Glassboro has been doing a bit of building these past few years, attempting to make their main drag a destination. Food and wine festivals will certainly be a part of the gameplan, and this weekend is the first annual Glassboro Vintage South Jersey Wine Festival at Glassboro Marketplace on Rowan Boulevard. Vintage South Jersey will be holding events throughout the year that focus on wineries in the Outer Coastal Plain designation (that would be us here in South Jersey). It’s a two-day event (Saturday and Sunday) from 12PM to 5PM, and the cost us $25 per person.

Want something closer to the shore? We can handle that.

The Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce is making their foray into Jersey wine festivals this weekend with their Pour into Summer Wine Festival on Taylor Avenue in Beach Haven on LBI. Many of the wineries appearing in Glassboro will also be here. This is also a two-day event, also from 12PM to 5PM, and the cost will be $15 per person.

The other really big event going on this weekend is The Taste of Revel down in Atlantic City. Friday, Saturday and Sunday will have a number of special food events involving Revel’s elite gaggle of chefs. It also seems to be involving Maroon 5 and The Black Keys as well. Some of the highlights include:

* the Kickoff Bash with Revel Chefs and Michel Richard’s Pastry Party on Friday

* seafood with Alain Allegretti, steak with Marc Forgione, paella with Jose Garces and beer and cheese with Robert Wiedmaier on Saturday

* a Pig Out on Sunday

That would be plenty for a weekend…but we have more!

We have to mention it again that this Saturday is the first South Jersey Food Swap at Sweet Life Bakery in Vineland from 3PM to 5PM. If you want to swap, you got to sign up and bring something.

Want to learn how to forage for your food? On Friday there will be a Foraged Flavor! event with author Tama Matsuoka at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Facility in Cape May Courthouse. The foraging fun starts at 6PM, and the cost ius only $5 a person.

The first of the strawberry festivals will be taking place on Saturday. It’s the annual Strawberry Festival & Vendor Fair at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Oaklyn from 11AM to 3PM. In Toms River it’s the annual Chili & Salsa Cook Off on Washington Street from 11AM to 5PM. The tasting kit is $7, and get there early before people start running out of chili. Just trust me on this one.

And there’s plenty more wine to be had on Saturday. How about Sushi, Sake & Wine with Izakaya’s Michael Schulson? Sure – just head to Vintage: A Wine Boutique at The Water Club in Atlantic City. The event is from 4PM to 5PM and is $49 per person, but make sure you call ahead for reservations. The Moorestown Visiting Nurse Association will hold their annual Wine Tasting Benefit from 5:30PM to 8:30PM for $50 per person. And, in Medford it is the Cedar Run Wine and Wildlife Festival from 4:30PM to 8PM. The cost is $60 per person.

Sunday’s got some fun things happening as well. It’s the annual Porch Brunch & House Tour in Collingswood. Seatings at 11AM and 1PM, and the cost is $25 per person. You must…MUST…call in advance to purchase your tickets. At Tuckerton Seaport, it’s the Bluegrass & Barbecue Festival from 11AM to 5PM. And on Main Street in Marlton it is the Taste of Evesham from 1PM to 4PM. The cost is $15 per person with beer sampling and $10 without sampling.

If you care to venture out of South Jersey…

Philly is the place to be yet again! So much to choose from this weekend; I’ll pick three:

The Italian market on 9th Street is having its Street Festival this weekend. I don’t even want to think about how good this will be.

How about a Sunday river cruise with wine? Check out the Philadelphia Vino Voyage.

Want to drink some beer and tour historical cemeteries? Take a look at Beer Baron to Homebrewers: Tour the Past. Taste the Present. Learn about brewers in history as you sample Flying Fish beers. The tour is on Saturday from 1PM to 4PM, and the cost is $25. You must purchase your ticket in advance.

Here’s your cooking class schedule for the weekend:

Friday: Girls’ Night Out: In Rome at Viking Cooking School at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City.

Saturday: Dia Doce Cupcakes and Indulgent Italy at Sur La Table in Marlton, Best of Class: Sushi Maki and Steakhouse Workshop at Viking Cooking School, and Date Night: Grilled Tapas at The Culinary Arts Center at Burlington County College in Mount Holly.

