WINE NOT TO BE MISSED!

July 24, 2009

This one is for all the wine lovers out there and this blog post is much shorter than my norm so give it a quick read before your busy weekend gets started...

I was at The Wine Cellar in Red Bank last week and I mentioned to Mark that I have been more into medium-bodied wines during the summer such as Bordeaux and Pinot. Among the case of discounted wine that I bought, Mark suggested that I try the $22- 2003 Clarendelle from Clarence Dillon Wines (a Bordeaux). I don't rate wines like Wine Library, Wine Enthusiast, etc. because I am not an expert, but I LOVED IT! The breakdown is 67% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc, very drinkable, not overly priced, smooth and silky, rich, and medium bodied- not too heavy like the cabernets might be for the summer.

Tasting tips from Clarence Dillon Wines: Clarendelle red 2003 reveals a deep purple colour with a nose of black currants, berries, liquorice with a hint of spice, vanilla, roasted coffee and black chocolate. The well balanced body is followed by a deep mid palate and supple tannins that lead to a textured and fleshy long finish.

For this lowish price point, if you can find it on-line or at a store near you, buy a couple of bottles- I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Cheers!
Foodie

New Jersey's Finest...Restaurants!

July 23, 2009

I arrived home last night after a long day in NYC and much to my pleasure, my New Jersey Monthly (one of the many magazines I enjoy) had arrived and was covering the top NJ restaurants! NJ Monthly's critics made their 25 picks and then readers AND critics voted for the winners for North, Central and South Jersey in 38 categories.

I am pleased to report that of the top 25 chosen by the critics, this foodie has eaten at AND reviewed/reported at Foodie Favorites on Nicholas in Red Bank, Chez Catherine in Westfield and David Burke's Fromagerie in Rumson.

I don't want to say that I have my finger on the pulse of the people, but I have been at and in many cases frequent all of the following picks of my fellow eaters (category listed):



N- Northern NJ
C-Central NJ
S- Southern NJ
*- Critics choice

Best of the Best:
N- Chez Catherine, Westfield
C- Nicholas, Red Bank

Most Romantic:
C- Nicholas, Red Bank

Wine List:
C- Nicholas

Beer Selection:
C- Basil T's, Red Bank

Breakfast:
S- The Pop Shop, Collingswood

Seafood:
C- Doris and Ed's, Highlands

Chain:
*Chipotle and Bobby's Burger Palace, Eatontown

Deli Italian Style:
C- Delfini's, Red Bank
S- Joe Leone's, Point Pleasant

Burger:
C- Bobby's Burger Palace, Eatontown

Cheesesteak:
C- Willy's, Red Bank

French:
N- Chez Catherine, Westfield
C- Nicholas, Red Bank

Southeast Asia/Thai:
C- Siam Garden, Red Bank

Bakery:
C- Del Ponte's Bakery, Bradley Beach

Ice Cream:
C- Hoffman's, Spring Lake
S- The Pop Shop, Collingswood

For a full listing of the winners in North, South and Central NJ and in all categories, visit www.njmonthly.com .

If any foodie friends are looking for a night out, next up on my list of winners are:

From the Top 25 Overall chosen by the critics:
Avenue, Long Branch
Blu, Montclair
Cucharamama, Hoboken

From the Readers/Critics by category:
Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park (Best New Restaurant and Caribbean)
Brennen's Steakhouse, Neptune (Best Steak)
Brickwall, Asbury Park (Best Bang for the Buck)
Pete and Elda's, Neptune (Best Pizza)
Taka, Asbury Park (Best Japanese)
Tim McCloone's Supper Club, Asbury Park (Best Bar Scene)

Trust me, if you look hard enough, you don't always need to go to Manhattan, you will find something great in a neighborhood near you. You make the reservation and I'll meet you there!!

Happy Eating!

Shipwreck Grill, New Jersey

July 13, 2009

Last week my husband and I had dinner with former Foodie guest blogger, Cabhunter and his Mrs. (my cousin) at Shipwreck Grill in Brielle, NJ. We have all eaten here previously together and separately and it is always a great meal. One interesting thing that differentiates Shipwreck from some of the other Jersey Shore restaurants is that they have a full liquor license- even though we are huge fans of BYOB because we love wine, sometimes it is nice to be able to have a cocktail. I think the bar also makes it much livelier with a more bustling atmosphere which sometimes you're just in the mood for. (the bar here is huge- taking up at least half of the indoor space)

We arrived pretty early, excited at the propsect of a night out without the kids so we started at the bar where I had the Cakebread Chardonnay which is a little pricier than the other selections but I am a big fan (plus, I don't really care for Pinot Grigio and there were 3 or 4 of those by the glass, limiting the other choices in my opinion). We also indulged on a little pre-dinner snack of Tuna Sushi Tempura with Japanese dipping sauces which was even better than we anticipated- the tuna is still totally rare/uncooked like sushi AND it has a crunchy coating (see picture top right of this posting). It's also the perfect accompaniment even if you are just going in for a few drinks and not a whole meal. Definitely give it a try.

When our table was ready, we started with a bottle of white, the 2007 Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse , a bottle that we all enjoy and have on many occasions- also reasonably priced. Our appetizers included Prince Edward Island Oysters which I enjoy year round- even in the months that don't have a letter "R"(supposedly the trick to knowing when to order oysters), 2 orders of tuna tartare and a Roasted Corn Clam Chowder. All was enjoyable and very tasty.

We were ready to move on to red wine...Although Cabhunter did open the discussion of what we should get, we narrowed it down to a couple of bottles but ultimately left the final decision to him. His vast wine research paid off yet again because it was a very yummy 2004 Jordan Cabernet from Alexander Valley that went well with dinner and added to the relaxed mood. There were no misses amongst our main courses : Australian Baby Rack of Lamb with exotic mushroom risotto, white truffle oil and burgundy wine sauce (need I say more?); Australian Rack of Lamb Grilled with spinach, mashed potatoes and awesomely thin and crunchy onion rings; Lobster tails which were simple yet fresh and delicious and the Lobster Special for that evening. I would vouch for any single one of these entrees.

(During previous visits, I have also had the Surf and Turf (8 oz. of filet and 6 oz. tail) which are perfectly prepared)

For dessert we had profiteroles and cheesecake which were both the perfect way to finish the meal (I would suggest avoiding the "mexican icecream" aka cinnamon icecream).

If you are at the Jersey Shore for vacation or are in the area and just wish you were on vacation, add Shipwreck Grill to your itinerary. Let us know your favorite shore spot by going to http://foodiefavorites.blogspot.com/ and click on comments at the bottom of this posting.

Happy Trails,

Foodie

Restaurant: Shipwreck Grill

Address: 72o Ashley Avenue, Brielle, NJ 08730

Phone: 732.292.9380

Website: http://www.shipwreckgrill.com/

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