Toscano Ristorante - Bordentown, NJ

What better reason to head to Bordentown tonight than to enjoy some of the great restaurants in that great little town. You've heard me say it before, and I will say it again, Bordentown City, NJ is a great little place, and it certainly has a special place in my heart. If you've never stopped in the historic downtown off of Farnsworth Avenue, I highly recommend you take a drive over, and stop in one of the restaurants for a nice lunch, and browse some of the neat little shops. You just never know what kind of treasures you might find.

We arrived in Bordentown City around 7PM tonight, and figured we'd try to grab a seat at the bar at Toscano. If you want to dine in the dining room at Toscano on the weekend, I highly recommend that you call early in the week to make a reservation. Toscano has a good following, and it is really hard to get a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night.

We however love sitting at the bar, and tonight was no different. When we arrived, there wasn't an open table in the restaurant, and not an open seat at the bar. That said, we bellied up to the one open round bar table in a corner, and I headed to the bar for a couple glasses of wine.

Tonight's wine of choice was a Centine, but I forget what producer it is from. Two glasses came out, as well as two single serving carafe's. This is an affordable Super Tuscan blend, that I am assuming is sangiovese based, with some cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and who knows what else. At $7.50 a glass, this is decent by restaurant standards, and we enjoy it. If I had to guess, we can probably pick this up for about $15 a bottle, and it would make a decent house wine.

As we finished out first half glass, two ladies from the bar were seated at our table, and tonight was our lucky night. We grabbed up two stools at the bar, asked for some menu's, and got ready to order some dinner.

The portions at Toscano are always pretty large, so we typically order a soup or salad course, and appetizer, and split one of the huge entrees. Tonight, the seafood bisque was very tempting, but we instead opted to order a Caesar salad, that was plenty large for the both of us. The salad came out with a nice creamy dressing, and good crispy romaine, with nice slices of roasted red pepper, crouton, and parm. A few twists of fresh ground pepper, and this salad was a treat.

Next out was one of my favorite appetizers, the Pane Toscano, which is a thick crusted loaf of bread stuffed with mozzarella cheese and caramelized vidalia onion, and topped with more vidalia onion, roasted garlic cloves, and Romano cheese. This is then baked to a golden brown, and absolute heaven by my standards. This is a dish that I enjoy visit after visit, and I really need to figure out how to make this one at home.

The bread was nice and crusty, the onions and garlic added great flavors and elements, and the stuffed mozzarella was heavenly! This is such a treat, and I have never been disappointed by this dish. This could easily fill me up for lunch, and it is just a joy to eat, but don't forget the breath mints!

As our entree tonight, we settled on the chicken Parmesan, which I don't think we have ever had at Toscano now that I sit here thinking about it. As with their other dishes, the portion came our HUGE with two large chicken breasts, pounded thin, but not too thin. Zelda and I each grabbed on, and noticed the nice golden brown crust, with tender, juicy chicken on the inside.

The top was smothered in a nice melted mozzarella, and the sauce had a really nice spice to it. Accompanying the entree was a nice side of penne pasta, with the same sauce. There is definitely something about the sauce that we like. It is not your typical marinara, but a marinara on steroids, with a bit of spiciness that really gives it a nice edge. This was perfect, and we loved it. Needless to say, we both could not finish our portions of the chicken, verifying the reason we love to sit at the bar, split a soup or salad and appetizer, then splitting an entree. It is just too much food for the both of us, but I am definitely not complaining.

All in all, a great night for comfort foods in "The Little City with A Lot of Charm," with great food, great service, and a decent house vino. Keep up the good work at Toscano! We love stopping in from time to time! Cheers! -F. Scott

Toscano Ristorante

136 Farnsworth Avenue
Bordentown, NJ 08505
Phone: (609)291-0291
http://www.toscano-ristorante.com/

PS: I am sorry to say that I forgot to bring the Blackberry tonight, so there are no pictures. Stay tuned for a picture of the Pane Toscano in the future!

