Trying to land a big fish at Lotus Cafe in Hackensack

Fillet of Sole with Yellow Chive at Lotus Cafe in Hackensack.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

When you eat out with others, including members of your own family, you'll inevitably need to compromise.

On Saturday night at Lotus Cafe in Hackensack, my wife put her foot down: No whole fish.

I stopped eating meat and poultry more than four years ago, and we've always enjoyed steamed whole fish with ginger and scallion, and reasonable prices at our favorite Chinese restaurant.

The waiter said the kitchen had whole flounder and whole striped bass, one of the best-eating fish around. 

Shrimp & Tofu in Shrimp Roe Sauce was good, but the sauce sounded more interesting than it was.

We brought home leftover Chinese Broccoli sauteed with fresh garlic, and the crunchy, bright-green vegetable was delicious eaten cold the next day.

Wife wants fish fillets 

I looked over the menu's extensive seafood selection, looking for dishes we haven't tried in the many years I have patronized Lotus Cafe.

I picked Fillet of Sole with Yellow Chive ($17.95), Shrimp & Tofu in Shrimp Roe Sauce ($15.95), and Chinese Broccoli with Fresh Garlic ($9.95).

I tried a few pieces of the sole, which was lightly floured, and it tasted fishy, but my wife and mother-in-law said the fish tasted fine to them.

We didn't finish the sole and I mentioned my concern to Philip Su, one of the owners, and he took the plate back to the kitchen to speak with the chef.

He returned to say the fillets were definitely fresh. Still, he deducted the price from our bill.

Curious, I asked him the size of the fresh whole striped bass available, and he said 2.5 pounds, adding the whole flounder was even bigger.

Lotus Cafe, a BYO, uses 100% vegetable oil and no MSG.

Lotus Cafe, 450 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack, in the Home Depot Shopping Center; 201-488-7070. BYO, large parking lot. Open 7 days. Reservations recommended on weekends.

Warming up to cold cooked salmon for a summer dinner

Cooked organic beets and a crunchy quinoa salad were great side dishes for my last leftover portion of fresh wild salmon from the Copper River in Alaska, right out of the refrigerator, all from Costco Wholesale in Hackensack. 

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

On Thursday, I had one final piece of the fresh wild salmon I had prepared with organic diced tomatoes, garlic, red wine, lime and fresh herbs a few days earlier.

When cooked, this Copper River salmon is delicious eaten hot or cold.

I came home from Costco Wholesale in Hackensack with a package of cooked organic beets and a quinoa salad with mung beans, brown rice and lentils.

I noticed that Costco dropped the price of these fresh sockeye fillets to $12.99 a pound from $14.99, the price when they first appeared in the refrigerated case at the end of May.

My dinner was a breeze to prepare:

I plated the leftover sockeye salmon right out of the refrigerator, sliced some of the beets and added quinoa salad, drizzling on a little extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

I enjoyed a glass of red wine from Argentina with the cold plate.  

Technically, it's not summer, but we have had some steamy weather lately, nevertheless.

This dinner is a great way to cool off.

The Kirkland Signature Quinoa Salad was $4.99 a pound.

A 2.2-pound package of cooked Love Beets was $7.99. The beets, from the European Union, are manufactured for G's Fresh Beets Inc. in Vineland, according to the label. They are organic and non-GMO.

A flock of rotisserie chickens that beat Costco Wholesale's quality

Whole Foods Market in Paramus offers a naturally raised rotisserie chicken for $8.99 or two for $14.98. The 2-pound, antibiotic-free chickens are available plain, with salt and pepper, and Tandoori-style. Whole Foods also sells organic rotisserie chickens, but I didn't see any today. 

The ingredients label on Whole Foods' antibiotic-free Simple Rotisserie Chicken is short and sweet ("chicken, salt, pepper") compared to the many ingredients and additives -- listed and unlisted -- on rotisserie chickens from Costco Wholesale, ShopRite and other stores.

-- HACKENSACK, N.J.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Costco Wholesale's rotisserie chickens probably are the biggest and cheapest around.

But if you are worried about consuming harmful animal antibiotics, you can do a lot better at Whole Foods Market, Kings, Fairway Market and even ShopRite.

At the Costco in Hackensack today, dozens of highly seasoned chickens were rotating on spits in two big rotisserie cases, and an employee was putting them in containers with the Kirkland Signature label.

Ingredients include sodium phosphate, modified food starch, potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar and dextrose.

There is no indication Costco chickens are vegetarian fed or raised without antibiotics or even who supplies them to the warehouse chain.

An employee said the chickens come from Pilgrim's Pride, which is based in North Carolina.

The Web site, which refers to the company as Pilgrim's, says its chickens are fed "only natural ingredients," including corn, soybean meal and other grains.

