22 December 2021 Best Dishes 2021

Best Dishes 2021

December 22, 2021 By

Fortunately for my annual Best Dishes recap, I was back on the road for work and leisure quite a bit in 2021. This allowed me to experience many outstanding meals along my journey.

This year’s list includes a combination of fine dining and casual dishes, which were truly the ‘best’ dishes of the last 12 months, regardless of price point.

I’ve narrowed down all the fab dishes I had to the following 13 Best Dishes 2021, plus a bonus dessert. The list is in restaurant name, alphabetical order.

Aquila Pizza Al Forno, Little Falls, NJ – The only thing as lovely as the soppressata and Meyer lemon pizza with its perfect, slightly-tart and salty crust charred in all the right places is the team behind the cozy pizzeria. By the way, I copied/pasted this recap from my 2019 Best Dishes list and I’ll do the same in 2022 if I’m fortunate enough to visit pizzamaker extraordinaire Jerry…perfect pizza, period.

Meyer Lemon Pizza

Café Chameleon, Bloomingdale, NJ – At his former place of business, Chef Bryan Gregg continued serving some of the best scallops I’ve had. The preparation of the scallops during this visit was outstanding with morels, quinoa and pea butter. I look forward to my next plate of scallops at Chef Gregg’s new home, Blue Morel in Morristown, NJ.  

Chef Gregg’s Scallops

Christopher’s at the Wrigley Mansion, Phoenix, AZ – This hot spot within The Wrigley Mansion is the brainchild of Chef Christopher Gross. Among the lineup of winning dishes was the duck two ways, a seared breast and a confit leg. Did I mention the foie gras terrine? A very sexy space with gorgeous views, masterly-prepared food and impeccable service.

Duck Two Ways

Ever, Chicago, IL – During a business trip to the Windy City, I was able to secure an early table for one at the amazing Ever. This was by far my most luxurious, fine dining experience of 2021. While each dish was masterly crafted and original, one dish I consider the best, is a signature dish from Chef Duffy’s former restaurant, the Alaskan king crab dish (here’s a video of it being made).

King Crab

Futo Buta Ramen House, Charlotte, NC – The craving for ramen is real and we were thrilled to find cozy place when we moved to Charlotte. Highly recommend the Buta Bowl with its chicken and dashi broth, double noodle, pecan smoked pork belly, onsen egg, duck confit, spicy ground pork, ono chili sauce, sweet white corn, roasted and julienne leeks, scallions and cayenne pepper threads. Yes, it’s a mouthful to say and eat.

Buta Bowl

Heirloom Kitchen, Old Bridge, NJ – I believe this is the only restaurant that’s always been on my annual lists. Chef David Viana creates incredible experiences at his chef’s counter and the meal I had there in 2021 was a special one as I was with my mom who I’d not seen in 18 months due to Covid. I can’t pass up the opportunity to say that whatever preparation is applied to his signature duck, is always, and I’ve had many variations over the years, always the best duck you’ll ever have.

Heirloom Duck

Jon G’s BBQ, Peachland, NC – Truly some of the very best barbecue I’ve had and the brisket, not a typical North Carolina BBQ winner, is the gem among all the memorable dishes. The brisket is juicy, perfectly fatty with a nice coating of pepper. Plus, the wait, complete with free beer, is an experience. Highly recommend.

BBQ Platter at Jon’s

La Barbecue, Austin, TX – I know Austin is all about brisket, and this was some of the best I’ve had, but the smoked turkey was by far the greatest turkey I’ve had. The exterior was generously coated in spiced, heavy on the pepper, and the meat was mind-blowingly juicy.

Turkey at La Barbecue

La Belle Helene, Charlotte, NC – The prettiest space we’ve found in our journey through the Queen City, our new hometown, is undoubtedly this place. French bistro food is served here, but the space itself is the opposite of what one would consider ‘bistro’ like. The rich French onion soup topped with Compté is worth ordering and so is the well-made steak tartare.

