10 March 2015 Easter Egg Hunts and Brunch at Liberty House and The Ryland Inn

Easter Egg Hunts and Brunch at Liberty House and The Ryland Inn

March 10, 2015 By
Liberty House Easter

Liberty House Easter

Liberty House in Jersey City and The Ryland In in Whitehouse Station will each host Easter egg hunts sponsored by H.U.G.. Every year, 10% of each of the restaurants top three producing tables is donated to programs that give back to our community. Part of this is hosting the annual Easter egg hunt at Liberty House and this year, The Ryland Inn as well.

At Liberty House, the 10th annual Easter Egg Hunt starts at 11am on Saturday April 4th with activities for children ten and under such as face painting, arts and crafts and entertainment.

This year, the Ryland Inn will host its first annual Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday at 11am, with a kickoff by Senator Bateman.

On Easter Sunday, a Grand Buffet will be served by Chef Ken Trickilo at Liberty House and at The Ryland Inn by Chef Craig Polignano .

RSVP to the Easter egg hunt at Liberty House by calling 201.448.9750 and at The Ryland Inn by calling 908.534.4011.

To view the Easter brunch menus please visit: www.libertyhouserestaurant.com and www.rylandinnnj.com.

Reservations for Easter Sunday brunch can be made by calling The Liberty House at 201.395.0300 and The Ryland Inn at 908.534.4011.

Check out last year’s video by clicking here!

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , , , ,
26 February 2015 The Ryland Inn Brunch

The Ryland Inn Brunch

February 26, 2015 By
Bread Basket and Preserves

Bread Basket and Preserves

I had the pleasure of brunching once again at the gorgeous The Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station. The menu is concise yet the choices make it incredibly difficult to decide on.

Executive Chef Craig Polignano uses farm-to-table, local and sustainable ingredients making menus of fresh food and flavors that change with the seasons. From the bread basket with amazing pastries and berry preserves to the best risotto we’ve had, to lovely pasta and main dishes, we were once again, wowed.

The cocktails are very special, so don’t omit to order a drink. During this visit, I had a Milk Punch that packed…a punch. Our group also enjoyed Champagne by the glass.

The Ryland Inn service is stellar and helpful and very attentive without being overbearing.

Risotto

Risotto

It’s a luxurious experience with no small details left unaccounted for. This is the best brunch I’ve had in New Jersey.

I posted a photo album of the various dishes we enjoyed on my Facebook Page. Go check them out and try not to drool.

Sunday Brunch  11:00am to 2:00pm.

The Ryland Inn – 111 OLD HIGHWAY 28, WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,
2 April 2014 Cocktailing at the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival

Cocktailing at the New Jersey Wine & Food Festival

April 2, 2014 By
Christopher James

Christopher James

Last weekend’s New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs was THE event to attend for all things…well, wine and food-related. While I enjoyed partaking in the various food and wine activities, one session I truly appreciated was the Local Craft Cocktails session conducted by Mixologist Extraordinaire Christopher James of The Ryland Inn.

The 2013 winner of The Iron Shaker competition created five craft cocktails that were simply outstanding. For those of you who’ve not had the pleasure of enjoying a Chris James-created cocktail, make a point to go visit him at The Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station. Chris serves up the very best drinks I’ve ever had and puts a great deal of thought into the ingredients he uses including juices, bitters and even the ice. The locally-made booze Chris used in the cocktails was:

  • Dutch’s Sugar Wash Moonshine from Pine Plans, NY
  • Brooklyn Gin from Warwick, NY
  • Laird’s AppleJack from Scobeyville, NJ
  • Widow Jane Bourbon from Brooklyn, NY
  • Bootleggers 21 Vodka from Roscoe, NY
Spring Sparkler in Flute

Spring Sparkler in Flute

While all five drinks were stellar, here’s one you’ll enjoy as the weather warms up a bit:

Spring Sparkler

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces Brooklyn Gin
  • ½ ounce Campari
  • ¾ ounce lemon juice
  • ¾ ounce simple syrup
  • 1 dash Dutch’s Prohi-bitter

Directions:

  1. Shake all the ingredients and strain into a chilled flute.
  2. Top with 1½ ounces brut Champagne.
  3. Garnish with a horse’s neck of lemon peel.

