This juicy steak was the best thing we ate in North Jersey this week

Summer is almost over.

The JCPenney back-to-school commercials are playing, the thirty-somethings are planning their last weekend trip to LBI and the staff at Mountain Creek are roping in their waterpark buoys and brainstorming how they're going to make "snow" stick in November.

I'm not crying, you're crying.

The good news, however, is that even though the best season of the year might technically be ending (according to the school calendar and science), the warm weather will still be around for at least another month.

So, pro tip? Go to all those bougie town lakes and country club beaches that normally need memberships. After this weekend, the lifeguards will be gone and you can finally hit the water like you're part of the Bergen County elite.

Personally, you can find me at Island Beach in Mountain Lakes.

Here are three things I ate in North Jersey this week that taste as sweet as gaming the private beach system.

Fig & Mascarpone French Toast, Guzzo's BakeHouse

Sticky fig jam and sweet mascarpone cheese come together over two decadent layers of homemade challah bread in this Guzzo's BakeHouse special. Called (appropriately) the Fig & Mascarpone French Toast, the dish is one of many innovative creations the team offers to Haworth locals.

When I tried it, I was impressed by the softness of the toast, the freshness of the fruit and the way the rich mascarpone melted over the stack like cream cheese frosting on a cinnamon roll.

Though it was the bakery's outrageous "breakfast charcuterie board" that ultimately went viral when I featured Guzzo on Instagram , this gooey, lavish meal deserved all the likes.

Go: 149 Terrace St., Haworth; 201-685-5360, guzzobakehouse.com .

Picanha (top sirloin), Leblon Steak

Steak is a difficult food to nail, because — apart from some salt and pepper (or occasionally a few other seasonings) — its taste relies solely on two things:

1. The quality of the supplier of the meat
2. The cook on the meat

In other words, if one of those components is off? It sucks.

Luckily, though, Leblon Steak in Hillsdale generally gets those two things right. From filet mignon to beef rib, each cut of meat the chefs at the rodizio serve is fresh and juicy.

As expected at a Brazilian steakhouse, however, the picanha is easily the tastiest protein on the menu. Taken from the cow's top rump, the section of beef is surrounded by a fat cap that keeps it more tender and flavorful than competing cuts.

And, at this all-you-can-eat churrascaria (Brazilian barbecue restaurant where meat is grilled and served table-side on skewers), the coveted cut is always medium rare.

Go: 295 Kinderkamack Rd., Hillsdale; 201-367-1623, leblonsteak.com .

Miso Cod, DOMODOMO

DOMODOMO might be one of my favorite Garden State restaurants. An upscale — yet young and trendy — Japanese spot in Jersey City, the date-night go-to serves incredible dishes with flavors, plating and ingredient quality to rival any in Manhattan.

That caliber of cuisine comes as no surprise, however, from a restaurant that actually does have a location in Manhattan. Visit the Jersey outpost, though, and indulge in eight courses of the chef's signature dishes without the NYC waits, elitism or obnoxious parking scenario (there's a lot across the street!).

Each time I enjoy the team's DOMAKASE (seasonally-rotating tasting menu that only costs $89), I'm blown away by a parade of melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, creative appetizers and elegantly designed desserts. The meal always peaks, though, with the chef's signature miso cod.

Featuring a skin-on filet of flawlessly-cooked fish with a buttery miso sauce, the acclaimed course is an absolute must-try.

Go: 200 Greene St., Jersey City; 201-267-0222, domodomojc.com .

Hungry for more?

Want more on this week's latest food news? Check out some of my best articles at NorthJersey.com/food .

Until next Saturday — have a great Labor Day weekend, North Jersey.

Here's hoping you get all the grilled corn, crisp-skinned hot dogs and cool ranch Doritos your heart desires.

Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats , and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter .

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: This juicy steak was the best thing we ate in North Jersey this week