Torp's Deli - Bordentown, NJ

So as much as I didn't want to leave the house today in the gorgeous Jersey snow, duty called and I had to run some errands even though the snow gave me a day off of work. What better however than a good cheese steak on a nice snowed in Jersey day? So on my way back towards home, I took a quick detour and stopped in Bordentown, NJ, and picked up cheese steaks for Zelda and I from Torp's Deli on Farnsworth Avenue. I opted for a traditional cheese steak "with wiz," which I never do as I prefer a classic cheese steak with American, or even Provolone, and Zelda went with the chicken cheese steak with classic American. Many people were ordering sandwiches today, and they had the grill going, and the slicer going. Must have been one of the only places in Bordentown open today. The cheese steaks came off the grill quick, and were still piping hot when I got them to the house. Great size on both of them, and I only ate half of mine, and Zelda did the same. These may not be the best cheese steaks you'll ever have, but the meat was nicely seasoned, the cheese was good, and the bun had a nice little bite to it, though a bit soggy by the time I got them home. No surprise after the drive, but what can you do? All in all, not a bad meal in the least, and this definitely wasn't the first or last time we'll get some carry out from Torp's. Nice comfort food on a snowy day, and I think we'll enjoy the other halves along with Zelda's famous layer dip for dinner tonight with some vino. Cheers! -F. Scott

Under the Moon - Bordentown, NJ

Once again it has taken us far too long to get back to Under the Moon in Bordentown, for no good reason at all. It has also been way too long since we have gotten together with Chowhound and Wine Board friends tom246 and his lovely bride DW. But with the snow apocalypse on the horizon, we decided to brave the elements for a little get together at Under the Moon, and as always, we left with happy belly's, and had a wonderful evening. Under the Moon is still one of the treasures in downtown Bordentown. It is a quaint little place on the main drag of Farnsworth Avenue, and us just so friendly and cozy. From the great family and friends who work their, to the dishes made with love and great flavors, you just cannot go wrong. . We arrived at Under the Moon steps behind our friends, and said hello to Mama's crew! Mama is actually on her way back from Argentina as I type this, but her son Santiago had the kitchen well under control, and did a great job. We sat and caught up with tom246 and DW while we were trying to decide on the wine selection. They brought an '03 Richioli pinot noir, as well as an '03 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel, while I brought a selection ranging from an '05 Kistler chardonnay, '03 Fiddlehead pinot noir 728, '05 Sea Smoke pinot noir Southing, and an '07 Stefania Haut Tubee. We finally decided on going with the Sea Smoke and the Tablas Creek. Feel free to read those tasting notes below once I get them posted! Before ordering, Santiago came over and sat with us for a few minutes, talking about their new menu that they are going to debut next Tuesday, February 9th, as well as their new take out menu, delivery services, etc. Let me say that the new menu looks great, and is also very ambitious in my opinion. There will be many dishes on the new menu, including some of Mama's staples! One thing that I am really looking forward to is the Beef Wellington, and we are also really looking forward to the new guacamole addition to the appetizers! YUM! Regardless, we are wishing them the best on the premier of their new menu! I think it is going to be fabulous! So on to appetizers, tom246 ordered the soup, which I think was a white and black bean soup, and Zelda opted for the Tempura Cauliflower. In the mean time, out came the toasted signature bread and mama's chimichuri, and we just enjoyed some great wine and conversation while catching up. A bit later the apps came out, and the soup looked really nice, as did Zelda's cauliflower, smothered in melted cheese, with a nice breading and topped with tomato sauce. I will say that I am not a big fan of cauliflower, but bread anything and top it in cheese and I will eat it! It was nice and tasty, and a massive portion! Needless to say we didn't finish it all as we had to save room for dinner, and I was determined to save room for dessert tonight as well! For entrees tonight, Zelda opted for the homemade Lobster Ravioli, and I opted for Silvi's Short Ribs. Other dishes at the table included Paella, as well as Joel's Chicken. Dinner came out in what seemed like no time as we were all busy catching up. The paella and Joel's chicken looked fabulous, and as usual, looked like massive dishes! It looked as though there was 2 pounds of paella on DW's plate, formed from a bowl in a large mound, and topped with a gorgeous orange puree of some sort. Tom246's chicken was covered in a beautiful, thick, and chunky fresh tomato salsa, and too was a heaping helping of Argentinean hospitality that can be seen above. Zelda's lobster ravioli looked fabulous, and is there really anything better than homemade, handmade pasta? This was served with a beautiful creamy tomato sauce, that was nice and light in color, garnished with some roasted red peppers. Upon cutting into the ravioli, Zelda pointed out a gorgeous chunk of what looked liked lobster clam meet. WOW! I have never seen such a large chunk of lobster meet stuffed inside of ravioli, but this was incredible. This was not pureed with a bunch of cheese and filler, this was chunks of lobster heaven with some cheese. This is how every restaurant should make lobster ravioli, and was absolutely delectable! Out came my short ribs, and again, another massive portion! Two giant short ribs on the bone, smothered in a sauce that had some mushroom, served over a bed of ginger mashed potatoes, and some Julienne vegetables consisting of carrots and other veggies. These were as tender and fat free as can be, and cooked very nicely. All of the fat had been burned off, and these could be cut with a fork...no knife needed here. The flavors we awesome, and the textured of the short ribs was perfect. The portion was huge, and I couldn't have eaten another bite without killing my appetite for dessert. The ginger mash paired nicely, and were seasoned perfectly. I was a little hesitant about the ginger element, but it was a nice combination. As we finished the bottoms of our bottles of vino, we ordered dessert. I am a huge fan of Santiago's bread pudding, and the apple bread pudding was fresh out of the oven tonight. Really nice chunks of fresh apple, with a nice breading and smothered in a homemade caramel sauce. It again was huge, and I couldn't finish it all. Tom246 and DW went for the lemon meringue pie, another Santiago staple, and it too looked great. Santiago also sent out a piece of his chocolate peanut butter cheesecake for the table to share, and it too was great. . All in all, what can we say other than the fact that we had another great night at Under the Moon with great friends, food, and service. Santiago did a great job as always, and the service from Sarah was once again fabulous! Great job from the Under the Moon family, and as always, we look forward to our next visit! I'll clean this up and make some more comments after doing some snow shoveling! Cheers!

