SEAK, a Vietnamese and Thai cuisine restaurant, recently opened in early August 2017 along the picturesque waterfront in Edgewater, NJ.
Viet-Thai Cuisine with a Modern Twist
Menu highlights include pho, chili salted chicken wings, and banh mi frites. In addition, there is a non-alcoholic bar where guests can find bubble teas, fruit smoothies, Vietnamese coffee (cold or hot), and a variety of teas.
Banh mi frites
Chef James Wang has created several interesting menu items at SEAK. Banh mi frites are twice-fried waffle fries topped with pickled daikon and carrots, caramelized pork crumble and a sriracha aioli. It’s no wonder these are quickly becoming a favorite on the menu. You can also find a variety of modernized Banh mi, Vietnamese hoagies. (Chef Wang, who is a business partner at SEAK, also opened Lemongrass, a Viet-Thai restaurant, in Morris Plains.)
Banh mi
And the experience doesn’t end with your order. Inside, guests can’t help but feel the trendy Brooklyn industrial vibe, with the restaurant’s modern and eclectic decor. Outside you’ll find a patio, which presents the panoramic skyline: a fabulous view with a great meal.
In honor of this fine day, researchers at National Today asked 2,000 Americans about their waffle-eating habits. Results revealed that 8 in 10 Americans love waffles. Come on now, what’s not to love? Here’s what else we learned.
It turns out senior citizens love waffles the most.
The details: 76% of Americans say they love waffles. Americans over 65 love waffles more than any other age group—89% say waffles reign supreme.
Women like waffles more than men do.
Eighty percent of women say they like waffles, while only 69% of men say the same.
Regionally, Southerners are the waffle’s biggest fans. (Hello, Waffle House!)
America’s Top Waffle-Loving Regions
#1: South (81%)
#2: Midwest (78%)
#3: West (72%)
#4: East (69%)
If you are looking for a great place to get your waffle fix today—or any day—check out these suggestions from Jersey Bites readers.
Broadway Diner in Summit, New Jersey. The waffles range from the sweet desserts like the salted caramel waffle sundae to the savory such as the waffle matinee, served with two eggs and your choice of bacon, sausage or Taylor ham.
Cardinal Provisions chicken and waffles with egg
Cardinal Provisions in Asbury Park, New Jersey: The sweet corn waffle, with fresh blueberries, whipped cream, and bourbon maple syrup is a fan favorite. Add extras like chorizo, sausage, bacon, pork roll, or speck. Or try the chicken and waffles (pictured above) with fried organic chicken, pearl sugar waffle, maple poblano relish, herbed yogurt, and Texas Pete hot sauce.
4 Brothers in Warren, New Jersey, offers “down-home Southern comfort” food including an exciting variety of chicken and waffle creations. Try the sweet potato waffle served with three golden crispy wings or a carrot cake or chocolate waffle served with one golden crispy chicken leg and a thigh. (There are several additional options.) Check out the menu for all the gooey goodness.
4ChiCks CaFé chicken and waffles
4ChiCks CaFé, in Newton, New Jersey, is known for its chicken and waffles. This brunch-only establishment is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additional brunch friendly dishes include traditional egg platters, sandwiches, tacos, and more.
MeeMom’s butter pecan waffles
MeeMoms in Middletown and Wall, New Jersey: The butter pecan waffle (pictured above) topped with French vanilla mascarpone, pecans, powdered sugar, and a drizzle of butterscotch sauce, then served with warm syrup is a real winner! Oh my.
Redux in Madison, New Jersey, serves a Sunday brunch on the second Sunday of every month. (Make reservations; they sell out fast.) The buttermilk waffles dish, served with Nutella and fresh berries, is always a crowd pleaser.
The Squirrel & the Bees waffle with yogurt and fresh berries
The Squirrel & The Bee in Short Hills, New Jersey, serves up scrumptious and healthy waffles every Sunday! Top them off with your choice from an endless list of toppings: house-made yogurt, honey, berries, chocolate drizzle, apples, bananas, pecans, cinnamon, chocolate chips, and even a sunny side up egg with spinach and cheddar cheese.
Turning Points Plain Belgian waffle, sprinkled with powdered sugar and a side of warm syrup and whipped butter
Turning Point ,with 11 New Jersey locations, is a go-to spot for many waffle lovers.The decadent salted caramel waffle is served with chopped bacon, whipped vanilla mascarpone, brown sugar walnut crumble, a caramel drizzle and coarse sea salt. Or you can lean in the healthier direction with the tropical crunch, which features fresh bananas, strawberries, mango, crunchy granola, and a side of strawberry reduction.
