This restaurant had me at “hello.” Located at Liberty Landing Marina at Liberty State Park, with the NYC skyline and the Statue of Liberty for neighbors, that alone would serve as enough of a draw for me. But the lights from across the river are not the only things shining here. Thanks to Executive Chef/Owner, Chris Siversen, the food shines brightly, too.
At a media dinner recently, Chef Siversen showcased the culinary talents on display here. We began with a thick, velvety Smoked Potato Soup studded with Oysters and Caviar served with a Ulacia Txakolina 2011 white. This course was followed by Grilled Line Caught Swordfish, Grapefruit Beurre Blanc, White Bean-Carrot Ragout. The perfectly cooked fish accented with the delicious citrus sauce and a side of fried chickpeas was incredible! The wine, Abbazia di Novacella Nerner 2011, a white with deep fruit essence really brought this dish home.
The next course was a little unusual, but worked so well. Local Sea Scallops, Braised Short Ribs, Sauce Gribiche was absolutely luscious. The pairing of fish and beef in one dish was one I would not have ventured to chance, but in Chef Siversen’s hands it was magic. This was paired with a Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2011.
The fourth course was Foie Gras, Spiced Cantaloupe, Lavender Honey Gastric, Brioche Toast…I am not a huge foie gras lover, both from a moral standpoint and taste wise, but the accompaniments were fabulous! This was served with a very dry 2010 Gini Soave Classico.
And the food continues…an absolutely mouth-watering Sake and Soy Braised Pork Belly “Kung Bao” Style with Peanuts, Butternut Squash, and Honey. The best dish of the night! Served with a Mount Jefferson Cuvee Cristom Pinot Noir 2010.
And ending the entrée portion of the meal, a Ginger Glazed Duck Breast with Parsnip Spaetzle, Hen of the Woods, Fig Jam. The spaetzle, IMHO a terribly underused item, was to die for. A delicious 2010 Morgan Pinot Noir Twelve Clones accompanied this.
Elizabeth Katz, Maritime Parc’s Pastry Chef, did herself proud with the dessert tasting. Course one included a Lime Meringue, Mango Sorbet, Coconut Lemongrass Coulis, and Macadamia Brittle; Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingerbread Bottom, Butter Pecan Ice Cream, and Roasted Pear and Pumpkin; and finally Apple Brown Butter Cake with Warm Baked Cinnamon Apples, Caramel Ginger Ice Cream, and Candied Cranberries (the big winner in my book!). These were served with a fruity and savory Vidal Ice-wine (NJ).
Did you notice that the previous paragraph stated, “course one?” That’s right, there were two dessert courses (not a bad thing). This was definitely the chocolate lovers course. S’mores Sundae with Toasted Marshmallow, and Coffee Chip Ice Cream; 16 Layer Bittersweet Chocolate Cake, Fudge, and Pistachio Crunch Ice Cream, washed down with a Heitz Ink Port from Napa. You couldn’t go wrong with any of these choices.
Besides a wonderful setting indoors for dinner, or a drink at the outdoor bar and patio in the warm weather, Maritime Parc has 18,000 SF of lovely event space with wraparound terraces showcasing those fabulous views (do I hear wedding planners swooning over this location?).
And Chef Siversen is planning something special to kick off 2013. On Thursday, January 17, Chef will be pulling out all the stops to highlight two of his favorite culinary components: a bird+beer dinner! This first of its kind, 5 course meal is devoted to birds, featuring local chickens, quail, duck, and other fowl, paired with beer and wine. The cost is $135 all-inclusive and starts at 7pm. Sounds like a great way to get the New Year started! Call 201-413-0050 for more information.
And just to whet your whistle, try Maritime Parc’s signature cocktail, Perseverance. It’s just the thing to get you through these long, dark, cold winter nights.
Perseverance
1 oz. Diplomatico Rum (dark Rum)
2 oz. Sauvignon Blanc
¾ oz. Cinnamon Agave
½ oz. St. Germain
½ oz. Lemon Juice
½ oz. Pinot Noir Float
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add rum, Sauvignon Blanc, lemon juice, cinnamon agave and St. Germain. Shake vigorously and strain in a large wine glass with ice already in it. With a spoon over the wine glass, pour the float of pinot noir over the spoon into the glass. Serve.