2007 Thompson Street Pinot Noir "Posse"

This wine has really come a long way with just a mere 5 months in the bottle. Enjoyed this today with neighbors, and was shocked. We're still sitting on several cases of this juice, letting it rest in the cellar before popping one. From drinking today, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to resist. This truly is a nice drinker. The alcohol has totally blown off of this wine, which is a bit surprising. From the nose, there are no hints of alcohol whatsoever, and it has integrated nicely(14%).

Again, this is not your Santa Barbara County, fruit forward pinot. This is a much more subdued, floral pinot from the Santa Cruz Mountain Region. On the nose, some strawberry and cherry, and a very floral bouquet are prevelant. Hints of spice and vanilla round out the bouquet, making it very pleasant.

On the palate, there is still a bit of acidity, but what do you expect for a wine that has only been in the bottle for 5 months? This wine is very light to medium bodied, with a creamy/velvety texture. Lots of strawberry on the front and mid palate, with hints of oak, vanilla, spice, and even a hint of baking spice and cinnamon. The finish, although far from perfect, gives off hints of cranberry and strawberry, with a touch of acidity. All in all, for a first offering, this is a damn tasty wine, and one hell of a daily drinker/QPR.

We'll pop into one of ours around Christmas time with the in-laws and brother and sister in-law. Fine juice, coming around nicely, but not nearly as Burgundian as when we tasted this prior to bottling. Interesting, but darn tasty!  This will develope nicely for 3-5 years easily!

2006 Taz Pinot Noir Fiddlestix

Unfortunately, this didn't measure up to previous vintages, but it was still very drinkable. Paired nicely with sushi at Tsukasa. Formal notes to come!

Tsukasa Japanese Restaurant

What can we say other than another great dinner at Tsukasa tonight. Formal notes to come: Appetizer: shrimp tempura Rolls: Spicy Tuna Roll, Philly Roll, Spicy Salmon Roll, California Roll, and Shrimp Tempura Roll... 1 1/2 Crosswicks Street Bordentown, NJ 08505 Phone: (609)298-3838 12:00pm - 9:00pm Tuesday - Saturday 3:00pm - 8:00pm Sunday (609) 298-3838 http://tsukasarestaurant.blogspot.com/

Under the Moon - Bordentown, NJ

Tonight, we met with fellow Ebob and Chowhound members tom246 for another evening of fun food and vino at Under the Moon in downtown Bordentown City. Tom had made a a 7:30PM reservation, and they had our table ready and waiting for us. Thank God Tom had made a reservation, as there wasn’t an open table in the house. Always great to see this restaurant thriving! As a matter of fact, all the restaurants in town were packed tonight as we walked by, and that is always nice to see.

We were greeted and seated by Fawn at a round table that we have been seated at quite a few times in the upper ½ of the restaurant. Many great items on the menu tonight, but unfortunately they were sold out of the strip steak. Bummer as this is always one of my favorites, and such a great bargain, but never fear, there are always some other great entrees to chose from.

