Last week, I was invited to join a small group to sample some of the new dishes and drinks offered at Crystal Springs Resort’s Chef’s Garden.

The Chef’s Garden has a new Chef, a new menu and a new drinks program. What’s not new is how gorgeous the space is. Adjacent to a fantasy-like garden of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, guests dine al fresco, under an impermeable canvas roof, to intoxicating aromas of grilling meats and scenic views of the Kittatinny Mountain Range.

The food offered in the Chef’s Garden is grilled over an open fire – no gas or electric cooking. The open kitchen, with its various cooking stations, provides diners a theatrical view of the food being prepared.

The new menu created by Chef Anthony Bucco and his team showcases true “garden-to-table” dining with some of the produce, herbs and flowers used in the kitchen harvested in the nearby garden.

The starters we tried were the Deviled Eggs and the Heirloom Tomatoes. The deviled eggs were beautifully-presented, with good tang, crunch from a small piece of red onion and fresh corn flavor from a corn shoot. The tomatoes were ripe, juicy and served with goat cheese, fresh basil leaves and moist corn bread croutons – a perfect dish to enjoy in the garden.   

Our entrées spanned across many categories and flavors. The dishes we shared were the Pastrami Rubbed Brisket, Grilled Shrimp Tacos, Paprika Rubbed Skirt Steak and two different flatbreads: Carbonara and Margherita. I’m weak for brisket and this version was juicy, with the perfect meat-to-fat ratio and big beefy flavors – a winner. The tacos were okay and featured nicely cooked extra-large shrimps, could-be-better tortillas, guacamole and grilled scallions, lemons, shallots and cherry tomatoes. The skirt steak was beautifully-cooked to a medium-rare temperature and served with heirloom radishes and an outstanding potato salad. The flatbreads were perfect for sharing as each was cut in individual portions. The Carbonara with its Pancetta, Pecorino and egg was a favorite at our table – rich and salty goodness. The Margherita version was also good but the tomato sauce that was smeared on the dough wasn’t as light and fresh as it needed to be to match the vibrant flavors of the fresh basil and cherry tomatoes that crowned the flatbread.     

Desserts were over-the-top, whimsical and indulgent – S’mores, Pots de Crème and Strawberry Shortcake. The three desserts were served in glass jars which made it somewhat difficult for us to share. The S’mores combined hand-made marshmallows, Graham cracker crumbs and a chocolate layer – my favorite of the three desserts. The chocolatey pots de crème were decadent with some spiced notes. The shortcake featured good quality biscuits, airy whipped cream and garden-fresh strawberries.

New to the Chef’s Garden is an onsite mixologist who’s created an interesting drinks menu with hand-made bitters and juices, local liquors and an all-American wine list. I enjoyed a Rosé of Cabernet Franc by Finger Lakes’ Anthony Road Wine Company.

The Chef’s Garden at Crystal Springs’ Grand Cascades Lodge brings fresh and local dining to a whole new level, in an idyllic setting.

Hours of operations: Dinner served Friday & Saturday: 5pm-10pm. Lunch served Saturday & Sunday: 11am-4pm. No reservations – first come, first served.

Cheers,

Veronique