Hard to believe, but it has been over two years since I posted one of my most-used restaurant lists and the inspiration behind food with a view. I rounded up my favorites and featured 100 Steps, which later grabbed top honor as my favorite restaurant. Date nights are on my mind lately, as we celebrated 23 years of dining out together on April 12. Our shared love of a good meal is high on the list of reasons for the longevity of this particular love story! So what to do with all those anniversaries and milestones? Update the list, of course! … [Read more...]
common lot: a corner turned in north jersey dining
Common Lot arrived over 18 months ago, challenging the area restaurant mold with its elegant irreverence. Early reviews from established critics were excellent. Some locals may have whispered about the "unusual" menu and wondered where the pasta and bread went. But in my view, Common Lot began what is [hopefully] a journey towards higher quality, more diverse restaurant options for the food-savvy northern NJ diner. We will perhaps, one day, look back on the arrival of Common Lot as the crest of the new wave of better dining, and graciously thank the husband and wife team that ushered in a new era of eating out. … [Read more...]
a step full of surprises: the kitchen step in jersey city
The Grove Street area of Jersey City is well into a welcome culinary renaissance. New restaurants are arriving monthly, many rivaling the best of the New York City dining scene. Plenty are worth the trip from the city or nearby New Jersey towns, and Ryan DePersio’s The Kitchen Step is no exception. The Kitchen Step does "step" away from the elevated classic Italian of chef DePersio’s highly regarded Fascino, moving us towards a more modern eclectic menu and vibe. While the ever-present farm-to-table trend makes an appearance, chef de cuisine Robert Carnero doesn’t let the same old, same old dominate the offerings. … [Read more...]
a european vacation in jersey city
Satis Bistro opened in 2010, adding a much-needed foodie destination to the waterfront scene in the Paulus Hook neighborhood of Jersey City. I cannot recall what originally drew us to this charming place. Maybe it was the description of the food as a modern, twisted European fusion of our favorite cuisines and dining experiences -- Italian trattorias, French bistros, Spanish tapas bars, and Portuguese sidewalk cafes. … [Read more...]
for the love of beer – Trap Rock restaurant and brewery
Beer. Apparently I have missed out on this particular joy for the majority of my adult life. Which is too bad, because it turns out, it pairs perfectly with some of my favorite flavors in food. And more importantly, it’s yet another thing husband Gary and I can enjoy together, because it also turns out he’s a big craft beer fan. … [Read more...]
date night dining out
Don’t let social media fool you: date night did not exist until 6 years ago. It appeared on the scene exactly six and a half years ago with the birth of our son. Among other rude awakenings, we discovered that quality couple time would no longer be a spontaneous, carefree act, but rather the result of weeks of careful planning. … [Read more...]
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