Sunday: Sushi Workshop and Elegant Spring Dinner Party at Viking Cooking School, and Cooking at College at The Culinary Arts Center at Burlington County College,

Anyway, if you can’t make it tonight, there will be classes in June and July so you will have plenty of opportunities. The full schedule is listed below:

A couple of moths or so ago, Lisa and I were given the task to do short write-ups for two of Edible Jersey’s Local Heroes for 2012 from South Jersey. I got to do my piece on Sweet Life Bakery in Vineland, a place we have been shouting their praises about to anyone within earshot over the past few years. It was a fun piece to write, notwithstanding the difficulties of trying to say so much in a small amount of words. We handed our pieces in March, then had to sit on our hands, button our lips, and not breathe a word to Stephen or Jill at Sweet Life (or anyone else for that matter).

Thankfully, the wait is over and Edible Jersey published their newest issue with their Local Heroes. And a very excited Stephen and Jill posted the piece on their Facebook page, bursting at the seams. It was then that I realized how much of an honor and a privilege it was to do that writeup. Sweet Life has done so much and continues to do so much, and for me to have the chance to sum up what they have accomplished – wow, was I worthy? I guess so, since both Stephen and Jill loved it. It reminded me of the time we visited their place shortly before they did their massive reconstruction and noticed a framed review on the wall with a familiar logo at the top. Our write up, framed, and hanging on a wall – I was so touched and, well, honored.

And now, I have been honored again.

Restaurant News

New restaurants opening in old, familiar places: Spiaggia Seafood Trattoria opens in Stone Harbor in the same location that housed Sole and Sea Salt, and a new place on Route 9 in West Creek called Augie’s is opening where Dock Road Crab Shack and La Bahia once resided.

Look for a June 1 opening for North End American Grill in North Wildwood.

Starting this Sunday, Cuba Libre in Atlantic City will be serving brunch seven day a week.

On May 15, Marino’s of Mullica Hill will be giving away free slices of their asparagus, bacon & truffle oil pizza to celebrate their 1-year anniversary.

The Farmers’ Market Report

The farmers’ market in Woodbury opened today for the season.  This year is their 10th season in operation.

At the Burlington County farmers’ market on Saturday there will be a gardening expo from 10AM to 3PM.

Meanwhile, Chef Mark from Tortilla Press will be preparing asparagus quesadillas at the Collingswood farmers’ market tomorrow.

Blogging Out Hunger

It’s been mentioned by a lot of us in the blogosphere, but it’s worth mentioning again: Saturday is Stamp Out Hunger. If you are able, leave out food for your postal delivery person to collect.

Check out Just Peachy!, a collective effort between Food Bank of South Jersey and Campbell’s Soup where unsold Jersey peaches will be made into peach salsa. The proceeds from the sales of the salsa will go back to the food bank. What a cool idea.

Coming up on May 22, it’s the Beach Ball at the Atlantic City Country Club for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch.

And in the news this week…

BYOB in Ocean City went down to decisive defeat on Tuesday. Really, seriously…we need to move on from this debate and think of other ways to help the town.

After six years, a new supermarket will finally be opening in Atlantic City on May 17. Meanwhile, A new food market is scheduled to be opened in Woodbury by November.

A CSA that includes seafood? Nice.

It’s Mom’s Day on Sunday, so it goes without saying that a good chunk of the events this weekend are going to revolve around Mom. And that’s the way it should be, since the world revolves around moms anyway.

This weekend also allows us to dust off our annual ‘Bring Mom to the Winery’ cry. Moms can use a little vino now and then, and with Jersey wines getting more and more buzz, it’s a great time to see and taste for yourself. The Mother’s Day Wine Trail Weekend will be taking place Saturday and Sunday from 12PM to 5PM in participating wineries throughout New Jersey. Here are some of the special events that will be taking place at wineries in South Jersey this weekend:

* At Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery, Chef Danielle will be preparing a special brunch menu that will be available from 11AM to 3PM on both days.

* Bellview Winery will be offering Mom wines and dessert this weekend.

* At Heritage Vineyards, it’s wine, cheese, dessert and pink sangria that Mom can enjoy this weekend.

* Renault Winery will have not one, not two, but three dining options on Sunday from which you can choose.

* Sharrott Winery is having a Rosé & Roses weekend, so it’s wine and flowers for Mom.

* Brunch will be available on Sunday at Tomasello Winery from 10:30AM to 3PM for $24.95 per person.

Taking Mom out to brunch is another way you can make her feel special, so long as you to take her to a good place for brunch. Everybody has a Mom’s Day brunch and/or dinner going on Sunday, so here’s a selection of some ideas for you:

How about a diner? Maybe Mom would like a more casual affair, and Ponzio’s in Cherry Hill is having a special menu for $25.99 per person.