French Onion Soup

O-Ku, Charlotte, NC – A hot restaurant doesn’t always translate to hot food, but at this hip Charlotte restaurant, the food isn’t a passing thought. One of our favorite dishes was the Lobster Temaki, a trio of handrolls filled with butter-poached lobster, asparagus, chives, cilantro aioli and black volcanic salt.

Lobster Handrolls

Standard Oyster Company, Hickory, NC – This local gem serves up some of the freshest oysters in the Charlotte metro area. We enjoyed a variety of bivalves, but a fun, old school treat my mom and I opted in to is the oyster shooter, which can be served with beer, Tequila or Vodka (we selected the latter). Tip: 12PM – 2PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Standard Oyster Company serves $1 raw NC oysters.

Oyster Shooter

The Everyday Market, Belmont, NC – I wrote about the special café and market earlier in 2021. Pastry, dish and dessert are prepared with the care of a veteran, classically trained Chef Majid Amoorpour. Particularly great is the cheesy scrambled eggs on croissant. My out-of-town visitors rave about this breakfast item months after their visits.

Cheesy Eggs Croissant

Vecina, Phoenix, AZ – At this intimate Latin-inspired hot spot, the drinks are creative and flavor-packed to match the delectable food. One of the winning appetizers we sampled was the white bean puree with crispy short rib, herb salad and served with ultra-thin flour tortillas. The must-order entrée is the Carnitas Empanada, Duroc pork confit, onion marmalade, Manchego, salsa verde and Manzana chile.

Empanada

Best Dessert

La Boucherie Restaurant, Orlando, FL – I don’t usually include desserts on this list, but the perfectly executed Floating Island at this popular Orlando restaurant were light, melt-in-your-mouth and served with a decadent crème Anglaise and a drizzle of caramel.

Floating Island

What have been some of your favorite bites of 2021?

Happy eating!

Veronique

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29 December 2020 Best Dishes 2020

Best Dishes 2020

December 29, 2020 By

As I thought about 2020, I was tempted to simply skip my annual Best Dishes recap but then I looked at my photo library and was pleasantly surprised to see how many delicious meals I enjoyed this year.

While my job didn’t have me the road in 2020 like it usually does, we traveled a few times to explore the south where we relocated in October, so we had quite a few nice meals along the way.

I’ve narrowed down all the fab dishes I had to the following 16 Best Dishes 2020. The list is in restaurant name, alphabetical order.

Aquila Pizza Al Forno, Little Falls, NJ – The only thing as lovely as the soppressata and Meyer lemon pizza with its perfect, slightly-tart and salty crust charred in all the right places is the team behind the cozy pizzeria. By the way, I copied/pasted this recap from my 2019 Best Dishes list and I’ll do the same in 2021 if I’m fortunate enough to visit pizzamaker extraordinaire Jerry…perfect pizza, period.

Ariane Kitchen and Bar, Verona, NJ – AKB features the best fried oysters of all times. While this place is so much more than these ultra-popular bivalves, they’re perfect with their cornmeal crust and should be recognized appropriately. The horseradish cream the oysters are served with is insanely good too.

Barnegat Oyster Collective, Barnegat, NJ – While homebound during the pandemic, we ordered the freshest, most pristine oysters from this fantastic place several times. They were expertly packed with dry ice and a shucking knife and made for the most fun and tasty treat.

Brasserie Mémère, Closter, NJ – Could there be a more perfect concept than the French brasserie concept? I think not and Brasserie Mémère does absolutely everything right. When German-trained Chef Thomas Ciszak puts a schnitzel on the menu, it must be ordered. It’s perfectly-crunchy on its exterior and moist and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside – a must. During one of my 2020 visits, they offered a bouillabaisse special, served in a Dutch oven that was one incredible.

Café Chameleon, Bloomingdale, NJ – Chef Bryan Gregg never disappoints, and I could have picked several dishes for this compilation but opted to feature the rich, fantastic tagliatelle with white truffle butter with shaved truffles to gild the lily.  

Crown Shy, New York, NY – Every single dish, cocktail and glass of wine was on point during our pre-Covid visit in January. Our favorite dish of the night was the cavatelli in chicken liver sauce. This meal set the bar for all 2020 meals.