Maritime Parc is the answer to what’s been lacking at the Liberty Landing waterfront for quite some time. They always had the views, but now they’ve got the caliber of food and drink to match. Get there!
84 Audrey Zapp Drive
Jersey City, NJ 07305
201-413-0050
Terry Krongold is a life-long passionate baker. In addition to a full-time job in the pharmaceutical industry, Terry has been involved with food for many years, including co-ownership of a dessert catering company in the late eighties called I Love Cheesecake, specializing in fine cheesecake and unique desserts. Terry is the author of The Cook’s Tour, a blog focused on food, baking, and travel. When not working, writing, or baking, she spends time planning vacations around restaurants to visit. She can be reached at [email protected].
All five finalists will win an all-expense paid trip to compete live on March 21st 2013 at the Manischewitz® Manufacturing Plant and Headquarters in Newark, NJ in front of a live panel of judges consisting of food media and other culinary experts. The grand prize package includes Maytag® appliances, cash, expense paid trip and a beautiful crystal trophy.
January 22nd: Asbury Park: Mr. Green Tea Presents a Night Out to Restore the Shore. $100 Tickets include full access to this exclusive event. Full course family style meal, drinks, live music and silent auction with items that range from bottles of wine to lavish vacations. Hurry only a few tickets are still available. Go to MrGreenTeaIcecream.com/RTS
When Luis Croussett and his long time friend, Carlos Paulino, were passing their time on a Christmas vacation in 2011 complaining about the long lines at several popular chain restaurants; how splitting the bill was always an issue and how sometimes you have to wait so long to place your order, get the bill or even pay, they never dreamed that less than a year later they’d be the proud owners of a brand new company, Flying Kick Inc., and the proud parents of a new product that would change the way restaurants serve up their menus and patrons place their orders.
Cookbooks are a dime a dozen these days; you can walk into any Barnes & Noble and find 100 cookbooks on the same topic. Most of them have recipes with more ingredients than King Henry had wives, and are so involved the average working person ends up wanting to behead themselves.
From start to finish the recipe only took about 40 minutes to prep and pop in the oven. I put the assembled dish in front of my family, including my 85 and 82 year old traditional meat-and-potato-loving grandparents. We devoured the platter in less time than it took to make. The crunch of the skin provided the perfect complement to the luscious chicken that melted in your mouth. You could taste a faint aroma of wood smoke from the olive oil permeating through the chicken, giving it a more robust flavor. Tyler was absolutely right when he described the olive oil as “sexy.”
Looking for ways to keep the kids occupied and happy during their holiday break? How about dinner and a movie? Chevy’s, the chain, is unusual in that it is preparing many menu items from scratch, often quite successfully. The food at this bustling tex/mex eatery, strives to be authentic while delivering consistent quality and value. Chevy’s has partnered with AMC Theatre in Clifton for a dinner and a movie promotion which allows Chevy’s patrons to nab theater tickets for $8, a sweet discount, when presenting dining receipts at time of ticket purchase. Expect long lines at the Chevy’s in Clifton Commons if you visit during weekend evening hours or the restaurant’s peak weeknight super-saving happy hour special nights. In a recent visit, my dining companions and I were very satisfied with our appetizers and drinks, with entrees almost an after thought. Corn chowder was a big hit, mildly sweet with a creamy texture.
Management runs a tight ship and servers are well versed and knowledgeable. Our server Adam, who doubled as a trainer, made good recommendations in terms of selections and quantity. He prepared Guac tableside, asking if we wanted our forked mashed avocados smooth or chunky. He blended that with pico di gallo, diced jalapenos and fresh lime juice. Slathered on flash fried tortilla chips, this was a delicious start. Paired with a Bulldog, an upside down bottle of Corona suspended in a blue Curacao Margharita that was sweet and tart at once, we were rolling. Taquitos and the crispy chicken flautas were winners. The flexible menu offers a variety of combos to suit different preferences. It was varied and reasonably priced. Sizzling platter items were among our most popular entrees and not surprisingly, the classic tex/mex fare were well-executed and authentic tasting with a delicious, addicting corn pudding alongside. Dessert included house made flan and ice cream (fried or in sundae formats) with house made chocolate and Cajita, caramel-like, sauces. We were told that the latter, a slow cooked, slightly bitter sauce, takes several hours to prepare and is made fresh daily.
“Eat Soup, Do Good”