It’s about that time of year when everyone tires of burgers and hot dogs but still wants to nosh on seasonal favorites, fresh from the BBQ. Chef Dan Luber of Salt Creek Grille – Princeton shares a veggie-centric, party-friendly, BBQ-alternative recipe from the restaurant’s new menu: cauliflower steak.
Cauliflower Steak
Try this recipe for oven-roasted cauliflower with butternut squash purée, toasted cashew red quinoa tabbouleh, and topped with chimichurri sauce.
This recipe serves 8 to 10 people.
Butternut Squash Puree:
Yields 2 cups
2 tablespoons oil blend ½ cup caramelized onions and celery 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped 2 cups roasted butternut squash 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon parsley ¼ cup white wine 2 cups water 2 teaspoons salt, kosher ½ teaspoon white ground pepper
Directions
Add the oil blend to a sauce pot and bring up to medium heat. Add in the caramelized onion, celery, garlic and roasted butternut squash. Cook stirring frequently for a few minutes then deglaze with the white wine. Once the wine has cooked off add in the water, herbs, salt and white pepper and reduce by about half. Puree the sauce in a blender.
Chimichurri Sauce:
Yields 4 cups
1½ cups parsley, stems removed ¼ cup cilantro, stems removed 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon oregano, dried ½ tablespoon cumin, ground and toasted ½ tablespoon coriander, ground and toasted 1 teaspoon salt, kosher ½ tablespoon garlic, chopped ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes ½ teaspoon paprika ½ tablespoon orange juice ½ tablespoon lime juice
Directions
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process about 15 seconds or until slightly smooth. The sauce should still have some texture. Add more olive oil if necessary. It should resemble a broken vinaigrette.
Toasted Cashew Tabbouleh:
Yields 1 gallon
4 cups cooked red quinoa ¾ English cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into a ¼” dice 1 cup parsley, chopped ¼ cup mint, chopped ½ tablespoon salt ½ cup lemon juice 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 cups roasted cauliflower, tossed in chimichurri and roughly chopped ¾ cups cashew pieces, roasted and roughly chopped
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and check for seasoning.
Fulfill (aka The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties) needs YOUR VOTE! You can help the organization, which is one of 200 finalists in the State Farm Neighborhood Assist Competition, win a $25,000 grant for its Community Garden Program. Voting runs from August 16 through August 25. With this grant Fulfill can provide more fresh produce, education, and community garden networks.
In Monmouth and Ocean Counties, one out of every 10 individuals does not have enough food. These are mostly working families who rely on food pantries to help them meet their basic needs. However, food pantries distribute predominantly shelf-stable items, like dry and canned goods, which do not provide all the nutrients people, especially children, need to be healthy.
Fruits and vegetables are important in any diet. Unfortunately, produce is only available in limited quantities through food pantries because of cost and perishability. Fulfill would like to improve access to local, home-grown produce through a network of community gardens that would provide educational and volunteer opportunities in order to focus on and adequately meet the need for healthy food by all residents, but especially those with limited incomes.
Fulfill’s garden helps feed families who are hungry and helps the community stay healthy. YOU can keep it growing!
Get the Word Out: Voting Ends August 25
Here are a few ways you can help make this happen:
From the team that brought us Barrio Costero in 2016, comes a new dining experience at the shore. REYLA, a modern Mediterranean restaurant recently opened—also in Asbury Park, NJ—on Mattison Avenue.
Menu
During the day the restaurant will serve as a cafe, offering a limited menu of Mediterranean cuisine and Turkish coffee. For dinner, the menu transforms to offer a new experience of shareable plates, accompanied by a versatile collection of European wines and thoughtfully crafted signature cocktails.
All of the food is a marriage between classic Mediterranean cuisine—taking inspiration from areas including Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, and Greece—and locality, where high quality ingredients are sourced. Menu highlights include the following:
Cod in chermoula with hummus, marinated chickpeas, cilantro butter and harissa powder
A souvlaki of grilled boneless pork chop, cucumber noodle, tomato confit, fried onion, and yogurt
Lebanese couscous with saffron, New Jersey corn, piquillo pepper and a garnish of parsley
Details
REYLA is open for lunch Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brunch is offered on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner is available 7 days a week from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Follow @HeyReyla on Instagram to learn about new specials and upcoming events.
REYLA
603 Mattison Avenue
Absury Park
732-455-8333
Whether you have plans or not, a visit to the Market Pizza at Stockton Market between August 18 and 20 will not only satisfy your hunger, but will help those who are hungry as well. Market Pizza, a gourmet artisan pizza shop located within the Stockton Market (in Stockton, NJ), is partnering with Hunters Helping the Hungry, an organization of hunters that donates venison to food pantries.
