Due Mari, New Brunswick NJ

Last weekend we tried a restaurant we've been talking about for a while now...Due Mari in New Brunswick, NJ. With Susan & Rich, we managed to eat through a pretty good selection of their Italian inspired, seafood heavy menu. And with $25 for the first bottle corkage policy, we were able to bring a bottle of champagne to kick the evening off with while selecting a red to go with the later courses.

They started us off by a different take on bread & butter; focaccia served with oil & hummus spread. Very nice. For the table we started with a small plate off their Szifi menu. The Duck Liver Rillette, Crostini, Caramelized Onion, Figs caught our attention. Unfortunately, they were a not constructed in the best manner. There was not enough duck liver and way too much onion. The fig was nice but being impossible to cut through, you were guaranteed to get one bite with fig and one without. Not the best start, but our hopes were still high.

Next we went into appetizers. Both Rich & I ordered the Butterhead Lettuce, Lump Crabmeat, Oven Dried Tomatoes and Tarragon-Mustard Dressing. Alan selected the lobster dish and Susan the Polipo of grilled octopus, olives, peppers, radicchio and Ceci beans. I loved the salad - it reminded me a little of the peeky-toe crab salad at Daniel but not as citrus infused. The dressing was quite nice with a plenty of crab to last through every bite. Alan's lobster dish was very good but I don't remember much of Susan's octopus other than it seemed to be grilled properly without being to chewy.

For a mid-course we asked for two different pasta dishes split four ways so everyone got to try both. The first was the Garganelli with Parma Prosciutto, Mushrooms and White Truffle Butter. Susan & Rich had tried this dish before and remembered it fondly.

I have to say - what a luscious pasta! Creamy, hint of saltiness and a wealth of favor. This was a winner! The second pasta dish was the Fusilli with octopus, bone marrow butter and Pomodorini. We expected this is to basically be the crispy octopus Fusilli with bone marrow from Marea (Michael White's other, more famous restaurant in the Altamarea group). Sadly, it wasn't. Not that it wasn't good - but if you've had the one from Marea and you have any level of expectation you will be disappointed. The octopus in this dish was not crispy and the bone marrow in butter form didn't have the same impact as the NYC version. Good, not great.

And on to entrees - Alan ordered the Red Snapper, Caramelized Cauliflower , Marcona Almonds, Green Beans with Roasted Red Pepper Espuma. Susan ordered the signature fish of the restaurant, the Grilled Mediterranean Branzino, Escarole, Oven Roasted Tomatoes, White Shrimp and Black Olive Vinaigrette. Rich selected the Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop, Cavatelli, Broccoli Rabe and Ham in Scallion Butter. I opted for the Pan Seared Sea Scallops, Roasted Winter Squash, Oyster Mushrooms, Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Beurre Monté.

Susan & Alan's fish were both cooked beautifully and my scallops were full of flavor, blending nicely with the brussel sprouts and mushrooms. And Rich's pork - oh, joy! What a nicely cooked piece of heaven. Moist, medium with a hint of pink in the middle and just as succulent as can be. Very nice indeed.

All in all - a fun, casual place with a cool ambiance and some good, hearty options on the menu. While not spectacular, it's probably the best restaurant I've been to in New Brunswick so far. There's a vibrant bar scene and it's easy enough to get reservations. Going back would definitely be an option.

Jenn's Rating: 83
Zagat's Rating: 26-24-25

Cafe at Nordstrom

Have you ever eaten in a department store? Does it seem a little odd...like it's not supposed to be there? I initially thought so until I tried the Cafe at Nordstrom at my local mall in Freehold, NJ a few years ago. I don't go there often, but when I do, I'm reminded of what a nice, fresh, great tasting option it is in lieu of the food court.

The menu is a nice size with selections of soups like Roma Tomato Basil, sandwiches & panini, salads and entrees of pasta and chicken and even personal thin crust pizza. Although it's self seating and can get crowded it's still a lot better than dealing with the hoards of people in the mall.

This last trip I stopped in for a small salad and a half a sandwich. The grilled California melt was fabulous! Turkey, Swiss cheese, ripe avocado, lettuce, tomato and bacon - it just worked wonderfully together with melted happiness on a thick Texas toast served with homemade chips.

To accompany my half sandwich I got my favorite Cobb salad on a bed of spinach. Laden with egg, bacon, chicken, tomato, blue cheese & avocado and lavished upon with dressing, it's filling and fortifying.

I've also tried their pasta dishes and a few other sandwiches. Overall, this is a nice change of pace during a hectic day of shopping with a meal that won't make you feel guilty or like you just ate grease.

Pluckemin Inn, Main Dining Room

We haven't done this is a long time but over the weekend Alan and I ate at the Pluckemin Inn in the main dining room. So often we just grab a bite in the tavern that we were excited to experience the more formal side of the house. For anyone reading this blog who hasn't been to this gorgeous Bedminster location, you're missing out.

