The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1494247
Relaxed and glowing, it's time to dine at the on-site Elderberry Restaurant for a meal you'll talk about for months, if not years. Choose between three or four courses, with or without sommelier wine pairings. Under the expert care of Flint, head chef Ethan de Graaff, and sommelier Erica Ruiz, you will experience tastes like no other, leaving you wondering what magic has occurred to transform food into a celebration for the senses. e trio can tell you that fresh seasonal ingredients harvested from local farms, as well as having one of our nation's national treasures nearby as an ideal canvas for creativity, allows the transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary. Start with a cocktail from the restaurant's extensive hand-craed collection that features classic to creative options with citrus, herbs, and any variety of liquors. Appetite whetted, sommelier Ruiz arrives tableside with the first pour, artfully telling of the wine's vintage and how it ideally pairs with starters of roasted beet and fig salad, and a creamy and rich mushroom bisque. Ruiz oversees a beverage program that showcases a unique list of more than 800 wines from around the world and her knowledge is astounding. As she speaks, appetizers seem to magically appear as servers adeptly deliver the food with quiet efficiency. A perfect serving of caviar and blini, and flavorful marinated hamachi leave taste buds longing for more. Moving on to the entrées, the menu offers New Zealand venison loin plated with lentils, crisp broccolini and carrots, topped by hints of mint and pomegranate jus or beef ribeye accompanied by butternut squash, and poblano mole. ere are also seafood and vegetarian options. All choices in this season feature a variety of locally harvested mushrooms at the peak of their flavor, as well as fall squashes. As this is a stay away from the norm, skip regular habits and splurge on dessert. Spiced carrot torte layered with white chocolate mousse, caramel essence, and candied pecan, and valrhona dulcey chocolate namelaka, a melt-in- your-mouth gelato with almonds and chocolate textures, end an extraordinary meal. Because most of us are not royals, at some point, it is time to return to our regular lives and leave behind a world with 24/7 service, food fit for kings, and surroundings that transport us to another time and place. All too soon, your bags are whisked back to your car, keys are returned, and you leave Château du Sureau with a gi bag and head full of grand memories. VUE ON | TRAVEL 86 VUENJ.COM