There was a time when folks would put down the Garden State (and were especially disdainful of South Jersey). Not much to do, sleepy, lacking in culture, known by the exit on the turnpike or nearness to its larger, cosmopolitan cities, New York and Philadelphia. But I’m here to tell you, “The times they are a changin.”
On Friday night my wife, Carol and I dined at Andrea Trattoria Italiana in Millville. I remember when I was a kid thinking the only reason to go to Millville was to see my grandparents, who lived there. Now there are a couple of fantastic restaurants; two wineries (Southwinds Vineyard & Winery and Cedar Rose Vineyards); a brewery (Glasstown Brewing Co.); a distillery; and a beautifully restored theatre (Levoy Theatre).
Our meal started with a shared appetizer: Sautéed scallops, calamari and octopus (above). It was very tasty and a good excuse to open the white wine I had brought along. But not just any white wine-a Grillo from Turdo Vineyards & Winery. This is a wonderful wine with its native home being in Sicily. But let’s be clear, this one came from Turdo, located in Cape May, in the Cape May Peninsula AVA (a newly recognized area of distinction for growing grapes to make wine). Turdo is the only winery in New Jersey and the only one I know of in this country that makes a Grillo. It is a versatile, food-friendly dry white wine, which goes especially well with seafood.
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Andrea Trattoria offers an extensive menu and my wife and I have had several wonderful dinners here over the past several years. On this occasion, we decided to go back to a couple of our favorites. For our entrees, I chose the rigatoni with diced eggplant and smoked mozzarella, while my wife selected the farfalle with broccoli rabe and hot sausage. Both were cooked and seasoned to perfection. I couldn’t wait to pour the red wine I brought for the occasion (Nebbiolo, also from Turdo Vineyards).
Turdo’s Nebbiolo is a full-bodied red, well-structured with rich, but smooth tannins, spending three and one-half years in French oak. It is an amazing red beauty and a must-try! It paired very well with my Rigatoni entree and even better with my wife’s entree (above right).
After dinner, it was a short walk to the Levoy Theatre, a restored movie theatre built in 1908, where they also used to have Vaudeville shows. We had tickets to see a Billy Joel cover band, called Big Shot. The Billy Joel incarnation is miraculously performed by Mike DelGuidice. This was the best cover band I have ever seen, playing for over two hours, not including the intermission. They played most of Joel’s best music and even threw in a great version of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” and Queen’s “We Are The Champions.” Among my favorites were: Piano Man (complete with harmonica); Good Night, Saigon; Scenes from an Italian Restaurant; and Angry Young Man. My only disappointment was they didn’t do Summer Highland Falls. DelGuidice may not be quite as good as Joel on piano (but he’s damn good), but his vocals are just as powerful and his range is even better (hitting highs that Joel could not, even when he was younger). It should be mentioned that the band features long-time members of Billy Joel’s band and original cast members of the Tony Award Winning Broadway musical, “Movin’ Out”; and the horn section that played with Billy in his “Last Play at Shea.”
This was a fabulous Friday Night in South Jersey! My only regret was that our dear friend (who grew up in Millville) had to cancel due to illness. Next time…
Cheers!
Okay. You already missed Black Friday and Cyber Monday has come and gone. Need a suggestion for a Christmas present for your wine loving friend or loved one? May I suggest my book about New Jersey wine, New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine?
You can purchase online at store.bookbaby.com/book/New-Jersey-Uncorked. Use the code Holidays18 for a $3 coupon.
You can can also purchase at Amazon.com. (But, sorry no coupon there).
You can buy the ebook at the Apple Book App for $12.99.
You can also join me at the Quaker Bridge Mall Old York Cellars Tasting room (next to Macy’s) and I will sign and personalize your purchased copy on Saturday, December 8 from 2:00-4:00.
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