Restaurant Reviews Archives - Page 9 of 16 - Food & Wine Chickie Insider

19 February 2013

Mitsuwa Marketplace

February 19, 2013 By FoodandWineChickie

Japanese Rice with Roe

Yesterday, I had a day off and as we’d promised each other for weeks now, fellow meat-product aficionado and New Jersey food photographer/blogger Danny of Eat with Dan and I went to lunch at one of his favorites, Mitsuwa Marketplace.

Situated on the west side of the Hudson River in Edgewater, New Jersey, Mitsuwa Marketplace is a shopping center straight out of Tokyo.

Mitsuwa Marketplace encompasses a vast selection of Japanese groceries, an extensive wine, beer and sake department and a delicious variety of Japanese foods at cafeteria-style Restaurant Row.

Ramen with Pork Belly

Danny and I first walked around the produce and meat/fish departments to my amazement. After we passed the 20-foot long grocery cooler with sashimi-grade fish and seafood, I remember telling Danny “This is Disney for foodies”. What an incredible array of top-quality grocery items.

Black Sesame Ice Cream

After our tour, Danny introduced me to his favorite food counters where we got lunch. We opted for the popular Santoka for a bowl of ramen noodles with sides of rice topped with salmon roe and a soy hard-boiled egg. The ramen bowl featured pork belly and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms. The ramen noodles were cooked perfectly, just a bit chewy, and the pork-laced broth was out-of-this-world. The side of rice looked innocent enough, but as I got a chopstickful, I realized how delicious the rice was and what a pleasant brininess the roe offered the slightly sticky rice. Stuff foodie dreams are made of.

Japanese Bakery

The noodles inspired me and I went back to the grocery store to buy all I’d need to fix ramen and udon at home. I even bought the biggest king trumpet mushrooms I’d ever seen.

Take Home Groceries

We ended our adventure with a Japanese pastry and a cup of black sesame ice cream, one of the best ice creams I’ve had.

I’m forever grateful to Danny for introducing me to Mitsuwa Marketplace and for sharing a special foodie journey.

595 River Road, Edgewater, NJ 07020

TEL: (201) 941-9113

Open 7 days/week

Grocery Store: 9:30AM – 9:00PM

Restaurants: 11:00AM – 8:00PM

Filed Under: Asian, Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: danny chin, eat with dan, Mitsuwa Marketplace

3 February 2013

FISHTAG – It’s All Greek to Me for Brunch

February 3, 2013 By FoodandWineChickie

Eggs a La Kosta

I love Greek food and as such, I’m a huge fan of New York’s own, Chef Michael Psilakis. I’ve written about his casual place, Kefi, before and this past weekend, I had an opportunity to brunch at one of his newer restaurants, FISHTAG, on the upper west side of Manhattan with some girlfriends. The menu is limited in the number of items it features, but grand in how delicious each of those items sound.

Hair of the Dogfish

It may seem unfair, but I find that I often pre-judge brunch by how much care a restaurant puts into brewing a solid cup of coffee. The French-pressed coffee is strong and wonderful. There are typical brunch drinks ($8 each or $16 for unlimited) like mimosas and bloody Marys, but the drink I simply had to have is the cleverly-named Hair of the Dogfish. This outstanding drink features Dogfish Head 90Min IPA infused with house-made pickled vegetables, poured over bloody Mary mix and vodka. That is one fabulous drink I’ll be copying at my next brunch gathering.

Pork Belly and Clam Soup

The first dish that caught our eye on the starters’ menu is the Greek “Spoon” Salad ($10). The dish is named that because the chopped ingredients can easily be eaten with a spoon. It’s a combination of Feta, tomatoes, onions, peppers and cucumbers. It’s nicely seasoned, fresh and delicious.

Another starter we had to have is the Clam and Pork Belly Soup ($11). I just love this idea and it really works. The perfectly-fatty pork belly, king oyster mushrooms and clams are served in a bowl where clean, earthy mushroom consommé is poured tableside. The soup is rich and flavorful and I look forward to savoring it again soon.

Croque Monsieur

The rest of the menu is divided into griddle, eggs and lunch options. One dish we had from the griddle menu is the Ricotta Pancakes ($11), Greek pancakes served with honey butter and stone fruit compote. Eggs a la Kosta ($13) features two poached eggs over brioche toast with Guanciale and wilted spinach then topped with lobster avgolemono – how could this dish be anything but fabulous?! The selection we made from the lunch menu is the Short Rib Croque Monsieur ($14), the sandwich is filled with rich short rib meat, smoked Gouda, braised rapini then topped with béchamel sauce. It was simply decadent and delicious.