While the tavern is pretty big it doesn't compare in size to the main dining room - itself actually made up of three floors with three different personalities. Downstairs are tables and private rooms in the "wine cellar". I've never had dinner down there but it's intimate and a bit darker with a warmth and sense of privacy that's quite unique. The main floor dining room is circular shaped with the middle of the room giving way to the multistoried, glass enclosed wine cellar. This is where we ate. And finally, there's an upstairs dining room that also doubles as a private party space on some occassions.

They started us off with an amuse bouche of avocado and basil infused soup in a little shot glass that was spectacular! Great way to begin dinner.

We got settled and were a bit undecided on what to order until we heard the specials of the evening. There were three and we worked all of them into our meal. I started, as I love to do, with my standby Pluckemin Salad consisting this season (it changes throughout the year) of mixed greens, apples, cheese and a wonderfully light, flavorful vinaigrette. Alan went with the endive salad with frisee, aged provolone, walnuts and a green apple mustard vinaigrette. We polished off both salads with ease.

Next up were the pasta courses. I chose the evening's special of a handmade, thick spaghetti cooked quite al dente with chunks of lobster plus chives in a lobster jus. Alan ordered the cavatelli with homemade ricotta, lamb ragout, pecorino, rosemary and tomato confit. My pasta was absolutely fantastic. Truly al dente with that little bite, the thick pasta went so well with the generous amount of lobster. And before they came to take my plate away, I scooped up every little bit of that jus there was. Plate cleaning good! Alan's pasta was also pretty awesome with an savory earthy quality that made you feel very at home. Nothing left on his plate either!

For the entrees we ordered the two specials of the night. Alan's was the suckling pig dish of belly, "t-bone" and ribs. It was served with brussel sprouts and an apple puree. I tried bites of his through the course and was impressed with how well it was prepared - juicy and flavorful. The only comment attached to this dish wasn't so much about it in particular, but a personal observation Alan made. This dish was really great, but a touch on the sweet side. He had ordered the standard Niman Ranch pork chop last week and liked the savoriness of that one a little better. Both were cooked perfectly.

For my final dish I ordered the special steak of the evening, a New York Strip served with fingerling potatoes. Served at exactly medium rare with a mouth watering spice and herb rub, this is one of the best restaurant steaks I've had in a long, long time. I actually won't willingly order steak at a restaurant - so often being disappointed by the lack of flavor, being overcooked or just struggling with the blandness compared to the price point. I'm too spoiled by getting great cuts of meat expertly prepared at home (by Alan) or by friends (Rich) that it makes no sense to take the risk of one off the menu. I'm so happy to say, this was not the case ~ what a great dish!

Overall, what an experience! I'm so glad we revisited the main dining room with it's air of comfortable formalness and such an attentive waitstaff. Put this all together with a wonderful bottle of champagne and a glass of syrah, it was a great night out.

Zagat's Rating: 26-26-25
Jenn's Rating: 87

Two Fifty Two, Bedminster NJ

Last week Alan and I joined Mary & Steve at a little restaurant on Route 202 in Bedminster called Two Fifty Two. It's a converted house with two small rooms for dining. On this occasion, it was closed for a private wine tasting dinner featuring Robert Sinskey's vintages and as seen in the picture below, Robert himself.

The restaurant was packed to it's capacity - maybe 40 people seated at two long tables. To start the evening off there was cocktail hour of sorts with passed hors d'Oeuvres of Pan Seared Duck Breast, Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding, Merlot Demi and a Tuna Tartar Napa Cabbage, Mango, Avocado, Cucumber, Potato. To accompany, Robert and Joe of 56 degrees (the evening's host) poured a 2010 Robert Sinskey Abraxas White.

The appetizers were both pretty good. The duck had a nice flavor to it, especially when you got one that was warm right from the kitchen. The tuna tartar was presented as tiny little tacos that were absolutely adorable. They were okay - I thought they lacked a little flavor even though they came across as quite light and refreshing.

Upon being seated we went right into the first course of the evening, pan seared scallop with sweet corn & basil puree and a balsamic glace. I thought this was a heavenly little dish. The single scallop was quite large, perfectly cooked and worked so nicely with the corn puree. I ate mine and half of Mary's (who's just discovered she's allergic to shellfish, ugh!). The wine paired with this course was also the Abraxas white.

Next up was the squab served two ways; roasted breast and confit legs with kale and porcini mushrooms. The breast was nicely cooked with the fatty skin still on to provide a nice decadence against the breast meat. The shredded leg meat was overcooked and too dry. Actually, the entire dish was too dry in my opinion. It would have made a world of difference for it to be sitting on a thick demi-glaze or reduction sauce of some type. So this one was just so-so.

The wines served with the squab were the Pinot Noir Three Amigos (which was the hit of the evening) and the Pinot Noir Four Vineyards. Both from Carneros region.

The main dish was a fire roasted lamb chop with date chutney and sauteed spinach on a bed of lentils. Here's where it just fell apart. I love lamb chops, but these were very small with an unacceptable amount of fat. The plate had too much lentils that were dry and chalky. The spinach was nicely cooked but couldn't save the dish. We did acknowledge how hard it is for a small kitchen to cook, plate and serve forty people at once so I give the staff a grain of salt.