The company uses "3,900 family farmers in the U.S. and Mexico to grow chickens for our operations." 

But nowhere on the Web site does Pilgrim's say it bans the use of antibiotics to raise its chickens. 

At Kings Super Market in Hillsdale, large, antibiotic-free rotisserie chickens were $4.39 a pound. The label lists the time they were put under the lights, above, which is also the practice at Whole Foods Market in Paramus.

What's in this chicken?

When my teenage son finished eating antibiotic-free rotisserie chicken from Kings in Hillsdale, he asked me where I had bought it.

I knew why he liked it: 

The ingredients label lists water, evaporated cane juice, sea salt, natural ingredients and native corn starch. 

At ShopRite in Paramus, low-quality Perdue and antibiotic-free Readington Farms rotisserie chickens are sold side by side.

Perdue rotisserie chickens are sold for $4.99 (35 ounces) and $6.99 (48 ounces). Antibiotic-free, vegetarian-fed Readington Farms chickens were $5.99 (35 ounces), but occasionally go on sale for $4.99.

An unseasoned kosher rotisserie chicken at ShopRite in Paramus was $3.99 a pound.

At ShopRite, a  lot of choice

Costco offers one rotisserie chicken, take it or leave it, but at ShopRite in Paramus, shoppers have a choice of three birds -- kosher, mystery Perdue and antibiotic-free Readington Farms.

Around lunchtime today, business was brisk at the store's kitchen counter, where the rotisserie chickens were displayed along with sandwiches and other prepared food.

Tables and chairs are provided for those who want to eat lunch in the store.

The kosher rotisserie chickens were displayed on an island in another section.

Fairway and Murray's Chickens

Years ago, I bought Murray's antibiotic-free rotisserie chickens at the Harlem branch of Fairway Market, which later opened a store in Paramus.

The store also sold conventional rotisserie chickens.

I shop for food a lot closer to home now and don't go to the Paramus Fairway much anymore, so I don't know how much they are.

The New York-style hype is a big turnoff. 

Murray's Web site says the drug-free chickens are raised in Pennsylvania, and are certified non-GMO.

At Costco's Hackensack store, the rotisserie chickens are big and cheap, but the ingredients label may stop you from actually buying one, below.

See:

Costco rotisserie chicken makes great dog food

Costco shoppers see red in undercooked chickens

Costco Wholesale celebrates wild salmon from Alaska's Copper River

Fresh wild sockeye salmon from the Copper River in Alaska with diced organic tomatoes, red wine, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh oregano and fresh mint. The side dish, top, is organic baby spinach sauteed with chopped garlic, chicken stock and sake.

At Costco Wholesale in Hackensack on Monday, comparing the natural color of wild Copper River sockeye salmon, bottom, and artificially colored farmed Atlantic salmon. The wild fish also tastes more robust.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The June 2014 edition of the Costco Connection magazine tries to answer salmon lovers' questions about why sockeye from the Copper River in Alaska are held in such high regard.

The Copper River isn't the longest salmon river in the world, but it probably has the best marketing.

"The Copper River is a very fast-moving glacial river, so the salmon have to store up a lot of oil content to get up the river," said Scott Blake, CEO of Copper River Seafoods (Pages 48-9).

"If you look at other river systems, they're very short in comparison, so salmon that go into those rivers don't produce [as much] oil," Blake added.

Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon from Costco Wholesale on an egg-white omelet with Aleppo pepper and Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto, also from Costco. 

One of year's first runs

The seafood executive says the Copper River has other advantages:

"It has one of the first commercially harvested salmon runs of the year in Alaska, so it's available before other wild salmon hit the market; and Copper River's location near a port and proximity to Seattle make fast transportation plausible," Blake says.

"Today, Copper River salmon fetch some of the market's highest prices, making it a cornerstone of the Alaskan economy," according to the Costco members' lifestyle magazine.

Copper River salmon gained its ascendancy in the late 1980s, when Jon Rowley, a Seattle-based seafood and marketing consultant, introduced the fish and their fishers to high-end restaurant owners and chefs, the magazine notes.

In 2013, commercial fishers pulled 1.8 million coho, sockeye and king salmon from the Copper River, which is nearly 300 miles long, according to Alaska fish and game officials.

Salmon prices at Costco

Now, fresh Copper River sockeye fillets are selling at the Hackensack warehouse store for $14.99 a pound, twice the price of artificially colored farmed Atlantic salmon.

But that's only $1 a pound more than they were selling in June 2012.

On Monday, we picked up a package with two sockeye salmon fillets weighing a total of 2.10 pounds that yielded about eight serving pieces, enough for four with leftovers.

I roasted the relatively thin serving pieces for 12 minutes in a 375-degree oven, and they were cooked medium.