Tortilla Press Cantina in Merchantville will have a Mom’s Day brunch starting at 10AM for $19.95 per person.

A Mother’s Day Brunch will be available at Mad Batter Restaurant on Jackson Street in Cape May from 8AM to 3PM. The cost is $30 per person.

At 9AM, you can enjoy brunch at Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford and DiPaolo’s Italian Ristorante in Penns Grove.

An hour later, and brunch starts at Ram’s Head Inn in Galloway and High Street Grill in Mount Holly.

Keg & Kitchen (formerly Cork) in Westmont will be serving from from 11AM to 3PM, and for an extra $10 you can get a bottomless glass of bloody mary or mimosa.

Maybe Mom would like something a little more ethnic in nature. IndeBlue in Collingswood is having a $30 prix fixe brunch from 11:30 to 3PM.

If you want to go out for dinner, your choices are not limited there either. A Mother’s Day Dinner will be served at Salem City Cafe in Salem from 1PM to 5PM for $24.95 per person. Cafe Madison in Riverside will have a Mother’s Day Dinner from 2PM to 7PM for $39.95 per person. A special Mother’s Day Prix Fixe Dinner will be available at Labrador Lounge in Normandy Beach from 4PM to 8PM for $30 per person. And we cannot forget the Mother’s Day dinner at The Ebbitt Room at The Virginia Hotel for $42 per person. The menu will feature ingredients from their Beach Plum Farm.

Here’s what the rest of the weekend has in store…

Friday night you can prepare for the wine trail weekend by getting more wine drinking practice. The Wine & Spirits Festival at Avalon Community Hall will be from 6:30PM to 9PM and will cost $40 per person. At Adventure Aquarium in Camden, enjoy a Wine Tasting Experience from 7PM to 10PM. The cost is $85 per person.

On Saturday in Ocean County, you have the Toms River FoodFest on Washington Street from 11AM to 8PM, the 1st annual Riverfront Food & Wine Festival at Riverfront Park in Point Pleasant from 1PM to 8PM. Outside of Ocean County, there’s the Big Teplitzky Challenge at the Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City and the beer-themed Handcrafted at Perkins Center in Collingswood.

If Mom doesn’t want wine or brunch, maybe she wants to do an Oyster Sail with Raw Bar excursion aboard the A.J. Meerwald at the Bayshore Discovery Project in Bivalve/Port Norris. The fun starts at 1:30PM, and is $40 per person ($20 for the kids).

If you care to venture outside of South Jersey…

The 2nd Annual BBQ on the Banks of the Schuylkill River will be taking place on Saturday from 5PM to 8PM.

Here’s the cooking class schedule for the weekend:

Friday: Cake Decorating Class at Linwood Public Library, Best of Class: Casual Dinner Party and Date Night: Divine Dinner at Viking Cooking School at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, Midnight in Paris at In The Kitchen Cooking School in Haddonfield, and Date Night: Chef’s Table at Sur La Table in Marlton.

Saturday: Mother’s Day Macarons at Sur La Table, Clam Bake for Two at Phillips Seafood at The Pier Shops at Caesars in Atlantic City, and Best of Class: Cocktail Party at Viking Cooking School.

Sunday: Baby Cakes at Viking Cooking School, Springtime Cake Pops at Sur La Table, and Oysters and Clams 101 at The Culinary Arts Center at Burlington County College in Mount Holly.

M is for the many times you munched with me….O is for the Other times you fed me….T is for the Tuna Casserole you made me eat….

OK, I’m just not that good at remembering the lyrics to mushy Mother’s Day songs. I’m also not a big fan of brunch. Now that I’m a mom, the last thing I want to do is to get out of bed early on a weekend and rush to get everyone ready for  typical mimosas and eggs benedict. Take me to a really great dinner at 4 p.m, instead, please. Better yet, since I’ve been home with the kids all week, why don’t you all  stay home and I’ll just go for the rare girl’s night out! Ummm, that doesn’t sound right for Mother’s Day, does it? But there is one brunch I know of that is worth getting out of the house early for. How about something different? How about an elegant brunch with floor-to-ceiling views of the bay and ocean, with a Pacific-Rim Fusion flair?

