Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Chef Bryan Gregg hosts a French-inspired dinner with some of New Jersey’s top chefs to benefit the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center of NJ.
Chef Gregg will be joined by:
The cost of the dinner will be $89/person and is BYO. Complete details and menu at www.escapemontclair.com/events.
Cheers,
Veronique
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Domaine Vincent Latour dinner at Escape in Montclair. In the Escape kitchen, Chef Bryan Gregg and his team assembled a five-course menu that paired beautifully with the fabulous white Burgundy wines of Domaine Vincent Latour as hand-picked by Sharon Sevrens of Montclair’s Amanti Vino.
Here’s the menu and the wines we enjoyed:
Reception wine: Parigot Cremant de Bourgogne
First Course: Oyster, smoked rice milk, seaweed powder. Paired with 2012 Domaine Vincent Latour Bourgogne Blanc
Second Course: Scallops, asparagus, creamed morels. Paired with 2012 Domaine Vincent Latour Meursault Cuvée St Jean
Third Course: Pheasant terrine, apple, warm pheasant juice. Paired with 2012 Domaine Vincent Latour St Aubin Cuvée Thomas
Fourth Course: Halibut, lardo, early peas, spring onion. Paired with 2012 Domaine Vincent Latour Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres
Dessert: Rhubarb cake, sweet yogurt, honey pollen
I’ll review the wines in an upcoming post, but they were wonderful and hearing, in French, from winemaker Vincent Latour about the complexity of the vintages we tasted and the inside story on them was delightful (yes, there was a translator for my fellow diners who aren’t francophone).
Escape and Amanti Vino partner on wine dinners periodically, so to stay abreast of future events, follow Escape on Facebook or keep an eye out for future events on the Escape website events page.
Cheers,
Veronique
John Greeley – photo credit Robert Yaskovic
This past weekend, I was pleased to have been invited to attend the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival’s first ever Garden State Chef Throwdown. This entertaining, interactive event took inspiration from today’s popular food competition shows for a friendly chef challenge to see who could make the most delicious beef dish.
Bryan Gregg – photo credit Robert Yaskovic
The participants included three of New Jersey’s top chefs, Bryan Gregg of Escape, who made Pave of Beef with huitlacoche, mushroom, Carolina gold rice porridge, Francesco Palmieri of The Orange Squirrel who presented a slow-braised Black Angus Short Rib “Chipped Beef” Slider on sesame brioche with beef marrow mayonnaise and John Greeley of Crystal Springs serving Smoked Brisket with shrimp grits & chimichurri. The chefs’ dishes weren’t known until the competition took place and each dish had to be completed in front of the audience in twenty minutes.
Francesco Palmieri – photo credit Robert Yaskovic
After the audience votes were tallied, the winner of the Throwdown was Crystal Springs Executive Chef Greeley with his Smoked Brisket with Shrimp Grits & Chimichurri. Even with fresh snow outside, Chef Greeley had dared the cold to fire up the smoker in the outdoor Chef’s Garden restaurant to make his brisket.
The event sold out quickly and was a very popular session with the audience and will return at the 2016 NJ Wine & Food Festival.
To be ‘in-the-know’ about the 2016 New Jersey Wine & Food Festival, please visit: www.njwinefoodfest.com
Cheers,
Veronique
Escape Montclair Chef Bryan Gregg Holds a Charity Dining Experience with Acclaimed Chef David Viana of The Kitchen at Grove Station in Jersey City.
When: Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at 7PM.
Cost: $68 per person plus taxes and gratuity.
What: The Charity Dinner Featuring Chef David Viana, of The Kitchen at Grove Station, menu will feature:
Amuse Bouche
Cornmeal oyster, apple pie vinaigrette – Chef Viana
1st Course
Barbecued local eel, borage, charred pear – Chef Gregg
2nd Course
Warm carrot salad, carrot cumin vinaigrette, quinoa, beet ketchup – Chef Viana
3rd Course
Roasted cod, smoked pork brandade, pickled clam – Chef Gregg
4th Course
Mod cup braised short rib, crispy pesto potatoes, duck fat fried sunchokes – Chef Viana
5th Course
Semolina, whipped goats milk, moro, almond nougat – Chef Gregg
The five-course dinner will allow diners to bring their own wines to pair up with the courses. The cost of the dinner will be $68 per person with 50% of the proceeds being donated to the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center of NJ.
Seating for this event is very limited, please call (973) 744-0712 to reserve.
Escape – 345 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042.
Cheers,
Veronique
The Bazaar Uni Steamed Buns
My job had me on the road more than not in 2014 and while I’ve had many, many unforgettable meals in 2014, I’ve tried to narrow down the 10 best dishes I enjoyed during the past year. Here’s the list in restaurant name alphabetical order.
