vivid colors giving way to buoyant flavors that are a sure step up from the chains that may serve more, but do not serve better.
A Baker’s Dozen
Herewith, the 13 dishes of 2022 that cannot be forgotten. Nor should they.
New Year’s Eve: Dining Out
If you’re ringing in the New Year somewhere out there in the wide world of Garden State restaurants, we offer a Fine 15 for your consideration. Looking for in-depth reports? Each has just that in our RR columns of 2022.