The Artful Diner - Jocelyne's Restaurant Review Maplewood NJ New Jersey

New Jersey Restaurant Review

Jocelyne's
Restaurant Now Closed
168 Maplewood Avenue
Maplewood, Essex County, New Jersey
(973) 763-4460

By The Artful Diner
Special to New Jersey Online
9/8/2003

Before Jocelyne's appeared on the scene, this Lilliputian storefront was home to several intriguing restaurant incarnations... First of all, there was Terra Cotta, an eclectic bistro with a slapdash assortment of gastronomic and decorative oddities. Like a talented but frustrated opera singer, this eatery aimed for the proper note but never seemed to score a direct hit. Some presentations were beautiful to behold, but the ingredients didn't quite mesh. Others were incredibly delicious, but their component parts had obviously been allowed to free-fall onto the plate from twenty thousand feet.

The long-running Terra Cotta was followed by an extremely short-lived establishment whose ephemeral existence was undoubtedly due to the fact that it never caused much of a stir among the Garden State's hired belly brigade. This was particularly true of Fran Schumer, former restaurant critic of the New Jersey section of the NY Times, who spent a good deal of her review moaning and groaning about an incapacitated espresso maker.

The currnet incumbent, of course, under the loving care of proprietors Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell Altholz, is another story entirely. Named after Mr. Altholz's wife, Jocelyne, a former college professor and graduate of the Sorbonne, this tiny bit of Paris nestled in the midst of picturesque Maplewood Village will surely steal your heart as well as assuage your appetite.

Jocelyne herself, of course, sets just the proper tone. The epitome of understated charm and grace, she smiles as you enter, escorts you into a rustically-adorned, diminutive (43-seat) dining room embellished with crisp white napery, and wishes you Bon Appétit. And members of the wait staff have obviously been trained to follow in the proprietor's cordial and courteous footsteps. They are competent, professional, and, perhaps most important of all, completely unobtrusive. They always seem to be there when you need them, but you won't find them hovering at your shoulder or chattering incessantly in your ear.

The cuisine is a gastronomic mirror image of the ambiance: urbane but also comfortingly down to earth. Night after night on his seasonally-changing menu, Mr. Altholz, a graduate of the CIA and alumnus of such illustrious kitchens as Maxim's in Paris and Paul Bocuse in Lyon, weaves together an exquisite culinary tapestry lovingly and imaginatively imbued with the freshest possible combinations of ingredients.

When asparagus is in season, for example, the chef eschews the well-traveled grilled and vinaigrette routes and transforms the tender puréed spears into two marvelous soups. The white asparagus ($7.50) is enlivened with smoked salmon; its verdurous sibling ($8.00) is redolent of thyme and awash with wild mushrooms. Both are mellifluent of countenance and intensely flavorful of disposition... but contain not a drop of heavy cream.

Infinitely more decadent is the rabbit ravioli ($10.00), perfectly textured pasta pockets luxuriating in a pool of foie gras broth. Silky morsels of foie gras and delicate shavings of fresh black summer truffles complete this extravagant feast for the palate.

In a similar vein, a warm island of peekytoe crab is surrounded by a sumptuous sea of sorrel sauce awash with salsify and mushrooms ($11.00). The crabmeat is of the highest quality, rich and succulent, and the sorrel a wonderfully sensuous and satisfying companion.

My favorite among the appetizers, however, is what Mr. Altholz refers to as he "Parfait of Provençal Vegetables" ($8.50). It is, in reality, a tightly formed disc consisting of several layers: a base of chopped spinach, a middle tier of diced peppers & eggplant, and a tiara of goat cheese. Thus assembled, it is passed briefly under the broiler and accompanied to table by squiggles of aged balsamic vinegar and tiny tangle of assorted greens.

Entrées continue the chef's winning ways. And if you are at all carnivorously inclined, the American rack of lamb ($28.50) should be at the very top of your dining agenda. Dusted with porcini mushrooms and separated from the bone in the kitchen, a heady thyme sauce provides the perfect accompaniment to the thick, luscious medium-rare slices... ditto a voluptuous potato gratin and crunchy array of haricots verts. This is truly a benchmark bistro presentation... As is the tender and exceedingly flavorful filet mignon ($27.00) aided and abetted by a lusty Bordeaux wine sauce and roasted shallots.

Matters piscatorial are also handled with a deft and discerning hand. The wild Alaskan king salmon ($22.00) is cooked through, precisely as ordered, set on a plush pillow of melted leeks, and encompassed by a lobster sauce that provides just enough richness to consummate rather than convolute the contrasting flavors of its assertive companions.

The pristine pan-roasted filet of East Coast halibut reclining on a bed of French white beans ($23.00) is also highly recommended. Given the bland character of both the legumes and the halibut, this dish could quite easily have been remarkably uninspiring. But the incorporation of petite peas and morsels of zesty chorizo into the mix, as well as a generous infusion of fresh basil sauce, succeeds in capturing the palate in a wonderfully invigorating embrace.

And the black sea bass is yet another coup for the kitchen. Perfectly pan-seared, moist and flaky, it arrives at table in the company of a variety of culinary accoutrements. On one occasion, it is kissed ever so gently by a mango-truffle vinaigrette ($21.00); on another, a Meyer lemon emulsion provides a most hospitable backdrop to showcase the filet's considerable natural attributes ($20.00).

Desserts ($7.00) are completely compatible with all that has gone before. There are no major surprises, but all are quite homey and well made. A lovely individual apple tart is accompanied by a dollop of homemade cinnamon ice cream in a crisp tuile. Other house-made ice creams putting in solo appearances are similarly presented.

The Napoleon of fresh fruits is comprised of two layers of Chantilly cream dotted with sliced fruits sandwiched between three almond-hazelnut tuiles. There is infinitely more cream than fruit... Calorie counters, consider yourselves forewarned.

The restaurant also offers a selection of domestic and imported cheeses ($9.50), as well as potent jolts of espresso ($2.50).

If certain financial considerations prohibit your jetting off to Paris in search of a suitable scratch for your gastronomic itch, you will find Jocelyne's a most enjoyable -- and certainly less expensive -- sojourn. Just be advised... given the spatial limitations and the immense popularity of this charming establishment, reservations should be made well in advance.

Cuisine: French
Hours: Dinner: Weds - Sun, 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY
Credit Cards: AX, MC, V
Attire: Smart Casual
Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in the restaurant.
Reservations: Essential
Parking: Street parking and nearby municipal lots
Alcohol: BYOB
Price: Moderate/Expensive
Handicapped Accessible: Everything on one level; one table designed for wheelchairs