Bay Street Urban Chicken

The sudden closure of Little Saigon in Montclair late last year disappointed many, and raised questions as to why. The spacious restaurant had been a familiar sight on the otherwise unremarkable Elm St. for four years, having moved there from Nutley, where it recovered from fire damage in 2003 but still plugged on bravely for a couple more years. I was pleased to discover that Little Saigon is still alive and kicking, and resurrected back in Nutley in January under the new name, Huong Viet, which means thinking of Vietnam.

Nestled among the stores on Passaic Ave is the restaurant, whose owner, Mr Quan Hua, explained that he closed shop in Montclair in November after its lease had expired.

"It (the rent) was too expensive in Montclair and there was no parking," said Mr Quan, a Baristaville resident for more than a decade. "We decided to come back to Nutley where it is cheaper."

As its name and extensive menu options suggest, Huong Viet is true to its Saigon roots. The restaurant isn't fancy, but the food was fresh, modestly seasoned and tasty. Vietnamese food is milder and less ear-ringing chilli-spiced than the food of its neighbor Thailand, though similar herbs and aromatic spices are used, and vegetables and noodle soups (or pho, recommended by friends who have dined there) are prominent.

Continue reading "Thinking of Vietnam: Huong Viet in Nutley" »

See the vibrantly colored truck. Hear the beat of Latin music. Savor the tastes of Cuban cuisine. Lynna Martinez and Marilyn Sanchez have taken their driving passion for Cuban food mobile in Montclair.

You may have spotted the turquoise truck near Montclair High School at lunch time, or at Watchung Plaza in the evening. "qba" has made five "test drives" on the streets of Montclair and Martinez expects to be in high gear starting Monday, March 8.

Empanadas, small meat-filled pies, lechon (cuban pulled pork), ropa vieja (shredded beef in sauce), meatballs, and the cubano sandwich are just some of the dishes cooked and served from QBA's roadside truck. Prices range from $3 for appetizing snacks to $6 entrees of chicken, pork, or beef served with rice and beans. Hot chocolate, Cortaditos (cuban coffee with milk) and sweetened Cafe Cubano are all $1 each.

Martinez, who grew up in Miami, says she ditched the life of an investment banker in favor of a chef's toque. "This is a very exciting time for me as it has been my goal (since business school 1993) to launch the first contemporary Cuban QSR (quick service restaurant)." Martinez has invested her life's savings and every bit of soul into making qba Cuban Kitchen a reality."I'm just so happy to finally have the chance to serve my food and launch the inaugural --albeit mobile-- prototype for my restaurant in the town where I spent most of my adult life, Montclair. The lunch truck is at least providing a stepping stone for me - Chipotle Grill started as a lunch truck. It's my dream to be the first Cuban-American food franchise," Martinez told Baristanet.

The craze for gourmet lunch trucks, which started on the west coast and jumped to New York City, has got folks lining up on the streets for korean bbq to duck tacos to Belgian waffles to cupcakes. Gourmet lunch trucks are taking good cookin' to the streets in Jersey City, and I thank Montclair resident chefs Martinez and Sanchez for bringing the concept to Baristaville.

Starting next week, March 8, look for qba on Chestnut Street between 10 am and 2 pm, and at Watchung Plaza from 5-8pm. Soon qba will deliver. Call your order in to 973-687-2000. Follow qba on twtter: qbacubankitchen.

The servers at Red Mango, the new frozen yogurt franchise right next to the Clairidge on Church Street, are as sweet as can be. They'll happily give you samples of any flavor you ask for -- no matter how busy the restaurant is. The yogurt isn't quite as sweet, though that's by design. Red Mango bills its product as "real and authentic" yogurt, free of additives, corn syrup and gluten. It also uses the adjective "tangy" -- which is quite accurate. This is not the cloyingly sweet soft yogurt you're used to at airports and highway rest stops. Tangomonium, the citrusy flavor, is quite tart. You could even say it bites back. But the Pomegranate flavor hits the edge of sweet and tangy just right. Want even sweeter? Try the fruit parfaits, where the yogurt comes mixed with fruits, berries and other crumbles. There's also a topping bar if you want to choose your add-ins.

