The Restaurant In New Jersey Where Every Meal Is A Chef’s Surprise

Many of New Jersey's best restaurants have extensive menus, where you can come back time and time again to try the whole thing. Cafe Matisse in Rutherford also wants you to come back more than once - but that's because the menu will likely never be the same twice! Cafe Matisse is a prix fixe restaurant in New Jersey that specializes in seasonal French cooking. Chef and owner Peter Loria uses the best and freshest ingredients to put new twists and time-honored classics, and presents them all in a four-course tasting menu. You'll usually get a choice of three items in each course, so you can come back to try other options, but the menu shifts with the Chef's inspiration - and gourmets who cross the colorful threshold of Cafe Matisse wouldn't have it any other way.

The charming, multi-colored front of Cafe Matisse makes you feel like you're in a small French village, and that's just the beginning.

Inside, the quaint cafe is covered with works of art - the perfect place for a meal where most of the plates look like edible works of art!

The first course tends to be complex composed small plates, like this plate of pan-fried artichoke hearts with feta and cheese and prosciuttio.

The fish courses are light, with powerful accents. This halibut filet is accompanied by toasted cauliflower and basil pesto aioli.

Meat courses tend to be hearty, with some special accompaniments like this plate of veal filet medallions wrapped in parma ham.

Even the steak gets dressed up here, if you're in the mood for meat and potatoes. The Chef has given this peppered sirloin an accompaniment of short rib ragu and lobster mashed potatoes.

The desserts usually take a classic and dress it up with a unique twist, like this brownie with cannoli cream, chocolate mousse, and cherry marshmallow fluff.

During the warmer months, you can have your dinner outside in the garden - which is a completely different form of living art!

Have you visited Cafe Matisse in Rutherford? Let us know what you thought of this unique prix fixe restaurant in New Jersey in the comments section. If you want to know what the chef is cooking up right now, make sure to visit the official Cafe Matisse website and Facebook page. For another restaurant where the menu changes every day, check out this humble cafeteria-style Middle Eastern restaurant.