As usual, we both brought many options for wine. From Tom’s stash, we opted for a 2004 Copain Cerise, and from my bag we went with the 2005 Tobin James Dusi Vineyard zinfandel. I also asked Silvi to throw a 2006 Tobin James Charisma into their fridge for dessert. Feel free to read the wine reviews in previous posts, or see my notes on CellarTracker.com. Fawn brought some of their signature bread out, which is small, sliced, light and fluffy bread rounds, toasted on the Panini press with a little oil and garlic. It’s always nice, and gets a little something in your belly before the salads come out. The side of chimichurri that comes with it is to die for, and one of Mama's many homemade treats.

For dinner tonight, I was torn between the Autumn Pork, which I have had on a few other occasions, as well as the French Pork, which I have never had. I ended up going with the French Pork just to try something new. Zelda ordered the seafood enchiladas tonight, while Tom ordered the Autumn Pork, and Denise opted for the crab cakes.

A few minutes after ordering, out came the house salads that are always included with the entrees. These are always nice little salads, with fresh lettuce, a couple sliced tomatoes, some red onion, dried herbs, and a nice balsamic vinaigrette. This is a nice, light salad, and yet another pleasure while we waited for our entrees to come out.

With great conversation throughout the night about wine, it seemed as though our entrees came out in no time...which they probably did. As usual, the portions were very large. I had two nice pork medallions on my plate, that were the perfect thickness. Not too thick as though they will not cook through, yet not to thin that they will dry out. It came accompanied with a nice side of rice, and the pork itself was smothered in a nice medley of apple, fig maybe, cinnamon, and some other spices. It really brought out a nice flavor in the pork. Zelda's seafood enchilladas were absolutely phenomenol. Not only were they large, but they were filled with some great shrimp, scallop, crab, and I am not sure what else quite honestly. The texture was wonderful, the filling was rich and creamy, and the sauce on top was a a perfect finisher. I look forward to ordering these for myself in the future. The other entrees at the table looked nice as well, and I have had them both in the past. As much as I love the crab cakes that I make, Santiago uses my same concept...let the flavors of the crab shine. Don't doctor them up with a bunch of vegetables or seasoning, and use as little filler as possible. This is a great philosophy! After dinner, we were all absolutely stuffed, and instead of ordering dessert, we opened the Charisma that I had brought, which actually turned out to be thin, alcohol tasting, and rather disappointing. I guess we should have brought some Tobin James Liquid Love instead, but at least we know for next time. All in all, a wonderful evening with some friends that we really enjoy chatting with about two of our favorite hobbies, food and wine. As always, the Under the Moon gang provided great service and a wonderful dinner, and we always look forward to visiting them. Hopefully we'll be back soon! Cheers!

DISCLAIMER: this review was written in a hurry, and I need to go back in, clean it up, and add some details when I get some more time.

Oliver - A Bistro - Bordentown, NJ

It's been a while since we have been able to make it to Oliver's for lunch, so what better day than after the 4th of July? We arrived around Noon, only to find 2 other tables in the restaurant, but by the time we left, they had quite a few more tables sat! We got a great seat in the window, and it was nice to see our friends Pat & Frank having lunch at Oliver as well. As usual, Bruce took great care of us, and it is always a pleasure. Owner Danielle came over and spent quite some time chatting with us, and that is always nice. Not only are her and Matt great restaurateur's, they are also damn nice people, and good friends. Zelda opted for her usual today, the West Coast Wrap, which is filled beautifully with grilled chicken, avocado, and a delicious sauce. This is one if Zelda's favorites, and is ordered quite often with roasted potatoes on the side. I opted for my usual as well, the Jack Mack burger. This is a great bistro styled burger opposed to the down and dirty greasy burger. It's topped with a delicious cheese spread and bacon, and I too opted for the roasted potatoes on the side. I love the buns that they serve this burger one. They have a nice crunch on the outside, yet are so soft in the middle. It was cooked medium and perfect, and was such a tasty meal! What can we say? Another great meal at Oliver's, and that's why we keep coming back! I'm sure a lot of you are sick of reading about this place, but we just cannot get enough! Kudos guys!

Oliver - A Bistro Bordentown, NJ

A great night to take a trip into Bordentown City. Upon arriving at Oliver - A Bistro, Danielle greeted us to a packed house, so we headed down to the outside bar on the deck of Marcello's for a few glasses of sangria. As usual, the sangria was very tasty, and we enjoyed a glass for about a 1/2 hour before calling over to Oliver's to see if Danielle had a table for us. She did indeed!

The restaurant was still packed which is great to see! We love the fact that Matt and Danielle took Bordentown's best lunch spot and also turned it into the best dinner spot in town as well. As usual, Bruce was the man and server for us tonight, and it is always a joy!