Joseph Muldoon is a Jersey-bred chef that, up until now, has been Atlantic City’s best-kept secret. His arrival at The Reserve at Bally’s a year and a half ago  has transformed the menu of this elegant space, making it more than just the run-of-the-mill “Steaks, Chops, and Seafood” casino offering. And he is bringing his broad cooking experience (from Roy’s Kahana in Maui to Di Bruno Brothers in Philadelphia) to shake things up, from offering new riffs on seafood that promote healthy aquaculture and sustainability, to a brunch that is anything but ordinary.

The first thing we noticed was, although a good portion of the brunch is buffet-style, the service was the stuff of white-glove expertise. Anticipating our every need for water, drinks, and a knowledgeable “pre-game pep talk” about the dizzying array of offerings at the buffet, it’s obvious this staff is hand-picked with extreme care. To start, our servers announced the signature Bloody Mary menu. OK, so maybe your mom isn’t that adventurous, but maybe you or your dad are. Our table decided to try all five to pass around. The first “Mary” I sampled was a Manhattan Clam. Weeelll, it tasted like clam all right. I have never been a big fan of Clamato, but those with us who were raved about it. The Bermuda Shrimp Cocktail was like drinking a shrimp cocktail; intruguing, but not to everyone’s taste. The Five Peppercorn was tasty,too. But the standouts for me were the Habanero (which wasn’t really all that hot, but so sweetly peppery) and Wasabi Soy (which had a sweet, then hot bite at the end). If that’s not Mom’s speed, there are certainly ordinary mimosas-but why bother? Order her a poinsettia  instead (cranberry and champagne) and you’ll definitely be her favorite kid from that moment on.

Next, it was time to scope out the buffet. turns out I didn’t have to do much reconnaissance, since Chef Muldoon was on hand to take me on a detailed grand tour. There is waaaay too much to cover in its totality, so I’ll give you the highlights. The first thing that put a lascivious grin on my face, as it often will, was a screamingly fresh raw bar. Gorgeous smoked fish, oyster and clams on the half-shell, sushi rolls and nigiri sushi standards, crab claws-you name it. The crowning glory, however, was the shrimp cocktail; it was placed inside a beautifully carved bell tower ice sculpture, serving as a dispenser. Other cold offerings that stood out were the artisan cheeses, sausages, and cold cuts from Di Bruno Brothers. There were also plenty of hot dishes offered, including the standard French toast, sausage, bacon and eggs, and an omelet station. But the must-haves, in my opinion, are the shrimp fried rice, cheese blintzes, and Brussel sprouts with bacon and caramelized onion. Skip the ancho chili salmon, however. Though it sounds intriguing, it just doesn’t work. Other stations include the pasta station (I had a lovely and simple garlic and olive oil with spinach pasta to test the station chef’s mettle. he passed with flying colors.). I am normally not a big fan of carving stations, though. Too many experiences at wedding mills with lackluster slabs of meat under heat lamps has soured the idea for me. But the leg of lamb I had was unctuous perfection: tender, rare, and juicy. I asked Chef Muldoon if it was roasted with crack. He swore it was merely dressed with  garlic, olive oil, and rosemary, to show off the quality of the meat. Good man.

It’s not all ice sculpture, omelets, smoke and mirrors here, though. In the interest of being pummeled with more food, our table decided to order an array of a la carte tapas to try. Every single one of them was delicious: shrimp and grits (with smoked tomato and chorizo ragu and cheddar), smoked salmon and roasted potatoes (dill-cured lox, potatoes, and sauteed fennel), Marinated Crab Claws (with champagne vinaigrette and diced cucumber sunomono, a Japanese-style vinegar dressing) , and misoyake glazed smoked sable ( a delicate smoked fish with baby bok choy, shredded carrot slaw, and cilantro blooms).  The really memorable winners, though, were the riffs on typical brunch fare: Crabcakes Benedict (lump crabmeat topped with a poached egg, honey mustard vinaigrette, and diced tomato) and a Chocolate Belgian Waffle (with fresh whipped cream and  fresh Amarena cherry compote). Fabulous. But you can’t forget dessert for mom. A whole table of cakes, pastry and cookies made by Food Network Challenge  champ Chef Deborah Pellegrino’s team? Yes, please.

So although brunch on Mother’s Day can sometimes go the way of disappointing cliche, like a tie for Father’s Day, you’re safe here. But this is a nice place, so, remember to dress up a bit and make sure you wash behind your ears. And mind your manners, for goodness sake! What, were you raised in a barn? Don’t you roll those eyes at me!…

 The Reserve at Bally’s – 1900 Pacific Avenue, Atlantic City. For reservations: (609) 340-2350. Brunch 10:00 am-2:00 pm. $39.99 per person.

