Restaurant of the Week: Cafe Panache (Ramsey, NJ)
Mom's "29th" Birthday so Sis & I decided to treat her to Ramsey's French treasure, Cafe Panache. Another of Bergen County's finest, also having recently undergone new management, this subtle gem lies on the charming Main Street, looking less like an eatery and oddly more like a glamorous dentist office by facade. Don't be fooled. The tables are full, the decor divine, and the food superb* (must be said in a guttural, over exaggerated French accent).
After a few espresso martinis around the corner at the Nouveau-Greek "place-to-be" Varka (potentially a future bloggee), we strolled into Panache where the host was kind enough to house the wine I dropped off pre-cocktail hour, chilling our appropriate Chardonnay. The BYO aspect helps even out some of the prices which are steep, but in-check and deserving by quality. Our reasonable bill included 2 apps, shared, and an entree for each of the three of us. We divvied up the succulent whole artichoke bathing in lemon-basil white wine broth (with a 'little' butter... it is French). The plating truly foreshadowed the subtle complexity of the palate pleasing taste. The Burrata was a Tuscany-meets-Provence delicacy. If you haven't yet experienced Burrata, you must, if even (or especially) from your nearby Italian deli. It is a dual layer, oozy Mozzarella that literally spills apart at fork's touch.
Mom had the simply crafted soft shell crab, the special of the day, done up with the traditional white wine, lemon, and butter. I think Mom has SCC's on a daily basis during the month of May, being that they're in peek season. Sis had what seemed to be a Panache staple, the salmon. One on nearly every table in the intimate parlor, it was delicately baked, flaky, juicy, and served over farm fresh greens. I, of course, could not pass up the duck confit... never can. While NYC's Union Square Cafe still served me my most prized duck, this Cafe managed to keep stride. The sliced burgundy shavings paired w/the confit provided a textural harmony not easily rivaled.
Save Panache for rare occasion as it is higher up on the $ scale... but well, well worth it. Split a few apps amongst friends/family, byo French reds & whites, splurge on a special or two, and split a dessert (probably won't need) and you'll leave plenty full, partially intoxicated (on wine & the taste of the Boulevard St-Michel), and potentially with a few $ in your wallet... maybe. Only flaw (I usually have to dig one up for reality purposes...), the bussing.. The bread was dropped rather carelessly on our bread plates a few times... but how can you cry over oven-fresh homemade French 'pain'. So I wont. I'll simply remember the other 99% of the our experience and recommend you do the same... soon.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Week 3: Fascino
Restaurant of the Week: Fascino (Montclair, NJ)
Off to Essex county in the eclectic, ever budding & changing "mini-opolis" of Montclair... If you are one of the few who has not been to Montclair, it is basically a 2-street (Bloomfield Ave meets Valley Rd) hub where Montclair State University students, Montclair Kimberly Prep students, upper middle class country club patrons mix with urbanites drawn from the outskirts of Bloomfield-Belleville-Newark, a unique melting pot, socio-economic spectrum of eaters, drinkers, antiquers, and artists. If Hoboken were the flagship of Hudson County, Morristown of Morris, Ridgewood of Bergen... Montclair would head Essex. But enough about Montclair, just check it out.
On to Fascino, the NYC-esque not-so-flashy Italian establishment hiding at the end of Bloomfield Ave. This, make-sure-you-make-a-reservation gourmet and food connoisseur magnet will undoubtedly capture your heart, along with most your wallet. Once again, I've penny pinched all week in order to multi-dollar spend on something nice. Let's come right out with it: the tasting menu is $65 per person. Now this is not unheard of in the tri-state area, especially for one of New Jersey's finest, which this is, just ask your closest foodie... but this may push my budget a bit. (Even though this option includes choices of "Truffled Salmon Tartare", "Porcini Dusted Sea Scallop", and "Long Island Duck Breast".)
So it is on to the a la carte menu where the $12 White Truffle Marinated Beef Carpaccio" and the $9 "Sea Scallop Crudo w/Crispy Prosciutto" are equally as enticing. Like the previously blogged Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, Fascino offers appetizer portions of their pastas like "Ricotta Gnocchi" and "Pumpkin Mezzaluna in Oregano Brown Butter" for appetizer prices. So an app & app portion pasta don't break the bank... and you're still filling up on one of New Jersey's finest. Or nix that route and grab yourself a delectable entree like the "Australian Barramundi" or the "Slow Braised Short Ribs" (a personal favorite of mine at nearly any restaurant) somewhere in the upper $20 range. Again... worth it.