The space at FISHTAG is cozy but nicely functional. The design team kept many of the ornate turn-of-the-century features of the space like the intricate moldings and the wooden floors with marble tile inserts. The overall feel of the place is of casual elegance. That also describes the well-executed food.

FISHTAG

222 West 79th Street

New York, NY 10024

212-362-7470

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: fishtag, Greek restaurant new york, manhattan greek restaurant, michael psilakis, upper west side brunch, upper west side restaurant

30 January 2013

Beard Papa’s – Cream Puffs Anyone?

January 30, 2013 By FoodandWineChickie

Last week, while on the upper west side in Manhattan, I discovered Beard Papa’s, a tiny space that focuses solely on serving up the very best cream puffs I’ve had in recent memory.

The puffs are filled with pastry cream to order so there’s never a soggy one being served. There are several versions, including the éclair, which I scarfed down within seconds. The puff is crisp, the custardy pastry cream filling decadent and the dark chocolate used to top the treat is rich and thickly-applied.

There are many locations of this brilliant franchise, mostly in the United States and Canada. Be sure to stop by for one, or a dozen to go.

2167 Broadway

New York, NY 10024

(212) 799-3770

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: beard papa's, dessert place in manhattan, upper west side dessert

28 January 2013

A Toute Heure Monthly Sunday Brunch

January 28, 2013 By FoodandWineChickie

Pork Belly Steamed Buns

I’ve written about A Toute Heure and its brunch before, but feel the need to recap today’s visit. First, it’s difficult to secure a brunch reservation at the cozy neighborhood gem. There are two reasons for this, first, the space has a limited number of tables and second, A Toute Heure only offers brunch on the last Sunday of each month. Come on! We must change this!

I was able to get my brunch reservation by getting waitlisted. I was thrilled as I had some friends in town from Florida who, like me, love brunch.

As we sipped darkly-roasted coffee and mimosas (the restaurant is a BYOB, so bring your bubbly to accompany the freshly-squeezed orange juice), our waiter brought a bowl of still-hot beignets, a plate of maple-glazed donuts and a pair of succulent pork belly steamed buns. What a way to start our meal!

Duck, Knoephla and Egg

Our entrees came a bit later and were decadent and scrumptious. We opted for the Croque-Madame, the Duck, Knoephla and Eggs and the Cinnamon and Brown Sugar French Toast. The roast ham on the croque is beyond-flavorful and topped with good-quality Gruyere cheese. The pulled duck confit is rich and smartly-paired with knoephla, an authentic German dumpling similar to Spaetzle, and topped with a New Jersey fresh farm egg. The portion of French toast was more-than-generous and served with stewed pear and honey butter.

The space at A Toute Heure is charming, the staff is helpful and passionate about the locally-sourced menu and the food is simply incredible. Make a point to book a reservation at the start of the month for that precious last Sunday brunch table.

232 Centennial Avenue

Cranford, NJ 07016

908-276-6600

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: A Toute Heure, best new jersey brunch, cranford nj brunch, top brunch in new jersey

27 January 2013

Chef Michael White Shines at Marea

January 27, 2013 By FoodandWineChickie

Mackerel Crudo

I’m a self-admitted food groupie of Chef Michael White. I adore his food, his passion for perfect pasta and his wide range of restaurants to fit any mood.

We were finally able to secure a weekend table at one of Chef White’s upscale establishments, Marea, and celebrated my birthday there with friends. By ‘celebrated’, I mean both my special day and the best the ocean has to offer. Marea, “tide” in Italian, serves the freshest fish and shellfish sourced from around the globe.

Lobster and Burrata

Our party opted for the four-course prix fixe menu – Crudo, Ostriche or Antipasto / Pasta / Pesce or Carne / Dolce. Shortly after being seated, we received a plate of Sgombro, crostini topped with cannellini beans and impeccably-fresh pieces of mackerel. What a great way to pique our interest in what was to come.

Twice Cooked Egg Scallop Sausage

The four course menu begins with a crudo, an oyster or antipasto. Crudos, sliced raw fish or shellfish, range from Long Island fluke with lemon and caper to pacific butterfish with squash hazelnuts and cranberry. The oysters are from the east and west coast of the United States and come with either a Morellino mignonette or a cucumber-lemon vinaigrette. The antipasto selections we sampled were the Astice, Nova Scotia lobster and burrata with basil, Uovo, twice cooked egg paired with a shrimp and scallop sausage, lentils and spinach and the Fegato, foie gras terrine with black truffles, winter fruits and hazelnuts. Whoever said fish and cheese shouldn’t be paired was wrong as the pristine lobster and rich burrata were divine. The freshness of the ingredients, the finesse of the preparations and the creativity of the presentation are undoubtedly what have earned Chef White and Marea two Michelin stars and the 2010 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.