I topped them with a reduced mixture of organic diced tomatoes, garlic, red wine, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh oregano, then added chopped fresh mint.

A breakfast of Copper River sockeye salmon with a wedge of cheese-and-garlic frittata, and mashed sweet potatoes. For dinner tonight, half of a piece of leftover salmon was delicious eaten cold over an organic spring mix salad.

Three recipes

The Costco magazine article includes three recipes, Ceviche-Inspired Wild Alaskan Salmon, Lomi Lomi Salmon and Southeast Grilled Salmon.

My day boat comes in at Giulia's Kitchen in Cliffside Park

Four plump Day Boat Scallops served over broccoli rabe and polenta at Giulia's Kitchen in Cliffside Park ($24). Scallops harvested by day boats are the freshest around.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I wanted to have an early dinner at Giulia's Kitchen in Cliffside Park on Friday to make sure the chef didn't run out of fat sea scallops, one of my favorite shellfish.

Photos of the scallop entree were seared in my memory from a newspaper story and on the Living Social site, where I bought a $35 voucher for $70 worth of food.

The dish didn't disappoint: Perfectly grilled, medium-rare scallops perched on top of pleasantly bitter broccoli rabe, a bit of pesto and a cheesy cake of polenta ($24).

But I couldn't help notice my entree had only four scallops, compared to the five I saw in the photos. A great dish, nevertheless.

The Lobster Roll appetizer is served on a much larger roll than elsewhere, meaning a lot more lightly dressed lobster meat ($20). 

Hearts of Romaine is an interesting take on Caesar's Salad, with shaved Manchego Cheese, white anchovies, nuggets of delicious fried eggplant and grape tomato halves, but it could have used more dressing ($8).

Another great salad

My wife ordered Hearts of Romaine ($8) followed by a Lobster Roll appetizer ($20).

I started with another terrific salad, a Beet Stack, which was served with goat cheese on a bed of peppery arugula ($9), and I finished my meal with Day Boat Scallops ($24).

I ordered a glass of Five Rivers Pinot Noir, which cost a reasonable $7.

A salad of peppery arugula surrounds the Beet Stack ($9).

The spacious dining room is in a brick building at Anderson and Grant avenues in Cliffside Park, opposite an enormous hole in the ground that has been under development for more than five years smack in the middle of the shopping district.

"Contemporary Comfort Food" is the phrase that appears with the restaurant's name on the large plate-glass windows.

A Bob Marley soundtrack welcomed us when we arrived for an early dinner on Saturday. Large blackboards list charcuterie and desserts.

First to arrive

We made a reservation for 5 p.m., and got a table in the window.

After a while, Chef Michael Ostros came out of the kitchen to greet us, and I told him I was looking forward to the Day Boat Scallops.

I wanted to make sure they were on the menu. He said he got them from the Hunts Point Market, and I mentioned day boaters from Viking Village in Barnegat Light, on the Jersey shore, are famous for their sea scallops.

Ostros said he would look them up.

Minor complaints

I plan to return to Giulia's Kitchen to try other seafood dishes on the menu, but have two minor complaints:

The bread served with olive oil isn't a match for the high level of food preparation, but that would be easily remedied by ordering crusty dinner rolls from Balthazar Bakery in Englewood.

And some staffers seem inexperienced.

We called the restaurant a few times, and the man who answered the phone asked, "How can I direct your call," as if he had worked in a hotel for many years.

And on Saturday evening, around 5:45, I got a call from the restaurant, asking if I planed to keep my 5 p.m. reservation.

I explained I did -- the night before. 

Details

Giulia's Kitchen, 696 Anderson Ave., Cliffside Park; 201-945-1680. Open for dinner and, starting Wednesday, for lunch. Full bar. Closed Sundays. Free parking on side streets.

Fish tacos, diners, cafe au lait, pappardelle and more

Four Mexican Tacos with grilled fresh tilapia and avocado at Taqueria Los Gueros in East Rutherford, including salsas, lime wedges, cilantro and extra spicy onions from the free condiment bar, below ($7.95).

"Extra spicy" is no idle boast when it comes to this fiery combination of onions, carrots and hot peppers. They are seriously hot.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

When lunchtime hunger pangs strike, I usually reach for one of the energy or snack bars I carry with me.

But on Thursday, I knew I was only a couple of miles away from Taqueria Los Gueros, an informal Mexican restaurant with branches in Englewood, East Rutherford and Passaic city.

I loved the scrumptious Tacos de Pescado or Fish Tacos I had at the Englewood branch, but when I walked into the East Rutherford restaurant, I couldn't find them on the wall menu.

I told the woman at the register what I wanted -- fish, cilantro, onion, salsa fresca and avocado -- and she told me to order the Mexican Tacos, which come with a choice of meat or seafood, fried or grilled ($7.95 for four).