We skipped out on appetizers tonight and went straight for the entrees. Zelda selected the Crispy Chicken once again, served over sweet pea risotto. This dish is an absolute winner, and the sauce that Matt created for the chicken is fabulous. The skin on the chicken has a nice crispiness to it, yet it is not charred or burned. It was cooked perfectly, and I think that Zelda said it best when she said that you could literally drink the sauce. I cannot explain it, and I would kill to be able to know how to make this sauce. It really compliments the chicken well, and it also pairs nicely with the risotto.

I took a different route tonight, and did something against my better judgement by ordering the crab cakes. As some know, I am very particular when it comes to crab cakes, the spices used, as well as the type of crab meat used. Most places use backfin, which is good, but they tend to put too much filler in. Thankfully, I was very happy with my decision, and the crab cakes were delicious! Were they as good as mine? No! Sorry Matt! But he does use some nice backfin, with clumps of lump meat as well. He used very little filler, so it gives you the choice to enjoy the crab. I also like the fact that he doesn't use red pepper, or pimento, or some other type of filler that really masks the taste of the crab. All in all, these were very good, and I would order them again sometime.

What can we say? Another great meal in a great town. Our dinnr paired very well with a bottl of Stefania's latest release, Haut Tubee.

A Busy Night in Bordentown, NJ

It was night of gorgeous weather tonight, so what better place to visit than "the little city with a lot of charm." Upon arriving in Downtown Bordentown, there was a buzz about Farnsworth Avenue. All the stores were open late tonight, with lights on and front doors open. The streets were a mob scene, and the people were wandering, window shopping, and waiting for tables at the many Bordentown establishments. Crowds were gathered outside the Farnsworth Gallery, some waiting to enjoy their dinner next door at Toscano Ristorante, others just browsing the artwork and enjoying good conversation. John Wehrman and Officer Gary Rutherford greeted us, and we talked for a few minutes about the normal stuff....Bordentown, work, weather, etc. Inside the gallery you could see folks talking and looking at the various paintings that coat the walls from floor to ceiling. Colorful martinis, bubbly champagne, and red, white, and rose colored wines wandered the gallery with a friendly chatter that is only Bordentown. As we continued down Farnsworth, it was nice to see the new framing and antique shop buzzing as well, with their moon shaped bench out front, and colorful decorations in the window. From here we looked inside Silk and Tweed, where Mak was celebrating the 3 year anniversary of her store in Bordentown. An older woman browsed the jewelry case in front of the register as Mak boxed something up, and wrapped it with a grassy papered ribbon and bow. From here we looked next door at Personables where Zelda saw something in the window that caught her eye before continuing down Farnsworth Ave. Across the street the Artful Deposit also had a gaggle of people out front, talking on the corner, and you could see smiling faces and pointing fingers appreciating the old construction in Bordentown. People were pointing to the many old structures, and just taking in the gorgeous sites and weather. Shoppe 202 was also celebrating their anniversary tonight, 15 years in Bordentown. Congratulations to Tom and Pete! We ran into many friends here, and the Shoppe was at full capacity. More red and white wine was flowing here as well, along with some Cosmo's and other flavored martinis. We ran into many friend and neighbors up here tonight, Nancy Minnick, David and Sherry Gutierrez, and others. It's great to see people supporting these stores, helping the downtown become a great area to shop, and supporting the local businesses. Both women's stores were packed today, first was Necessities for the Heart, packed with women looking at "Betsyville" purses, and trying on big, colorful hats that you would see at the Kentucky Derby. As we walked by the deck at Marcello's, we saw Dee and Tracy enjoying some sangria at the outdoor bar, where every stool was full. The tables on the deck were also full of diners enjoying their Italian fare. Next we passed Loretta C. Boutique, the new women's boutique, located in the old Miller McGowan men's store, and you could see the women browsing their different dresses and accessories. Next door, Colonial Delights had a few people wandering the store, eyeing up their different cookies, biscuits, chocolates, and other gourmet items. Check them out sometime as they have some great hard to find cookies and crackers! Upon continuing on passed Oliver-A Bistro, you could see 2 or 3 open tables, with people standing out front looking at the menu. It is always great to see Oliver's filled, and Bruce and the staff working hard. We love this restaurant! From there, we walked down the street toward Tsukasa, and you could see that every table outside of Jester's Cafe was occupied, with people sitting out enjoying good conversation and dinner. The bar looked packed, and there were some diners inside as well. From here, we continued to Tsukasa for dinner, and you can read the review for that as well. In short, it was a beautiful night to visit Bordentown, and it is nice to see the city hopping with all kinds of foot traffic. If you have never been to Bordentown, check it out sometime. It's a great little city, with a few good restaurants, and plenty of stores with browsing!

