My weekend with Michael White.

I recently had the pleasure of spending an extended weekend with Michael White. Figuratively. But our dalliance did involve not only one, not two, but three delectable meals and it brought me to different parts of the tri-state to enjoy different types of delicacies. Marea and Osteria Morini are Chef White's notable eateries. The former being the seafood forward temple to high end Italian cuisine. The latter is the well-executed home to traditional Northern Italian fare. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the experiences and was pleasantly surprised by how such different establishments could come from the mind and hands of one man...Chef Michael White.

Spaghetti crab, santa barbara sea urchin, basil
(Photo by Ted Axelrod)

Marea was an absolutely lovely uptown dining evening, particularly enjoyable for a seafood lover like myself. Upon first review, the menu was a little overwhelming, but I soon learned that it's hard to order wrong here. One of the reasons I was excited for Marea was because it was a stop on my quest to taste all the best Uni Pastas in NY and White’s version didn't disappoint (actually, it's hard to disappoint with fresh pasta, tomatoes and uni). The other sign of a great dining experience is when the dish on the table that you're least excited about ends up being one of the best. The safe sounding Striped Bass with citrus and candied pistachios was unexpectedly amazing and one of the moistest fish I've ever had.

Osteria Morini is the casual and trendy Soho trattoria as well as the recently opened NJ eatery. The setting at the two Morinis is a little noisier, the crowd is a little rowdier and the food was a little more down to earth. And while the two vibes are slightly different - Soho attracting a hip downtown clientele while the NJ spot is inviting for sophisticated suburban families - I found the food lived up to the hype at both. The menus are also slightly tailored to their audiences. In place of the fantastic antipasti skewers of lightly fried squid with lemon and the tender duck hearts with cherries in Soho, the NJ menu offers artisanal pizzas. But the pastas at both Morinis were delectable and really stole the show. The hearty tagliatelle with bolognese ragu, the delicate stacci pasta rags with wild mushrooms and the airy gnocchi in pomodoro sauce were delightful. All were delicate and flavorful and I was happy to stick a fork in each.

Clearly Michael White is doing something right in these kitchens. It's intriguing to see a great chef so effortlessly move between such distinct styles and settings and I know I'll always reminisce fondly of my weekend with Michael White. In fact I've already made plans for several repeat visits.

Marea

240 Central Park South

Osteria Morini

218 Lafayette Street

Osteria Morini
107 Morristown Road, Bernardsville, NJ