Now here’s a contest that you can really sink your teeth into: A vote on New Jersey’s best crab cake. Especially since Verona’s own Avenue Bistro Pub is one of the contenders.
Jersey Bites, an independent food news site, has paired with the New Jersey distributor of Folie A Deux Sonoma Wines for a face-off between 19 restaurants from all across the state. Avenue Bistro and Above Restaurant & Bar in South Orange are the only two Essex County contenders.
Crab cakes are a signature special at Avenue Bistro, simply sauteed and presented by Chef Michael DiIonno with a roasted pepper remoulade. And Chef Michael is no stranger to tough competition. Last October, he won Food Network’s cooking competition “Chopped”.
But he needs to do more than just impress a panel of judges in the this competition, and that’s where you come in. Click on the contest page on Jersey Bites’ Web site and vote for Avenue Bistro. You’ll need to register first, but that only takes about 10 seconds. Alas, the contest only allows one vote per registrant.
You have until September 8 to vote. The three restaurants with the most votes will be invited to a September 24 cook-off at the Viking Cooking School in Harrah’s Casino, Atlantic City.
