NJ Winemaking School - The Grape Escape - Tom & Nancy's Favorite BYO's

Not only do we love to make wine at The Grape Escape...we enjoy fine food with our wine as well. We are constantly seeking restaurants that are "Bring Your Own." We wanted to list a few that we have found to be wonderful for a variety of reasons:

Acacia (Lawrenceville) :

This is an elegant restaurant in Lawrenceville. It's progressive American cuisine is a consistent delight. The atmosphere is romantic and stylish. It's a wonderful Saturday night destination, although you better make reservations in advance. For an appetizer, try the Sautéed Shrimp and Mussels tossed with fennel sausage and spinach in Chardonnay and caper sauce accompanied by grilled Tuscan toast. For dinner, we suggest the Sautéed Crabmeat Crusted Red Snapper set on a mélange of vegetables with tomato-chive beurre blanc and goat cheese mashed potatoes.

This is one of those places where we typically like to open a red and a white wine. With so many flavors on the palette, the contrast and flexibility of both red and white wine maximizes the experience.

2637 Main St. (bet. Craven Ln. & Phillips Ave.)
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Reservations: 609.895.9885
http://www.acaciacuisine.com/

Blue Bottle Cafe (Hopewell):

What’s the hottest new restaurant in the Hopewell area? The Blue Bottle Café is what everyone is talking about. There is big time buzz about the restaurant, so we went to go see for ourselves. The Blue Bottle Cafe, a quaint and unassuming restaurant located on edge of Hopewell Bureau is a must on your food travels. It is not uncommon to find yourself parking down the street...a good sign that great food is to be had.

Owners and proprietors Rory and Aaron Philipson know what it takes to present first class food with a first class experience. Their energy alone will have you intrigued. You will find yourself welcome immediately, as you step in the door to this quaint, yet elegant decor. This is just the beginning, as you will find yourself greeted with a warm welcome by Rory herself, or none other then her mother Joyce McKay. Your experience has just begun.

The menu itself goes without saying, and you will find it difficult to make a choice. Although everything is great, the "can't miss" dish appears to be the Potato Gnocchi. In fact, the NY Times recently raved, " among the years pasta courses, there was no contest and the Potato gGnocchi at the Blue Bottle is the dish by which they judged all others."

Wow, talk about good press...

Make no mistake, Rory will be at your side to guide you. Her expertise in the wine industry is a perfect match to the elegance of this restaurant, and she will be more then happy to assist in matching a perfect dish for your "bring your own bottle."

The elegance and charm of this restaurant will leave you wanting to come back for more. The blue bottles that outline the decor, are great reason enough to see. You will thoroughly enjoy your experience from start to finish, and be sure to mention Tom and Nancy at The Grape Escape sent you. Enjoy your eats and let us know what you think!

101 East Broad Street
Hopewell, NJ 08525
Reservations: 609.333.1710
http://www.thebluebottlecafe.com/

Fiddleheads (Jamesburg):

We truly enjoy Fiddleheads. They have a unique menu, unlike anything else in the Monroe Township area. It's an unassuming storefront on Route 522 but opens up into a homey, elegant, fun little place, where the owners (new in 2004) greet you and get to know your name. Their menu is terrific and there's nothing pretentious about the place. It's perfect for a romantic or business dinner, or a place to take your wine and friends, particularly on a weeknight (they really pack 'em in on Saturdays).

Fiddleheads is the type of "little hole-in-the-wall" restaurant, with friendly and pleasant service, that just doesn't seem to exist in New Jersey anymore. They have a "very good to excellent" rating in Zagat's. The place is still a bit of a secret jewel, very reasonably priced and much-loved by their regulars.

For appetizers try the Wontons, stuffed with a shrimp and scallop cream cheese, the Baked Brie with apples, molasses and cream (also good for dessert!) and the outstanding Warm Goat Cheese Tart with walnut pesto. Their Duck Confit and Rack of Lamb are truly fabulous renditions of traditional favorites, and they do excellent specials with scallops and tilapia. Try a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon with the Rack of Lamb. One of the owner's mother bakes several of the desserts...try some of Mrs. B's made-from-scratch cakes to top off your dinner.

Tell Brian (one of the owners) that Tom and Nancy sent you!

27 East Railroad Avenue
Jamesburg, NJ 08831
Reservations: 732.521.0878
Fiddleheads@FiddleheadsJamesburg.com
http://www.fiddleheadsjamesburg.com/

Oliver a Bistro (Bordentown):

Oliver a Bistro is a wonderful unexpected surprise that we recently discovered. This restaurant and this chef are destined for great things. Incredibly daring dishes are served in the most quaint of restaurants. There are not a lot of seats here, so be prepared to make reservations early.

Chef Matthew McElmoyl and his wife Danielle have created a standout in this cozy downtown Bordentown location. If you haven’t been to Bordentown for dinner lately, Oliver a Bistro is a must stop. It’s perfectly situated downtown, within walking distance to a couple of bars for a before dinner drink and a cigar lounge (Ashes to Ashes), for that after dinner cigar.

The New York City caliber menu and specials are wonderful. For starters, the mushroom bruschetta is outrageous. The beet and goat cheese salad are perfectly balanced and flavored. What a masterpiece of flavors in that dish. The scallops are some of the best we’ve had. Don’t be shy about pouring a Pinot Noir with those scallops but to play it safe, go with a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay if served with a butter sauce. And we have to mention the fresh rare tuna appetizer…we are still talking about that dish. Perfect tuna…PERFECT.

Make sure to tell Danielle that The Grape Escape sent you and enjoy this wonderful find. Oliver a Bistro will be invited to host a couple Open Houses next year at The Grape Escape…so you will hear more about them in the coming months.

218 Farnsworth Ave.
Bordentow, NJ 08505
Reservations: 609.298.7177

Spargos (Manalapan):

This is our favorite restaurant in the Manalapan area. We are there almost weekly...we can't get enough! This is New American cuisine at its best, and you will find Chef Tim Murphy making delicate and utterly tantalizing meals. One of our favorite appetizers is the Mozzarella Stacking... made with fresh and fried mozzarella, layered with sliced tomato and Bermuda onion, drizzled with an aged balsamic vinaigrette. The Lobster Bisque soup, when available off the "specials" menu is fabulous! For an entree, try the Shrimp Lisa or the Salmon San Diego. The Salmon is crusted with crushed macadamia nuts, pan seared and served on long grain rice, finished with a rum butter sauce. Don't be afraid to match a Grape Escape Red Wine with this...a light red, such as Sangiovese or Pinot Noir.

The Chef, Tim Murphy also hosts a cooking class on the first Tuesday of every month. It's a can't miss at a great price. You will not find a better restaurant in Manalapan and the surrounding areas. Make sure to mention that Tom and Nancy sent you!

130 Route 33
West Manalapan, NJ 07726-8361
Reservations: 732.294.9921
tmurphy1164@aol.com
http://www.spargosgrille.com