When Fancy-Restaurant Fatigue Strikes

By Pat Tanner

As a restaurant reviewer I am often asked which I prefer: high-end or down-home restaurants. I reply that I value and happily patronize both and would hate to be relegated to just one category. But there are times when my body and soul say basta! to elegant, multicourse chef’s meals. At those times I search out holes-in-the wall with authentic homestyle vittles. Here are three from recent ramblings. 

Smoke’n Dudes Barbecue. I don’t need to tell you that topnotch barbecue is hard to find ‘round these-here parts. The low-and-slow hickory-smoked ribs, pork, and brisket that are the handiwork of father-son team Tom and Bill Christine is worth the drive to Bensalem, PA (not far from Neshaminy Mall) or to Bellmawr in South Jersey (not far from the Walt Whitman bridge). Heck, I’d drive twice that far. Tom is a veteran bbq competition winner and former president of the Mid-Atlantic BBQ association. smokendudesbbq.com

El Jose Mexican-American.  Instead of a 7-11, the Getty gas station at 980 East Bay Avenue in Manahawkin features this minuscule Mexican takeout and grocery spot. Affable owner Jorge Salazar makes everything from scratch – even the cooked salsa for the tamales, which are wrapped in banana leaves. Everything is delectable and more than reasonably priced. Standouts include soft tacos with shredded beef and chicken enchiladas. I normally turn my nose up at refried beans, but not here. Phone: 609.597.5099

Tete Peruvian. The cuisine of Peru is a delicious convergence of many cultures - Incan, Spanish, African, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian among them. Johnny Villaviciencio named his tiny, mostly takeout spot not far from the courthouse in New Brunswick after his mother, Teresa, the nickname for which is Tete (pronounced Tet-TAY). Among the most popular dishes are ceviche, lomito saltado (sliced smoked beef, red onions, and tomatoes mixed with French fries and served with rice), Latin beef stew, and la butifarra (Peruvian ham on a Portuguese roll). 7 Spring Street. Phone: 732.246.1502

Not all BBQ Begs for Red

By Maureen C. Petrosky

With summer comes the beloved backyard barbeque and inevitably talk of wines to go with. Initially, thoughts of bold char-grilled flavors, beefy burgers, and barbeque sauce bombard my wine savvy conscience but the lingering struggle of taste vs. temperature endures all summer long. It’s not likely you’ll crave a monster Zinfandel on a 90- degree day, but you are likely to be poking the charcoals instead of steaming up your kitchen.

Not everything that hits the bricks of a BBQ is slathered with sauce. In fact, last night our dinner off the grill consisted of dijon-glazed Sockeye salmon, lightly grilled slices of ciabatta, and a side of buttery egg noodles with cracked black pepper sprinkled with dill and marjoram from the garden, simply sliced heirloom tomatoes, and an Arugula salad squirted with fresh lemon juice, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and topped with shaved Parmesan. Not one thing on the list lent itself to red wine, except the charred edges of the Ciabatta. This meal from the Bar-B wasn’t about the sauce, it was about the ease of cooking over coals, the subtle smoky and fresh vibrant flavors of food, all sans BBQ sauce. So when choosing wines for your BBQ first, you must decide whether your “Q is about the sauce or the simplicity of grilling.

If your meal for the BBQ mirrors mine, go for a simple wine and leave the reds behind. This wine lavishes refreshing salads and grilled fish with its light and lively acidity, and it goes great with simple slingbacks and flirty summer frocks.

Les Charmes Chardonnay 2007, $11 This French Chardonnay has a butterscotch finish that pairs perfectly with buttery rich textured fish from the grill. It’s not all butter, though: it’s balanced with vibrant acidity that tingles your tongue and cheeks. From sip to sip this wine changes so don’t always sip the same way. Swish and swirl and you’ll find this to be a most enjoyable summer white.