Get latte ‘flights’ at Cafe Club in Montville NJ: Video
In Montville, Café Club is impressing coffee lovers with its four-flavor, seasonally-themed “latte flights.”
Autumn is here, and restaurants across North Jersey are updating their menus with seasonally-inspired dishes.Here are six chefs’ specialties you need to try this fall.
Honeynut squash, butternut squash, pumpkin, brown butter and sage.
Apple pie, apple chai, apple cider, donuts and glaze.
Burgundy truffles, chanterelles, oyster, porcini and hen.
And, if you’d argue fall doesn’t have the best flavors? Read that list again.
(Didn’t mean for that intro to become a song, but it — like the Count Chocula Latte — just kind of happened.)
Welcome to autumn, eaters. Here are six warm-spiced, made-with-love dishes to try in North Jersey this season.
Ziti Norcina, The Pasta Shop
The light, summery Sweet Corn Ravioli is replaced by a decadent house specialty as autumn arrives at The Pasta Shop. Called Ziti Norcina, the indulgent substitution is loaded with homemade sausage, truffle cream sauce and pecorino; and provides a heftier alternative to the aforementioned staple of summer.
At the base of the dish is house-made ziti, which is cooked to al dente perfection. The truffle cream above smothers each tube, and the pecorino blanket melts into both. A dusting of fennel pollen finishes the presentation, contributing a welcome ode to the season.
Go: 13 1st Ave., Denville; 973-253-4143, thepastashopdenville.com.
Lancaster Amish Chicken ‘Marsala,’ Viaggio
Viaggio Ristorante in Wayne is known for putting contemporary spins on Italian comfort classics. In the past, the team has elevated carbonara with foraged ramps, chicken Milanese with herb crème fraîche and fried calamari with lemon butter and chili. From antipasti to secondi, each course on the ever-rotating menu lies at the intersection of old and new school cuisine.
This fall, Chicken Marsala is getting a similar makeover as the chefs have redesigned it with funghi misti and rosemary potato fritti. Colloquially, that means the juicy meat will be tossed with a mixture of wild mushrooms and served over crispy, seasoned potatoes.
Go: 1055 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne; 973-706-7277, viaggioristorante.com.
Pumpkin Spiral Ravioli, 87 Sussex
Conceptualize a fresh-made pasta swirl stuffed with smooth pumpkin, drowning in brown butter and dusted with crushed amoretto cookies, and you have a general picture of one of the best dishes on 87 Sussex’s fall menu. Top that with toasted almonds and fried sage, and you have the rest of the image.
Called the Pumpkin Spiral Ravioli, this harvest-inspired creation is the latest carb-forward standout to come from French-trained chef Brian Walter. With delicate dough and bursting-from-the-seams filling, it’s also one of the most impressive — both visually and technically.
Go: 87 Sussex St., Jersey City; 551-256-7864, 87sussex.com.
Handmade Honeynut Squash Cappelletti, Fiorentini
Honeynut squash takes the backseat to butternut in most restaurants, but, at Fiorentini, the extra sweet crop shines. Served as a filling in hand-formed cappelletti (little pasta hats), the under-appreciated, overshadowed ingredient plays a starring role in an irresistible dish.
To accentuate the squash’s candy-like flavor, chef Antonio De Ieso pairs it with aged gouda and soppressata (outside of the pasta, in the bowl); creating a balance of spice, sharpness and sugar. Butter contributes additional richness to an already luxurious dish, and sage completes the recipe.
Go: 98 Park Ave., Rutherford; 973-721-3404, fiorentinirest.com.
Espresso French Toast, Willow & Whisk
If fall screams baking season to you, then Willow & Whisk is your autumn restaurant must-try — because the cozy brunch destination will make you feel like you’re eating pumpkin loaf and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Locally loved for its french toast, pancakes and more, the popular spot turns out fluffy breakfast staples with textures to rival melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes and gooey bread pudding.
A stellar seasonal example of the team’s ability to marry sweets with entrées is the Espresso French Toast.
Topped with sliced bananas, sticky caramel, coffee-infused whipped cream and cocoa, the fall exclusive is a saucy, pillowy pain perdu.
Go: Wyckoff (319 Franklin Ave.) and Millburn (35 Main St.); willowandwhisk.com.
Vodka Sauce Fondue, Frank Anthony’s
I don’t have a picture of this dish, but I have a guarantee:
It’s happening.
And you need to try it.
Go: Begins Nov. 1 at 667 Bloomfield Ave., Verona; 973-239-1303, frankanthonys.com.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can’t find her in Jersey’s best restaurants, she’s probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.
Dining and Cooking