Estadio, Washington, DC – This was a top 5 best meals of 2020. Every morsel of food we consumed at this popular Spanish tapas place was stellar. Our favorite was the seared foie gras.

Glai Baan, Phoenix, AZ – This is the best, most authentic Thai street food I’ve had outside Thailand. Food with bold flavors, a kitschy space, friendly service and some of the best cocktails we had in 2020. The larb moo, minced pork with lime dressing, was amazing.

Heirloom Kitchen, Old Bridge, NJ – I believe this is the only restaurant that’s always been on my annual lists. Chef David Viana creates incredible experiences at his chef’s counter and both meals I had there in 2020 were outstanding. I can’t pass up the opportunity to say that whatever preparation is applied to his signature duck, is always, and I’ve had many variations over the years, always the best duck you’ll ever have. Don’t skip dessert, they’re always stellar.

Hush Public House, Scottsdale, AZ – Top five meals of 2020. Laidback atmosphere, great service and delectable, fabulous food. We started with the chicken liver mouse served in a glass jar that was topped with drunken cherries and served with top notch grilled country bread – way to set the tone for a memorable dinner.

Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, Morristown, NJ – During a tasting dinner, Chef AJ Capella served perfectly-pillowy gnocchi with peas bursting with flavor. Very well done, as is the case with the other dishes we devoured there in 2020.

Leah & Louise, Charlotte, NC – Thrilled to have landed a table at the hottest spot in town, we enjoyed everything we ordered but the River Chips, fried chicken skins served piled high with “granch” dressing (ranch and green onion) were unlike anything we’ve had. This southern-inspired juke joint is a must when in Charlotte.

Rhubarb, Asheville, NC – After patio dining at this popular Asheville restaurant, I understood why it’s difficult to get a reservation – it’s a wonderful meal! We started the evening with bubbly and a beautiful and well-put together charcuterie board that is still on my mind.

Scales, Portland, ME – We sat outdoors at this Portland gem over the summer and enjoyed a fabulous seafood meal. My entrée stands out in particular, seared scallops, crispy pancetta with corn.

Summit House, Summit, NJ – Took clients out to dinner at this Jersey favorite and boy were they wowed. If I see squid ink pasta on a menu, I must order it and this version with perfectly-cooked seafood didn’t disappoint.

VENTANAS Restaurant and Lounge at The Modern, Fort Lee, NJ – Chef David Burke’s over-the-top food concepts are masterly executed by Executive Chef Brian Morales. The space and vibe are hip and fun to match the food. Our favorite, on one of two 2020 visits, was the signature lobster dumplings in a tomato miso sauce.

What have been some of your favorite bites of 2020?

Happy eating!

Veronique

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30 December 2019 Best Dishes of 2019

Best Dishes of 2019

December 30, 2019 By

My “real” job had me on the road over 50% of the year in 2019 and I also took several food-centric vacations where I had the opportunity to have many outstanding meals. I’ve tried to narrow down the list to the 17 best dishes I enjoyed during the past year.

Here’s the list in restaurant name alphabetical order.

Aloette, Toronto, Canada – So many great sharing plates but my favorite was the potato gnocchi with sweet potato, bacon, sage and chestnut.

Aquila Pizza Al Forno, Little Falls, NJ – The only thing as lovely as the soppressata and Meyer lemon pizza with its perfect, slightly-tart and salty crust charred in all the right places is the team behind the cozy pizzeria.

Au Cheval, Chicago, IL – If you’ve had the Au Cheval burger, you know why it’s on this list. Every time I have it, I feel it’s the best burger anywhere and worthy of all the accolades. Juicy, simple, beefy on a great soft bun.

August, New Orleans, LA – The potato gnocchi with blue crab, black truffle and Parmesan is the best single dish I had in 2019.

Brasserie Mémère, Closter, NJ – This new French bistro is simply fantastique and our favorite of the many dishes we sampled was the buttery, garlicky escargots served with perfect bread.