The service and decor match the quality of the food. This place serves as a 'nice occasion' place worthy of a special birthday, anniversary or that job promotion you finally and deservedly scored. Call ahead, dress nice, and treat yourself to a classy evening in one of Essex County's classiest restaurants. This is a must-visit for this summer.
http://www.fascinorestaurant.com/
Off to Essex county in the eclectic, ever budding & changing "mini-opolis" of Montclair... If you are one of the few who has not been to Montclair, it is basically a 2-street (Bloomfield Ave meets Valley Rd) hub where Montclair State University students, Montclair Kimberly Prep students, upper middle class country club patrons mix with urbanites drawn from the outskirts of Bloomfield-Belleville-Newark, a unique melting pot, socio-economic spectrum of eaters, drinkers, antiquers, and artists. If Hoboken were the flagship of Hudson County, Morristown of Morris, Ridgewood of Bergen... Montclair would head Essex. But enough about Montclair, just check it out.
On to Fascino, the NYC-esque not-so-flashy Italian establishment hiding at the end of Bloomfield Ave. This, make-sure-you-make-a-reservation gourmet and food connoisseur magnet will undoubtedly capture your heart, along with most your wallet. Once again, I've penny pinched all week in order to multi-dollar spend on something nice. Let's come right out with it: the tasting menu is $65 per person. Now this is not unheard of in the tri-state area, especially for one of New Jersey's finest, which this is, just ask your closest foodie... but this may push my budget a bit. (Even though this option includes choices of "Truffled Salmon Tartare", "Porcini Dusted Sea Scallop", and "Long Island Duck Breast".)
So it is on to the a la carte menu where the $12 White Truffle Marinated Beef Carpaccio" and the $9 "Sea Scallop Crudo w/Crispy Prosciutto" are equally as enticing. Like the previously blogged Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, Fascino offers appetizer portions of their pastas like "Ricotta Gnocchi" and "Pumpkin Mezzaluna in Oregano Brown Butter" for appetizer prices. So an app & app portion pasta don't break the bank... and you're still filling up on one of New Jersey's finest. Or nix that route and grab yourself a delectable entree like the "Australian Barramundi" or the "Slow Braised Short Ribs" (a personal favorite of mine at nearly any restaurant) somewhere in the upper $20 range. Again... worth it.
The service and decor match the quality of the food. This place serves as a 'nice occasion' place worthy of a special birthday, anniversary or that job promotion you finally and deservedly scored. Call ahead, dress nice, and treat yourself to a classy evening in one of Essex County's classiest restaurants. This is a must-visit for this summer.
http://www.fascinorestaurant.com/
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Week 2: Ho-Ho-Kus Inn
Restaurant of the Week: Ho-Ho-Kus Inn (Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ)
While my last entry focused on a town which magnetizes restaurant goers and nightlife hoopla (well, as far as Bergen County goes), Ho-Ho-Kus almost hides below the radar, behind the busy roads, and between the scenes. At the center of this charming, tranquil, Kinkade-esque village lies the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, serving as its keystone or flagship if you will. But open those doors (after scoring a rare parking spot) and the pleasant cacophony of Bergen County's own bistro screams "come on in", "have a drink", and "stay a while".
All of these statements underplay the homeliness and the quality of this establishment. The hostess will offer you options between the Tavern, the Library, or the Dining Room (Din Rm. reservations recommended Thurs-Sat) each with their own appropriate menu. (Be sure to ask for all menus. They won't give you the Tavern menu in the Dining Room, and visa versa, unless you ask.) The Tavern is your prototypical upscale bar with a few flat screens, grub tables gone gourmet, and a Vermont ski lodge feel. The Library is a dimly lit, more intimate yet still very casual spot to rest your work weathered legs with bar and table options in a study-like atmosphere. The Dining Room is a two story inn-like decor where diners usually surpass the business casual attire no matter what the occasion.
The Tavern & Library throw a Nouveau-French-American flare on gastro-pub fare with selections of hot sandwiches like their succulent Pulled-Pork, House made Pizzas, French Fries, Mac & Cheese, and appetizers including White Wine Steamed Clams with Chorizo & a rustic Cheese Board (with my favorite Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, a must!). Throw down a nice amber or porter and you've got yourself a $20-$25 meal in a very upper-middle class setting.
The Dining Room kicks up prices a bit, but not as much as you'd suspect upon entry. Their $17 pasta dishes (highlights: Tagliatelli w/Lobster or Goat Cheese Agnolotti w/Pesto and Trumpet Mushrooms) have a $9 appetizer portion option which better accompanies a typically rich French appetizer such as their Lobster Beignet or their hardly skimpy Pâté Sampler (which by the way comes with the softest Cerano Ham you'll ever wrap your tongue around). There was a hiccup in the service, as my Agnolotti took a few extra moments on a busy night. But just as I noticed the lag, the server interrupted my thought apologetically informing me that my dessert would be on the house. (Side note: I actually enjoyed my meal so much, I stopped by again on an off night for a quick bite off the Tavern menu and they recognized me, remembered my pasta-lag, and thanked me again for still returning with yet another complementary dessert.)