I also asked for seltzer, which was free.

East Rutherford v. Englewood

The East Rutherford restaurant is much bigger and busier than the Englewood branch, and the wait for the food was longer.

Although the tacos were as delicious as I remembered and made with two corn tortillas, I thought the piece of fish was smaller.

In Englewood, where one cook and one waitress work, the place is small enough for her to bring your tacos to the table; in East Rutherford, they take your name and you pick up the tray at the counter.

In East Rutherford, tortilla chips are served with your food, but I gave them back. Four tacos with grilled fish are $8 in Englewood, $7.95 in East Rutherford.

After you get your order, the next stop is to pick up salsas, lime and other additions to your tacos, above. You order at the counter below, where I found the employees both pleasant and helpful.

The East Rutherford branch of Taqueria Los Gueros is in a shopping center at 93 Route 17 south, East Rutherford. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (201-340-4361). On Tuesdays, some tacos are only $4.99 for five. 

The well-maintained Colonial Diner shining in the rain on Thursday morning (27 Orient Way, Lyndhurst; 201-953-3192).

The interior of the original diner, which is said to be about 70 years old. I stopped there with friends, but didn't eat or drink anything, because I was saving room for the fish tacos I was planning to have for lunch.

About four years ago, this addition was added, and it blends beautifully with the old diner. Check out the shiny ceiling with a scallop-shell design at the far end.

A large bowl of cream of potato soup was $4.10 at the Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north in Paramus (201-261-2605).

Mighty Leaf Organic Earl Grey Tea was $2.25 with refills of hot water.

A close-up of the Suburban Diner's Greek Salad with extra anchovies a friend ordered ($12.70).

The 16-ounce cup of Cafe Au Lait comes with a piece of chocolate for $2.75 at Aroma Espresso Bar in Westfield Garden State Plaza, Paramus (use the mall's J.C. Penney entrance).

A few ounces of 100% whole-wheat Garofalo Pappardelle from Jerry's Gourmet in Englewood dressed in Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto from Costco Wholesale in Hackensack with added pignoli nuts, one of the ingredients in classic pesto that also is available at Costco. 

Mouth-filling pasta with pesto

Whole-wheat Garofalo Pappardelle from Italy has gone up to $2.59 a pound, a dollar and 20 cents more than a pound of organic whole-wheat pasta from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market.

But those stores don't carry this thick ribbon pasta in whole wheat, which fills the mouth and is completely satisfying, especially when dressed with Basil Pesto from Costco Wholesale.

The last time I enjoyed the dish, I added a handful of pignoli nuts before tossing the al dente pasta and unheated sauce together is the warm pot I used to boil the pappardelle.

The only caveat is you need to cook the pasta about 3 or 4 minutes longer than the 8 minutes listed on the package.

100% Italian olive oil

Finding all-Italian extra-virgin olive oil isn't as easy as it sounds.

Many bottles and tins contain a blend of extra-virgin olive oils from Italy, Greece, Tunisia and other countries.

On Friday, at Jerry's Gourmet & More, 410 S. Dean Street in Englewood, I found a 3-liter tin of Colavita Extra-Virgin Olive Oil made completely from olives harvested and pressed in Italy.

At $20.99, it worked out to about $6.99 a liter.

I also paid $6.99 a liter for organic extra-virgin olive oil from Turkey at the International Food Warehouse, 370 Essex St., Lodi.

Also at Jerry's, I picked up two complete Meals To Go -- restaurant-quality dinners with sausage, peppers and onions, fettuccine in a veal ragu, zucchini flower, heart of palm salad or a vegetable for $7.99 each.

Among the free samples, I loved the Truffle Cheese and the Smoked Gouda. 

Before Jerry's, I stopped at Balthazar, the artisanal bakery at 214 S. Dean St. in Englewood, for a baguette ($2) and half of a sliced batard of Pain de Seigle, its signature rye bread, which is made with beer (1.2 pounds for $3.50).  

$7.99 watermelons

At ShopRite in Paramus on Friday, watermelons with and without seeds were $7.99 each, but the latter were oblong and twice the size of the round, seedless ones.

I selected a heavy watermelon with seeds that a woman rejected because it didn't make the sound she desired when she thumped the end with her hand.

A 64-0unce bottle of Langers Cranberry Pomegranate Juice with no added sugar was on sale for $1.49 or $2 off. But a half-gallon of ShopRite Lactose Free 1% Milk was the usual $3.49.

Last Monday at the Paramus ShopRite, fresh free-range, grass-fed boneless shell steaks from Nature's Reserve in Australia were on sale for $6.99 a pound.

Golden Pineapples and Jumbo Cantaloupes were two for $5.