Café Chameleon, Bloomingdale, NJ – The 60-day dry aged beef with pommes Anna with a bone marrow sauce was the ultimate indulgence by the king of indulgent, delicious food, Chef Bryan Gregg.

Central Provisions, Portland, ME – On special the evening we visited was a lamb larb with lemongrass, Serrano and mint that we could scoop in bib lettuce leaves. All the food we sampled at this Portland hot spot was great, but this was amazing.

Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO – I never typically order salmon out, but was glad I got the king salmon at this award-winning restaurant. The best I’ve ever had and served at the perfect temperature.

Heirloom Kitchen, Old Bridge, NJ – These ribs were a special of the evening when I visited this top restaurant earlier this year. They were…perfect in flavor and texture.

Hélicoptère, Montreal, Canada – Simply a lovely meal of shared plates that ended with poultry liver mousse on a financier. Wow, way to leave us wanting more.

Her Name is Han, New York, NY – Everything we sampled at this Korean soul food restaurant was bursting with flavor and delectable but the dessert of black sesame ice cream with green tea biscuit crumbs and dried strawberry was the happiest ending we could have hoped for.

Justine, New Orleans, LA – The steak tartare served with mushroom confit was the best “classic” tartare I enjoyed this year.

La Cevicheria, Cartagena, Columbia – Trio of the award-winning restaurant’s best ceviches where some of the best we’ve ever had. Fish / octopus / shrimp prepared with mango, lime and ketchup sauce.

McLoons Lobster Shack, Spruce Head Island, ME – The lobster roll of all lobster rolls. Plus, in an amazing picnic-like setting on the Maine shore overlooking lobster/fishing boats.

Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver, CO – This special restaurant’s made my “best of” list since 2017 when I first visited. This year, while there are several dishes I could have included, the Hamachi with compressed melon, blood orange needs to be highlighted.

Monarque, Montreal, Canada – The venison tartare and sea urchin with salsa verde, chilli on grilled focaccia was outstanding and called my name. Uni anything!

The Inn at Bay Fortune, Bay Fortune, Prince Edward Island, Canada – This chowder was part of the best meal I had in 2019. The Fireworks Feast is THE experience to be had where the reception prior to dinner is held outdoors and where all the food is cooked over open flame (except for the greatest oysters served raw).

Vesta Wood Fired Pizza & Bar, East Rutherford, NJ – The special arancini the evening we visited was served with the most delicious foie gras sauce.

Here’s to hoping 2020 is as delicious as 2019 was!

Cheers,

Veronique

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28 December 2018 Best Restaurant Desserts of 2018

Best Restaurant Desserts of 2018

December 28, 2018 By

I’m a savory foods person who won’t typically order desserts at restaurants – I just can’t commit to a whole portion! I do, on the other hand, love to share desserts. Less is more in my book.

In 2018, I was fortunate to have sampled some amazing desserts and below are my seven favorite desserts of the year.

Here’s the list in restaurant name alphabetical order.

Braun’s Tavern, Bloomfield, NJ – The Irish Car Bomb was everything I could have asked for: Guinness chocolate cake with Irish cream mascarpone and bourbon caramel. Oh, and tiny white chocolate curls to gild the lily.

Irish Car Bomb

Chloe by Haidar Karoum, Washington, DC – the Meyer Lemon Tart with Graham cracker crust, meringue and blueberry relish is not only Instagramable it’s light and citrusy and the perfect ending to the outstanding meal we had at this award-winning restaurant.

Meyer Lemon Tart

Common Lot, Millburn, NJ – The chocolate caramel tart for two was sublime at this popular restaurant and for good reasons. It’s decadent with great texture and shareable.

Chocolate Caramel Tart

Heirloom Kitchen,Old Bridge, NJ – We were served the lightest, most velvety Japanese cheesecake with citrus flavors after an award-worthy meal and it might have been the star dish of the evening.