Continue reading "Yogurt With a Bite at Red Mango" »

Update: Financing this fundraiser, after the jump.

I've been to quite a few wine pairing dinners, and I've been to a couple of beer pairing events, but a Cru vs. Brew?

Amanti Vino owner Sharon Sevrens wanted to put together "the wine and beer event of the year," so she's called in the big guns to keep our favorite Top Chef company at a Wine and Beer Competition Dinner - open to the public on March 23. Ariane Duarte of CulinAriane has composed a stellar menu that complements both wine and beer.

Pouring the brew, is Brooklyn Brewery's Brewmaster Garrett Oliver; tipping the "cru" is Fred Dexheimer, one of 168 professional wine dudes worldwide who has risen to the ranks of Master Sommelier.

Dexheimer and Oliver will pit their respective expertise against each other alongside Ariane Duarte's amazing gastronomical line-up.

The theme of this event is a competition...Fred and Garrett are selecting a wine (from Amanti Vino) and beer (from Brooklyn Brewery) to pair with each of the chef's challenging, mouth watering courses described below.

At the conclusion of each course, a panel of judges will evaluate the success of Fred and Garrett's pairings and select a winner. Sevren will also poll the audience after each course and will include their vote in the tabulation.

Continue reading "Cru vs. Brew Fundraiser " »

Fancy some Toast all through the week? The favorite haunt of breakfast, brunch and lunch, located on Bloomfield Ave, is holding a pancake promotion for the rest of the month, beginning Tuesday (Feb. 23).

Specials include 50% off all pancake orders that day and a whole ream of new recipes, including red velvet pancakes, bacon double cheese pancakes, pancake with whipped maple marscapone and bananas, and double chocolate chip hazelnut pancakes. The pancake specials will run through Feb. 28.

For details, call Toast at 973.509.8099

Toast
700 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair
973.509.8099

(Thanks to Toast for the photos)

As we reported last week, the Starbucks next to Whole Foods in Montclair will be pouring its last latte a week from Friday, on Feb. 26. Whole Foods, which is expanding into the space, will be opening up its own coffee-teria, Allegro Cafe. But don't expect the kind of place that you can sit with your laptop for hours.

Montclair Whole Foods marketing director Matt Hare says the cafe will be part of the store, probably where the floral section is now, and there will probably be seating for ten at stool-height tables near the window.

The space occupied by the Starbucks now will become a new food aisle, which will allow the store to offer an olive/antipasti bar and to expand its frozen offerings.

Continue reading "Life After (the Whole Foods) Starbucks" »

Update 1/26/10: The Bloomfield Ave. Starbucks closing was announced to staff today. Last lattes will be poured on 2/26/10.

Starbucks' baristas on Bloomfield Avenue have been spilling the beans for a couple of weeks, and yes, the coffee shop is closing. That leaves Montclair with two corporate latte palaces. Their final brew date is not certain, but it will probably happen by March. Just this morning, a reader blogged about a random act of coffee kindness at this very location...Whole Foods manager Matt Hare has been cagey about how they intend to use the space (we're thinking a sit-down cafe) and sent us this statement: "Whole Foods Market Montclair is finalizing plans to acquire the space adjacent to our store due to the closing of its current occupant, Starbucks. Future plans are under development to expand our current Montclair location to include this space."

Celebrity chef Ariane Duarte and husband Michael have finally expanded CulinAriane to accomodate the endless pilgrims trekking to this food Mecca. The softly lit room glows in a beautiful gold-ochre. Michael told us they are 50% bigger, accommodating 44 diners. Still, you'll need to book three weeks in advance to get a table. That is, unless you are a member of Orange Lawn Tennis Club, where, starting mid-February, Ariane and Michael will be spreading their culinary charm. "We started out last year as OLTC's exclusive caterer, and now they've invited us to take over the kitchen," says Michael. Now that's what I call a real kitchen revival...The club restaurant will be open to members four nights a week, and eventually OLTC may open it up to the public as a sort of dinner club.

