Manoavino Taste!

Poor Henry's Pub - The Kind of Bar We Love

Poor Henry’s Pub in Montville near Boonton has been a landmark for classic American dining and a great local pub for decades. My daughter Nell tipped me off that it also now one of the best places in New Jersey for craft beers. We decided to give Poor Henry’s a try.

The Wine: Nope, the drink of choice here is fine craft beer, although the fine Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne a reddish-brown ale from the West-Flanders region of Belgium also known as “The Burgundies of Belgium” was as good as any wine.

The Food: Great Bar food, wings, burgers and more

The Place: Poor Henry’s Pub, Montville NJ a blast from the past with an eye to the future. The kind of great pub every town should have.

At the End of Elm is the Beginning of Goodness

Our second visit to this charming Gastropub, End of Elm, that delivers deliciously creative American fare, well crafted cocktails and 24 taps of thoughtfully selected local, American and European craft beers. And a great wine list.

We loved a Saturday brunch at the welcoming communal table and then small plates on a Monday evening at the well tended bar.

The Wine: Eventually, after cocktails and beers, an outstanding Merlot from Chateau Des Landes-Lussac in Saint Emilion, France

The Food: New American Brunch and Small Plates

The Place: End of Elm, Gastropub, Cocktails and Cuisine, Morristown, NJ

Sexy and Romantic, Cocktails, Small Plates and a Fabulous Merlot at Upstairs

Arrive early, by 6:00ish, and find a seat at the bar, Upstairs in Montclair fills up quickly, its popularity is well deserved.

The Wine: Started with cocktails of course, then a fabulous Columbia Valley, Washington State, Merlot from Powers Winery $$

The Food: Delicious small plates, soup, salad, meat and – OMG - Foie Gras, dipped in bitter chocolate and hazelnuts served in a port reduction. Amazing.  

The: Place: Upstairs Restaurant and Bar, Montclair, NJ

A Wonderful Discovery Wallflower West Village NYC

This charming little cocktail bar and French inspired restaurant, that just opened a few months ago, has everything you want in a place like this, great cocktails, wine, beers and sexy food in a welcoming setting with charmingly pleasant people. We came upon it by happenstance on the way to the theater when my mobile Foursquare app popped up a suggestion to check this place out. 

The Wine: Chateau Soucherie, Anjou Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Loire Valley $$

The Food: Fabulous French Inspired Small Plates

The Place: Wallflower, 12th Street near Greenwich, West Village NYC

Bangkok Meets Santiago - Thai Cuisine with Chilean White Wine

Sauvignon Blanc is a grape that’s grown throughout the world. It beautifully reflects the unique terroir of each place. The ripe peach, melon and tropical fruit flavors of this New World Chilean pairs beautifully with Thai cuisine.

The Wine: Mapuche Sauvignon Blanc, Central Valley, Chile $

The Food: Three classic Thai dishes

The Place: Brookside Thai, Bloomfield, NJ

When it comes to Thai dining the usual grab from my the wine fridge is a fruity mildly sweet Riesling, Gruner Veltliner or Chenin Blanc, maybe a Pinot Noir if meat dishes are planned. But, I was all out of those so I chose this Sauvignon Blanc.

Shake Shack Paramus, Thank You Randy Garutti

Waited in line for over an hour to get a Shack Shack burger? You bet your life we have. We’ve been ardent fans since the Madison Park location opened in 2004, where people happily queue up to get this fabulous quintessential American food.

So happy they have come to New Jersey.

The Wine: Shake Shack Paramus is BYOB, we would suggest a lively Malbec or Zinfandel $-$$

The Food: Burgers are the thing here, and we enjoyed them all.

The Place: Shake Shack, Route 17 South, Paramus NJ

 

Eating Greek means Drinking Greek at Stamna Little Falls

What’s the best wine for a Greek Dinner? I’m not answering that question. What you should be asking is where can I find a good selection of Greek wines.  Like where did we find this brilliant white wine from Florina, Macedonia.

Oh, and if you were wondering where to get great Greek food in the area. We love Stamna in Little Falls.

The Wine: Alpha Estate Axia Malagouzia 2012  $$

The Food: Greek Comfort

The Place: A welcoming house with a long porch in Little Falls, home to Stamna Greek Taverna.

Vietnamese Please and the Perfect Wine? A Gruner Veltliner

Do you know Gruner Veltliner? The loved white wine of Austria. It is perfect for Vietnamese. This delicate, complex, yet deeply flavorful cuisine, demands a careful wine pairing. Something not so rich that it overwhelms the food or so light that it gets lost behind.

At Binh Dong an excellently authentic Vietmamese restaurant in Belleville, NJ we had such a perfect paring, with a Gruner that I had been saving for a few years for a special occasion.

The Wine: Laurenz V. Charming Gruner Veltliner the 2005 $$

The Food: Traditional Vietnamese

The Place: Binh Duong Belleville, NJ but could have been Ho Chi Minh City.