OPEN:
OPEN: —About a month ago, we reported restaurateur Russell Stern’s Closter new Stern and Bow would open “soon(ish).” As of Monday, the 155-seat restaurant is fully open, with emphasis on “full,” as Stern & Bow isn’t so much a regionally-focused culinary experience but more a patchwork of some of Stern’s favorite cuisine categories, well-chosen to avoid a scattered menu. Think brawny, seasonal, regional American—big bold flavor, seasonal product, a dash of southern inflection and repeat appearance of seafood, i.e. Big Easy Prawns with Stone Ground Grits and Smoked Chilies, Jersey Farm Minestrone, Short Sleeve Genovese Pasta with Slow-Braised Beef Ragu, Fishermen’s Stew with Aioli Toast. There are also wood-fired pizzas and an expert-curated oyster and shellfish selection at the 33-foot-long...