The wines paired with the lamb were the POV Red and the Marcien Red. I wasn't a fan of either wine but love welcome someone else to comment on their take on the wines of the evening.

Finally, we wrapped up dinner with cheese plates featuring as assortment from Valley Shepherd Creamery located in Long Valley, New Jersey. Accompaniments included toast, quince paste and apples. A nice enough plate to end the evening but none of the cheeses blew me away. That's probably because I lean very far towards Bries, triple creams and other soft selections. The wine was a RSV Claret Bordeaux blend.

All in all a most fabulous evening of catching up with good friends but the food and the wine didn't strike the right chord. But to be fair, we've agreed to go back to this cute little BYO for a regular dinner and see what the kitchen staff can do under normal circumstances.

La Grenouille, NYC

Having just got back from a long vacation, we've been reconnecting with friends for dinner. With Patty, the choice was an NYC tradition, La Grenouille. This is the oldest still standing French restaurant in Manhattan, located at 52nd between Fifth and Madison.

Upon arriving a few minutes early for our reservation, we had drinks at the small but chic bar in the front. Comfortable red cushioned stools and an attentive bartender poured us glasses of Laurent Perrier Rose to start the evening.

A subdued, elegant atmosphere of red and gold gilt with fresh flowers abounding...it felt like we'd walked into a fairly formal dining room of which even in a dress and heels, still made me think I was under dressed. Seated at a lovely table in the middle of the main room with two of us kitty corner on a plush sofa, it was a very comfortable arrangement. And as the room filled up with patrons, it became apparent that we were going to be the youngest diners that evening by a good thirty years or so.

The service was spot on and what you'd expect - heavy French accents with a hint of humor and perfect timing. We ordered off the price fixed menu...three courses, $98 per person. Plus wine, of course.

For appetizers, Patty chose the Beggar's purse with egg and truffle; I opted for the lobster and tarragon ravioli and the winner of the first round was Alan's seared foie gras with fennel and blood orange. Patty's course was so fragrant with the smell of warm, black truffle but the pasta containing the egg overwhelmed the delicateness of rest of the ingredients. My ravioli was good but missing that factor that makes it perfection - it seemed a bit too thick and too hard to taste the actual lobster. Alan's dish was excellent.

For the entree, Patty chose the grilled Dover Sole with mustard sauce. I went with the organic chicken roasted with root vegetables, truffle and foie gras sauce. And Alan selected the special of the evening, pork chop with pork belly. And while Patty's sole was delicately prepared and beautifully presented, it still didn't have that wow factor. My chicken was actually wonderfully prepared and cooked to a juicy happiness...but it's still chicken. Comforting, but not winning any prizes. It was Alan's pork that took the prize...succulent and juicy with the right amount of fat to make it joyful without chewy - fabulous flavor. Great dish!

And finally, dessert. I opted for a cheese platter which they served like an intermezzo course for all of us to share. Nicely presented with five cheeses including a goat, Camembert, a semi-soft, a blue and one more that slips my mind. All served with toasted raisin country bread, almonds and honey. Very nice course.

Then out comes the crown jewel - Alan ordered a chocolate souffle. It was tall, light, fluffy and bursting with chocolate happiness. Easily one of the best souffles I can remember ever tasting. The souffle alone was worth the trip. They had five different ones to choose from but I'm so happy he went with the classic. This was accompanied by Patty's shaved ice and gelato dish and a kitchen gift of a classic apple tart. These were okay...they paled in comparison to the souffle.

With a half bottle of Ruinart Blanc des Blancs NV and and a 2009 Simon Bize Savigny Les Beaune Les Grands Liards, the night was quite nice and about the same price point as the others we've been to lately ($225 a person all in all). Would I go back? Probably not. Would I recommend it to someone else, probably. It's a place that will give you that feeling that you're eating in one of the high end Paris restaurants without breaking the bank. A nice experience overall.

Zagat: 28-28-28
Jenn's Rating: 90

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Vodka Sauce

From the February 27, 2012 edition of People Magazine, here's Wolfgang Puck's easy chicken recipe. We tried it and loved it!

Ingredients:

• 4 (8oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp white wine
• Kosher salt
• black pepper
• 1 and 1/2 cups vodka sauce
• 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp melted butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness and season with salt and pepper.
Place 1 slice of prosciutto and 1 slice of provolone on each breast. Roll up like a jelly roll and secure with bamboo skewer or string.
Whisk together olive oil, red pepper flakes, rosemary, wine, salt, pepper and vodka sauce.
Pour sauce mixture into bottom of oven safe baking dish. Place chicken on top of sauce.
Melt butter and mix with bread crumbs - sprinkle mixture over chicken.
Cover with parchment paper and then with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

What we did differently: I used dried rosemary instead of fresh and we used Barilla Three Cheese Fromagerie red sauce instead of vodka since that's what we had on hand. We served this over angel hair pasta with roasted asparagus on the side and it was excellent!!