Continue reading "Baristaville Foodie News" »

Bloomfield's restaurant scene just became more delicious with the addition of Bar Cara, which opens tomorrow, Saturday, January 23. Occupying the former Toscana on Broad Street, Bar Cara is an ambitious enterprise of the talented De Persio family, who for years, they've been pleasing palates in Montclair at their upscale Italian restaurant, Fascino. The name Bar Cara is an anagram of their names - Cynthia, Anthony, Ryan, Anthony.

"We'll be serving traditional Italian food, like my grandmother makes, with a few twists," says chef-owner Ryan De Persio. The entire place has a new contemporary look, "casual, with a New York vibe."

Continue reading "Bar Cara Opens In Bloomfield" »

Classically-trained chef Justin Gaines, born and bred in Montclair and whom we mentioned here last week, was the winner of Tuesday (Jan. 19) night's episode of the Food Network's Chopped series, a culinary competition pitting the skills of four chefs against the clock, each other, and baskets of mystery ingredients.

"There was a lot of drama in that episode," Gaines told Baristanet today, describing the pre-recorded show which, contractually, he couldn't discuss until after it had aired. "I had the attitude of going in to win it, but now, I'm humbled by everyone's response to it."

His mom Cathy said, "I am elated and so proud! This is the fruit of my labor as a single parent, and of what I've worked for, for the last 29 years - to see my kids become successful."

Gaines, 28, who was "cooking every day after school, then doing homework," and who started out as a student who washed the dishes at Enzo's pizzeria, performed consistently throughout the courses, demonstrating his classical training at the Culinary Institute of America.

Continue reading "Justin Gaines, of Montclair, Wins on TV's Chopped" »

It was with great interest that I, and many others in the 'hood, watched and waited as Chia Asian Bistro on Bloomfield Ave slowly took shape and eventually opened late last year, as I had yet to find a satisfactory local Chinese restaurant that would obviate the need to traipse into Chinatown in NYC.

Chia, which promises a Southeast Asian twist on dishes, couldn't be better located, being within a few minutes' walk of bustling Church St, with its fine selection of wine, clothing, coffee and candy stores.

The restaurant, replete with an airy dining room and a separate banquet room for party bookings, is tastefully decorated, with dark cherry wainscotting and generous windows welcoming in large swathes of natural light.

Wallpaper in a deep jade, on which a Mandarin poem gracefully repeated itself in silver lettering, was mesmerizing and added a soothing touch to the dining room's tenor. In the banquet room next door, the wallpaper was calligraphed equally fetchingly, this time with repeated motifs of oriental-style kettles.

Wide, polished wood planks adorned the floor in a dark stain, tables and sturdy cushioned chairs of walnut wood kept up the earthy theme, and a single, exotic flower in a vase stylishly accented each table.

Continue reading "Chia Asian Bistro Offers Tasty Food in Stylish Setting " »

An elegant dinner and wonderful wine pairings with friends, in a French Norman-style chateau, sounds like a dreamy evening you might have while vacationing in Northern France, non? How about this Thursday night -- no plane ticket required?

Tucked away in a corner of West Orange, on a 40-acre estate is the magnificent Pleasantdale Chateau, recently designated an historic landmark. I recently visited the stunning former summer home of Allied Chemical industrialist C.W. Nichols, built at the turn of the century by European craftsmen. The mansion, an authentic reproduction and one of the few remaining examples of Norman architecture, is a spectacular display of artisan craftsmanship and luxurious comfort.

Inside the gorgeous, antiques-filled dining room, I imagined what it might be like to actually be served dinner there. Since the Knowles family, owners since 1994, only rents out the facility for weddings and corporate retreats, I figured, dream on.

Mais non! I learned there is a way to experience the old world grandeur - and with friends!

Continue reading "Wines Of Spain Dinner At The Chateau" »

Cookbook author Chad Carns, recently featured on Toni On! (WPIX) and Marie Claire magazine, will demonstrate how to grill Korean BBQ steak in 20 minutes or less, at culinary superstore Chef Central in Paramus, on Jan. 9th at 11am. Carns, once a Hoboken resident who now lives in Greenwich Village, will describe how his new cookbook, The Gourmet Bachelor, makes light work of recreating international dishes at home, with a few ingredients bought at local markets.

