My Top 10 New Jersey Dishes of 2013

My Top 10 New Jersey Dishes of 2013

Seafood Risotto - HAVEN

Seafood Risotto – HAVEN

While I’ve had many, many memorable meals in 2013 (God knows I over-share), I’ve tried to narrow down the 10 best dishes I enjoyed during the past year. Here’s the list in restaurant name alphabetical order.

Duck, Knoephla and Eggs – A Toute Heure

The Knoephla dish showcases a generous portion of rich pulled duck confit, Knoephla, a German dumpling much like Spaetzle and a New Jersey farm-fresh egg.

Sweetbreads and Crispy Bone Marrow - Escape

Sweetbreads and Crispy Bone Marrow – Escape

Sweetbreads with Crispy Bone Marrow – Escape Montclair

Sweetbreads, Pea Purée, Crispy Marrow, Chanterelles and Grape Juice. Simply an amazing dish. The sweetbreads were tender and perfectly cooked and Chef Gregg was truly gilding the lily with the addition of crispy bone marrow. The best bone marrow I’ve had.

Moules Meunière – Fricassée

The portion of mussels is gigantic and offers a very flavorful white wine, garlic and cherry tomato saucy broth bursting with thyme, basil and mint flavors.

Fluke Crudo - The Ryland Inn

Fluke Crudo – The Ryland Inn

Seafood Risotto – HAVEN Riverfront Restaurant & Bar

Seafood Risotto with Riso Venere, Lobster, Sea Scallops, Shrimps, Sea Beans, Sweet Corn and Mascarpone. The black rice contrasted beautifully with the rich broth and perfectly-cooked seafood.

Combination Kabab Platter – Kabab Paradise

The flavorful dish is comprised of a chicken breast kabab, a beef kufta kabab and a lamb tikka kabab. The meats are moist and perfectly charcoal-grilled. The white accompanying sauce is addicting.

Rabbit - Restaurant Latour

Rabbit – Restaurant Latour

Pork Belly Ramen – Mitsuwa

The ramen bowl features pork belly and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms. The ramen noodles are cooked perfectly, just a bit chewy, and the pork-laced broth is out-of-this-world.

Loin of Young Rabbit – Restaurant Latour at Crystal Springs

Loin of Young Rabbit Roulade with Belly Confit and Sweet White Onion Jus. Tender loin, rich belly and tart jus.

Crescent Duck Breast – The Orange Squirrel

The duck was rare as ordered with a masterly-rendered, crisp skin and paired with earthy carrot quinoa.

Duck - The Orange Squirrel

Duck – The Orange Squirrel

Fluke Crudo – The Ryland Inn

Fluke Crudo, Summer Melons, Heirloom Tomatoes, Garden Herbs. Just the perfect summer starter with fresh, clean flavors.

House-Made Ricotta Gnudi – VB3 Restaurant

The wonderful Gnudi are pillowy-soft and served with a light, basil-infused tomato sauce.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these dishes and leave a comment when you do in the new year!

Cheers,

Veronique

Hot Winter Menu at VB3

Hot Winter Menu at VB3

Arancini

Arancini

Set in the heart of Jersey City’s Newport section, VB3 transforms from a stylish restaurant for lunch and dinner, into one of Northern New Jersey’s trendiest lounges at night. I’ve written about award-winning Chef Michael Colletti in the past, and love dining on his comforting, delicious food.

Gnudi

Gnudi

On a recent visit, my party started with the mouth-watering Wild Mushrooms Pizza, the Arancini and the House-Made Ricotta Gnudi. The pizza at VB3 is simply amazing and shows the skills Colletti acquired working a pizza oven since the early stages of his career. The version we tried showcases tangy Pecorino, woodsy mushrooms, truffle and thyme. The arancini are what I’d want my Italian mamma to fix me for Sunday dinner if I had an Italian mamma – crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside with dreamy sauce. What can I say about the ricotta gnudi besides that I’ve had it every time I’ve visited VB3 and it’s divine? The light-as-a-feather, melt-in-your-mouth, pillowy-soft gnudi are served with a light, basil-infused tomato sauce that will sure cause any diners to have dreams of the next bowl.

Berkshire Pork Chop

Berkshire Pork Chop

Fortunate for us, Chef Colletti was launching his fall/winter menu when we visited and the options are fab. We opted for the Berkshire Pork Chop, the Atlantic Salmon and the Hanger Steak. The pork chop was masterly cooked and served with warm fingerling potatoes, pancetta and a frisée salad. The salmon is served in a sizeable portion with sweet potato purée and toasted pumpkin seeds. The hanger steak was beefy and tender and paired with grilled asparagus and a tangy salsa verde.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

For the first time since coming to VB3, we were tempted by the desserts. We sampled the Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with orange crema and the seasonal Fig Cheesecake. Both were outstanding.

VB3 offers a fresh, modern spin on classic Italian fare in a space that’s sexy and trendy yet comfortable.

VB3 – 475 Washington Blvd., Jersey City. 201-420-4823. www.vb3restaurant.com

Cheers!

Veronique

VB3 – Chef Michael Colletti Brings Modern Italian Cuisine to Jersey City

VB3 – Chef Michael Colletti Brings Modern Italian Cuisine to Jersey City

Day Boat Scallops. Photo by Eat with Dan

VB3 is Chef Michael Colletti’s take on modern seasonal Italian cuisine.  The New Jersey native is taking the familiar food of his grandparents and father, who emigrated from Sicily, and giving it a modern twist.  The results will please both the local crowd and guests of the adjoining Westin and Doubletree hotels.

Located in the Newport section of downtown Jersey City, VB3 offers unpretentious food in a trendy yet comfortable space.  With a resumé featuring stints at Le Cirque and Mai House in New York City and Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, DC, Chef Colletti crafts seasonal ingredients into comforting dishes.

While the appetizer list offers creative options, a solid choice is the Antipasto Board, a mouthwatering display of Italian cheeses and cold cuts, house-cured olives and pickled vegetables.  Artisanal pizzas are another smart option with the Crispy Guanciale version with ramps, eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano a top contender and perfect for sharing.

The pastas are exceptional and a must-try is the House-Made Ricotta Gnudi – melt-in-your-mouth, pillowy and perhaps the best rendition I’ve had with its light, flavorful basil-infused tomato sauce.

Ricotta Gnudi. Photo by Eat with Dan

The entrée selections are tempting and the Day Boat Scallops, with fennel, Sicilian cara cara oranges, cured black olives and citronette and the Berkshire Pork Belly served with Swiss chard, hedgehog mushrooms and watermelon agro dolce are winners.  Chef Colletti is a Food Network burger competition winner so take the opportunity to order the VB3 Burger which is topped with Biellese pancetta, provolone, egg, ramp aioli and served with herbed fries.

The large bar with its orange ‘lava’ countertop and the dining room with its comfortable banquettes attract a hip happy hour crowd from adjacent hotels and local companies.  A fun cocktail is the “Fig”etaboutit, a blend of bourbon, vodka, fresh lemon juice, Amaretto and Angostura bitters.

VB3 is located on the ground floor of the Monaco building and is well worth a visit to trendy Jersey City.

475 Washington Blvd.

Jersey City

201-420-4823

www.vb3restaurant.com

Monday – Saturday Lunch – 11AM to 4PM. Dinner – 4PM to 12PM

Sunday brunch – 11AM to 3PM. Dinner 5PM to 10:30PM

Lounge is open Friday and Saturday from 12AM to 3AM

Happy Hour – Monday – Friday 5PM to 7PM