Jersey Grown

I am from New Jersey.  Gasp. 

I grew up in the sleepy, safe, bucolic Central Jersey town of Hillsborough and despite the state's reality TV reputation, I had an extremely lovely childhood.  But my wonderful adolescent years notwithstanding when I go home to visit the 'rents nowadays I find the restaurant options to be few and (literally) far between.  Until recently when we discovered One 53 in the neighboring town of Rocky Hill.  Nestled down a sleepy country-town road this spot attracts both the Princeton Sophisticates and the Rural Glitterati who not only favor farm-to-table but actually live next-door to the food purveyors themselves.  The restaurant is a welcome oasis in the country with suburban prices but city level cuisine.


We began the evening with a shockingly reasonable (for a Super Tuscan) 2008 Brancaia Super Tuscan which was not only an incredible value but it was rich, full and easy to drink.  An order of the blister roasted red Shishito Peppers with complex Romesco sauce (red pepper, onion, garlic, EVOO, white vinegar and almond puree) was spicy and flavorful with a fantastic kick.  The grilled Romain Caesar Salad is consistently excellent -- grilling the greens creates a subtle smokey flavor that compliments the acidic anchovy vinaigrette.


The meat of the meal included a perfectly cooked pink to the edges medium-rare burger complete with shoe string fries and homemade "first field Jersey ketchup" (and we know how I feel about homemade ketchup).  The Seared Day Boat Scallops with local Kerr's Kornstand corn and edimame succotash was sweet and light yet satisfyingly filling.

The meal was capped off by another of Kerr's Kornstand delicacies - a grilled peach accompanied by decadent scoops of vanilla ice cream, dusted with caramel sauce and thin ribbons of fresh basil.  And as we sat there in the cozy room, a hub-bub of conversation and warm food filling the air inside while the dark, still, star-filled sky consumed the air outside, I sat back and breathed in my home town.  And as I sipped my wine, I was happy to know that I'll always have my own Jersey-grown retreat in my childhood's backyard. 

One 53
153 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, NJ 08553