Carns said he will display, at Chef Central, how an inexpensive piece of meat can be cut in such a way that it will be as tender as sushi. It will be marinated simply with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame seed oil and sugar, and grilled for two minutes a side. The audience will have a chance to taste it, too, and give their verdict.

Carns, who is 33 and married, says he put his award-winning graphic design career on hold to write TGB, which is packed with vivid photography, slick black pages, simple cooking instructions and includes an essential wine guide paired with 20-minute gourmet recipes. The recipes were written to impress his girlfriend on Friday nights, he said, adding, "It worked, because we're married."

His passion for cooking grew out of helping his grandmother make pasta, and from a background of family cooks. TGB, he says, is perfect for anyone who enjoys juicy burgers, as well as Thai, Japanese and Korean food or butter-poached lobster.

The Gourmet Bachelor: Global Flavor, Local Ingredients
Paramus Towne Square
240 Route 17 North,
Paramus, NJ 07652
201.576.0100
(free demo and samples)

If you want to celebrate a friend's birthday or just hang out with your laptop, there are two little places in Caldwell I can recommend. Rockn' Joe Coffeehouse at 339 Bloomfield Ave. is a spirited little bistro covered with photo albums and other rock-n-roll memorabilia, and while baby-boomer oriented, it looks like it would easily withstand a posse of kids. Tasty Coco Bistro and Dessert Lounge (shown left), just down the street at 291 Bloomfield Ave., has a similar menu but a slightly more grown-up feel. A friend who accompanied me to both places this week said Rockn' Joe reminded him of Williamsburg (Brooklyn, not Virginia), while Tasty Coco reminded him more of Greenwich Village.

Both restaurants are sun-drenched, friendly and have wifi. Either place will let you linger for hours.

Continue reading "Let's Have Coffee in Caldwell" »

West Orange is hardly lacking in Irish pubs. Those of us who take Harrison Ave. to Eagle Rock Ave. as a regular shortcut, pass The Hat all the time. And Gaffer's Pub is right around the corner on Main Street. Well, now this corner of West Orange is officially Little Dublin. Egan & Son's, the hugely popular Irish pub on Walnut Street in Montclair, is opening a second pub right next to The Life church on Harrison Ave. in West Orange.

Although all Irish pubs sport signs for Guinness, Egan's is planting its stake at the corner of Harrison and Eagle Rock as a place to eat as much as to drink. "We are very much food oriented," says co-owner Sharon Egan. "We like to consider ourselves a gastropub."

Continue reading "Egan & Sons, West Orange: A Peek" »

Need something inexpensive to fill up a stocking for a foodie? Or a hostess gift for next weekend? Here are two items you can get for $10 or less that are guaranteed to please the taste buds.

At left, Nicky Mesiah's small-size toffee (shown here, wrapped for Chanukah; also available in a Christmas theme): $10. Pick it up at any of these Montclair stores: Noteworthy, semplice, Chelsea Square, Jacklyn Kling or Piazza Della Sole. As a special incentive, only on Thursdays, you get a free homemade cookie for every box of toffee you buy.

And for the harried chef on your list, here's a sure-fire seasoning mix from Farm-2-Bistro's Michael Madigan, who's partnered with Christie Lukasiewicz to bring out a line of spice mixes under the name BAMF Seasonings. BAMF is an acronym for something we can't print in a family newsblog, but having used the original blend for the past two months as an all-purpose flavor aid, I can say it does live up to its name. You can buy it for $9.95 at Farm2Bistro, 177 Franklin Ave. in Nutley.

Madigan, a longtime food supplier to New York yachts, is celebrating the launch of BAMF with a BAMF New Year's Eve New York harbor cruise aboard the Royal Princess. There'll be a DJ, live music, passed appetizers, buffet, fireworks at midnight ... and of course BAMF samples as party favors. Tickets are $100 and $145.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Not all burgers are created equal, but why smash a burger?