Tsukasa Japanese Restaurant - Bordentown, NJ

I know what you're thinking, these two eat at the same places all the time! Well, not entirely true, but with the heat, we didn't feel like going too far, and sushi was just thing thing to satisfy our cravings on a very hot Jersey night in June. It was the perfect night for a New Zealand sauvignon blanc blanc, and what better to pair it with than sushi! See the review above for the Silver Beach sauvignon blanc that we enjoyed very much with our sushi!

Only two other tables in the restaurant when we arrived, but for the most part, it seemed as all of Bordentown was pretty slow. We really love visiting Bordentown for dinner since it is so close by, and it is a pleasure to frequent the many different restaurants there. Especially the 3 different BYO's that we frequent the most.

As usual, the family at Tsukasa was friendly, with Mom in the back kitchen cooking, Dad rolling away at the sushi bar, and their son taking care of the front of house waiting tables. These people are so nice, and we really look forward to seeing their business grow. That being said, if you live in Bordenown, you really need to support the the best you can. B-Town needs this restaurant, and right now I really think that the town is supporting them which is great.

Tonight we started off with edamame which is was no surprise, and nothing out of the norm. They came out nice and hot, and came out in a bowl that was yet anoter generoud portion. Lightly sprinkled with sea salt, you just cannot taste this tasty treat. Who would have thought that soy beans would taste so good, and make for such a tasty treat!

We opted yet again for sushi, and I know, we really need to try some of their hot teriyaki or tempura dinners or combination boxes. Their sushi is just so hard to pass up!

We ordered the usuals again, so I won't bore you with the desciptions again, but we had two tempura rolls, a Philly roll, spicy tuna roll, salmon and avocado roll, and a California roll. As usual, the did not disappoint, with great, fresh fish and vegetables. What can we say, another great meal in Bordentown!

Tsukasa Japanese Restaurant - Bordentown, NJ

Yet another great meal once again at Tsukasa. Tonight was a perfect night for sushi, so we grabbed a bottle of the 2007 Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc and headed to Tsukasa.

.

It was a slow night at Tsukasa, but it was also 8PM by the time we got there, and there was only a table of 4 having dinner as well. One more table did however come in before we left, so it is good to see that the Bordentown locals are supporting this great little restaurant!

.

Tonight we started with edemame, and it is always a treat here, being nice and hot, and sprinkled ever so lightly with sea salt. Sushi wise, I opted for the Philly roll, made with fresh salmon, cucumber, and cream cheese, as well as my staple, the spicy tuna roll, and a shrimp tempura roll. Zelda opted for the California roll, salmon and avocado roll, and a shimp tempura roll. Everything was rolled to perfection, and the fish was at perfect temp for me...COLD COLD COLD! I love biting into sushi and feeling that burst of cold fish, and tonight it was absolutely perfect! Kudos once again to this family for opening a great sushi bar in Bordentown! I promise, one of these days we will review their hot food! =)

Under the Moon - Bordentown, NJ

Another great meal at Under the Moon, and we were shocked to see the restaurant wide open, with the exception of "The Hoff's" inside, and two tables outside. It is however Memorial Day weekend, and Bordentown seems dead during this time. Great to see Estella and Fawn as usual. Estella even seemed to have some help in the kitchen, and was finally getting a chance to relax. Needless to say, she was watching the stove like a hawk, ensuring everything came out to her expectations. As usual, we started off with a few nice pieces of toasted bread, along with Estella's world famous chimichuri. God this stuff is so good, and I can't even begin to explain. I would love to have her recipe, and could eat this every day with some nice, warm bread. The Under the Moon house salad was next, with a nice balsamic dressing, and lots of fresh veggies. Great color on the tomatoes, with good iceberg lettuce, red onion, and cucumber, with a hint of dried herb. As usual, this is the perfect starter, and comes with most entrees. It's delicious! Tonight Zelda ordered the seafood risotto with scallops and salmon. This looked and smelled gorgeous, and the risotto was cooked to absolute perfection. Hints of roasted red pepper, topped with freshly shaved Parmesan made it absolutely perfect! I was torn between the shrimp ravioli with mama's famous "pink sauce," but instead opted for the cheese tortellini with grilled chicken as I figured this would be more filling. I was correct, and it was fabulous. The pesto is awesome, and you can tell how fresh it is. you could smell the basil 10 feet from the table, with tons of garlic as well. It paired perfectly with the chicken, and I just could not get enough on the tortellini. YUM! We ended up skipping dessert tonight, which is very rare for u at Under the Moon, but we just didn't have the room in our stomachs, and actually brought leftovers home. That said, another great dinner in the "Little City with a lot of Charm." Kudos to Luigi and Estella, and we'll see you soon!

