 Restaurant Nicholas Restaurant Review: Nicholas Harary and his wife Melissa, who sharpened their restaurant skills at Manhattan eateries such as Jean-Georges and Tabla, grace New Jersey with a very fine dining experience: a blend of sophisticated surroundings, professional service and remarkable food. Dishes arrive in dramatic fashion, under silver domes removed in tandem with a flourish and a reminder of the innovative components: "Madam, your caramelized onion soup, goat cheese gougères and pickled pearl onion.” "Sir, your pork chop, crispy tofu, clam dashi and sriracha oil.” Consider starting with pan-seared day boat sea scallop, maple sweet potato, bacon and brown butter sauce before exploring butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster with a Gruyère and aged sherry custard and Russian fingerling potato. Menus are prix-fixe; choose a three-course menu, the four-course garden (vegetarian) menu, or the six-course chef's tasting menu. A chef’s table located in the kitchen accommodates four people. Small plates are available on the "bar menu." Desserts, such as a coffee crumb soufflé with Baileys ice cream or the tres leches cake paired with caramel popcorn and banana ice cream, are first-rate. From personalized, spot-on wine recommendations to the elegant farewell gift bag containing freshly baked banana bread, dining at Restaurant Nicholas is an unforgettable special occasion.
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