I found out at Montclair's newest burger joint last weekend when I spoke with their corporate chef. "The French sear steak on a hot grill in a pat of butter, and flip it once. The less you handle the meat, the better. That's how we cook a smashburger." The smashing part, he told me, sears it better. Back in the kitchen I watched as line cooks smashed big balls of ground beef onto a hot buttered grill. No pre-pressed hockey pucks at Smashburger. They use a metal press which resembles large cookie cutter to flatten the meatball and start the sizzle.

Continue reading "Smashed On Bloomfield" »

Every week, I buy the bulk of my groceries at a local supermarket and then head over to Whole Foods for my meats, fish and produce. It's expensive, but buying quality organic food is important to me. Then I met Melina Macall. She is the founder of Boxed Organics, a local organic food co-op. I joined last week and received my first box yesterday. See my goodies at left.

Having children motivated Melina to feed her family healthy food. She wanted to avoid genetically modified food, but it wasn't so easy. The United States has no labeling process for GM foods, unlike in the UK where Melina grew up. The only way to avoid them was to buy certified organic food. It got expensive, so she started looking into food co-ops. While she was happy with the benefits of a co-op, the ones available weren't working for her family. She had four children under four and they weren't exactly big kale eaters. She wanted more of a variety of produce and more convenience for busy parents.

Nine years ago, she started her own organic food co-op and called it KFC, for Kid-Friendly Co-op, offering a good mix of produce for salads and cooking, a great fruit selection and pastured, organic eggs, all from local farms. She took out the expectation of a work commitment to make it easier for busy families and offered delivery. As word spread, more people wanted in, even those without children, so she changed the name to Boxed Organics.

Continue reading "Local Food Co-ops: Are They For You?" »

If your Thanksgiving turkey and accompanying feast somehow failed to wow, it's not too late to sharpen your culinary skills or pick up some new tricks by Christmas, Passover or Easter. Brookdale ShopRite holds cooking lessons, taught by professional chefs, with the current session running through March 2010. Prices are fetching, at $20 per 2-hour class and $35 per 3-hour specialty workshop, as are the menus, and you'll get culinary techniques, tips, hints on working within a budget, and the know-how to produce a veritable banquet for friends and family.

The mouthwatering catalog completely held my attention, while the promise of producing a Gordon Ramsay-standard beef wellington has just about confirmed a booking from me.

I'd be treading on tested ground as Annette Batson and her husband Anthony did a course together on a 'date night' and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Continue reading "Shoprite's Cooking Classes (and Prices) Look Tasty" »

How hard can it be to buy a turkey for Thanksgiving? Time-honored habit would send me directly to the nearest grocery store, wherein I look for a bird that's preferably organic, reasonably attractive (this helps its post-roast looks), and one which is transportable to the checkout counter without help from beefy store hands. But there are lots of variables to think of: frozen or fresh, organic, brined, kosher, oven-ready and seasoned, or cooked (catered) and then figuring out the damage your chosen bird will do to your wallet, per pound.

Continue reading "Turkey Malarkey: Where to Buy One, Fresh or Frozen" »

Montclair's Market Restaurant, the hot farm-to-table eatery in the tiny diner across from the Y, had practically outgrown its space the moment it opened. Although outdoor tables helped in the summer, its owners began searching for bigger digs in August. Now, the solution has been revealed. Market will be moving into the first floor of Church Street Kitchen in mid-December. Church Street Kitchen, meanwhile, will cease to operate as a walk-in restaurant, but will retain the second floor for private parties and expand its catering business.

"We become roommates," explained Church Street's Greg Spinelli, who will now do business under the name Church Street Catering. The move will almost triple Market's current capacity, from about 35 seats to 90 at Church Street.