For the second time this year, Market Pizza spotlights Hunters Helping the Hungry, donating the proceeds from the weekend to the organization. Market Pizza owner, Megan Jones-Holt, whose weekly chef creations spread like social media wildfire, will include a venison sweet sausage pizza (pictured above) as her Chef’s Special for the weekend.
The Food
The pizza features venison donated by the organization specifically for the benefit, as well as local sweet and spicy peppers from Two Barn Farm in Pittstown, as well as a New Jersey tomato sauce (amped up a bit with ghost pepper). But don’t worry, this white pizza will only feature dollops of the hot sauce and Jones-Holt makes a promise: “It won’t kill you!”
Already well known for featuring local produce from a number of farms, it’s not shocking that Market Pizza is also taking a chance to spotlight local meats and nonprofit organizations. Jones-Holt, who bought Market Pizza almost a year ago, became aware of the organization through her Rotary Club.
Megan Jones-Holt with Les Giese, from the Rotary Club
“I knew these guys from the beginning and when I bought Market Pizza I thought why not have a fundraiser,” said Jones-Holt. “Now it’s my birthday celebration and I figured what better way to have a party then to host a benefit for these guys!” (Her birthday is August 20—so wish her a happy birthday!)
Hunters Helping the Hungry
The Hunters Helping the Hungry program came about by way of three hunters during the 1997-98 hunting season, in response to the overpopulation of deer as well as the need for protein in local food banks. Hunters throughout the state participate by donating deer through a State of NJ Health Department-approved butcher. Processing fees go to the butcher by Hunters Helping the Hungry, as well as to hunters who donate $10 to $65 of the professional meat processing fee.
During that first hunting season, ten deer (or approximately 500 pounds of venison) were donated. Since then, over 234,000 pounds of venison have been donated by hunters, which equals approximately 936,000 servings to those in need. Over 400 feeding charities throughout New Jersey and America’s Second Harvest Food Banks have benefitted from these efforts. Known for being low in fat and cholesterol and high in protein, venison is a valuable food product.
“The first event was before Wild Game Week in January and February 2017,” said Jones-Holt. “I featured a ground beef venison red based pie with jalapeno peppers, red raw onion, and fresh basil. It was a success, but I definitely want to donate more to them!”
The Details
The event will feature Market Pizza’s current menu as well as the venison sausage pizza that can be paired with wine and beer from Stockton Fine Wine & Spirits right next door—a partnership that’s been going on for almost a year—as well as live music Friday (fingers crossed!) and Sunday night.
To get your hands on some venison pizza during the “Chef’s Birthday Party Weekend,” be sure to visit Market Pizza on Friday from 12 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Market bar
Market Pizza (Located within Stockton Market) 19 Bridge Street Stockton, NJ 609-664-7521
Casey Webb, the new host of the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food, is a Garden State native with a big appetite. I got the chance to speak with him at the beginning of his first season hosting this longtime foodie-TV staple.
Webb, who has lived in both Red Bank and Little Silver, got started in the restaurant industry washing dishes at 14 and has never looked back, and before landing his dream job, he was slinging drinks in Brooklyn. He’s spent most of his life moving his way up the food-industry food chain, learning the biz inside and out, and cultivating his passion—and palate—along the way.
Love at First Bite
After he took down his first food challenge at a young age, Webb knew that he had found his calling. After all, anyone who can consume eight, 12-inch slices in one sitting has a unique stomach. Truly.
He first tackled Pete and Elda’s Pie Eater’s Club as a kid, which includes a challenge that dares contenders to consume an entire 18-inch pie in one sitting—in exchange for a t-shirt and bragging rights. (Boardwalk-style slices are big: about 1.5 times the average slice.) When I asked him if he would do it again he said, “Bring it on.”
His love for and knowledge about food shines through during our conversation. From his restaurant experience to his self-inflicted culinary challenges, Webb has a unique insider’s perspective on the food scene. Now he’s sharing it with his viewers.
Webb made his debut as the new host of Man v. Food on August 7, with a two-episode feeding frenzy in New York City and Milwaukee. Much like his first foray into Monmouth munchies, his challenges included a giant Reuben and wings hotter than the beach in mid-July.
Casey Webb
Conversation with Casey
I had the opportunity to talk Man v. Food and, of course, Jersey with Webb. We covered everything from hometown treats to our favorite secret spots to a mutual love of Mogo Tacos. With a personality as bold as the six-habanero-ghost-chili-wings challenge, this Jersey guy has a lot to offer on Man v. Food.