There will finally be a resolution to the issue of whether restaurants in Ocean City will be allowed to offer diners the option to bring wine or beer with them. If the vote is ‘no’, then we go back to status quo.

But what if the vote is ‘yes’? What then?

Either way, the best thing that will happen (hopefully) will be the end to all of  the craziness and verbal sparring that has been going on since the whole notion was brought up last year. The question of BYOB in OC has brought up a lot of things, but one thing it has not brought up is the better angels of our nature. You can just read the comments that have been posted on the Facebook pages of the ‘pro’ side and the ‘no’ side to get a good feel of the animosity between the two sides. The ‘pro’ side are selling you on the notion that BYOB will help make the downtown vibrant again, while the ‘no’ side are selling, well, fear: people will be bringing in large quantities of alcohol, allowing BYOB is a gateway to liquor licenses and liquor stores, the family friendly image of Ocean City will be tarnished, etc. And God forbid that a ‘pro’ sider posts on the ‘no’ side’s page…

So where do I stand? Well, I like the BYOB concept. I like having the option to bring a nice bottle of wine or a craft beer to enjoy with my dinner. To this, a ‘no’ person might say…

Why do you need booze when you eat? I don’t understand that concept. Does the meal suck unless you are buzzed?

Do I need booze when I eat? No. Is it nice to have the option to bring a nice wine or beer that will compliment my meal? Yes. Would drinking to get buzzed take away from the meal? Probably. Do I feel the need to get buzzed any time I have alcohol? No. If you see alcohol as simply a means to get drunk, I could understand asking the above questions, but it’s a perspective that makes some bad assumptions.

But the real reason why the BYOB petition came into being was money. Money that was not going to Ocean City restaurants, but was going over the bridge to out of town restaurants that either served alcohol or was BYOB. Combine that with the fact that shore town populations are shrinking, it can make the offseason a tough time for eateries in Ocean City that try to stay open year-round. To this, a ‘no’ person might say…

Those who own a business in town knew that it was a dry town.

To which I’m reminded of a classic movie line: “Jane, they bought their tickets. They knew what they were getting into. I say: let ‘em crash.”

Not to just pick on the ‘no’ folks, I do think the ‘pro’ folks are painting too rosy a picture. Going BYOB removes a barrier, but that in and of itself won’t make a vibrant downtown. Great restaurants do. If you’re going to cite Collingswood as an example, keep in mind that Collingswood has a collection of excellent restaurants. Heck, I’d drink lukewarm tap water with my meal at West Side Gravy.

I would like to see Ocean City go BYOB, but I don’t have a vote in this election. But I will be curious to see how the vote goes. And then, I will be interested to see how the fallout/fence mending proceeds based on the outcome. Will the wounds be healed? Let’s see what one ‘no’ er has to say about the ‘pro’ folks…

Closed mind. Don’t care. Take it elsewhere.

Well there you are.

Restaurant News

Had the great opportunity to join in the festivities last week down in Atlantic City at the Golden Nugget grand opening. It was fun to see the finished product, and I must say that the makeover looks great. In comparison to Revel, Golden Nugget is a much smaller affair – but good things can come in small packages, right? After all of the hoopla, I took a walk around to check out the restaurants. While the recent trend in the casinos has been to bring in outside companies to run the restaurants, Golden Nugget’s eateries are all in-house – which makes sense since Landry’s (the owners of Golden Nugget) own quite a number of restaurant chains. I am most intrigued by the steakhouse Vic & Anthony’s, which is very highly regarded, as well as Lillie’s Noodles, Asian Cuisine and Sushi with its funky sleek black and red neon motif. Looking forward to trying them in the future.

County Seat Diner in Woodbury opened this week.

Gables Restaurant on LBI is still shooting for a Memorial Day Weekend opening, despite the recent fire.

Sadly, Debra’s Key West Cafe in Port Republic announced on their Facebook page that they will not be reopening for this year.

Due to licensing issues, Pic-A-Lilli Pub in Atlantic City was shut down on Thursday – but hoped to open by today.

Bahama Breeze is coming to the Ocean County Mall. Will it fare better than Benihana and El Chico?

And coming back again this June: Le Bec-Fin in Philly.

The Farmers’ Market Report

Robin has updated her list of farmers’ markets that are opening this month. Sorry Ocean County – gotta wait a little longer.