Tsukasa Japanese Restaurant - Bordentown, NJ

Another great meal at Tsukasa! Kudos to this family, and we'll do whatever we can to ensure that they are successful! A nice fresh breath of air, and just what Bordentown needs! It's nice to have another option other than Italian in the "little city with a lot of charm." Upon walking in, we were lucky enough to snatch up the last table, so it was great to see their business thriving during this "Street Fair Weekend." Skipped the white wine tonight and enjoyed a Melville pinot noir with dinner. Not the best pairing for sushi, but it definitely worked! See the review here as well! Tonight we opted to do a soup and sushi combination. No, this is not a combo on the menu, but one that we created ourselves. Zelda opted for the Tempura Udon, which was a nice soy based soup, with big, thick, white udon noodles. We've never tried the udon before, and I do think that I prefer the soba over udon personally. I opted for the Tempura Soba, made with thin buckwheat noodles, and made from the same soy based broth. Both soups came with 2 nice sized shrimp tempura on the side, as well as a nice pairing of tempura vegetables. A lot of places will serve the tempura in the soup, however I think that it is much more enjoyable when placed on the side, so you can really enjoy that tempura crunch! On the sushi side, I opted for the delicious Philly roll, containing salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber, as well as the spicy tuna roll, which is a staple at Tsukasa...at least a staple for me. Zelda opted for the salmon and avocado roll, as well as a California roll. As always, the fish was very fresh, and very enjoyable. This sushi chef has some skills, and he knows how to make some damn good rolls! If I had to pick a gripe, I would mention that I would enjoy the rolls to be about 10 degrees colder, as I like my sushi very cold, but the temperature that it is currently served at is probably right at industry standard. As always, the service was great and friendly. It really is a pleasure to dine with the folks at Tsukasa! Check it out and support them! They need to stay in Bordentown! That's my 2 yen. Cheers! 1 Crosswicks Street Bordentown, NJ 08505 Phone: (609) 298-3838

Oliver - A Bistro Bordentown, NJ

Another great dinner at Oliver-A Bistro on a Friday night in Bordentown! We absolutely love this restaurant, and the owners, Matt and Danielle have done such a great job since they bought it 2 years ago. Matt serves as the extremely talented executive chef, while Danielle runs the front of house and the catering side of the business. Kudos to them both for transforming Oliver from the hot lunch only spot, to the now lunch and dinner hot spot in town!

.

Bruce had a well deserved night off tonight, but the service was still great without him. Everyone here is so nice, and the food is just so damn good! Tons of great specials tonight, ranging from steaks, to seafood, to lamb chops, but when it came down to it, Zelda had her usual staple, the Risotto with Sweet Pea and Parmesan, which is usually an $8 appetizer, that she transforms in a dinner size portion at $16, and I ordered the Pacific Mahi with Artichoke, Red Bliss Potato and Sweet Carrot Barigoule and an English Pea Emulsion at $18.95.

.

As always, Zelda's risotto was cooked to perfecton, with beautifully colored peas, and freshly shaved parm on top. This is such a great dish, and a perfect dish for the spring with great fresh ingredients. My mahi was a beautiful, fresh, and thick piece of fish that could not have been cooked any more perfect. The side consisted of potatos and carrots that were very tasty, and the English pea emulsion had great flavor...this coming from a non pea lover. To top it all of, pea sprouts covered the fish, which was a gorgeous touch, and added very nice, delicate flavors.

All in all, another awesome meal at Oliver, and we enjoyed a great Emeritus pinot. Be sure to check out the review for that as well!

Be sure to check Oliver out online at: http://www.oliverabistro.com/

2006 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Balcombe Vineyard

All I can say about this wine, is that I wish I waited to open this, but curiosity to open a "Patty Green" was killing me.

This wine is so young, and is going to be fabulous in another 5 years. We aerated this through the Vinturi and decanted for an hour prior to drinking. I think that a 5 hour decant would have been good, but an hour is better than no time at all.

Nose of blackberry and black cherry, with hints of cola and earth as well. On the palate, more black fruit with hints of spice, but for the most part, typical of an Oregon pinot. There is still some acidity on this wine, and I attribute it to the fact that we drank it so young.

