Review – July 2010

- The NJ outpost of a Manhattan-based sushi restaurant trio, Monster Sushi is not only a fun place to eat, the sushi is very good. Try the impressive Dragon Roll or the truly massive Omakase for Four if you have a group of at least four adults, preferably six, and want to OD on sushi. There are plenty of other worthwhile options like soba (thin buckwheat noodles), udon (thick wheat-flour noodles) and tonkatsu (breaded, deep fried pork cutlet).

A brightly colored space filled with Godzilla-themed decorations, Monster Sushi is family friendly and very popular in a town with at least three sushi places by my last count. Taka Sushi, just down the street and around the corner, edges out Monster for sushi quality in my opinion, but Summit is fortunate to have them both.

Links

Yelp

Photo: upload.wikimedia.org

Review – March 2010

Step into the Summit Diner and you can imagine what it might have been like to eat there back in 1939 when it first opened. Chrome outside, with wood paneling, eight booths and twenty counter stools inside, this is one of the oldest diners in New Jersey and among the few surviving O’Mahony diners in the country. (The Jerry O’Mahony Diner Company of Elizabeth, NJ made 2,000 “dining cars” between 1917 and 1952.) It sits on a corner in downtown Summit like an abandoned railroad car from the train station across the street.

The Summit Diner serves solid, cheap and filling food from the griddle and kitchen. Eggs any style, corned beef hash, Taylor Ham, burgers, fries and plenty of hot coffee. Fast service, but little space when full.

Links

Serious Eats
Yelp

Review

Negeen, one of four Persian restaurants I’ve found in New Jersey so far, offers mostly the same menu as Basking Ridge’s Narenj, but charges a dollar or two more for just about everything. I imagine rents in Summit are to blame.

We sampled the Dolmeh (stuffed grape leaves) – tasty and served warm, hummus, kabobs (filet mignon and chicken), and Albaloo Polo (chicken with sour cherries and saffron). All very good. The stand-out item was the drink our daughter ordered – Doogh. A yogurt-based drink, we thought it would be similar to Indian Lassi. Instead of sweet, it was salty, and served with mint. Very different, and very addictive. Doogh is something I will look for whenever I visit a Persian restaurant from now on.

The small storefront restaurant on Springfield Avenue is nicely decorated; seating is tight. Our servers – Spanish-speakers – were helpful.

Links

The New York Times

© 2010 EthnicNJ.com

Review

- Step into The Banderas Restaurant & Deli in Summit and you’ll find the same food served at any lunch counter restaurant (Soda) throughout the Central American nation of Costa Rica - Pinto con Huevos (rice and black beans with eggs), Ceviche, Arroz con Camarones (shrimp fried rice), and Vigoron (pork with cabbage and yuca). The Banderas caters to Costa Rican expats, so the Empanadas, made with corn, not wheat flour, and the Tamales, corn masa with pork in a banana leaf, taste like the ones in San Jose, not like the versions in Managua, San Salvador, or Mexico. For a typical Costa Rican meal, order the Casado (literally, “married”), a heaping plate of rice, beans, steak, fried onions, sweet plantains, salad, and a fried egg. Or try a Costa Rican “Taco” – not what you might expect – shredded beef wrapped in a corn tortilla and deep fried, covered with shredded cabbage, mayo and ketchup. The tropical fruit shakes, with water or milk, are a taste straight out of Central America. At The Banderas (“The Flags”), the only clue you’re in Summit, NJ is the Taylor Ham, Egg & Cheese sandwich on the breakfast menu.

© 2010 EthnicNJ.com

The Banderas has a counter and about ten tables in the comfortable dining room. The walls are covered by hand painted murals of typical Costa Rican scenes, including an entire wall devoted to the Arenal Volcano. Most customers here speak Spanish, but the servers speak English and the menu in bilingual. Early afternoon on the weekends is when the place is packed with local families. Lunch is the main meal in Costa Rica, so on a recent Saturday around 5 pm, we had the dining room to ourselves. Service is super-friendly, but authentically Costa Rican, so consider take out if you’re in a rush.

© 2010 EthnicNJ.com

Update (Sep 4th, 2010)

- Another visit to Bona Vita. Still dishing out solid Italian. Light and tasty Linguine with Jumbo Lump Crab, Tomato, Asparagus and Pink Prosecco Crema must have had a pound of crab meat. The best plate of the evening, however, was by far the homemade Apple Zeppole with Caramel Sauce. The zeppole are served hot out of the deep fryer in a paper bag with powdered sugar, alongside a bowl of fresh hot caramel. Dip one in the caramel and pop it in your mouth and it’s a burst of McDonald’s apple pie meets Italian street fair. Yum. Two negative notes – the Ricotta Gnocchi with Spinach Pesto were way too large and the noise level approaches deafening when the dining room is full.

Review

Excellent New Jersey Italian isn’t always found in a restaurant that’s been around for three generations. Opened in 2008, Bona Vita Osteria serves fresh appetizers, homemade pastas, and creative desserts in a bright, unpretentious dining room.

The Fried Calamari is lightly breaded, not too heavy. Grilled Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta drizzled with a balsamic reduction are worth a trip on their own. Try the Rigatoni with Short Rib Ragu or Veal Saltimbocca, both strong versions of traditional dishes.

If Spirito’s is old school, Bona Vita is new school Italian. Kudos to the owners for prominently highlighting the restaurant’s philanthropic commitments on its website.

Links

New Jersey Monthly
The Star-Ledger
Summit Patch
Yelp

Review

Taka Sushi offers the same menu items as most of the area’s Japanese restaurants – sushi, teriyaki, bento boxes, and noodle dishes – but their food stands out for its freshness and strong flavors. The Pork Gyoza taste homemade. The fish is very fresh and prepared with care – you need to try a sushi special or chef special roll. The Star Roll (spicy white tuna, yellowtail, avocado, tobiko, scallion) is excellent.

The downtown storefront spot is sleek and comfortable with tables and booths in a bigger-than-it-looks, well-lacquered wood interior. If Monster Sushi, around the corner and down the street, is big and brash, Taka Sushi is cool and subdued. Efficient, friendly service, with no pressure to free up the table, even when busy.

Links

New York Times
Yelp