Quote of the Week: Grits in Madison, NJ

"Feasting is also closely related to memory. We eat certain things in a particular way in order to remember who we are. Why else would you eat grits in Madison, New Jersey?"

--Jeff Smith

Garlic Rose

Earlier this year my parents visited me in Jersey and we hit up Garlic Rose, a restaurant I'd been dying to try for far too long. Located at 41 Main Street in Madison, New Jersey, Garlic Rose is BYOB, so we brought along a nice bottle of French malbec (my favorite type of wine). This cute bistro was packed to the brim on this Friday night and the scent of garlic filled the dining room, whetting our appetites for dinner.

First off, I just have to say that lots of restaurants bring out bread and oil or butter before your dinner begins, but at Garlic Rose this simple snack is taken to a new level. The bread was soft and warm and the dipping sauce was exceptional. It’s basically a super garlicky pesto sauce, and it tastes phenomenal when drizzled over the bread. I could have been happy just eating this standard fare.

But of course there were many more dishes to try! For one of our appetizers we ordered the Garlicious Escargots—snails served out of shell and sautéed with onions, shitake mushrooms, and basil in a red wine garlic veloute sauce. The snails were cooked perfectly and melted in the mouth with the delightful flavors of the accompanying sauce. 

We also tried the Artichoke Hearts Del Destino, which are egg-battered hearts sautéed with capers and red peppers in a roasted garlic lemon and veloute sauce. These were thankfully not battered too heavily and were perfect for sharing between us although I did prefer the escargot.

From the specials menu my mom ordered Shrimp Oreganato. This entrée consisted of shrimp topped with garlic orgenanato breadcrumbs that were broiled in a white wine, lemon, and butter sauce and was served with seasoned yellow rice. Also from the specials menu my dad ordered St. Peter’s Fish Fra Diablo, which consisted of Tilapia topped with a spicy garlic tomato sauce with hot cherry peppers, roasted red peppers, onions, fresh basil, and oregano. It was also served with seasoned yellow rice. This dish had a really nice level of intense heat and spiciness.

I opted for the Center Cut Frenched Rib Pork Chop. This 12 oz. center cut frenched rib pork chop was broiled to medium doneness in a garlic marinade, topped with a red wine demiglaze, and accompanied with caramelized Fuji apples and Gilroy potatoes. I thoroughly enjoyed this entrée. The pork chop was cooked just right, but the real gem of this dish was the caramelized apples. They added a slightly sweet delightful accompaniment to the pork that was all tied together with the red wine demiglaze. In fact, the sauces on all the dishes we tried were phenomenal—Garlic Rose must have a superb saucier.

Although we were full and satisfied after these appetizers and entrees we couldn’t resist trying the Garlic Ice Cream from the dessert menu. I’ve heard that such a thing exists but had yet to try it. This ice cream was exploding with garlic flavor. There was a very interesting play between the heat and intensity of the garlic juxtaposed with the cool sweetness of the ice cream that made this dessert particularly addictive. It was surprising that the most garlicky item we tasted was the dessert, but it was delicious and any garlic lover should definitely try it out at some point.

I’d been waiting quite a while to eat at Garlic Rose and it definitely lived up to my expectations. If you find yourself in the town of Madison then it’s well worth it to try out this garlicious bistro.  

Mehndi and SM23

Valentine’s Day for two single girls is a great opportunity to go out for a fancy dinner, movie, and drinks. Last Saturday my friend Janessa and I decided to treat ourselves to a fantastic meal at Mehndi, an Indian restaurant in Morristown, New Jersey, followed by cocktails at SM23. Mehndi had been recommended by my friend Randy who is from the area (see my post on blackened tilapia tacos for more Randy awesomeness), and I’m so glad she gave me the heads up! Mehndi was some of the best Indian food I’ve had in a while, and the classy atmosphere was just what we needed for a single girls Valentine’s celebration.

For appetizers we ordered Maachli Koliwada and the Makkai and Papadum. The Maachli Koliwada was deep-fried tilapia with cracked spices and a lentil marinade. They were kind of like fancy fish sticks with a little extra kick. Nice and tasty.

The Makkai and Papadum was corn, okra, green chili, onion, and tomato with lentil crisp. The makkai reminded me of a salsa dip with different veggies in it. It wasn't spicy unless you got one of the dried chilies, and then it was really spicy! Now I enjoy high levels of spiciness, but you probably shouldn't eat a whole chili unless you really love heat. The crispy lentil papadum was perfect for scooping up the makkai.