Continue reading "Market to Move Into Church Street Kitchen" »

You can't miss Leela's bright awning on Bloomfield Avenue - Montclair's new and only restaurant serving cuisine from the island of Trinidad. Open only a week, owner Trevor Lee has transformed the space formerly occupied by Mango's, into a sparkling bistro, cheery with the golden colors of the Caribbean. Here, you'll find authentic dishes like accra cod fritters, callalloo, roti with curried oxtail, goat, and for the less adventurous, chicken, beef, shrimp and fish. You can also choose from an ample variety of entrees such as stewed oxtails, jerk chicken, fried fish, vegetable curry, and curried duck served with a side of rice, potatoes and channa, or dhaul and cabbage. Smells pouring out of the kitchen were rich and very tempting, although I didn't have a chance to sample. Leela's is open daily for lunch and dinner, serving until 10 p.m. Sunday - Thursday, and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

If you go, Trevor is offering 10% off orders of $10-$50, and 20% off orders of $50 or more. Just tell him Baristanet sent you!
Leela's is at 180 Bloomfield Avenue (down towards Montclair Firehouse). 973-744-8118 -- we'll update with the website as soon as it's available.

Chia Asian Bistro has just opened in the former Mama Giola's location. Michael Kao's new restaurant has a soothing interior of wood and grey walls covered with Chinese calligraphy, and red flowers on each table. Kao helped friends open Taro on Church Street (now closed) 11 years ago, and says he's happy to be back in Montclair with his own place. He describes the cuisine as "modern Chinese, with an influence from Southeast Asia." Some of the tempting appetizers are lobster egg roll, tuna martini (spicy tuna, cucumbers and avocado topped with roe), roast duck soft tacos. There are interesting salads, classic stir-fry, and Chia specialties such as lemongrass chicken, mango shrimp, Grand Marnier shrimp, and kimchee fried rice.

Chia is offering Baristanet readers 10% off dine-in or take out to celebrate their grand opening.

Chia is open daily for dinner, Monday-Saturday for lunch. 446-450 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair. 973 509-0799 -- we'll update with their website address when it's available.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Pat Turano, original owner of Bloomfield's Casa Turano and Montclair's Palazzo, has returned to Bloomfield with a family friendly bistro - Pizza Rustica. The grand opening party on Tuesday, Oct. 13, was a local happening - the house packed with friends, family, good tunes, and new customers. Turano and his hospitable wife filled everyone up with really good crunchy-thin crust pizzas served fast and furiously all night long. The white pizza with mushrooms and truffle oil, and the primavera, with fresh onion, tomato, and zucchini were my favorites. We also enjoyed a tasty penne vodka (earning big wows from the whole family), splashed down with lots of good red. I asked Turano how he dared open a new restaurant in a recession. He said, "no matter what's happening, everyone always buys pizza." Everyone had so much fun that Turano is considering making the music and plentiful pizza night a weekly event, which would really be smart. Stay tuned. Pizza Rustica is at at 1047 Broad Street, Bloomfield. Lunch and dinner, italian specialties, brick oven pizza, seven days a week. 973-338-1555.
-- B&W photos, Seth Wolfson; color photos, Annette Batson.

As someone who was born in Malaysia and has widely traveled and eaten her way through Southeast Asia, I was delighted to hear a restaurant called Pahang, after Malaysia's third-largest state, had set up shop on Bloomfield Ave in Verona. With readers asking to know more about it, I was only too happy to oblige, even as I appreciated the surrealism of the task - little-known Pahang (plucked out of Malaysia), in the thick of Verona (ditto, out of Italy), in New Jersey. A neat microcosm of the three continents I've lived in. Serendipity? No matter, I was ravenous.

Continue reading "Pahang Adds Sizzle To Verona Restaurant Scene" »

Those last tomatoes are about to peter out. But local mom Alison Bermack doesn't want you to suffer while you wait for next year's batch. Gather the autumn bounty and head to her seminar at Whole Foods. She'll talk about saving those farm fresh goodies.

"It's so hard to let go of these delectable tastes of summer," she said. "The corn, tomatoes, fresh herbs and peaches--I try to preserve whatever I can by cooking meals with friends." That's Alison at left with one of her kitchen buddies, Suzy Goodman.

As the founder of the Cooking With Friends website, she hosts local get-togethers where women make huge batches of goodies, freeze and share them. I participated in Sauce Night last winter, and I only have one word: Yum.

