Restaurant Reviewer Elisa Ung finds All-natural meals in Ridgewood

Wholesome foods on the menu

Sunday, November 1, 2009
Last updated: Sunday November 1, 2009, 2:34 PM
By ELISA UNG
RESTAURANT REVIEWER

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Here and there, we're starting to see the adjectives crop up on menus. Wild salmon. Organic vegetables. Grass-fed meat. All-natural, free of hormones or preservatives. For those who care about where their food comes from, it's slowly getting easier to dine out in North Jersey.

We went in search of places that are starting to integrate these ingredients into their cooking. And what we largely found were a delightful array of fresh, robust flavors that, refreshingly, tasted like real food.

Monday: Organic Tofu House
This simple Korean restaurant tucked into a little strip mall next to Whole Foods uses organic tofu for its 18 kinds of soft tofu casseroles (all $8.99), which are the heart of the small menu. All other dishes — like the meats, fried pancakes and dumplings — are made with conventional ingredients, according to manager Sung Song.

The panchan — the customary little dishes of fish cakes, salad, kimchi and sprouts — was fairly standard. So were the fried dumplings ($5.99). But the tofu was exceptional, with a silky, clean taste. Soft chunks arrived bubbling with broth in an individually sized casserole dish and your choice of anything from mussels to kimchi to cheese. You crack an egg inside and stir — it's excellent comfort food for a chilly fall day. 88 Godwin Ave., Ridgewood; 201-251-7734

Tuesday: Pizza Fusion
Should you walk into Pizza Fusion not knowing its concept, never fear. Words like "renew," "sustainable" and "organic" shout at you from the walls. Blazed across the menu is the slogan: "Saving the earth, one pizza at a time!" And there are organic dog treats you can take home.

Most of the ingredients that make up the salads, sandwiches and pizzas are organic, like most of the vegetables, the focaccia and the tomato sauce. The most popular item is the Farmer's Market pizza ($9 for a personal-size pie), with roasted zucchini, portobello mushrooms, red onion and roasted artichoke hearts; we chose ours with a multigrain crust and were pleased with the balance of flavors. And our free-range roasted chicken sandwich ($8.50) featured moist house-roasted chicken and a bright tomato sauce.

Prices are slightly higher than they would be at your average pizzeria, but owner Jeff Morin says his customers are largely willing to pay more for ingredients free of pesticides and hormones. "You're taking care of your body better," he said. 33 Godwin Ave., Ridgewood, 201-445-9010, pizzafusion.com

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