3-Star Khyber Grill; NJ Cheap Eats; Oysters & Mushrooms

Lots of reasons to visit the New Jersey Monthly website right now:

• My glowing review of Khyber Grill in South Plainfield, an Indian restaurant that manages to set itself apart from its many kin along Oak Tree Avenue.

• 74 places around the state to dine well for $15 or less. I contributed 11 of the entries to Cheap Eats, and I’d love to know your recommendations.

• Your chance to vote for your favorite Jersey restaurants in the magazine’s annual restaurant poll.

Eat Oysters, Win a Trip for 2 to the Caribbean, Help Fight Cancer – All at the Same Time

Oysters, opened, ready for consumption, raw (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sunday February 3rd is not just the Super Bowl, it’s Oyster Bowl XIV, the big event before the bigger event. How many oysters can you down in 2 minutes? The all-time record is 102 (accomplished by a tiny woman, I think), but you’ll only have to beat the other contestants that show up for this year’s competition. You can always go and just watch (and catch a good meal), but there are tons of prizes in addition to the trip, and all proceeds go Komen for the Cure. Festivities run from 11 am to 2 pm at the Blue Point Grill in Princeton. Details – and to register as a contestant – here.

Shibumi Farm Mushrooms in the Spotlight at Brothers Moon

Shibumi Farm Mushrooms

This is my second mention within a month of the fantastic cultivated exotic mushrooms of Princeton’s Alan Kaufman on my website – that’s how good they are. Chefs from New York (hello, Daniel Boulud) to DC have discovered them. You can get an idea of the range and quality at two special 4-course dinners starting at 6 pm on Wednesday, January 30 and Wednesday, February 20 at the Brothers Moon in Hopewell.

Dishes (including dessert) feature pioppino, maitake, lemon oyster and grey oyster, shiitake, and lion’s mane mushrooms. Cost is $49. Check out the full menu here.