Hunter’s Farm and Market in Cinnaminson opens today. The Hunter family has been running a farm at that location since 1760. That is not a typo.

Blogging Out Hunger

At the Moorestown Library, every Friday is Food for Fines Friday.

The Lower Township Rescue Squad is looking for donations for the food pantry housed in their building.

And in the news this week…

The big happy news this week was that as of May 1st, direct shipping for wines went into effect in New Jersey. Yay!

The liquor license ordinance in Moorestown is facing a legal challenge.

Rita’s Italian Ice will soon be available in India and China.

And Maria’s Mom’s Italian Cookie Cupboard in Marlton gets a nice little job: baking cookies for the Sports Emmy Awards.

Have a great weekend!

The unofficial start to the community farmers’ market season gets underway on Saturday with the opening of the Collingswood Farmers’ Market.

The unofficial start to the roadside BBQ season also kicks off this weekend as Uncle Dewey’s in Mitzpah and Christine’s House of Kingfish in Shamong open for business.

But the big event is Cinco de Mayo, that great American drinking holiday. Whether you just want to partake in the drinking fun or have a tasty Mexican eating experience (or do a little of both – it’s your weekend after all), you have options.

Friday night will be a Ladies Nite Fiesta aka Cinco de Wino at Swansea Vineyards in Shiloh from 6PM to 9PM. The cost is $10 per person, and you must purchase your tickets in advance.

On Saturday, on Cinco de Mayo, it will be on! No, I never considered chili as part of a Cinco de Mayo celebration, but don’t let that stop you from attending the Cinco de Mayo Chili Cook Off at Egg Harbor Twp Elks Lodge 2563, Call 609.927.0295 for the details. Wildwood is throwing a Cinco de Mayo Block Party on Garfield and Pacific Avenues from 11:30M to 10PM. And for a Cinco de Mayo bash that needs two days to celebrate, Bellview Winery in Landisville is the place to be. They will throwing their bash from 11AM to 5PM on Saturday and Sunday, and the cost is only $5 a person.

Cinco de Mayo food and fun will be had all day at The Tortilla Press in Collingswood and Tortilla Press Cantina in Merchantville.

At Surf Taco in Jackson there will be an all-day Cinco de Taco!! party with food, music and fun for the kids as well.

For other Mexican food suggestions to help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo, there’s always La Esperanza in Lindenwold, Franco’s Taqueria in Riverside, Las Lomas in Hammonton and at the Landis MarketPlace in Vineland, Los Amigos in Berlin and Atlantic City, El Senor Frog in Manahawkin and Distrito Cantina at Revel in Atlantic City.

Anything else going on? Oh come now…you know me better than to leave you hanging like that!

The Mad Batter Restaurant in Cape May is having a Spring Wine Dinner at 7:30PM on Friday for $75 per person.

Even if you wanted to avoid all things Mexican on Five of May, you have options. It’s worth mentioning again the super cool Tankard at the Tavern event taking place at the Indian King Tavern Museum in Haddonfield. Seatings are at 12PM, 3PM and 6PM, and the cost is $40 per person. Please call ahead to make sure tickets are still available. Saturday is also the day of High Street Grill’s High Street Spring Craft Beer Fest in Mount Holly from 2:30PM to 6:30PM. Tickets are $40 per person. Ocean City is having its Spring Block Party on Asbury Avenue (from 5th to 14th Street) from 9AM to 5PM. I’m guessing that the upcoming BYOB vote might be a lively topic of discussion at the block party. Just keep it civil, everyone. Admission is free, by the way. And for dinner, how about the Salem Friends Pot Pie Dinner at the Friends Meeting House Annex in, well, Salem. Take out is available from 3PM to 6PM, and seatings are at 4PM, 5PM, 6PM and 7PM.

Stone Harbor’s Coastal Living Festival on 96th Street and Second Avenue will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 10AM to 5PM.

And, if you’ll allow me to peek into Monday, it’s the monthly dining event for The Epicurean Society of Southern New Jersey, which will be happening at Patsy’s Trattoria at Atlantic Club Casino Hotel (nee Atlantic City Hilton) at 6:30PM.

If you care to venture out of South Jersey…

So how about this: on Saturday at McFadden’s at Citizens Bank Park, it’s their annual Beer Fest at the Ballpark. Meanwhile, on the same day and across the street at Lincoln Financial Field, it’s the Philadelphia Wine Festival. Even with n games going on, plenty of drinking will be done in South Philly this Saturday.