Hushpuppy – Atera
Chef Matthew Lightner’s take on hushpuppies is simply brilliant. The fried exterior encased a smoked egg yolk and pickled corn. While innocent in appearance, the hushpuppy with its smoked yolk is mind-altering.
Oysters with Three Caviars – Cosmos at Loews Minneapolis
Chef Tim Fischer tops the freshest of oysters with a scrumptious sabayon then three caviars. Creamy, briny and texturally-perfect.
Escape Lobster Knuckle
Charred Octopus with Boudin Noir Ravioli – Chakra Restaurant
I attended an Emilio Moro wine dinner at Chakra where Chef Thomas Cizsak served this fabulous dish as a first course. The octopus was of the utmost tenderness with a perfect amount of char and the boudin noir ravioli was outstanding.
Lobster Knuckle, Matsutake, Foie, Foie Juice – Escape Montclair
Chef Bryan Gregg outdid himself with this stellar dish. Sweet lobster, earthy mushroom, slab of seared foie gras with foie juice – spectacular dish served during a cancer charity dinner.
Boudin Noir – Joe Beef
Moist, flavorful bound noir paired with pork belly, pears and pierogis in foie broth – need I say more?
Sfixio Pasta
Octopus with Mediterranean Chickpea Salad – MP Taverna Astoria
Chef Michael Psilakis likely makes my favorite grilled octopus and this version in the form of a salad with chickpeas, fresh herbs and fantastic olive oil.
Sfixio Pasta – Sfixio Beverly Hills
Chef Massimo Denaro’s pasta special knocked my stilettos off. Perfectly-cooked spaghetti with truffle and caviar in a light cream sauce. The truffle aroma was intoxicating and the briny caviar paired exquisitely with the light sauce.
Corn Crème Brulée – Terre à Terre
At a tasting dinner I attended, Chef Todd Villani pleased my guests with his corn crème brulée served in an egg shell. The accompanying corn gelato was both refreshing and satisfying.
Joe Beef Boudin
Uni Steamed Buns – The Bazaar by Jose Andres
Yes, I’m a little obsessed with uni and this dish satisfied me completely. The steamed buns were pillowy and a perfect nest for the avocado and sea urchin.
Deconstructed Bouillabaisse – Triomphe
With his modern take on the classic bouillabaisse, Chef Florian Wehrli showcases the freshest seafood and fish: clams, squid, striped bass and shrimp in a flavorful saffron broth.
Let me know if you’ve tried any of these dishes and what some of your favorite 2014 dishes were.
Happy New Year!
Veronique
Chef Bryan Gregg
Escape Chef/Owner, Bryan Gregg, will hold a charity dinner with acclaimed Chef Ian Kapitan Thursday, December 11, 2014 at 7PM.
The five-course dinner will allow diners to bring their own wines and will cost $68 per person with 50% of the proceeds being donated to the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center of NJ. On the menu:
Amuse Bouche
Surprise of Chef Gregg
1st Course
Sea urchin, delicate squash, amaranth – Chef Gregg
2nd Course
Lobster knuckle, smoked Maitake, foie juice – Chef Gregg
3rd Course
Arctic char, cucumber, tomato gelée, rye, dill – Chef Kapitan
4th Course
Pork belly, winter succotash, blue corn, smoked pear – Chef Kapitan
5th Course
Gingerbread, apple crumb, crème fraiche – Chef Gregg
Seating for this event is very limited, please call (973) 744-0712 to reserve.
Cheers,
Veronique
Anthony Bracco & Bryan Gregg Photo credit: Melody Kettle
Chef Bryan Gregg, Chef/Owner of Montclair’s popular Escape and farmer extraordinaire, Anthony Bracco of Bracco Farms were the first guests to kick off a series of cooking demos/classes at Montclair High School in collaboration with Montclair Academy of Culinary & Hospitality Excellence (MACHE). Fitting Chef Gregg and Mr. Bracco, the theme of the seminar was “Cooking CSA Style”.
Butternut Squash Soup Photo credit: Melody Kettle
Nearly fifty students of Montclair High School attended the seminar and Chef Gregg and Mr. Bracco, explained why locally-sourced produce is so popular with chefs these days and how consumers can avail themselves of such products. Attendees were treated by a butternut squash soup prepared by Chef Gregg.
The “Cooking CSA Style” seminar was deemed a success by Pam Wright, MACHE faculty advisor and teacher at Montclair High School, and by Melody Kettle, founder of the Montclair Food & Wine Festival and students can look forward to monthly presentations.
