The Vine is located on Route 202 in Basking Ridge, where the road is still a wooded country byway. The building long familiar as The Giraffe has undergone several transitions and is on the threshold of another. Renovations are in progress: by September, the restaurant should have a new look and a new name, Vine. On the August night we visited, parts of the building, including the bar area, were shut off and work was proceeding, but quietly. When renovations are complete, the redesigned bar will offer an informal dining alternative with eight or nine tapas selections.
The kitchen seemed unaffected by the distraction of construction. The Mediterranean-inspired appetizers and entrées and sublime French-accented desserts were well-conceived, executed and served with a smile. The watchword of the evening was “no rush,” as the maitre d’ and his staff ensured a relaxed, enjoyable evening for the guests.
The room in which we dined was pleasant and unpretentious, tastefully decorated in beige and earth tones. Each table, draped in white linen, was topped with a single budding rose in a rectangular vase. At the time of our visit, the large picture windows had no curtains or shades, and the wide parking lot interrupted the view to the woods and road beyond. No art is hung on the walls; the emphasis here is on food and wine.
Service is deft, and we were taken care of by a four-tiered staff: maitre d’, captain, and two servers. When we arrived, the maitre d’, at his podium, was involved in a discussion with carpenters, but a nearby waiter smoothly stepped in with a friendly greeting and guided us to our table. In a few minutes, the maitre d’ visited to describe the evening’s specials including veal-filled ravioli ($22), blackened cod ($27) and rack of lamb ($33), and to review wine choices. The wine list is not only extensive and well organized, but also witty. The section devoted to listing champagne begins with the dying words of the economist John Maynard Keynes, “My only regret in life is that I did not drink more champagne.”
Perhaps inspired by Lord Keynes’ regrets and by the inventive dishes on the menu, we decided to splurge, not on champagne, but on a bottle of Puligny-Montrachet, reasonably priced at $66. Structured, complex and golden, this outstanding white burgundy lived up to its reputation. Ordering a bottle was our best choice because the selection of wines by the glass is limited to eight choices, mostly from California, ($7-$13) that do not reflect the wide variety of wines available by the bottle. Co-owner Antonio Trevigne later told us that the wine list is undergoing changes, as well, and will feature 40 wines at $40 or less to encourage the purchase of wines by the bottle.
We began dinner with a crab cake ($12) that combined the briny taste of the sea with a judicious selection of herbs and spices. It was sautéed to the requisite golden brown but was not entirely lump crab. Spinach salad ($11) was dressed with a fine vinaigrette, sweetened with sun-dried cherries to complement the dense, earthy iron taste in the baby spinach. The salad was crowned by two creamy, pistachio-encrusted boules of goat cheese, which contributed another delightful earthy note to the greens.
At first glance, the veal ravioli special ($22) was a straightforward presentation, but first glances can deceive. Chef Eric Gomez begins by simmering the veal in his own veal stock, fortified with red wine, adding a heady flavor to the meat. Then he replaces the usual pasta wraps with paper-thin wonton wraps. Just before serving, he tops the raviolis with a skim milk-truffle reduction that produces a fine, bubbly topping.
The sea bass ($25) from the regular menu was inspired by barigoule, a dish from southern France. The grilled filet was served atop a flavorful mélange of vegetables in which artichokes were the most prominent ingredient. A pesto sauce that added the perfume of basil to an already complex palette of tastes brought the dish together as a whole.
The desserts, from the accomplished hand of the house pastry chef Julie Casey, achieved the same high quality as the entrées. The crème brulée ($7.50) was perfectly done, with a crisp golden crust over the light, gently sweetened custard. The coconut chocolate tart ($7) delivered flavors loved since childhood – close your eyes and it’s a Mounds bar that graduated from charm school with the addition of a layer of flaky pastry to hold the warm chocolate together. Decaf machiatto espressos ($3) were thick and strongly flavored – an apt finale to a fine meal.

©PACKETONLINE News Classifieds Entertainment Business – Princeton and Central New Jersey 2007

By: Kate and Tom O’Neill, TIMEOFF 08/16/2006

As we get ready to ring in 2007, I’m taking a last look at my top dining experiences of 2006.