JERSEY BITES: What can viewers expect from this season of Man v. Food? I quickly discovered how much fun I was having and I wanted audience to see that. I want the audience to have fun and [I want] to convey my passion for restaurants. I absolutely love interviewing and sharing excitement and the pride of restaurant owners. For me, it is so exciting to land in a new city, like Portland, Oregon, and see trees and smell the air, and then visit a rocking place like Chicken and Guns where they’re cooking this amazing food outside. People should go to these places and taste these foods because they’re incredible.
How did you get this gig? I pitched a food show idea to my agent, and it turned into an interview for Man v. Food. My interview was actually [via] Skype, in my apartment in Brooklyn, with the producer. From there I had to recreate a segment from the original Man v. Food, for my audition.
Do you get camera shy? Wow. I’ve never been asked that before. I have experience in TV and food so the camera is second nature for me. I just treat the camera like another person. I love to interview the waitstaff and have fun with it.
What are your favorite local NJ restaurants? What do you order? I would have to say Piccola Italia, in Ocean, NJ. Chef/Owner Brian Gualtieri is a friend of mine and the food is out of this world. My favorite dish would have to be the scallops and fried calamari. At Birravino, in Red Bank, my favorite dish would have to be the split pea soup and lentil with fried egg, with olive oil and parmesan cheese and cracked pepper. They only have it in the fall but it’s worth the wait. At Barnacle Bill’s [in Rumson], I always order the cheddar burger—my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Honorable mentions go to Pascal & Sabine, Brickwall Tavern, and Porta, in Asbury Park.
Favorite Bar? My favorite bar would be Jamian’s in Red Bank. As for my favorite cocktail: tequila in all shapes and sizes. I love the live music there, too.
What is your go-to spot for a good slice of pizza? There are so many places for a good slice in New Jersey. That’s what I love about the dining scene—that and the fresh ingredients. I love farm to table and there is no shortage of it down there. Even pizza places use local ingredients. For classic I go to New Corner in Red Bank. For a more rustic slice, either Birravino or Porta. They’re all little different, which I love. My favorite old-school pizza is at a place by where I grew up. It isn’t there anymore, but I’d give anything for a slice of Napoli’s pizza. If I had to narrow it down to once slice I’d pick all of them.
What food can you never eat enough of? Ramen! I love ramen! And I love farm to table; the fresher the better. That’s why I’m a fan of Birravino, because it’s local, fresh and traditional.
What’s your favorite boardwalk food? For traditional I’d have to say zeppoli. For more out-of-the-box food I’d say Mogo Tacos. My favorites are the chicken—it’s killer—and shrimp and veggie. I like to add a bunch of kimchi to them. I had them last week and I will probably have them again this week.
Man v. Foodairs on Mondays at 9 p.m. on the Travel Channel.
A slider is just a little burger, right? Maybe for some, but if you’re Chef Bob Leahy, owner of the Freehold, NJ food truck, The Outslider, it’s a way to bring an idea to life. He told Andrew Blustein all about it.
NJ Food Truck Chef Bob Leahy
JERSEY BITES: What inspired you to open a food truck? BOB LEAHY: You can only work for somebody for so long, making them money, coming up with ideas. Plus the crazy hours that you put in as a chef. I used to work at country clubs, and the hours were just tolling on the body. I then went to work for the school system to try to get better hours. I did that, but Hurricane Sandy came and the school I was working at, the cafeteria flooded, and it was shut down. A food truck was something I always wanted to do. I bought an old RV and started taking it apart—never did [that] before in my life. I learned a lot and just stripped the truck. In the meantime, before I actually put the truck back together, I built my concept. You really can’t build a truck without knowing what you’re going to do.
THE BIG NJ FOOD TRUCK IDEA
What was that concept? The Outslider. I came up with a lot of other ones, but being a chef, I get bored very easily. I wanted something where I could do whatever I wanted. That’s where I came up with sliders. There were really no trucks out there that were doing burgers, maybe one at the time. I thought sliders were nice because they’re not a lot of heavy food, and I can be creative with it. I have crab cakes, ahi tuna, pulled pork, chicken and turkey burgers.
How did you come up with the name? My wife and I went back and forth thinking of different things. I like the movie The Outsiders, and I’m like…Outslider. Outside, sliders. We kind of just stuck with that and kept beating it around for like a week or so. Then were like, “That’s it, perfect. I’m a slider truck.”
