PSA: Boozy pancakes and crab rangoon donuts exist
When I was in elementary school, we used to do this first-week-of-class thing each morning where we sat in a circle, shared our names (one at a time) and then answered a teacher-selected question of the day.
I assume, given that most of you grew up in New Jersey, you know the type of beginning of the year circle time I'm talking about.
Anyways, one morning, I recall the teacher asking the class — after we reminded our peers of our names — to share our favorite type of dog.
Sitting immediately to her left, I confidently answered first.
"Corn dog," I said.
Oops.
Now, if she had said what is your favorite dog breed? I probably wouldn't have been so far off the mark.
But, hey — at least my priorities were straight from day one.
Here are five things I ate this week that prove I've still got my head on straight.
Grand Marnier Pancakes, Graze Brunch Kitchen
What do you get when you combine fine orange liquor with delicate, fluffy pancakes and smooth, melty butter?
A dish that looks like breakfast — but tastes like a rum cake.
Aptly named the Grand Marnier pancakes, that's precisely what this sweet creation is. Served at Graze Brunch Kitchen in Ho-Ho-Kus, the decadent stack features three melt-in-your-mouth, boozy flapjacks topped with orange zest, powdered sugar and whipped butter.
Enjoy each bite with a drizzle of maple syrup, and be blown away by their cupcake-like texture and irresistible flavor.
Go: 611 N Maple Ave., Ho-Ho-Kus; 201-543-0144, grazehhk.com.
Italian Sandwich, Porta Rossa Pasta & Provisions
Porta Rossa is a true hidden culinary gem housed on a quiet residential corner in Maplewood. Flanked by trees and crosswalks, it would be easy to miss the specialty provisions shop, should you not know about it.
Visit the unassuming spot, however, and be impressed by the finest European dishes North Jersey has to offer.
Each day — under the watch of Matthew Ruzga, a former pasta director at Manhattan's Del Posto — the team whips up a rotating menu of exquisite, near Michelin-quality dishes, despite being outwardly branded as a niche grocery store (and only having four indoor tables).
Ruzga's locally-famous Italian sandwich, though, is always available.
Served on fresh, crispy ciabatta bread, the upscale sub has everything a normal Italian sammie would have, but also includes a thin layer of peppers for spice, a swipe of mayo for richness and the most high-end sliced meats you'll find in the region.
In my opinion, it's the best Italian sandwich in Jersey.
Go: 160 Jacoby St., Maplewood; 973-821-9445, portarossanj.com.
Beef Cheek Fagottini, Kinjo
Kinjo has been one of my favorite North Jersey restaurants since it opened its doors in October last year. With duck confit bao buns and noodles smothered in yuzu and truffle butter, the innovative "neighborhood dumpling spot" is turning Japanese dining on its head by packaging classic dishes in modern covers — and serving them beneath anime graphics and TVs playing Asian Netflix dramas.
This week, however, the team impressed me even more than usual with its "Big A** Neighborhood" collaboration dinner featuring CG Pizza.
The tasting menu-style meal included six Italian-Asian fusion courses, of which the beef cheek fagottini, a course by CG's Tim Quinlan, was a stand out.
Showcasing three hand-folded, pyramid-shaped pasta purses filled with shredded meat and surrounded by a fernet branca jus (thin liquor sauce) and burnt soubise (creamy French onion sauce), the course was as indulgent as they come.
Salty, fatty and umami — and I say that in a very positive way — the refined dish gave me high hopes that CG Pizza's upcoming brick and mortar might follow in Kinjo's footsteps and crack my list of 2024's top new restaurants of the year.
Go: 159 Washington St., Newark; 973-944-2828, kinjonj.com.
Crab Rangoon Donut, D'Serve on Main
Yep, you read that right: savory donuts are a thing.
Or, at least, they're going to be a thing, as D'Serve, a pop-up artisan donut kitchen, is about to open its first official storefront in 2024 — and flavors like these (amongst sweet) are going to be the name of the game.
Now, side note, I actually enjoyed these donuts at a secret, hidden "ramp fest" in the middle of the woods in Warren County. Held once a year (completely off the radar), the event is a huge bonfire celebration of the spring harvest attended by many of the top chefs in the area. Fine dining chefs, private chefs and even home chefs; if they have talent? You can bet they're probably there eating, cooking, networking or crushing a joint.
In other words? The food served that night was insane. As a food writer, though, I will always have a favorite dish, and this mini pastry was it.
Stuffed with cream cheese, crab meat and fresh herbs, it was flavorfully nuanced and satisfyingly rich.
And, when served hot off the fire-top grill? The melty filling dripped from the donut to the top of my wrist — the way campfire food should.
Go: COMING SOON to Flemington (with pop-ups in the meantime). Monitor: instagram.com/dserveonmain.
Brandy Bread Pudding, Rutt's Hut
It's not just a hot dog hut.
IYK, YK.
Go: 417 River Rd., Clifton; 973-779-8615, ruttshut.com.
Hungry for more?
Want more on this week's latest food news? Check out some of my best articles at NorthJersey.com/food, and follow me on Instagram: @northjerseyeats.
PS: It's officially May. Time to make your Mother's Day brunch reservations.
You're welcome.
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.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: PSA: Boozy pancakes and crab rangoon donuts exist