How does a restaurant make my list of favorites? First, it must be one that I reviewed during the past 12 months. That is why so many highly regarded places among my all-time bests — Ixora in Whitehouse, the Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster, Stage Left in New Brunswick and Serenade in Chatham, to mention a few — are missing from this lineup, since I didn’t write about them in 2006.

In some years, I have to decide among several four-star establishments for my number one choice. In 2006, however, it was easy. Vine was the only place I visited that rated four stars for its blend of ex cellent atmosphere, food and service.

What are my criteria? The quality of the food and its preparation are the most important elements, of course, and I also consider value for money spent. Consistency in the kitchen is key. Several restau rants that received high ratings from me this year are not on this list because they had a change of chef and I didn’t revisit them. As a result, I included only nine restau rants instead of the usual 10.

There are many other factors I take into account when writing a review. Some are obvious, such as cleanliness in the dining room as well as what I can see of the kitchen (which often isn’t visible, though I do try to look in through the back of the building if I can.) The condition of the restrooms is of great importance to me, too. No place should run out of paper towels or other essentials during the evening. If the restrooms aren’t pristine, it tells me a lot about the way a restaurant is run.

Service is, of course, paramount, and this is one of the most difficult areas for restaurant owners. There aren’t a lot of professional servers available, and not every establishment could afford them anyway. That means many places rely on part-timers and students. Even experienced managers can’t be everywhere in a room or spend sufficient time training staff, so they are unable to counterbalance pure inepti tude. Service problems that de tract from a restaurant’s rating start with a host who doesn’t respond promptly to new arrivals, or makes guests wait more than a few minutes for a reservation to be honored. A big minus goes down for servers who can’t be understood because of a language problem, are unable to respond know ledgably to questions about the menu (and don’t seek answers from the kitchen), are overly familiar in their demeanor or don’t come by to check on patrons.

Also detracting from a restau rant’s rating is a long lag between courses, as well as busboys who remove plates and glasses before guests finish eating or conversely, leave empty plates on the table too long.

This is also the place for me to mention, as I have so many times before, that specials (unless there are just one or two uncomplicated choices) should be printed out with prices so patrons don’t need to have them repeated, or query about what they cost.

I pay particular attention to the noise level, something that seems to have become a bigger sore point than it was years ago. I’ve been to more than one place that sounds like a sheet metal shop in high gear. Glitzy surroundings are great, but if they include marble or tile floors, walls of glass and high ceil ings, be prepared for a din at din- din.

I give a bonus to well-spaced tables and sound-proofing. Since my specialty is fine dining, I take it for granted that people who want a special meal and are paying a good bit for it would like to converse in normal tones with their companions, and in turn, be able to hear what’s coming back across the table.

Most of the restaurants on my list are quite new, having opened either this year or in late 2005, and that’s a good sign for the health of the industry.

Although Vine (95 Route 202, Basking Ridge. 908-221-0017) made its debut only this autumn, it was launched on the foundation of its predecessor, Tre Vigne, which had the same location and ownership. That provided a big advantage in hitting its stride early.

There are Italian options on the menu, but it’s fun to go global here with such dishes as ahi tuna tartare with grilled pineapple and miso remoulade or the barbecue- glazed rack of lamb with charred jalapeño and mint pesto. Chef Eric Gomez is able to spread his wings and try different ideas, though there’s nothing off the wall.

Vine also got a boost with me from its made-on-the-premises des serts. I look askance at any restau rant that doesn’t make its own sweets, and am particularly pleased when the ice cream and sorbet also are produced in-house, as they are at Vine.

Service is just as it should be — deferential, accommodating, unobstrusive and aiming to please, while the atmosphere is conducive to conversation without requiring patrons to strain either their ears or their voices.

4 stars (four stars) Tre Vigne, which began operations in 2000, is now called Vine but that is far from the only change at this exciting establishment.
What was a nice, upscale primarily Italian restaurant became a real destination last month after undergoing a complete renovation and a change of course in the food it offers. The new name is symbolic of the establishment’s style and streamlining; tre vigne means “three grapevines.” Vine is more concise, a perfect match for the unfussy, yet striking, decor and food that benefits from a variety of influences.