Black Sea Bass

Chef White is well-known for his mastery of fresh pasta and the pasta menu at Marea makes it difficult for guests to make a selection. Our table opted for the Spaghetti with crab, Santa Barbara sea urchin and basil, the Caramelle, short rib-filled ravioli with a red wine sugo, celery root and foie gras emulsion and the Agnello E Acciuga, a braised lamb risotto. I’d be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. The spaghetti is perfectly-cooked and unctuous from the lightly briny sea urchin, the short rib ravioli feature paper-thin pasta and is rich and comforting. The risotto is creamy and topped with lamb that’s nearly caramelized in texture then sprinkled with slightly vinegary capers – brilliant.

Short Rib Ravioli

Red Snapper

During our visit, the seasonal fish offering ranged from Holland turbot to grilled cuttlefish. Fish we enjoyed are the Spigola Nera, black sea bass with fregola sarda, cipollini and broccoli rabe and the Red Snapper with hedgehog mushrooms, sour cherries and Savoy cabbage. The black bass was perhaps the best rendition of this fish I’ve had. The red snapper was thick-cut, moist and smartly-paired with earthy mushrooms and tart cherries, just masterdly done.

For the carnivores who dine at Marea, there are a couple solid options like the Faraona, Guinea hen with royal trumpets and sunchokes and the Bistecca, a 50-day dry aged sirloin with bone-marrow panzanella.

The wine list is extensive and features over 750 selections, of which half are whites from Europe that pair beautifully with the fish and seafood. We sipped two wines with dinner and particularly loved the 2010 Quintodecimo Giallo d’Arles, recommended by the sommelier.

Desserts are not to be missed. Our party savored the Strati Di Cioccolato, dark chocolate crema with salted caramel and fior di latte gelato and the Torta Di Oilio, olive oil cake with roasted pineapple and olive oil gelato.

Superb cuisine, professional service, award-winning wine program in a non-snooty, relaxed atmosphere. That’s you’ll experience at Marea.

240 Central Park South

New York, NY 10019

212-582-5100

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: best restaurant in new york, chef michael white, marea, top new york restaurant

19 December 2012

Sam Mickail’s CUT Steak House

December 19, 2012 By FoodandWineChickie

Thanks to Jersey Bites for publishing my restaurant review of the newly-opened Sam Mickail’s CUT Steak House in West Orange, NJ.

To view my photo album of the dinner, click here.

Happy dining,

Veronique

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Sam Mickail's CUT Steak House

18 December 2012

Booskerdoo Coffee – Jersey Shore Roasted

December 18, 2012 By FoodandWineChickie

Photo Credits – James Caverly

Booskerdoo Coffee, based in Monmouth Beach, is a micro-roaster coffee shop that’s grown a serious cult following among coffee lovers.

While I won’t claim to be a coffee connoisseur, I can easily pass as an educated amateur. The richly-roasted coffee created by Booskerdoo is some of the best I’ve had. The New Jersey business ships all the coffee it roasts on the day it’s roasted – talk about fresh!

James Caverly, the owner of Booskerdoo Coffee, proudly states “We believe great coffee should never sit in a warehouse… so we don’t use one”. Quality, handcrafted, Jersey-based product – I can passionately endorse this.

Booskerdoo offers over 10 coffee flavors from around the globe. The “Jersey Diner” coffee is one its best-sellers with good reasons. Upon sipping this brew, you’ll wish your local diner served coffee this absolutely rich and nutty. Another coffee I sampled is the “Black and Tan” Organic and Fair Trade Coffee. It’s a blend of light and dark roasted beans that produce a cup with a robust kick and silky body.

Black and Tan Beans

From now until 12/31/12, 10% of the proceeds of the Jersey Diner coffee blend sold online will be donated to the Monmouth Beach Fire Company. Orders over $20 get free shipping. Click here to order.

Not sure what to get the person who has everything for the holidays? Booskerdoo offers a “coffee of the month club” which is an easy way to have two, three or four pounds of freshly-roasted coffee shipped to a friend or colleague’s door.

