Jersey Shore Restaurant Week

JERSEY SHORE RESTAURANT WEEK

APRIL 1-10, 2011

Jersey Shore Restaurant Week™ is a wonderful opportunity to re-visit your favorite restaurants and try new ones. Scheduled for April...after the Winter and before the Summer, it's the perfect time to gather your friends and enjoy the Jersey Shore's great restaurants. Participating restaurants will offer a three course menu for $20.11 or $30.11 with three appetizer, three entree and three dessert choices.  Check out the web site to find a participating establishment.  We ventured to David Burke's Fromagerie and had a 4 star meal for $60.00.  For the purpose of this BITE we are featuring our evening at Fromagerie.

David Burke Fromagerie

26 Ridge Road Rumson

732-842-8088

A 3 course Pre-fixe menu was prepared for the week long event

Beverages are not included in the pre-fixe menu but are a must to start

Amose Boushe

Seafood Pate on a Brioche with a drizzle of Mustard Oil

 

Classic at Fromagerie are the Cheddar Cheese Popovers served as the bread course

 
Our server Rob was awesome and very knowledgeable of the restaurant and the menu.  He told us that David Burke had introduced to Fromagerie a dry aged steak menu as he has at his Chicago Steakhouse Primehouse.  At Primehouse they utilize a pink Himalayan rock salt in the steak vault that aids in the dry aging process.  At Fromagerie they installed the same kind of Steak vault as Primehouse and the steaks are dry aged for 45 days.  This is a very unique process and the steaks have a very different taste and texture then other dry aged steaks.  Having heard this we absolutely had to try a steak so we opted to order from both the pre-fixe menu and the steak menu.
 

From the pre-fixe menu - Grilled Marinated Octopus on a Bed of Diced Fingerling Potatoes with Green Pea Puree, Pancetta and finished with Angry Sauce

From the Dinner Menu - Spinach and Poached Egg Raviolo with Garlic and Parmesan in an Herb Garlic Oil finished with Smokey Bacon

From the Pre-Fixe Menu - Cornmeal Crusted Skate Wing with Baby Artichokes and Trumpet Mushrooms in a Caper Brown Butter Sauce

 

             

From the Steak Menu - 45 Day Dry Aged Kansas City Bone In Sirloin with Beef Love and topped Buttermilk Chive Onion Rings

Also from the Dinner Menu - Potato Frites with Shaved Truffles, Parsley and drizzled with Truffle Oil

Creamed Spinach finished with Parmesan

This meal was a gourmet feast for a fraction of what it would've costed and now it was time to dig in.
Being that one meal was on the pre-fixe and one wasn't the dessert course gave us the opportunity to order s dessert that David Burke is famous for creating.  But before we splurged on a decedent treat we had some coffee to digest what we had just finished.

A single espresso and a cappuccino

Now on to the dessert but first we'll show the pre-fixe dessert.

Fromage Blanc - A tangy cheese custard reminiscent of creme brulee in texture topped with a Peach Sorbet, Blackberries and a Vanilla Sugar Wafer

What you are going to see now is not to be believed but is a must to experience.  In fact this dessert was feature on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate - Remaking Classics.

Cheesecake Lolli Pops with Fresh Raspberries and Bubble Gum Whipped Cream

They came in three flavors:
Cherry Pink Cashmere - Cheesecake, white chocolate coating, red coloring, dipped in pistachio crunchies, ground green pistachios and sun dried cherries

Three Chocolate Tuxedo: Cheesecake, white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate coatings, dipped in peanut crunchies and Reeses Peanut Butter Pieces.


Toffee Top Hat: Cheesecake, milk chocolate coating dipped in dark chocolate crunchies and ground Score Bars

BTW, you can purchase them online at the following URL:
Gourmet Pops  or you can take a box home from Fromagerie after you have dinner there.

We highly recommend that you experience a visit here and until the next BITE...Get out and enjoy the food

Thanks for reading and share us with others.

L'Ecole - Bouquet Garni of New Life

Our wonderful friends at the French Culinary Institute invited us to attend a presentation by world renowned chef Jacque Pepin on kitchen techniques.  If that wasn't incredible enough they invited us to have lunch on them at the institute's restuarant L'Ecole before attending the event.  For the purpose of this BITE we wanted to feature the incredible meal we experienced at L'Ecole.

