Section
Worth the Cheat
Food and indulgences we refuse to feel guilty about
By Harry & Jennifer
Married, hungry, and brutally honest.
One of us has eaten dishes cooked personally by legends like Frédy Girardet, André Soltner, and David Bouley. The other still checks the menu for something that doesn't sound like it has tentacles. Together we order the thing we're not supposed to — then tell you whether it was worth the cheat.
Peanut Butter Pie — The Black Cat Tavern
Every summer, the road to Nantucket runs through one non-negotiable pit stop: The Black Cat Tavern in Hyannis, right on the harbor across from the ferry docks. Boats bobbing, ropes creaking, the smell of the water — and inside, a bar that has been getting it right for decades. The play is always the same. Skip the hostess line. Walk…
The Baked and Burnt (Off-Menu) — Osteria Cucina Rustica
Osteria Cucina Rustica has been in my rotation for years — and there's a reason for that. The food is fresh, the quality is consistent, and the fact that owner Steve Botta is a friend doesn't hurt either. This is the kind of neighborhood spot where the kitchen actually cares. I walked in craving pasta. I also walked in fully aware that…
Lobster Dumplings & French Onion Soup — Char Steakhouse
Because after 55, life's too short for bad dumplings and skimpy soup. The Spot Next up on the Worth The Cheat list: Char Steakhouse at 33 Broad Street in Red Bank, New Jersey. If you've been anywhere near Monmouth County, you already know the name. What you might not know is the little routine Jennifer and I have built around this place…
Let's Get Started Garlic Bread — Gabriella's
Here's the deal: we walk into Gabriella's in Red Bank and head straight to the bar. We know what we're going to order. Same drinks, same entrees. It's a rhythm. And rhythms don't include a basket of garlic bread that could sink a small boat. But there it was on the menu — Let's Get Started Garlic Bread — practically daring us. Jennifer…