Beginning today, we have something new to chew over!

Rosalie Saferstein, one of the state’s premiere foodies and author of Table Hopping with Rosie on New Jersey Monthly magazine’s website, explores the New Jersey dining scene for our hungry readers.  Rosie’s new column will appear twice monthly—exclusively on NJ My Way.

Meet Me at Christopher’s

The cool chef at New Jersey newest, hottest hotel has given us a sneak peek at some items on his fall menu.  Chef Tom Drake from Christopher’s Restaurant and Bar  (732-214-2200) at The Heldrich (www.meetmeatchristophers.com) is switching gears for some seasonal delights.  Try spiced West Indian pumpkin soup with pumpkin seed brittle.  Or choose the Barolo-braised veal cheeks with Taleggio polenta and petit turnips.

Drake is into squash. A smoked maple-glazed veal chop with butternut squash. Or butternut squash froth. He’ll stock ultra spinach and rainbow Swiss chard from The Chef’s Garden (www.chefs-garden.com), an Ohio farm that practices sustainable agriculture.
 
Other menu items: citrus-dusted Muscovy duck breast with rutabaga puree, or a side of caramelized rutabaga.

Hot Off The Grill

The popular South City Grill (www.southcitygrill.com/) is going prime time!  The three- restaurant chain has purchased Bellisomo in Little Falls, to renovate it into a steak restaurant called South City Prime.  Another one of these will open at the Courtyard by Marriott in Montvale, and  a third is planned for the Westin in Jersey City.

If you’ve never been to the Grill, go. We recently dined at the Mountain Lakes restaurant and were impressed by the décor, service and food.

Start with the BLT wedge with crumbled blue cheese dressing.  Try the jumbo lump crab cake with fire roasted corn salsa, or Japanese seven-spiced seared yellow fin ahi tuna with soba noodles.  Dive into the maple chipotle-glazed organic king salmon. Beef eaters pick the 24-ounce pepper-rubbed bone-in prime rib eye.

Don’t leave without trying the towering ten layer chocolate mousse cake for two (easily for four) with raspberry puree and sweet whipped cream.

You can contact Rosie at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   with other great suggestions!