Here’s your cooking class schedule for this weekend:

Friday: Sprinkle, Stir, Boil, Create! Teen Cooking Program at Ocean County Library’s Lakewood Branch, Date Night: In The City at Viking Cooking School at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, Dinner in Morocco at In The Kitchen Cooking School in Haddonfield, and Date Night: Springtime in Paris at Sur La Table in Marlton.

Saturday: Cooking with Chef Ray: Cinco de Mayo Celebration at the Egg Harbor Twp Community Center in Tuckerton, Essential Knife Skills and Date Night: Barcelona Nights at Sur La Table, New! Vegas Steakhouse at Viking Cooking School, Cinco de Mayo at In The Kitchen Cooking School, and Cooking with Fresh Herbs at Kitchen Kapers in Moorestown.

Sunday: Southern Specialties from the hit movie “The Help” and New! Titanic Dinner Party at Viking Cooking School, Pastry Day at In The Kitchen at In The Kitchen Cooking School, Kids in the Kitchen: Mother’s Day Brunch at Kitchen Kapers, Sushi & Tempura at The Culinary Arts Center at Burlington County College in Mount Holly.

John and I are big fans of Fellini films. Really big fans. And I am almost certain that John secretly wishes he were Marcello Mastroianni, peering coolly over his shades, dressed to kill. So it made perfect sense when waiting for a table at Revel’s Lugo Caffe to sit at the bar, order a prosecco, strike a cool pose, and wait for the inexplicable marching band to parade through.

Lugo Caffe is unapologetically stylized. Simple, understated furnishings, sleek lighting and black and white pictures of 1960′s Rome grace the walls. It’s fun, bustling-all the trappings of the traditional caffes of Rome. And though John and I got a kick out of simply being there, we were skeptical; after all, no matter how sexy an Italian restaurant is, we are leery of anything that doesn’t measure up to Grandma Fusco’s cooking.

Since it was opening day at Revel and we had been sampling goodies to report on all afternoon, we weren’t in the mood to eat heavily. That didn’t stop us from ordering a Kobe meatball with polenta to start, however. It simply melted in our mouths, as you would expect, but it had all of the richness and juiciness of Kobe beef. As if that weren’t enough, it was lightly sauced in a garlicky sugo, and nestled atop a creamy polenta. Perfetto. I also went with our server’s suggestion of enjoying a glass of Babera d’Alba (Piedmonte 2009) with my meal. By itself it was a decent red wine; but when paired with food it seemed to blossom, the cherry and spice flavors blending beautifully with whatever it was matched with. Bravo. Next time, we’ll be looking to order the housemade “mozzarella bar”  which includes embellishments like “Semplice” (sea salt and extra virgin olive oil), “Caprese”(tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic glaze) and “pepperoncini” (sopressata, fire-roasted peppers, and Kalamata olives).

For an entree, John went with the Cioppino; clams, mussels, squid, octopus, and shrimp swam in a light, flavorful tomato broth. Besides being delicious, we were impressed by how moist and tender the octopus was, showing the skill of the kitchen. But the highlight of it all was the Veal Pasta with Oxtail Sauce. Soft, downy pillows of pasta were infused with a veal reduction, then dressed with a slowly simmered, incredibly rich and meaty oxtail sauce. The portions were smaller than what you find at most Italian-American restaurants, and I was grateful for it: I easily consumed everything on the plate, and could have eaten more. So much for a “light” meal…

The only drawback we found that evening was the service. It was, for the most part, friendly and courteous, to be sure. But it was far from expert or confident. The host we first encountered was overwhelmed and snippy, the bartender efficient and coldly cordial. Our waitress was very warm and friendly, but only marginally knowledgeable about the menu. The manager was gracious enough to check on all the tables, though, making sure everyone was happy. We happened to be there on the very night Revel opened- as they were the only full-service, sit-down eatery open and fully operational that evening, it’s easy to imagine how they may be uncertain and overwhelmed.  It remains to be seen as to what the staff will be like a few months from now.

You’re not going to find any cutting-edge Italian cuisine here, but I don’t think you’re meant to. It’s a brief, bustling, delicious taste of the la dolce vita fantasy that Americans have with all things Roma. Surrender to that when you walk in, and you won’t be disappointed. Ciao, bella!