Italian cooking has not been abandoned entirely. Chicken scarpariello ($21) is a classic mingling of boneless chicken breast, sweet sausage and hot cherry peppers, while equally tried-and-true rigatoni Bolognese ($18) also is available. Some of the dishes with an Italian undercurrent, however, take a different twist. The risotto that comes with the pistachio-encrusted king salmon ($25) is enhanced by the addition of sweet peas and black truffles. Fried calamari ($10) has the usual spicy marinara sauce, yet it is served with a lime mousseline as well for a more imaginative element

. But the globalization of the restaurant is represented by many more dishes. There’s ahi tuna tartare ($12) with grilled pineapple and miso remoulade for a taste contrast. A shellfish bouillabaisse ($28) also is available. The barbeque glazed rack of lamb ($34) is typical of the subtle way dishes are tweaked at Vine. The charred jalapeno and mint pesto adds refreshingly different notes to the perfect meat, also served with crushed young potatoes and mirepoix (diced vegetables). Eric Gomez, who has been with the restaurant from the beginning, moved up from sous chef several years ago to the top job in the kitchen, and now enjoys a freer hand to flex his repertoire.

He is deft with fish, especially the potato-crusted tilapia ($25) with roasted asparagus. An aromatic red wine reduction and a touch of sour cream add sophistication and depth. A special of pesto-crusted striped bass ($26) over spaghetti squash got a note of slightly salty contrast from prosciutto, all smoothed over by a Chardonnay sauce.

When I see Maryland crab cake on a menu, I usually sigh and try to skip it if something more interesting is available. Too often it’s just boring, boring, boring. Vine’s version ($12), happily, is anything but. It included peppers and came with a paper-thin-sliced radish/cucumber salad and a caper scallion remoulade that hit the high notes

. Vine also does well with classics. Exquisite wild mushroom bisque ($7), smooth and light, got a lilt from truffle chive creme fraiche. The word “colossal” in the chilled colossal crab meat cocktail ($15) turned out to be no exaggeration. There was an impressive amount of tender, sweet crab in this one. It benefited from not only a cocktail dipping sauce, but also a zingy scallion horseradish sauce.

The meat on the braised beef short ribs ($27) fell off the bone just the way it should. There were no gimmicks here, just sauteed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes, with a Barolo wine reduction caress.

Desserts were alluring, from the lovely poached pear duo (one prepared in white wine, the other in red) with gingerbread cake and extravagant mascarpone vanilla bean gelato ($8) to flourless chocolate hazelnut praline tort with chocolate hazelnut-studded gelato ($8.50) and the warm chocolate cake nestling with pistachio gelato ($9). Gelato and sorbet are made in-house and can be ordered separately for $6.50.

The service left nothing to be desired. We were positively coddled by members of the staff, even those who weren’t serving our table, to make sure all was as it should be. Orders were taken with the proper decorum, everything arrived at the right temperature (no small feat) and empty plates got whisked away unobtrusively. It was a great feeling of security; we always knew help was at hand.

The descriptive menu included printed specials as well as a list of mostly California wines by the glass ranging from $7 for the Ruffino Chianti to $11 for the Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches. The roster of wines by the bottle was as well-done as one would expect at a restaurant of this caliber, offering good variety and prices. The decor is inviting, starting with the eye-catching red awnings. That note is matched in the interior, where red and orange, tempered by gray, predominate for a feeling of warmth. A pattern of circles and squares from mirrors and lights to the upholstery is offset by the softness of plants and flowers in niches and windows. The room is well sound-proofed and quiet enough to have subdued conversation. There’s a trendy separate small bar where you can grab a bite with your cosmopolitan if you want to do more than just drink.

With its new look, the place may not seem familiar to you, but it was once Girafe, a leading-edge fine dining restaurant in the 1980s and 1990s.

This incarnation breaks new ground gracefully and is an appropriate stop for those who want a fine meal in relaxing surroundings with just the right hint of excitement.