Stress Free Cooking
by
Barbara Seelig Brown's
Lifestyle Designs

RESTAURANT REVIEWS

The Grand Cafe
42 Washington St.
Morristown, NJ
973-540-9444

Credit Cards Accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express
Reservations Suggested
Inquire about handicapped access for your specific function.

    There is a little piece of Paris in Morristown, NJ. The outstanding food, classic French ambiance and attitude at The Grand Cafe will take you on a short journey to France. But, why does a maitre d' in a French Restaurant insist on keeping things a secret? I was not asked if I wanted a glass of wine, but "A little Chardonnay?" The answer was no, as I think there are many more wines superior to Chardonnay and my wine knowledge is well beyond that. Are the other available wines a big secret? After perusing the extensive wine list, I found that a decent bottle of wine will run a minimum of $35.

    I was pleasantly surprised as the evening went on and one dish after the other was superb. I had the special appetizer for the evening, which was a Grilled Diver Scallop on Micro Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette and garnish of slices of Mango, Plum, and Nectarine at $16. Diver Scallops are the very sweet, large, dry scallops that are becoming more readily available but still are not as common as the traditional bay or sea scallops. The Scallop was as sweet as could be, the micro greens crisp yet tender, and the citrus vinaigrette had just the right tang when paired with the perfectly ripe fruits. This is truly a dish that I hope will appear again on the evening's specials. My companion had the classic "Steak Tartare" at $17, a benchmark for her, which she described as very traditional but with a little less raw egg than most. Of course, today with food safety in the forefront of everyone's minds, we can understand the lack of raw egg. Not a problem for me, or many of you, I presume. The standard garniture of black bread and chopped hard cooked egg were also present. Pan Seared Foie Gras is available at $22.

    Salads include Classic Caesar at $8 and Warm Brie on Pecan Bread with Watercress and Frisee Sald, and a Creamy Goat Cheese Dressing at $10.

    For entrees you will make your selection from Seafood, Meat, and Pasta. A sampling of the seafood offerings on the standard dinner menu are Sautéed Fresh Skate with Lobster Risotto, Haricot Vert and Sauce Mueniere at $22, Seared Rare Tuna with Fresh Sunflower Sprouts, Thyme Orzo, and a Roasted Tomato Reduction at $29, and Grilled Boneless Salmon Steak over Asparagus and Freshly Spouted Legume Sauté with a Savory Broth at $26.50. The meat selections range from Pan Roasted Buffalo Tenderloin with Sweet Potato and Roquefort Gratin, Grilled Vegetable Terrine and Roasted Garlic Demi Glace Sauce at $36, Roasted Long Island Duck with a Napa Cabbage and Braised Fennel Sauté, Haricot Vert, Chestnut Puree and a Ginger-Honey Reduction Sauce at $28 and Roasted Rack of American Lamb Dijonaise served with a Mediterranean Eggplant Compote, Seasonal Baby Vegetables, and a Pancetta Port Wine Sauce at $36. I enjoyed the special of the evening, which was Beef Tenderloin with Black Truffle Demi Glace, Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, and Baby Carrots and Asparagus at $34. Since I am not able to turn down any dish that might even remotely have a truffle in it, I had to order this dish. The earthy flavor of the truffle was a savory whisper in the perfectly prepared Demi Glace. As a true truffle devotee, I would have liked more truffle, however, that is not to say that the chef did not execute this dish very well. The Rosemary Mashed Potatoes had just the right amount of fresh rosemary and made for a lovely summertime mashed potato dish. The freshness and perfection of the baby vegetables was beyond compare and forced me to savor the vegetables as much as the Truffle Demi Glace. I was very pleased with this dish and will try to copy it at home, as I do with most enjoyable restaurant meals. My benchmark is when I feel it necessary to take the idea home and recreate it for my friends and family. My colleague ordered the Duck and was quite delighted with it. The Chestnut Puree was a nice touch and something not found on every menu. The braised fennel, a little different, but all the more reason to be appreciated by food critics. The duck was a golden brown worthy of a magazine shoot and the Haricot Vert added a bit of color to an inviting plate of savory browns and mahogany.

    A single pasta dish on the menu was Pan Roasted Fresh Maine Lobster Tail with Fresh Carrot-Black Pepper Angel Hair Pasta, Roasted Corn, Asparagus Tips and a Light Saffron Broth at $32. This is a wonderfully seasonal pasta dish that makes choosing an entree very difficult!

    Desserts at $10 each were recited by the Maitre D' suggesting that they change regularly. Besides a truffle dish, I can never resist a creme brulee and this one with its scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream and fresh Blackberries and Raspberries was not a disappointment. It was perhaps, the best I have ever eaten. The silkiness of the custard was surpassed only by its lightness. I am certain it was delivered right from Heaven! Another dessert on the menu was Coconut Cheesecake, a very rich, very dense cheesecake containing generous flakes of toasted coconut that would not disappoint a coconut lover. One slice was more than enough to be shared by two people.

    There are several dining spaces available on premise, the classic dining rooms on the street level, party rooms upstairs, and the Grand Allee, which is a delightfully decorated outdoor space. Lunch in the Grand Allee would be quite delightful amongst the abundant flowers and charming white fence and latticework.

    If you want to get dressed and pretend to be visiting France, make a reservation at the Grand Cafe and realize that this will be a special occasion treat, as you will notice when you pay your bill. You will have wonderful offerings from which to choose, but make sure you taste the Heavenly Creme Brulee!

Stress Free Cooking by Barbara Seelig Brown's Lifestyle Designs

RESTAURANT REVIEWS

Stress Free Cooking
by
Barbara Seelig Brown's
Lifestyle Designs