Swing by the store if at the Jersey shore or order for home delivery for some of the best home-brewed coffee you’ll have.

36 Beach Road, Suite 9

Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750

Telephone: (732) 222-0729

www.booskerdoo.com

PS: I received complimentary beans for sampling and am now a fan and client.

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Booskerdoo Coffee, James Caverly, jersey shore coffee, new jersey coffee roasters, new jersey coffee shop

15 December 2012

The Orange Squirrel Does It Again

December 15, 2012 By FoodandWineChickie

Gnudi

Last night, I had the opportunity to dine at The Orange Squirrel in Bloomfield. As was true when I wrote about The Orange Squirrel this past August, Chef/Owner Francesco Palmieri and his talented team delivered another incredible experience.

Crab Cake

The cocktail list offers interesting selections and there are several wines by the glass. I opted for a split of Chandon Rose which paired nicely with my starter, Gnudi with wild mushrooms and Parmesan consommé. I’d not had this dish before and it was so flavorful that I was tempted to bring the bowl to my mouth to sip every last drop. Some of the other starters my guests enjoyed were the Shrimp Bisque with spiced fromage blanc, the Baby Octopus Stew with pancetta, fingerling potato and a turnip lemon grass broth and Tempura Green Beans, a nightly special. Another nightly special that was stellar was the crab cake over Sriracha aioli.

Rib Eye

It’s difficult to make up one’s mind where entrées are concerned as each is more tempting than the next. We finally opted for the Dry Aged Rib Eye, the Duck over Quinoa and the Veal Osso Buco. The rib eye is served in a cast iron pan with chipotle butter, confit garlic and sprigs of rosemary. It was perfectly rare, as ordered, and impeccably seasoned. The duck might have been some of the most tender we’ve had and the accompanying earthy quinoa was a great compliment. The Osso Buco is served off the bone in a small cast iron Dutch oven and delicious.

Fontina Mac and Cheese

Side dishes come with the entrées, except the Pot Pie, and some winners are the Fontina Macaroni and Cheese, the Irish Cheddar Mashed Potatoes and the Mascarpone Polenta.

Desserts are whimsical and end dinner on a humorous note. Last night, we chose the Three Dirt Tasting, three tasting portion of seasonal mousses layered with cookie crumbs.

Dinner at The Orange Squirrel never disappoints. Chef Palmieri crafts inventive dishes using premium-quality ingredients in an unpretentious space. Make a point to visit soon.

Hours:

Lunch: Monday – Friday: 12PM – 3PM

Dinner: Monday – Saturday: 5PM – 11PM

Late night fare: Monday – Saturday: 11PM – 1AM

412 Bloomfield Avenue

Bloomfield, NJ 07003

973-337-6421

www.theorangesquirrel.com

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: best new jersey restaurant, bloomfield nj restaurant, Francesco Palmieri, The Orange Squirrel

1 December 2012

Yardbird Redefines Miami Cuisine

December 1, 2012 By FoodandWineChickie

During a recent trip to South Florida, there was one restaurant I knew I could not pass visiting. That place, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, is putting the “South” in South Beach in a grand, yet unpretentious way.

Both Yardbird and Chef Jeff McInnis have each made the James Beard Award semi-finalist list for best new restaurant 2012 and best chef south 2012, respectively. Yardbird has also been selected as a Bon Appetit 50 Best New Restaurants 2012, a major accomplishment in a year that has seen restaurants like INK. in Los Angeles and Alla Spina in Philadelphia featured.

Chef McInnis is a Floridian by birth and grew up in a small town near the Alabama border. When the Top Chef finalist partnered with John Kunkel and Chris Romero, two local restaurateurs, he yearned to bring some down home favorites to South Beach, a community typically short on caloric intake.

The 170-seat Yardbird with its sexy vibe, chic-yet-homey design and incredibly delicious food attracts a beautiful crowd of movers and shakers. On any given night, one can spot a movie star, sports celebrity or the occasional foodie tourist.

Mama’s Chicken Biscuits

On a recent visit, our knowledgeable server greeted us warmly and walked us through the menu and the restaurant’s sharing concept. He warned us he would alert us if we went overboard and after attempting to order a fifth dish, he did just that. We were grateful when we saw the size of the plates.

We knew we wanted to sample the Llewellyn’s Fine Fried Chicken ($21) at the recommendation of…everyone! The Bell & Evans chicken is marinated for 27 hours then fried using John Kunkel’s grandmother’s recipe. The result is likely the best fried chicken I have had and the beyond-flakey biscuits are a perfect accompaniment. The chicken and biscuits are also brilliantly paired up as a starter, Mama’s Chicken Biscuits ($12), in the form of a sandwiches drizzled with honey and served with pickled vegetables.