Cheers to well-made cocktails and artisan mixologists like Chris.

Veronique

Filed Under: Cocktails, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , , ,
29 December 2013 My Top 10 New Jersey Dishes of 2013

My Top 10 New Jersey Dishes of 2013

December 29, 2013 By
Seafood Risotto - HAVEN

Seafood Risotto – HAVEN

While I’ve had many, many memorable meals in 2013 (God knows I over-share), 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.

Duck, Knoephla and Eggs – A Toute Heure

The Knoephla dish showcases a generous portion of rich pulled duck confit, Knoephla, a German dumpling much like Spaetzle and a New Jersey farm-fresh egg.

Sweetbreads and Crispy Bone Marrow - Escape

Sweetbreads and Crispy Bone Marrow – Escape

Sweetbreads with Crispy Bone Marrow – Escape Montclair

Sweetbreads, Pea Purée, Crispy Marrow, Chanterelles and Grape Juice. Simply an amazing dish. The sweetbreads were tender and perfectly cooked and Chef Gregg was truly gilding the lily with the addition of crispy bone marrow. The best bone marrow I’ve had.

Moules Meunière – Fricassée

The portion of mussels is gigantic and offers a very flavorful white wine, garlic and cherry tomato saucy broth bursting with thyme, basil and mint flavors.

Fluke Crudo - The Ryland Inn

Fluke Crudo – The Ryland Inn

Seafood Risotto – HAVEN Riverfront Restaurant & Bar

Seafood Risotto with Riso Venere, Lobster, Sea Scallops, Shrimps, Sea Beans, Sweet Corn and Mascarpone. The black rice contrasted beautifully with the rich broth and perfectly-cooked seafood.

Combination Kabab Platter – Kabab Paradise

The flavorful dish is comprised of a chicken breast kabab, a beef kufta kabab and a lamb tikka kabab. The meats are moist and perfectly charcoal-grilled. The white accompanying sauce is addicting.

Rabbit - Restaurant Latour

Rabbit – Restaurant Latour

Pork Belly Ramen – Mitsuwa

The ramen bowl features pork belly and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms. The ramen noodles are cooked perfectly, just a bit chewy, and the pork-laced broth is out-of-this-world.

Loin of Young Rabbit – Restaurant Latour at Crystal Springs

Loin of Young Rabbit Roulade with Belly Confit and Sweet White Onion Jus. Tender loin, rich belly and tart jus.

Crescent Duck Breast – The Orange Squirrel

The duck was rare as ordered with a masterly-rendered, crisp skin and paired with earthy carrot quinoa.

Duck - The Orange Squirrel

Duck – The Orange Squirrel

Fluke Crudo – The Ryland Inn

Fluke Crudo, Summer Melons, Heirloom Tomatoes, Garden Herbs. Just the perfect summer starter with fresh, clean flavors.

House-Made Ricotta Gnudi – VB3 Restaurant

The wonderful Gnudi are pillowy-soft and served with a light, basil-infused tomato sauce.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these dishes and leave a comment when you do in the new year!

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
31 October 2013 The Tim Burton Sour

The Tim Burton Sour

October 31, 2013 By
Photo by The Ryland Inn

Photo by The Ryland Inn

I’m enjoying the resurgence of the sexy cocktail across the country. Pretty glass, craft ice and pristine ingredients pair up with artistic techniques from talented mixologists. One such fellow is Christopher James of The Ryland Inn in New Jersey. Chris has mixed me my favorite drink of 2013 – the Reposado Crusta made with Herradura Reposado Tequila, pomegranate, lime, agave and Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine.

Christopher James

Christopher James

For Halloween, Chris was kind enough to share his festive recipe for The Tim Burton and I’m sharing it with you so you can try it tonight after the sugar-rush kiddies go to bed and you need a little…pick me up.

Ingredients:

  • 2.0 ounces Deaths Door white whisky
  • 0.75 ounce agar-agar clarified lemon juice
  • 0.75 ounce 2:1 simple syrup

Directions:

  1. Stir ingredients with ice cubes for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe.
  2. Garnish with a slice of dehydrated lemon wheel.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: , , , , , ,