The Connections Warren Watchung Edition June July August 2021

theconnectionsnj.com PAGE 36 DINING & PROVISIONS Many of us love to dine out; it’s picking the place that’s a problem. Inevitably, the same old options—pizza, burgers, Asian, pizza again—start to feel a little stale after a while. Well, Somerset County residents and visitors will soon have an exciting new option to tempt their taste buds. Brasa Wood-Fired Grill, coming soon to Warren, is offering a unique spin on Portuguese-style BBQ with a modern NYC-style dining room to match. Brasa Wood-Fired Grill is the brain- child of Rob Olsen and Jason Francisco, who have many decades of combined restaurant business experience under their belts. Olsen and Francisco special- ize in marrying up amazing food with a contemporary, fresh dining experience and have had several successful restau- rants and bars in New Jersey and on NYC’s Upper East Side. The duo’s rst collaboration was on Latin Social Coci- na y Bar in the Financial District of NYC, which ended up being their inspiration to bring something new and different to Warren. So, what’s the menu like? Brasa will specialize in delectable Portuguese-style grilled food like chicken, steak, ribs, sh, veggies, and more, cooked exclusively on an open wood- red grill. “This type of cuisine is really not rep- resented in the area,” states Francisco, who has Portuguese roots himself. Olsen adds, “We’ll be utilizing a traditional Portuguese BBQ cook- ing method, but we will include traditionally Spanish and Brazilian items as well. Grilled meats will be featured front and center on the menu in addition to sh, salads, and tapas.” There will even be a Por- tuguese twist on Asian fried rice. Don’t expect Brasa’s cuisine to be like any Portuguese meal you’ve had before. “It will be a healthier version of barbe- que, and every single item will go on the grill, in one way or another,” Francisco says. “So even if it’s a sauce or a des- sert, various elements of it will have been grilled.” Brasa has also partnered with Hunter- don County’s Unionville Vineyards to of- fer their wines to guests. “We’re big on presentation and the whole dining expe- rience,” adds Francisco. “We’ll even up- scale our beverage options with not just the wine, but also unique mocktails.” Expect a cool, upscale NYC vibe in the Brasa dining room. “We’re bringing our NYC style to the suburbs. The dining room will have a modern, industrial look that’s completely different from your typ- ical Portuguese grill that’s mainly a take- out operation,” says Olsen. Brasa Wood-Fired Grill will be lo- cated across from the Warren library and municipal complex on 55 Mountain Boulevard with an anticipated opening for dine-in, takeout, and catering in ear- ly summer 2021. Visit www.brasawarren. com for more information. BRASA WOOD-FIRED GRILL 55 Mountain Blvd Warren NJ 07059 201-402-9095 brasawarren.com UNIQUE PORTUGUESE-STYLE BBQ RESTAURANT COMING TO WARREN By Kaylynn Ebner C C Somerset County residents and visitors will soon have an exciting new option to tempt their taste buds. Brasa Wood-Fired Grill, coming soon to Warren, is offering a unique spin on Portuguese-style BBQ with a modern NYC- style dining room to match. So, what’s the menu like? Brasa will specialize in delectable Portuguese- style grilled food like chicken, steak, ribs, sh, veggies, and more, cooked exclusively on an open wood- red grill.