Shrimp ‘N Grits ($21) is a must-have entrée. The Florida shrimps are cooked to perfection and along with Virginia ham, top creamy, flavorful grits.

Another dish our party devoured is the mountain of ribs. The Sweet Tea-Brined Southern Ribs ($27) are pork ribs slathered with honey-sweetened barbecue sauce and served with vinegary coleslaw.

One side dish (fixin’) sounds more decadent then the next with some favorites being the Macaroni and Cheese ($9) made with Torchio pasta, five artisanal cheeses and topped with a crispy herb crust, the Big Ol’ Cheddar Waffle ($9) served with Bourbon maple syrup and the Braised Mustard Greens with Smoked Turkey ($8).

Shrimp N Grits

I already know what my next visit will entail: “Surf n’ Swine” – pan seared sea scallops, crispy smoked pork belly, Andouille corn bread stuffing, molasses Q drizzle and the Molasses Grilled Duck Breast with pumpkin puree, grilled cabbage, barbeque duck leg meat balls. I am salivating at the thought.

Not to be overlooked are the all-American, thoughtfully assembled wine list with nearly twenty options by the glass and the extensive Bourbon list that ranges from $9 to $40 and offers neat flights for sampling.

Talented pastry chef Gail Goetsch crafts comforting desserts that few will be hungry for but should still order. Tempting options are the Carrot Layer Cake ($8) with cream cheese frosting and Classic Pecan Pie with Bourbon ice cream ($8)

The décor is fabulous and welcoming, the service is stellar and food is decadent and unlike anything being served in Southern Florida. Make a visit to Yardbird a must on your next visit to South Beach.

Yardbird

1600 Lenox Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-538-5220

Sunday: 10AM – 12AM.

Monday – Thursday: 12PM – 12AM

Friday: 12PM – 2AM

Saturday: 10AM – 2AM

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Chef Jeff McInnis, Chris Romero, John Kunkel, miami beach restaurant, top south beach restaurant, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

29 November 2012

Northern NJ Wine MeetUp Visits Spuntino Wine Bar

November 29, 2012 By FoodandWineChickie

Last night, the Northern NJ Wine MeetUp Group had a gathering at Spuntino Wine Bar in Clifton. This diverse group of wine fans meets about every six weeks at various places in northern New Jersey. I’ve belonged to the group for about three years and the events are always fun and insightful. I’ve written about Spuntino in the past, so I was pleased when I received a notification that the November event would be there.

Our group of about 30 members, including friend and fellow New Jersey food and blogger Peter Conway of Mano A Vino, met for drinks in the spacious bar area then met in a private room near the open kitchen. Spuntino’s Sommelier, Jane, graciously walked us through the extensive menu and wine list. The restaurant offers forty two Italian wines by the glass, over one hundred Italian wines and a reserve wine list with several gems I’d like to sample.

When I say the menu is extensive, I mean it! Spuntino features a tapas menu, small plates meant to be shared. My party sampled a plate of Salumi and Formaggi, cured Italian meats and cheeses served with perfectly grilled crostini that was perfect paired with our first bottle of wine.

Bruschetta come in nine variations (one for $3, three for $8 and five for $14) and our table tried the Prosciutto di Parma and fresh Mozzarella version. The Italian bread was grilled to a crunchy exterior while the interior was still moist. We also sampled the Carciofo – flash-fried artichoke hearts served with a tangy lemon aioli.

Meatballs ($6) are king at Spuntino and last evening, we opted for the lamb variation. The three meatballs were served with a Parmesan wafer and were good, albeit a bit bland.

There are five pastas ($8) on the menu and on this visit, we devoured the pasta with wild boar ragu. The sauce was rich and flavorful and the pasta was topped with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

The pizzas are thin-crusted and hand-stretched and the meaty Salumi ($11) topped with Prosciutto, crumbled sausage, Capocollo and Cacciatorini made it to our table, once again.

If you’ve not experienced Spuntino, make a point to visit soon. It serves delicious, affordable food and the wine list would please any fan of the grape.

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas

94 Kingsland Road

Clifton, NJ, 07014

(973) 661-2435

HOURS

Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. -10 p.m.
Monday –Thursday: 11 a.m. – Midnight.

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: new jersey wine bar, northern nj wine meetup group, Spuntino Wine Bar and Italian Tapas