July Restaurant Happenings

By Millicent K. Brody

* The Tri-County Cooperative Auction Market in Hightstown has been offering fresh Jersey produce, flowers, and nursery stock from local growers for sale since 1931. This year, the night auction opened in mid-May rather than July and has been featuring early season South Jersey produce trucked north by Flaim Farms. The auction is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the rest of the season.

* The South Jersey Independent Restaurant Association (commonly known as the South Jersey Hot Chefs) is again planning a week-long celebration of special dinners called “Farm to Fork Week”. Taking place July 19th-25th, special four-course menus will consist of produce grown by local farmers for $35.00 per person. A series of four “Feast in the Fields” special dinners will also take place between July 11th and September 13th at South Jersey farms. Each event will feature the cuisine of three or four restaurants. For more information, visit sjhotchefs.com.

* Planning a picnic this weekend? Make it easy on yourself and pick up a July 4th Snack Pack at Rosie’s. It includes one bottle of bubbly and two champagne glasses, hummus with crudite, a French baguette and several cheeses, an assortment of fruit, a few chocolate sweets, and glow-in-the-dark wrist bands, all packed in a green Rosie’s Wine Tote: cost: $40 plus tax. Snack Pack orders must be in by noon on Friday. Pickup is after 4 p.m. on Saturday, the 4th of July. If you visit Rosie’s restaurant on the 4th, there’s good news: corkage fees will be $4 all night. Enjoy $4 drafts; house wine at $4 a glass, and a 4% discount on all dine-in dinner bills. Rosie's, 514 North Ave., Garwood. Call 908.518.WINE

* Restaurant Serenade is catering to the 4th of July with a picnic. Proprietor and Executive Chef James Laird is offering culinary fireworks with 4th of July picnic food. Enjoy a grilled picnic entree and dessert for $30 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Seating for the special event begins at 5:30 p.m. The menu features hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, corn bread, cole slaw, and flag tarts. An a la carte menu will also be available. For reservations, call 973.701.0303. Restaurant Serenade is located at 6 Roosevelt Ave., Chatham.

* The Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster has a new chef: Juan Jose Cuevas. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Cuevas worked directly with Chef/Owner Dan Brown at 81 in Manhattan. In San Francisco, he worked at Jardiniere and the Ritz-Carlton. In New York, he opened Alain Ducasse at the Essex House and served as sous chef at the four-star Lespinasse. The Pluckemin Inn is located at 359 Rte. 202/206 S. Bedminster. Call or stop for a drink at their Plucky Bar. 908.658.9292.

* Visit the Mountainside Spanish Tavern from Friday, July 3rd to Sunday, July 5th and indulge in Maine lobsters at dramatic savings. Enjoy two 1/1/4 lb. lobsters for only $20.95 (plus tax and gratuity; no special offers or coupons will be accepted for this event). Regular lobsters (2 lb - 3 lb) are priced at $14.95 per lb. The menu features a variety of your favorite Spanish dishes. Be sure to order a pitcher of their famous sangria. The Spanish Tavern, 1239 Route 22, Mountainside. Call 908.232.2171.