What was the beginning like? I’m out of Freehold. That’s where I built it. Then…What do I do? How do I do it? I got a NJ Food Truck license to go to Newark. I got permitted there, and that’s where I was going every day. It was a long haul, but I just stuck it out. I had to leave early in the morning to get a [parking] spot. That’s what I did for the first four to five months. It was hard. A lot of hours and not a lot of money. And then at the end of the season I did a couple of events. I met a lot of the other trucks and talked to them. We really helped each other. We’re not competing against each other. It’s really just a great group of people.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far? Probably how to start it up. Learning about the laws and regulations of the state, what you need, and how to get NJ Food Truck permits. And not only the state, but each town has different laws and regulations.You can’t just show up somewhere. People see the movie Chef and think they can build a truck, by some food, park and then people are going to line up. It’s tough in New Jersey because we don’t have a city like New York and Philadelphia where there’s a lot of walking traffic. That’s why I went to Newark, but it was tough because you have to find the right walking traffic. That’s hard to find.
FIND THE OUTSLIDER
Where can people find your NJ food truck? I’m all over. I try to do a lot of corporate lunches during the week. I don’t really do a lot of events anymore because promoters got a little greedy. They’re just not proven. It could look like a great event, and you show up with all this food and labor, and it turns out to be a bomb. You’re just kind of lost for the day, and that hurts the rest of the week. I like the corporate catering and private events because it’s a guarantee. I’m booked and I know what to bring in the truck. Vending is tough because it’s really weather based. It’s hard to say where I’m going to be. That’s why I have a calendar online, for people to follow.
How does social media help your business, especially Twitter? It really is helpful. I’m just not a techy guy. People are like, “Bob, what are you trying to say?” It is a helpful tool, though.
THE PERSONAL SIDE
What’s your favorite thing about owning your NJ food truck? You’re your own boss; you pick your own hours. If my wife and I want to go on vacation, I shut the truck down. I have some fantastic employees, so I could keep it open, but that’s their time, too, so they can take a week off. It’s making what you want. You book your own hours. I shut down during the winter. I find it hard and unpredictable during that time. I can’t get the grill hot enough to cook the burger right, so my product doesn’t come out right. If that’s the case, I’m not going to vend.
What is your most popular menu item? I would say [it’s] between the crab cake and the bourbon barbeque burger. So we do a fresh lump crab cake, barely any filler, and top it off with coleslaw and chipotle aioli. For the other one, we make a house bourbon barbeque, with a lot of bourbon in it. We top the burger with sharp cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, and then the sauce. My menu changes a lot. I’m adding new things, taking off things I’m tired of. I’m always changing it up.
Bourbon BBQ burger
What inspires your menu options? Sometimes I’ll go out to eat, I’ll see something and think I can do that in a slider. Or sometimes I’m driving and I’ll just think of something. Being a chef for so many years, I’m still creative. Some things aren’t as good as you think [the’ll be] once you put them together, but some really take off. We did a Sonoma burger, which is very simple, with red onion and red wine reduction topped with goat cheese. It’s very simple burger, and it’s very popular.
Do you have a favorite? I do like the crab cake. And, you know, I’m just a simple eater, so I really like the Outslider: American cheese, pickle, ketchup. The classic.
What techniques and lessons that you learned earlier in your career are useful still today? I worked for this one company that I helped open up restaurants for, and we tried to simplify things. Like if making something was a lot of steps, we tried to simplify it without changing the quality. I think that’s what I tried to do with the truck, because you are putting out food fast but you want to put out quality. I cook to order, so you’re going to wait at least four to five minutes, but it’s going to be hot and fresh.
El Macho burger
Are there other NJ food trucks around the state of which you’re a fan? There really are. I’m good friends with some of them. I love their food. Oink and Moo has great barbeque. The Flying Pie Guyis new; he has a great concept. He has fantastic pies with fantastic crusts. It’s an Australian pie. My Four Sons, which is Asian food, is really good. The big thing we with me is that it’s not just good food–they do it fresh and their trucks are clean.
What kind of support have you gotten from the people around you? My wife supported me the whole way. There were times I wasn’t making money, but she kept it positive. I’d come back with only $100, and she’d say, “You know, 100 is better than zero.” My wife stuck by me through the hard times and the good times.
Is there anything else you’d like to share? After 30 years of being a chef, and again I’ve done everything from corporate to country clubs to openings restaurants, this is probably the most fun I’ve had. I’m out there meeting people. I was always in the back of the kitchen. I only heard complaints and compliments from the waiter. Now I hear it from the people, and it means a little more.
For almost five years, pizza aficionados in the area flocked to Bivio Pizzeria Napoletana in Little Falls. Once you had a taste of Tomasso Colao’s authentic pizza made with his own natural yeast cultured dough, you were hooked. I count myself among the faithful.
In 2011, I wrote about Bivio Pizzeria when it first opened. I visited the restaurant throughout its entirely all-too-short run. Beside the delicate, innovative pizzas, Tom was a master bread baker, and one of the joys of ordering a salad or appetizer was the incredible crusty bread that came with it. For a while, patrons brought home loaves of Tom’s rustic breads to take home.