Japanese Cheesecake

Luigi’s Ice Cream, Jersey City, NJ (and other locations) – I visited the food truck-turned-brick-and-mortar boozy rolled ice cream shop at its Ani Ramen location in Jersey City and was wowed by the product. My Frangelico Hazelnut Rocher concoction was incredible with the luscious Frangelico and chocolate cream and great crunch from the Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

Frangelico Hazelnut Rocher

Maritime Parc, Jersey City, NJ – Pastry Chef John Sauchelli personally delivered what might be my favorite dessert of 2018 – rhubarb cobbler ice cream sundae.

rhubarb cobbler ice cream sundae

South + Pine American Eatery, Morristown, NJ – I try not to order the same thing twice at my favorite restaurants but I make an exception at S+P for the decadent butterscotch pudding. It’s a generous portion to be shared with friends that looks deceivably simple but packs a big caramel punch.

Butterscotch Pudding

Here’s to a sweet 2019!

Veronique

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2 January 2018 Best Dishes 2017

Best Dishes 2017

January 2, 2018 By

My job had me on the road quite a bit in 2017 and while I’ve had many, many memorable meals this past year, I’ve tried to narrow down to the 14 best dishes I enjoyed during the past year. Here’s the list in restaurant name alphabetical order.

Bellecour, Wayzata, MN – Paris Brest. Gorgeous pastry served with hazelnut mousse, vanilla ice cream.

Bivio Panificio, Montclair, NJ – Soppressata and lemon pizza. Perfect, slightly-tart and salty crust that’s charred in places with a perfect chew. The combination of salty ham and tart, paper-thin lemon slices is unbeatable.

Heirloom Kitchen at Hauser Hill Farms, Old Bridge, NJ – Pine Hill lamb, ricotta gnudi, delicata squash. Chef David Viana hosted a farm dinner at Hauser Hill Farms in an orchard. This comforting dish was as lovely as the setting.

Herb & Wood, San Diego, CA – Gnocchi, oxtail, roasted garlic, parsley, chive, sherry, Parmesan and horseradish. This place serves amazing food and it was difficult to narrow down my favorite to this rich,dish.

Husk, Nashville, TN – 24-month Bob Woods’ country ham served with cheddar biscuits and house-made pickles. I enjoyed this perfect charcuterie with a Bourbon cocktail at the downstairs bar.

Impasto, Montreal, Canada – Mafalde, pheasant ragù, mushrooms, dandelion, Parmigiono Reggiano. Perfectly al dente pasta with a rich, umami-packed pheasant meat sauce. Stellar dish.

Le Coucou, New York, NY – Halibut with beurre blanc. This amazing piece of fish was served with decadent butter sauce and with daikon prepared sauerkraut style.

Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver, CO – Pea risotto, Parmesan sabayon and egg yolk. I’d had an earthy risotto at this fabulous restaurant before and this pea version was busting with pea and Parmesan flavors. My favorite restaurant of 2017.

O Ya, New York, NY – Black Somen noodles served with fried bigfin squid, onsen egg, iriko dashi, yuzu kosho. Disguised as a simple dish, this was nothing but with complex flavors and masterly-prepared squid.

Orama, Edgewater, NJ – Scallop and foie gras. Chef Bryan Gregg gilding the lily with a piece of well-cooked foie gras on an expertly-seared scallop. Little mustard blossom to add a bit of bitterness/zest to the rich dish.  

Pig Bleecker, New York, NY – Brisket ravioli with black truffle butter and Barolo. Rich brisket in a rich butter sauce with a zest of Barolo “glaze”.

Sushi on Jones, New York, NY – Big Mac. This was my bite of 2017. Seared Wagyu, topped with toro topped with uni.

Viaggio, Wayne, NJ – Lamb Carbonara. This was one of the courses Chef Robbie Felice prepared at a tasting dinner hosted at his popular restaurant. While this won’t be available of the dinner menu, every pasta’s a winner.

Will BYOB, Philadelphia, PA – Rohan duck breast with grilled endive. This is as good as duck gets and the grilled endive was a smart pairing by Chef Christopher Kearse.

What have been some of your favorite bites of 2017?

Happy eating!