Cheers,
Veronique
Scallops
Every month, Escape in Montclair hosts charity wine dinners to benefit cancer research in New Jersey. The January charity wine dinner was last week and featured amazing food Escape Chef Bryan Gregg and acclaimed Chef Anthony Bucco of The Ryland Inn. This month’s event benefited the Carol G Simon Cancer Center of Morristown and 50% of the evening’s proceeds were donated. The co-hosted showcased the Best of the Jersey Seashore. Here’s the menu and wines that were served:
Amuse-Bouche
Jersey Oyster Crème, Pine Needles, Horseradish – Chef Gregg
1st Course
Fluke Crudo, Roots, Mustard– Chef Bucco
Cava Compliments of The Ryland Inn
2nd Course
Scallop, Smoked Pear, Chestnut, Acorn Squash – Chef Gregg
2012 Wilde Farm Wines Pinot Noir Donnelly Creek Vineyard
Oyster
3rd Course
Skate Wing Roulade, Almonds, Greens – Chef Bucco
2012 Wilde Farm Wines Chardonnay Brosseau Vineyard Chalone
4th Course
Tuna, Quail Egg, Curly Mustard, Mushroom Dashi – Chef Gregg
2012 Wilde Farm Wines Heritage Bedrock Vineyard
5th Course
”Apple & Spices” – Chef Bucco
Tokaji Compliments of The Ryland Inn
Skate
The next event was announced already and will take place at Escape on 2/26 at 7pm and will be co-hosted by one of my favorite New Jersey chefs, Thomas Ciszak of Chakra in Paramus. The February event will again raise money for the Carol G Simon Cancer Center of Morristown and I’m looking forward to sampling with these two chefs have in store for us. Seating is limited and a table can be reserved by calling Escape at 973-744-0712.
Cheers,
Kate from 90+ Cellars, Chef Michael Weisshaupt, Heights Beer & Wine Emporium Wine Director – Tim Cornine, Chef Bryan Gregg, Anthony Bracco of Bracco Farms
Last night, I attended the first Escape Montclair farm-to-fork dinner at the popular Essex Country restaurant. Chef Bryan Gregg co-hosted the event with acclaimed chef Michael Weisshaupt of Fiddlers Elbow. The meal paid homage to locally-sourced ingredients and beautifully-executed cooking techniques.
Amuse-Bouche
The produce was provided by Bracco Farms in nearby Pine Island, New York. I had the pleasure of sitting at Anthony Bracco’s table and learn about his 25-acre farm. Tony organically grows everything from heirloom tomatoes to golden beets to micro greens. His product was outstanding and was expertly showcased by Chefs Gregg and Weisshaupt throughout the dinner.
Red Mullet
There wouldn’t be a “wine” dinner without wines and last night’s dinner was smartly paired with 90+ Cellars provided by Heights Beer & Wine Emporium. Tim Cornine, the Director of Wine at Heights Beer & Wine, was generous enough to work with Escape to secure wines from 90+ Cellars as a donation for the charity-driven dinner. 90+ Cellars is a Boston-based wine négociant. It buys overstocked wines from some of the best wineries around the world and remarkets it and sells it at a fraction of the price the original labels charge. Kate Fazio, the local representative for Latitude Beverage representing 90+ Cellars helped us understand her product in a knowledgeable and informative way.
This is what was served and poured at the dinner:
Amuse-Bouche
Lobster, Black Sesame and Pea Shoots
First Course
Cured Red Mullet, Pickled Turnips and Red Quinoa
Wine Pairing: 90+ Cellars Lot 69 Sancerre, Loire Valley, France, 2012
Scallops
Second Course
Lacquered Jurgielewicz Duck, Matsutake Mushroom, Burnt Embers and Butternut Squash
Wine Pairing: 90+ Cellars Lot 81 Pinot Noir, Carneros, California, 2011
Third Course
Barnegat Scallops, Parsnip, Vanilla Beets and Lobster Powder
Wine Pairing: 90+ Cellars Lot 93 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, CA, 2012
Duck
Entrée
Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Saddle, Eggplant, Spinach Purée, Smashed Potatoes and Olive Lamb Jus
Wine Pairing: 90+ Cellars Lot 80 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, California, 2011
Lamb
Dessert
Pumpkin Semifreddo, Coffee Puree and White Chocolate Crisp
Wine Pairing: 90+ Cellars Lot 77 Moscato, IGT, Italy, NV
The sold-out event drew over 40 guests who, like me, are enthusiasts of the locavore movement.
Pumpkin Semifreddo
Escape will host monthly events focused on giving back to the Carol G Simon Cancer Center of Morristown where Chef Bryan was cared for when he was battling cancer.
The November event will be announced this week and I got a sneak peek at the menu and it’ll be epic. Follow Escape on Facebook to be kept abreast of all upcoming events.
Cheers,
Veronique
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