A Sad Day for Pizza
When Bivio closed in 2015, I was devastated (as were many of the restaurant’s other loyal followers). Of course, I missed the pizza and the bread, but also the vibe. Bivio had a special warmth that I haven’t found anywhere else in the area. A restaurant’s ambiance starts with the management and Tomasso and his wife, Jackie, imbued Bivio with a genuine cordiality that made Bivio somewhere you wanted to be. From the soft lighting to the cool jazz, to the friendly yet professional service, Bivio had it all.
I’m still searching for that very special pizza but at least now I can once again get Tom’s bread.
The New Location
That’s right, Bivio groupies, Tomasso Colao’s handmade Italian bread is now available at the brand new Bivio Panificio in Montclair. Tom is firing up his wood-burning oven to turn out the breads we so loved at the original Bivio.
I visited opening day to visit Tom and, of course, to get my hands of that bread! Tom’s new location is a small storefront in a quiet residential neighborhood, and when I arrived he was hard at work turning out those gorgeous rustic loaves. In the oven was the last batch for the day—pagnotta—a traditional peasant loaf with a deep, brown crust. He had already made baskets full of bastones and pane Bivio, and the aroma in the store made my heart sing.
I went home with two loaves (because how could I not?), a bastone and the pagnotta, almost too warm to even hold. I had planned to use the bastone with dinner that evening, but the minute I got in the car, I tore the heel from the loaf and ooh’d and aah’d the whole way home. Welcome back, Tomasso, Jackie, and the “baby” (their natural yeast culture). You were sorely missed.
Bivio Panificio
107 Pine Street
Montclair, NJ
973-941-9602
Wednesday through Saturday (call for specific hours)
In celebration of National Peach Month, Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapasin Clifton, NJ, is celebrating peak of peach season, shining the spotlight on juicy Jersey peaches, and emphasizing the restaurant’s philosophy of using fresh, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.
In the restaurant, they’re serving with grilled peach mascarpone bruschetta, peach crostata, and peach sangria. And they’ve shared the recipe for their peach bruschetta here, so you can make it at home!
The bruschetta includes fresh local peaches, grilled and placed on top of a warm crostini with mascarpone cheese, honey and fresh basil.
The crostata is made with fresh peaches tossed with brown sugar, spices and brandy and baked in a puff pastry crust. It’s served with house made salted caramel and vanilla gelato.
And the sangria is a refreshing mixture of white peach, peach schnapps and pinot grigio served over ice with fresh peaches.
Grilled Peach Mascarpone Bruschetta
Makes 12
Ingredients
1 loaf of rustic bread, cut into 12 slices, each about ¾-inch thick
¾ cup mascarpone
3 peaches, thinly-sliced and grilled
3 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
¼ cup honey
¼ cup of chiffonaded basil
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
Place the bread slices on a hot grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side until toasted with some char but not burnt.
Spread the mascarpone on each piece of bread.
Place grilled peach slices on top of the mascarpone with Maldon sea salt.
Drizzle honey on top of peaches.
Garnish with the basil and almonds.
Chef de Cuisine Michel Desjardin’s notes on the bruschetta: “Grilling the peaches caramelizes the sugars in the fruit, deepening the sweetness, while mascarpone cheese provides a creamy base balanced with a bit of crunch from the almonds on top. Basil and honey lend a complementary note to the sweetness of the peach, rounding out the dish.”
You can’t fight city hall. Isn’t that how the old saying goes? I guess no one told John “Yosh” Neshimka of the Linwood Inn Tap House in Linden.
Not only did he fight city hall, but he beat city hall.
Of his career in the bar and restaurant industry, Neshimka quips, “I guess you could call me a lifer,” and follows with a hearty laugh. He does that a lot. His first introduction to the business was at the age of 14 when he got a job at the legendary (but now closed) Dasti’s Italian restaurant in Linden. Now in his mid-50s, Neshimka has seen just about everything that the crazy restaurant industry can throw at you—except for that curve ball the city of Linden hurled his way in 2004.
The Linwood is your quintessential neighborhood sports bar. The walls are lined with pine and the large bar has a funky haphazard shape designed for maximum seating. Then there’s the 37 TVs. If there’s a game on that you want to watch, this is the place to go. The structure was built in 1862 but virtually no vestige of the original character remains. Still, there’s a sense of history here.
I may be biased. I’ve been to the Linwood before. My grandmother lived only a couple of blocks away. One Thanksgiving when I was just a tyke, my dad and uncle were sent out for bags of ice to replenish the dwindling supply. I was sent along as insurance, the wisdom being that they would never take little Pete to a bar. But they did. In those days the Linwood had an attached liquor store which, of course, carried ice. To make matters worse, the bar was open. That trip for ice took two hours. “Going out for ice” became a running family joke that my grandmother didn’t think was all that funny. It’s still family lore.
