Last week, I had the pleasure of being invited to the preview dinner of HAVEN Riverfront Restaurant & Bar on the waterfront in Edgewater prior to its October 9th opening. Jerry Maher, partner in the new venture, showed us around the gorgeous new space with panoramic views of the sunset over Manhattan.
Executive Chef Peter Larsen’s menu is described as Modern American with Classic Roots. What that translates to for me – using modern techniques to create a menu focused on local, seasonal ingredients that’s approachable and flavorful. Chef Larsen, a graduate of the Royal Culinary Academy of Copenhagen, Denmark, has a star-studded resumé with positions of Executive Chef at The Goodwin and Artisanal in Manhattan and Chef at Town in Manhattan and Nobu Las Vegas.
During the preview dinner, our party enjoyed: Pan Seared Sea Scallops ($15) with Spanish chorizo, potato foam and salsa verde, Pretzel Crusted Calamari ($14) with mustard-scallion remoulade and spicy marinara, Braised Creekstone Farms Short Ribs ($30) with parsnip purée, chanterelles escabeche, crispy potato and horseradish sauce, Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass ($33) with edamame purée, pearl onions, honshimeji mushrooms and yuzu emulsion, Seafood Risotto ($31) made with riso venere, lobster, sea scallops, shrimps, sea beans, sweet corn and mascarpone and the Spice Crusted Filet Mignon ($33) with potato gratin, baby carrot-turnip-pearl onion ragout and Bordelaise sauce. The scallop and spicy Chorizo combination was simple a delicious. The pretzel crust on the calamari was a nice twist from the more typical coating and the remoulade packed a punch. The short ribs were fork tender and deeply-flavored. Chef Larsen’s Nobu influence was reflected in the miso sea bass, a signature dish of the Japanese restaurant. The seafood risotto is likely the dish I enjoyed most at the preview dinner. The black rice contrasted beautifully with the rich broth and perfectly-cooked seafood – a must-try. The filet mignon will satisfy meat lovers looking for a classic, familiar dish.
The dessert that stands out among a solid offering was the Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta ($9) with marinated blueberries and white chocolate sorbet. I just love the lemon and blueberry combination. The Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding ($9) with vanilla sabayon and Kentucky bourbon sauce and the Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sundae ($9) with malt foam, chocolate granola, peanuts and butterscotch were also good options.
The wine, beer and cocktails selection is creative with craft beers, interesting drinks and a wine list with many affordable options and big name stand-outs.
Jerry Maher and partner Kerri-Ann Sweeten have made a success of their other restaurant, Hoboken waterfront landmark 3Forty Grill, and are in a favorable position to make HAVEN the restaurant that revitalizes the Edgewater riverfront dining experience.
Restaurant Hours:
Mon – Wed 5pm – 10pm, Thurs 5pm – 10:30pm, Fri 5pm – 11pm
Sat (Brunch) 11am – 3pm, Sat (Dinner) 5pm – 11pm
Sun (Brunch) 11am – 3pm, Sun (Dinner) 5pm – 10pm
2 Main Street, Edgewater, NJ 07020. 201-943-1900. Until Google figures out there’s a hot new development in Edgewater where HAVEN is located, do yourself a favor and use 45 River Road, Edgewater as your GPS address.
Cheers,
Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County, NJ. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.