We had an incredibly warm welcome from the owner, Franco Ordonez, who helped us to settle us all in right away, despite the restaurant being essentially a counter-service setup. It was sparsely decorated, yet clean and bright: a good sign that the kitchen is more interested in convincing you of its authenticity through its food, instead of a decor that hurls all the American cliches of Mexico at you.Admittedly, the taqueria has had to adapt to cater  to the non-Hispanic community, which is reflected in the menu. Although you’ll find an array of predictable staples such as quesadillas, burritos and chimichangas, they are made with the conscious intention of representing the mindset of the home cooking of Mexico: everything fresh, everything handmade.

Our kids can be adventurous, but that day they insisted on ordering the American kiddie favorite, quesadillas. Absolutely no complaints here, and it was nice to see they were given a hit of queso fresco, so our little budding foodies got to taste something a little different. As for the grownup delights, we kept it simple, just a few taco platters to get a lay of the land. The chorizo was perfect-spicy, rich sausage chopped and sauteed enough to get those slight bits of crispy heaven around the edges, while the marinated pork  was incredibly tender and juicy. Both were in  warm corn tortillas with a sprinkling of chopped onion and cilantro-add a little squirt of lime and you have nirvana, no salsa necessary. But it got even better when the sweet plantains arrived, out of the pan, caramelized and luscious. I have my favorite Mexican and Cuban restaurants, and I love ordering their plantains, but these were transcendent. Wow. We also washed it down with aromatic homemade horchata (a cinnamon rice milk drink). What’s not to like?

It’s obvious we’re going to have to go back for dinner to try some of the main dishes, such as the Carne Asada (a mojo marinated steak), whole fried fish, or Shrimp A La Beracruzana (with garlic and chipotle sauce). The menu may not be exotic, but it is honest and true to form. Of course, it’s also simply delicious.

24 East Scott Street, Riverside. (856) 255-5211. http://francostaqueria.com

I am grateful for every chef who gave us a moment of their time to talk about their craft.

I am grateful for all of the PR folks who though enough of us to invite us to food events – even if we can’t always make those events.

I am grateful for those in the ‘established’ media who were encouraging as we made our way.

I am grateful for our blogger friends in South Jersey, such as Robin Shreeves, Lisa Grant and Frank Nerney, who keep on plugging along with us.

I am grateful for newer bloggers like Jennifer Malme and Bob Hires who help to keep the conversation going in South Jersey.

I am grateful for a our newest writer Heather, who brings another strong voice to our site.

I am grateful for Gaetano’s cheesesteaks, Vincent’s panzarottis and Surf Taco’s Buffalo Soldier burrito. I’d be even more grateful if I had one of them here right now.

I am grateful for two sets of parents who have given us a lot of babysitting while Mommy and Daddy did their work (and maybe had some fun, too).

I am grateful for an amazing partner in life and in all things food. You might have heard of her (wink-wink).

AND – I am grateful for all of you who have been reading us and continue to follow along as we keep on eating in South Jersey.

Restaurant News

Looks like the new restaurant taking over Bistro 44′s space in Toms River is going to be an Italian eatery. Chowhounders are saying that the place will open on May 1st.

Closer to home for us, the Charlie Brown’s on Route 9 in Forked River will be turning into…yep…an Italian restaurant.

Also opening May 1 is Uncle Joonie’s Steak & Shake Shop in Ocean City.

Pistol Pete’s in Pleasantville, which filed for bankruptcy in February, is now closed.

And Kohr’s is crossing the border into North Jersey.

The Farmers’ Market Report

Be on the lookout for Jersey strawberries! Already? Yes – already. Some farms are saying they already have the little red yummies available!

Beach Plum Farm, owned by Cape Resorts Group, will now be open to public tours.

Beach plums are becoming more than just a local curiosity.

Bee keeping regulations moving along in Lower Township – where they said no to people having chickens.

Blogging Out Hunger

Not a surprise: more children in Jersey living in poverty.

Barnegat Food Bank may be the benefactor of one woman’s challenge.

And in the news this week…

Never a dull moment in the BYOB in OC debate: a two-hour radio debate, the ‘no’ camp has out-raised the ‘pro’ camp 3-to-1 in campaign financing, AND…Ocean City businessmen opening a restaurant with a liquor license…in Somers Point?

Sculpture out of the creamy centers of Oreos? Why not?

And I’m sad to hear that Jersey food blog Random Cravings is being shut down by the owner. We enjoyed getting know Holly as we met up for many a food adventure down in Atlantic City. We hope that we’ll keep in touch.

Have a great weekend!