I’ll bet there are hundreds of stories just like that one attached to the walls of the Linwood. Maybe that’s why, when the city of Linden attempted to acquire the property, citing eminent domain, John Neshimka decided to fight.
It wasn’t until 2006 that John and Lori Neshimka found out about the eminent domain proceedings. “We heard it through the grapevine.” he said. By that point they had spent a lot of money on renovations, which included turning that attached liquor store into a much needed new kitchen. His family’s livelihood was at stake. Nine years of legal fees took a toll on his finances. The Neshimkas had to sell their house and move to a more affordable location. Georgia turned out to be that location. Seventy miles south of Atlanta is a long way from Jersey. Still, John spent half of each month at the Linwood. Sometimes he drove straight through because he couldn’t afford to stop at a hotel overnight.
Hog wings: slow cooked, dry rub pork shanks
Tough as they were, those seven years down south had a positive impact on the bottom line, and the menu, too. If you only eat one thing at the Linwood, let it be the hog wings. Neshimka learned about these slow cooked, dry rub pork shanks during his time in Georgia. Those days, which he calls his “laboratory time,” also opened his culinary mind to other styles of food. He’d been focused on Italian food from his formative years at Dasti’s and still makes a killer boardwalk-style pizza.
Korean barbecue shrimp appetizer, in sauce with garlic bread
Now, Neshimka recently added a Korean barbecue shrimp appetizer that comes swimming in sauce with some crispy garlic bread to sop it up with. It’s almost a meal in itself. Of course, no neighborhood joint would be complete without an award-winning burger. They have one.
It’s a pub food menu that has some surprisingly tasty curveballs of its own. Even better, for the beer lover, there’s almost as many taps as there are TV’s so you’re good to go!
In the end, it all came down to a technicality. As it turns out, it was the previous owner of the property who received the official eminent domain notice. Since the Neshimkas hadn’t been officially notified, the city had to drop the case and today the Linwood Inn Tap House still stands at 15 South Wood Avenue. To make the happy ending complete, he roars, “I’m the only guy who moved back to Jersey! I guess I have to prove I’m Polish every day!” Since I share some of that heritage, I know just what he means. Someone who’s stubborn and tough with a good sense of humor is a formidable foe. To add a touch of irony, the blighted buildings that were taken over in that eminent domain initiative are now condominiums where some of his new customers live. Business is great and the Linwood is back on solid financial ground.
If you go on game day, don’t be afraid to wear your team’s jersey. You’ll get some good-natured ribbing but that’s about it. Just make sure you’ve got some stats in your back pocket. This crowd knows their stuff. Who knows, you might even make a new friend.
Sometimes a humble neighborhood bar is worth fighting for. This one sure was. Na zdrowie to the Neshimkas and the Linwood Inn Tap House!
This is the first in a series of articles that will highlight the great stories behind some of the most beloved Jersey Gin Mills and Joints that make up the character of the Garden State. If your local watering hole has a great story, I want to hear about it. Contact me at [email protected] and stay tuned.
For Gabriella Mannino Tomasello, cannolis are more than just a treat—they’re a connection to family and tradition.
Gabriella graduated from the Academy of Culinary Arts in Mays Landing in 2012, after spending years around her father, Vito Mannino, in his pizzerias and restaurants. Equipped with her background in pastry making and years of cannoli experience at her father’s restaurants, Gabriella went mobile when she started Mannino’s Cannoli Express, in 2014.
Gabriella shared her story with Jersey Bites.
Gabriella Mannino Tomasello with a tray of blueberry cannolis at the Hammonton Blueberry Festival.
JERSEY BITES: How did you get started? GABRIELLA MANNINO TOMASELLO: My family has had a pizzeria and a restaurant since 1988, and I’ve always made the pastries and all the desserts for my father and the restaurant. [This] all started with the Hammonton Blueberry Festival in 2010. It was my idea to make a blueberry cannoli. I was a culinary student at the time, doing my volunteer work, and I went to the president of the chamber of commerce and I said, “We should do a blueberry cannoli.” The following year we started, and then in 2014 I decided to go mobile. I bought my first trailer, and it kind of took off from there. Now, every year, we’re pretty much known for the blueberry cannolis. Having the background of being Sicilian and having the restaurant helped.