Veronique

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2 October 2017 Heirloom Kitchen Dinner at the Farm

Heirloom Kitchen Dinner at the Farm

October 2, 2017 By

Last night, I was fortunate enough to attend the 4th annual fall dinner at Hauser Hill Farms in Old Bridge, NJ. The food was creatively crafted by one of the most talented chefs in the area, David Viana, of nearby popular restaurant, Heirloom Kitchen.

The setting was incredible – 110-person communal table in the middle of the farm’s apple orchard. With the open air mock kitchen Chef Viana was working with, you’d think he would keep the menu simple and the plating easy-to-accomplish…but, no. He designed a menu reflective of the season and the gorgeous setting for the dinner.

Guests were warmly greeted by Heirloom Kitchen’s Founder/Partner/General Manager Neilly Robinson and welcomed with a signature cocktail at a makeshift bar. Elegant bites were passed butler-style.

We found our way to our seats and found ourselves among loyal customers of Heirloom Kitchen, fellow groupies of Chef Viana and past attendees of the farm dinners. Great group of folks.

First course was the ultimate farm-friendly dish – Heirloom tomatoes, peach, marcona almonds, quinoa, mint crema. Vibrant colors on the plate, big flavors from the mint crema, great texture from the quinoa. Just a lovely dish and beautiful presentation.

Second course was – Pine Hill lamb, ricotta gnudi, delicata squash, sweet potato. Pure comfort on a plate with rich lamb, pillowy gnudi and sweet/earthy squash. This might have been my favorite of the evening.

Third was – Simply Grazin grass fed NY strip, apple cheddar potato gratin, broccoli, broccoli chimichuri. Perfectly-cooked beef (how does one do that in an open air kitchen for 110 people?), decadent cheesy potato gratin and the best example of broccoli I’ve had. Divine with the uber fruit-forward Pinot Noir poured from magnums (see my hubby excited about those magnums in the following pic).

Dessert was – Apple bread pudding. The perfect ending to an outstanding meal along with aged port.

The evening continued at a campfire under twinkling lights. Simply a magical night.

Cheers,

Veronique 

 

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Best Dishes 2016

December 31, 2016 By

My job had me on the road more than not in 2016 and while I’ve had many, many unforgettable meals this past year, I’ve tried to narrow down the 15 best dishes I enjoyed during the past year. Here’s the list in restaurant name alphabetical order.

Ai Fiori – New York, NY. Eating at this Chef Michael White restaurant is a luxurious treat and lobster seems to be an appropriate ingredient to have in the beautiful dining room. The Lobster with Asparagus and Morels was one of the best lobster dishes I’ve had.

Buca Yorkville – Toronto, ON. Branzino is my favorite fish and at Buca, the Cyprian sea bass is expertly-carved tableside in its pure raw state and topped with Prosecco, olive oil and lemon.

Escape – Montclair, NJ. The seafood grits with a giant portion of sea urchin was just a fabulous dish at the now defunct Escape.

FLX Table – Geneva, NY. Very cool dining experience at Chef/Master Sommelier Christopher Bates’ new chef’s table restaurant in the Finger Lakes. The multi-course dinner showcases locally-sourced ingredients and the dish I thought stood up among the winning lineup was the Uber B.L.T. consisting of tomato, sweet summer corn and lamb bacon. The presentation was glorious with a pool of tomato water in the bowl of the plate and beautifully-arranged raw and dried tomatoes, the bacon and corn then avocado and Thai basil.

Grace – Chicago, IL. I treated myself to Grace this year and wasn’t sorry for the splurge. The Alaskan King Crab dish was gorgeous, light yet flavorful. It’s served artfully with char roe, cucumber, floral cream and tangerine lace. The king crab salad is positioned at the bottom of a v-shaped glass filled with herbs and flowers then a flavor-neutral tuile seals the salad. Crack the tuile with a spoon and the crunchy bits add an unexpected texture to the delicate crab.

Heirloom Kitchen – Old Bride, NJ. Chef David Viana cooked up perhaps the best duck I’ve had. The masterly-seared duck breast is served with sherry herbed barley, granola, parsnip, date purée, maitake mushroom and duck jus. The earthiness of the roasted maitake and the sweet/savory date purée compliment the rich duck perfectly.