The front of the house and bar area

Maitre D' Station and entrance

Back of the house, server's station and kitchen entrance

(BTW, the young lady in white is an FCI Graduate)

Amuse-bouche - Lamb Sausage - Sundried Tomato

Tuna Tartare with Pickled Daikon and Smoked Uni Cream

Tartare de Thon, Crème D’Oursin Fumé et Daikon

Gnocchi Parisienne with Asparagus, Prosciutto and Lemon-Chicken Velouté

Gnocchi Parisienne, Asperge, Jambon Cru et Velouté de Poulet au Citron

Pan-Seared Branzino with Roasted Mushrooms, Sautéed Spinach and Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette Filet de Loup Mer Poêlé, Champignons Roti et Épinards, Vinaigrette a la Tomate Fumé

Seared Duck Breast and Confit Duck Leg, Potato Terrine, Creamed Kale and Sweet & Sour Sauce Sauté de Magret de Canard et sa Cuisse Confite Gâteau de Pomme de Terre, Kale et Sauce Aigre-Doux

Orange and Lemon Tart with Raspberry Coulis

Tarte aux Citron et Orange et Coulis de Framboise

Chocolate-Orange Parfait

Parfait Chocolat et Orange

Chocolate angel food cake with white chocolate ice cream and raspberries

The entire dessert service

Orange and Lemon Tart with Raspberry Coulis

Chocolate-Orange Parfait

Chocolate angel food cake 

Lui and Jacques

The entire experience was incredible.  The food at lunch topped by seeing Jacques Pepin work his skills in the kitchen.  The French Culinary Institute and the restuarant L' Ecole are truly training the best in the industry.  Located at 462 Broadway New York City 212 219 3300.

Get out and try this place. Until our next BITE...enjoy the food

More Than Just Huevos - Distrito

In west Philadelphia, the heart of Drexel University is a culinary gem, Distrito, another establishment of Iron Chef Jose Garces. 

Distrito is a neighborhood place for great high end food and upscale variations on classic Mexican cuisine.  Incredible food in a fun atmosphere with great service.

The decor complements modern and traditional design

with bright colors

offering price specials for brunch and happy hours

Not your typical Mexican restaurant in concept as you can choose to eat on the go

or stay and enjoy the wall of classic Mexican wrestling masks while you dine 

 
 

We decided to go for the pre-fixe 2 course brunch menu for $20 per person including Jose Garces brand coffee. Its a great deal with a lot of menu choices that you can pair with a list of specialty beverages.   Of course what's brunch without an elegant libation to start.

 

Distrito Bloody Mary

Choice of RÖkk Vodka or Jimador Blanco Tequila - fresh tomato–horseradish–lime–thyme 

Distrito Margarita

Jimador Blanco Tequila - Lime - Orange

After enjoying our opening cocktails it was time order up the next two courses but the choices were difficult.  So many wonderful items on the menu we justed want to say, "we'll have one of everything please".  When faced with a challenge such as this we take a look at what everyone else is having and ask a lot of questions.  Often people are more then happy to tell you what they think.  So don't be afraid, make some friends.

With much discussion and advice we finally reached a decision.  The first course would be;

Nachos Ignacio

Black Beans, Tomato,

Queso Mixto, Jalapeño,

Chile de Arbol,

Radish

 

Chilango Chop

Romaine, Baby Arugula,

Watercress, Green Apples,

Cranberries, Spiced Pecans,

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

 
The seconded course was;

Torta de Huevos

Over easy egg, benton’s bacon, avocado, refried beans, queso modelo

 

Queso Fundido

Duck barbacoa, Poblano Rajas, Tres Quesos

The Fondito is servered with a basket of small tortillas that we spooned the lucious hot filling onto and then devowered.  Each bite had then perfect blend of the three cheeses, the duck barbcoa and subtle heat of the poblanos.
No question that everyone will find something to enjoy here.

Distrito is located at 3945 Chestnut Street Philadelphia 215 222 1657

Get out and try this place and until our next BITE...enjoy the food