 

And no Indian meal is complete without some delicious Indian bread. We tried the rosemary naan. I’d never tried naan with rosemary on it, but it was pretty great.

We split an entrée and opted for the Bhuna Gosht, which came with pan-roasted lamb, bay leaf, green cardamom, cinnamon stick, ginger, and garlic paste. I absolutely love lamb, so it’s usually what I ordered when I go out for Indian food. They just know how to do it right. The lamb was nice and tender and the curried sauce was quite delightful. Janessa had never tried lamb before, and I think this dish was the perfect introduction to the wonderful world of lamb meat. It was served with rice and two types of chutney.

 

 

Mendhi also has beautifully crafted cocktails. It is connected with SM23, which is a swanky bar located right next door that makes all the drinks for Mehndi. I ordered an Asian Influence, which was composed of Belvedere vodka, lychees, apple juice, ginger, elderflower cordial, and kaffir lime leaves. Janessa ordered the Gin Gin Mule with Plymouth gin, ginger beer, fresh mint, lime juice, and simple syrup. We realized later that our drinks had been accidentally switched, and I’d ended up with the Gin Gin Mule and she got the Asian Influence, but we were happier with the cocktails we ended up with anyways, so it was all good.

Gin Gin Mule

Asian Influence

The atmosphere was beautiful and the food and drinks were delicious, but the only weird thing about the evening is that our server gave us each a little hug at the end of the night. I’ve never had a server hug me before, so it was a little strange—not necessarily awkward just out of the ordinary. Who know…maybe it’s a Jersey thing?

After seeing a truly awful movie (The Roommate), we stopped back at SM23 to check out the bar. This time I tried the English Garden with Plymouth gin, elderflower cordial, cucumbers, apple juice, and simple syrup. I also got an Apple Chili Cucumber cocktail with Belvedere vodka, apples, apple juice, cucumber, elderflower cordial, lemon juice, and chili. I enjoyed the light, floweriness of the English Garden, but the Apple Chili Cucumber was probably my favorite of the night. Spicy drinks are always interesting, and this one had the perfect level of spice for a cocktail. The coolness of the apple and cucumber also added a nice balance to the spiciness of the chili. 

English Garden

Apple Chili Cucumber

Mehndi and SM23 are great places for a nice night out when you want to treat yourself to some quality Indian food followed by some creative cocktails at a truly classy bar in north Jersey.

China Chalet

After spending three months in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, I’m kind of an elitist when it comes to trying “Sichuan” food at American Chinese restaurants. I am almost never pleased with the result, so generally I just don’t order it. China Chalet in Florham Park, New Jersey, however, not only offers a wide selection of Sichuan food but also does it right.

Ever since I left China I’ve been dreaming about these dumplings we affectionately called Sweet Sweet Jiaozi (jiaozi is Chinese for dumpling). These dumplings were steamed and served in a comforting sweet and spicy sauce. But I’ve never been able to find them. I recently learned that they are actually called Zhong Shui Jiao, and when I saw Sichuan Pork Dumpling with Roasted Red Oil on the China Chalet menu I decided to take a chance.

I’m so glad I did.

They were perfect—just like I remembered. The thin dumpling wrappers were stuffed with pork filling and formed into lovely crescent shapes. They were swimming in a bright red oil sauce with just the right balance of sweet and spicy. It transported me right back to the streets of Chengdu. Mmm, sweet sweet jiaozi…

I also tried the Dan-Dan Noodle with Minced Pork and Chili Vinaigrette. Divine. Dan Dan Noodles are a classic Sichuan dish. Served in China, they would have been spicier, but China Chalet still gave them a nice kick. They came with a little bit of broth, tasty minced pork, and some green vegetables—stirring it all together and slurping them up made for a great meal. 

The two Sichuan dishes I tried at China Chalet impressed me. I’ll definitely be going back to try some of their other Sichuan dishes, such as Mapo Dofu, which is a classic spicy dish with tofu and minced beef. And I can rest easy now that I know a reliable place where I can indulge in sweet sweet jiaozi when I get the craving.

If you are in North Jersey and interested in getting a little taste of Sichuan province, I highly recommend trying some of the delicious dishes at China Chalet.