Long and short of it is, put a few of these in the back of your cellar, out of sight, out of mind, and revisit them in 2 years at the earliest. I'd like to get another 4 to 6 of these to stockpile for some years down the road!

Overall, 90 points, but will definitely go higher with some time!

Under the Moon - Bordentown, NJ

As many times as we have frequented Under the Moon, I have yet to do a review on the restaurant and their food. Well, it's about time! Tonight we had the pleasure of meeting up with the Tom and Denise, of which Tom frequents one of the wine forums that I like to spend some time in. We both brought a great selection of wine, but unfortunately, we didn't get around to any of the wines that we brought. Special thanks to Tom and Denise for providing the wine for our dinner. Upon arriving, it was great to see "Mama," "Santi," and "Fawn," as well as some new faces in the dining room and in the kitchen. As usual, the menu had 6-8 appetizers and salads, as well as 8-10 entrees. First up was the wine, and Fawn opened up two wines that Tom and Denise had brought. The first was a 2004 Copain Pinot Noir Hein Family Vineyard that was absolutely fabulous. It was good "pooped and poured," and only got better as the bottle had time to breathe, and the wine had time to breathe in the glass. On the glass, it had a nice ruby color, with lots of red fruits on the nose, mainly bold cherry and strawberry. On the palate, there was the faintest hint of spice, with hints of cherry, cherry cola, and the smallest hint of earth. The finish was vibrant and balanced, with some hints of raspberry. All in all, a great wine that I would love to revisit in the future. I still think this wine is a bit young. For dinner, Zelda and Tom had the chicken tikka. This is an Under the Moon staple as far as Zelda is concerned, and is a real treat. Denise had an eggplant dish of sorts, that I think had thyme in it, and it too looked fabulous. I had the wasabi crusted tuna, and it was incredible. Sushi grade tuna served rare over wasabi mashed potatoes that were to die for. The dish came with more tuna than I could eat, and it looked and tasted absolutely gorgeous. Next up in wine was a 2003 Rhys Syrah Alesia Sonoma Coast that had a good hour to breathe in the bottle. Nice medium red color in the glass, with tons of blue and black fruit on the nose...blueberry, blackberry, pepper, and the slightest hint of oak. On the palate, there was great depth with more of the black fruits and spice. All in all, a nice finish with very fine tannins that were not overpowering in the least. For dessert, Zelda had the triple chocolate brownie that was also incredible and sinful! All I can say is yum. I had the green apple bread pudding, with homemade caramel sauce on top, and it goes to show that Santiago knows how to make some great desserts. All in all, another awesome night at Under the Moon, and this just solidifies the fact that they are one of Bordentown's best BYO's! I look forward to our next trip to Under the Moon!

2004 Cherry Hill Winery Pinot Noir Estate

We brought this wine along with us to Oliver - A Bistro in Bordentown. For those of you who are not familiar with Oliver, be sure to check out their site at: http://oliverabistro.com/ Chef Matt and wife Danielle are doing a great job over there, and I will have a full review to come in the future!

Popped and poured, and this wine could have used an hour, if not several in a decanter. Unfortunately, that was not an option, but what can you do. Either this wine is still young, which is possible, but overall, I just think it is not a top notch Oregon pinot. Lots of sour cherry and raspberry all over the nose. On the palate, more of the same, with hints of oak, and lots of acidity. The finish seemed sour and un-complex, and overall, this wine left a lot to be desired for the price. Definitely some better values out there for the money, but it was worth trying something different. 83 points.

1988 Château Cos d'Estournel

We enjoyed this wine very much tonight at our friend Dee's house, on the Bordentown Garden Tour night.

Nice dark ruby color in the decanter and glass, with a nose of pencil lead, earth, anise, leather, dirty black fruits, and cedar. This wine has a nice balance, and is drinking well now, but I wouldn't be surprised if this wine would last another 10-15 years in the bottle under proper storage conditions.

Unfortunately, the fruit was not as prevelant on the palate as it was the nose. I thought for sure this would be a very fruit forward fruit bomb, but not the case. Don't get me wrong, it was still there, and there was still a ton of fruit in the mouth, but not like the explosive nose. This wine got better and fruitier with time in the glass. Tons of blackberry and black cherry, with hints of oak and subtle tannins made this wine a true treat!

A nice medium finish ended this wine, and I would give it 93 points, with more points possible in time perhaps. Time will tell! Cheers!