Hot & Soul – Ft Lauderdale, FL. My year-end best dishes compilation wouldn’t be the same without an entry from my favorite Ft Lauderdale restaurant. The Mushroom Manchego Toast is a must to start off a meal at Hot and Soul. The shareable dish with its creamy sherry sauce is a winner.

Kalofagas – my home in NJ. Toronto-based chef and cookbook author Peter Minaki prepared a dish of spaghetti with uni (sea urchin) sauce at my home this year that was simply outstanding. Briny uni-tomato sauce coated the al dente pasta perfectly.

Lorena’s – Maplewood, NJ. Meals at Lorena’s are never less than stellar and this year, my favorite dish at the popular restaurant was the Cavatelli Carbonara. Instead of the eggs being incorporated in the sauce in a traditional way, Chef Campos serves it poached with a runny yolk to coat the pasta.

Razza Pizza Artigianale – Jersey City, NJ. While it’s best known for its outstanding pizza, my favorite dish at Razza is the Bread and Butter service featuring house made butter that has the right funky flavor and crusty, pizza oven-baked bread.

Redux – Madison, NJ. Chef Ubhaus serves up delicious, comforting food and calling out Disco Fries as my top dish at his restaurant undersells his culinary talents. Having said that, this dish is pure decadence with SLABS of St Andre cheese over properly-made fries and rich veal gravy.

Square Root – New Orleans, LA. The meal I had at Square Root was one of the finest I enjoyed this year. The Red Fish with Horseradish Bubbles was THE dish in the long list of dishes we were served. The red fish was properly-cooked and bubbles made from horseradish were blown in the open kitchen, right in front of us.

Stages at One Washington – Dover, NH. Yes, two of my favorite dishes were enjoyed at Stages this year: Lomo and Egg and Cabrales-Stuffed Raspberries. Chef Evan Hennessey is simply brilliant and raspberries and blue cheese are now a favorite.

The Bachelor Farmer – Minneapolis, MN. Pork Meatballs, Spätzle in Lobster Broth was one of the several outstanding dishes I had at this Minneapolis gem. Pork and lobster? Yes, it totally works.

I’m looking forward to 2017 and the food adventures I’ll enjoy.

Happy New Year!!

Veronique

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18 November 2016 Heirloom Kitchen Partners with Chef David Viana

Heirloom Kitchen Partners with Chef David Viana

November 18, 2016 By

heirloomkitchen_kitchenHeirloom Kitchen, Chef’s Table & Cooking School, in Old Bridge, NJ, has announced a partnership with Executive Chef David Viana that includes weekend dinner service Friday through Sunday from 5PM until 10PM.

Viana has spent a year freelancing as a guest chef at Heirloom Kitchen and can now offer a truly unique dining space where guests may choose to dine at the Chef’s Table, an island surrounding an open kitchen where they can watch Chef Viana and Sous Chef Andrew Wolverton prepare and artfully present their dishes. Communal seating at a ten foot white oak farm table and more traditional dining options are also available.

Chef Viana’s menu rotates weekly, featuring modern, playful and seasonal takes on American classics. Chef Jon Boot will spearhead the pastry program and conceptualize Heirloom’s desserts. Chef Boot has worked in some of the state’s most esteemed restaurants, including The Ryland Inn, Elements, and The Bernards Inn.

Heirloom Kitchen is a BYO but will also hold a California Winery License from Domenico Winery which will offer fabulous California wines at retail pricing.

About David Viana

viana3Among Chef Viana’s many accomplishments, was his recent post as Executive Chef at The Kitchen at Grove Station in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he earned a coveted three stars from The New York Times. Among his experience includes time working with the industry’s most recognizable chefs including Bobby Flay, Michael White, Anne Burrell and David Drake, in addition to his time working at heralded restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park, in New York City.

Dinner Service: Fri–Sun, 5pm–10pm

Reservations can be made on Open Table or by calling 732 727 9444.

Heirloom Kitchen – 3853 Route 516 Old Bridge, NJ 08557.

Cheers,

Veronique

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