How do you decide what works? We did trial-and-error [with] a lot of things just to get a recipe down and see what flavors work. We’ve actually made savory cannolis as well. We’ve done a maple bourbon bacon cannoli. Our big time seller is our original chocolate chip, and we do get our shells imported from Sicily. During our trial-and-error process, we did try out a couple different companies for our cannoli shells, and it was just either they got too soggy or they just weren’t sweet enough. My dad actually opened a brick oven pizzeria in Pitman last year. He had to go over to Sicily to get a certain olive oil for his pizza dough, and while he was over there he discovered this company that makes cannoli shells. Now we’re probably getting over 25,000 a year from there, so we do get them imported. They are the best cannoli shells you will ever find, and that’s what we’re looking for.
How do you make your product? Everything is homemade; they’re all my recipes. It’s all ricotta based. We don’t do any filler to cut it, no thickeners, no flour. We use a very high-grade cheese. It’s just, straight up, the Sicilian way. We make them a little cheesier than sweet because we are putting powdered sugar on top, so we like to complement the cannoli. We don’t like to over sweeten it, so we tend to do it the old-school way. And we make everything to order. Our big thing is we’re freshly filled. That’s the only product I want to put out.
What challenges have you faced? The trial-and-error days were very hard. It probably took a good dozen times just to get my recipe straight. My whole thing is that it’s all family. My whole family works with me. It’s a good time and I like to make people smile through my product.
Tell us more about your ingredients. We use Hammonton farmers for our blueberries. We also do a peach cannoli, so we use peach orchards in Hammonton. Come September and October, we do a pumpkin cannoli and caramel-apple cannoli. In December we do an egg nog cannoli. I like to keep it in the seasons.
Where are you located? We’re out of Pitman, but we go all over. North Jersey, South Jersey, we even do events in Philadelphia and New York. I have four trailers, so we are expanding. Come September, we’ll actually be expanding down in Florida. We also have a huge following on social media and we do deliver, Monday through Friday. And if you can’t find me at a trailer, you can go into the pizzeria. The cannolis are made in-house as well.
Why cannolis? We go through so many cannolis in the pizzeria. The love people have for the cannolis is crazy. It’s something so delicate. I’ve mastered my degree in it. I eat, sleep, live cannolis. It took me a good time to find the right shells, the way I wanted to make [them], what pairs with everything. It was a long time before I was able to completely master my recipe to match the cannoli shells. The way my following has grown is absolutely insane. These food truck festivals, people live for them. The best way to explain it is that everybody calls me the Cannoli Queen.
Do you have a favorite? The birthday cake and blueberry cannolis are big sellers. Our original is always top notch. Then I would say birthday cake and blueberry are second and third. They go really well with red wine.
What else pairs well with a cannoli? Espresso. We do make Sicilian espresso, freshly brewed at the trailers, as well. It’s a medium type of espresso. Very old school Sicilians eat their pastries in the morning or for a snack with their coffee or espresso. It’s a tradition. That’s what I want to do. I want to continue to bring the Sicilian tradition here.
What are your plans for the future? I would like to add St. Joseph’s cakes to the menu, but don’t want to turn to zeppole or anything like that. We’re unique. I like to run a tight ship and keep it small. When you start having a crazy menu that’s when things go haywire. Our menu probably includes four to seven flavors, depending on the event. And hopefully in the future I can franchise this. Honestly, I’d like to see this go nationwide. We do ship our cannolis all over. We sell to a couple food trucks up in New York. We’re also in Rastelli Market.
Who has helped you in this process? My dad and I are pretty much the masterminds behind all of this. He told me to go mobile. He just had a brick oven pizza trailer built, so he’s on the road with me now.
What other NJ food trucks do you like? I am a member of the New Jersey Food Truck Association, so we are like a little family. My favorite is probably Top Shelf Mobile Cuisine. They’re located out of Vineland. The menu is top notch. It has filet mignon sandwiches and scallop sliders—stuff you would never see on a regular food truck. Another one I would say is Not Your Mama’s Tacos.
Have you had any memorable moments in your truck? One time somebody came up and asked for peanuts instead of cannolis. They thought I was a peanut truck. That was funny. I also have people, all the time, ask me what a cannoli is.
In the end, it all came down to a technicality. As it turns out, it was the previous owner of the property who received the official eminent domain notice. Since the Neshimkas hadn’t been officially notified, the city had to drop the case and today the Linwood Inn Tap House still stands at 15 South Wood Avenue. To make the happy ending complete, he roars, “I’m the only guy who moved back to Jersey! I guess I have to prove I’m Polish every day!” Since I share some of that heritage, I know just what he means. Someone who’s stubborn and tough with a good sense of humor is a formidable foe. To add a touch of irony, the blighted buildings that were taken over in that eminent domain initiative are now condominiums where some of his new customers live. Business is great and the Linwood is back on solid financial ground.