Speaking of desserts, they make classic French simple prove perfectly complex in taste. Their staple, Nutella-filled Doughnuts with an Espresso Semifreddo (prepared to its perfect firm but fork friendly consistency) tastes as sophisticated as it looks. Presentation takes no back seat to their Apple-Oatmeal Crisp with Caramel Ice Cream which fuses with each passing moment as the buttery, almost fragile ice cream entangles with the piping hot crisp. The Chocolate Cake at the next table seemed no slouch either, judging from the reactions I culpably overheard.
After your first visit, you'll see why this recently renovated yet ageless staple in Ho-Ho-Kus consistently fills its tables and bar stools. The menu, the customer service, the ambiance all embody a near-perfect dining experience without the often pretentious baggage and price tag that one would come to expect in today's culinary market. And you'll also see why it won't be your last.
http://hohokusinn.com/index.cfm?
http://hohokusinn.com/page_gallery.cfm?page=22
While my last entry focused on a town which magnetizes restaurant goers and nightlife hoopla (well, as far as Bergen County goes), Ho-Ho-Kus almost hides below the radar, behind the busy roads, and between the scenes. At the center of this charming, tranquil, Kinkade-esque village lies the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, serving as its keystone or flagship if you will. But open those doors (after scoring a rare parking spot) and the pleasant cacophony of Bergen County's own bistro screams "come on in", "have a drink", and "stay a while".
All of these statements underplay the homeliness and the quality of this establishment. The hostess will offer you options between the Tavern, the Library, or the Dining Room (Din Rm. reservations recommended Thurs-Sat) each with their own appropriate menu. (Be sure to ask for all menus. They won't give you the Tavern menu in the Dining Room, and visa versa, unless you ask.) The Tavern is your prototypical upscale bar with a few flat screens, grub tables gone gourmet, and a Vermont ski lodge feel. The Library is a dimly lit, more intimate yet still very casual spot to rest your work weathered legs with bar and table options in a study-like atmosphere. The Dining Room is a two story inn-like decor where diners usually surpass the business casual attire no matter what the occasion.
The Tavern & Library throw a Nouveau-French-American flare on gastro-pub fare with selections of hot sandwiches like their succulent Pulled-Pork, House made Pizzas, French Fries, Mac & Cheese, and appetizers including White Wine Steamed Clams with Chorizo & a rustic Cheese Board (with my favorite Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, a must!). Throw down a nice amber or porter and you've got yourself a $20-$25 meal in a very upper-middle class setting.
The Dining Room kicks up prices a bit, but not as much as you'd suspect upon entry. Their $17 pasta dishes (highlights: Tagliatelli w/Lobster or Goat Cheese Agnolotti w/Pesto and Trumpet Mushrooms) have a $9 appetizer portion option which better accompanies a typically rich French appetizer such as their Lobster Beignet or their hardly skimpy Pâté Sampler (which by the way comes with the softest Cerano Ham you'll ever wrap your tongue around). There was a hiccup in the service, as my Agnolotti took a few extra moments on a busy night. But just as I noticed the lag, the server interrupted my thought apologetically informing me that my dessert would be on the house. (Side note: I actually enjoyed my meal so much, I stopped by again on an off night for a quick bite off the Tavern menu and they recognized me, remembered my pasta-lag, and thanked me again for still returning with yet another complementary dessert.)
Speaking of desserts, they make classic French simple prove perfectly complex in taste. Their staple, Nutella-filled Doughnuts with an Espresso Semifreddo (prepared to its perfect firm but fork friendly consistency) tastes as sophisticated as it looks. Presentation takes no back seat to their Apple-Oatmeal Crisp with Caramel Ice Cream which fuses with each passing moment as the buttery, almost fragile ice cream entangles with the piping hot crisp. The Chocolate Cake at the next table seemed no slouch either, judging from the reactions I culpably overheard.
After your first visit, you'll see why this recently renovated yet ageless staple in Ho-Ho-Kus consistently fills its tables and bar stools. The menu, the customer service, the ambiance all embody a near-perfect dining experience without the often pretentious baggage and price tag that one would come to expect in today's culinary market. And you'll also see why it won't be your last.
http://hohokusinn.com/index.cfm?
http://hohokusinn.com/page_gallery.cfm?page=22
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Week 1: Sakura Bana
Restaurant of the Week: Sakura Bana (Ridgewood, NJ)
Amidst the clutter and ever growing expansion of the "sushi phenomenon" lies a rare breed of traditional, authentic, no-frills staple of Japanese cuisine in Bergen County. Sakura Bana, one of a plethora of Ridgewood Japanese eateries, hides quietly off "restaurant row", beneath the trendy weekend crowds, with a finger to its lips as if it knows something know one else does. And it just may.
I chose SB as my virginal blog being that this seemingly 'just another sushi joint' stood where it stands decades ago when sushi was still a question mark, a forethought, an odd, "uncooked!?" cuisine only frequented by the indigenous or the brave. I remember walking through the still nondescript entrance when I was 10 years old, some 21 years ago, and walking out marveled and changed. I felt the same just last night, even knowing what I was in for... or maybe I never really know.
Sakura Bana has stood the test of time, serving the best quality fish to an ever-faithful fan base for several decades. While other nouveau-americanized newbies come and go, Sakura Bana (and its 4 chefs!) have been pushing only the freshest, rarest of sushi, sashimi & rolls since I can remember. Ranging from your classic tekamaki (tuna roll) prepared traditional style (not inside out, glittered with tri-colored caviar) to their Japanese imports like shima aji & iwashi (only found in select establishments), SB continues to wow current and future generations of potential addicts.
While Sakura Bana has your Spicy California Rolls, Rainbow Rolls and other jazzed-up transitions from the old to the new, the chefs pride themselves on simplicity & tradition, keeping true to classic form and frowning upon substitutions. This gem is truly for those inspired by the art of authenticity, those who appreciate the velvety feel of even a basic piece of salmon melting over an impatiently waiting tongue, as well as the rare species seekers in pursuit of something never tried. Just this week, SB has rarities including blue shrimp, aji, king crab, kanpachi, oyster, monk fish liver, and beef tongue all smudged sloppily in blue highlighter on a who-cares dry-erase board. It's within that blue-inked mess where the pearls lay. Be sure to order the always orgasmic uni (sea urchin) with quail egg. It really will change your life, and so will Sakura Bana... or at least your take on perfectly simple sushi.
Amidst the clutter and ever growing expansion of the "sushi phenomenon" lies a rare breed of traditional, authentic, no-frills staple of Japanese cuisine in Bergen County. Sakura Bana, one of a plethora of Ridgewood Japanese eateries, hides quietly off "restaurant row", beneath the trendy weekend crowds, with a finger to its lips as if it knows something know one else does. And it just may.
I chose SB as my virginal blog being that this seemingly 'just another sushi joint' stood where it stands decades ago when sushi was still a question mark, a forethought, an odd, "uncooked!?" cuisine only frequented by the indigenous or the brave. I remember walking through the still nondescript entrance when I was 10 years old, some 21 years ago, and walking out marveled and changed. I felt the same just last night, even knowing what I was in for... or maybe I never really know.
Sakura Bana has stood the test of time, serving the best quality fish to an ever-faithful fan base for several decades. While other nouveau-americanized newbies come and go, Sakura Bana (and its 4 chefs!) have been pushing only the freshest, rarest of sushi, sashimi & rolls since I can remember. Ranging from your classic tekamaki (tuna roll) prepared traditional style (not inside out, glittered with tri-colored caviar) to their Japanese imports like shima aji & iwashi (only found in select establishments), SB continues to wow current and future generations of potential addicts.
While Sakura Bana has your Spicy California Rolls, Rainbow Rolls and other jazzed-up transitions from the old to the new, the chefs pride themselves on simplicity & tradition, keeping true to classic form and frowning upon substitutions. This gem is truly for those inspired by the art of authenticity, those who appreciate the velvety feel of even a basic piece of salmon melting over an impatiently waiting tongue, as well as the rare species seekers in pursuit of something never tried. Just this week, SB has rarities including blue shrimp, aji, king crab, kanpachi, oyster, monk fish liver, and beef tongue all smudged sloppily in blue highlighter on a who-cares dry-erase board. It's within that blue-inked mess where the pearls lay. Be sure to order the always orgasmic uni (sea urchin) with quail egg. It really will change your life, and so will Sakura Bana... or at least your take on perfectly simple sushi.
Because life's too short to eat shit...
... I'm going to attempt to dine at 52 of New Jersey's best food finds on my teacher's salary. Since I plan to hit up some of the finest, I'll have to make sacrifices elsewhere. Apologies to those nouveau sardine packed late night NYC/Hoboken bars that will miss some of my bar bills, temporary good byes to those chilled shots of Patron Silver... looks like I'll be watching my Mets games from my couch this season. But if I want to show that some of the best, even priciest dining spots in New Jersey can be done, even on the most moderate of incomes, these are sacrifices I am more than willing to make. So won't you come along for the ride...
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