Alison will show everyone how she does it and share her favorite recipes on Thursday, October 1 at 7 p.m. at Whole Foods in West Orange. Cooking with Friends: Preserving What's Farm Fresh Now for Family Meals Later will give how-tos for making corn chowder, tomato sauce and other recipes. Call (973) 669-3196 to reserve a spot. The cost is $5 to cover ingredients.

You can also catch Alison at the Adult School of Montclair where she's teaching Cooking with Friends on November 17 from 7 to 10 p.m. She'll show how to cook and freeze in bulk. The cost is $35, register here.

It all began in Northport, a little village on the North Shore of Long Island, when two sisters and their mom began a weekly tradition of walking to the local penny candy store, each child clutching a dollar in her fist, ready to stock up on whatever their hearts desired.

"We were raised in a way that we were never denied anything, although we were encouraged to eat healthily," says Diana Tripoli, co-owner of Dulce (which hails from the Latin dulcis, meaning sweet), the candy store on Church St in Montclair that's been open barely a month. "This was such a treat for us, a fun outing, a tangible reward that tasted great and we were also excited by the visual aspect of it."

Continue reading "Dulce, A Sweet Spot on Church St " »

And here in Baristaville, there is no excuse for not satisfying a chocolate jones. Here are two popular choices. My son and I had a Holsten's craving Friday night and came away happy with a box that included jell rings, peanut butter cups and butter nut toffee crunch. Greg polished off the peanut butter cups and crunch, and I hogged all the chocolate covered jell rings for myself. (Photo by Greg Liscio)

Continue reading "No Such Thing As Too Much Chocolate" »

Robert and Mary Silvestri of Clifton don't just talk about how much they love fresh, homemade pesto. They've done something about it--they're on a mission to share their delicious Romarsi brand pesto with the world. Fortunately for us, they're succeeding. Along with daughters Carla and Alison, the Silvestri family is successfully selling their outstanding pesto as well as their wonderful kalamata olive tapenade at the Walnut Street Farmers Market and through supermarkets as well. The newest outlet is the Whole Foods Market on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair. Romarsi products can also be found in numerous high volume Shoprites in the area.

Continue reading "Local Pesto, Made With Care" »

When I found out that the snack bar at the Verona Park boathouse serves Middle Eastern food, I was intrigued, and decided to give it a try. When the manager/chef taking my order told me she was from Egypt, and my expectations soared.

I bypassed the traditional fast-food snacky menu of burgers, dogs, fries, and sandwiches, focusing on large photos of Middle Eastern fare. The Boathouse Cafe menu offers lots of choices - platters ($14-15) and sandwiches ($6-7) of pita with gyro, kebabs, and falafel. There are smallish sides of baba ganoush, houmous and tabouli ($6-10) and fattoush - a tomato/cucumber/onion salad enhanced with mint, garlic and lemon juice ($8). We decided on a falafel pita wrap ($6.50) and the chicken kebab platter ($14). After a bit of a wait, a friendly waiter delivered our meals lakeside.

Continue reading "The Boathouse At Verona Park" »

I recently hosted the Baristanet staff on my back deck for a "working lunch." There's no better way to get people to show up on their day off than to offer a free lunch, so it was up to me to make sure it was going to be really good.

As it turns out, we all love Thai food, and I'd been wanting to try out Spice Thai Cuisine on Belleville Avenue in Bloomfield. Spice Thai Cuisine is the successor restaurant to Sheree Sarabhayavanija's old Spice Thai restaurant, which moved to Montclair, across from the Wellmont, and is now flourishing as Spice II.

The new owner at the old Bloomfield location is Rodgee Cao, who brings a new chef, a new menu, and a pretty new dining room although he's kept both the name and the same clientele. And - full disclaimer - we first heard about the "new" Spice when Cao began advertising with us.

I asked Cao to deliver lunch for eight - and to surprise us with a sampling of his best dishes. It was a relief not to have to choose myself, however I did put in a few requests for chef Yada: a soup, some vegetarian, mostly mild heat, pad thai of course, and anything with lemongrass, basil, or mint.

Continue reading "Thai'd Up In The Kitchen With Spice" »

With the monsoon rains apparently taking a break, you could shake out the damp cobwebs on your outdoor grill, call your friends over and put it to use. But why not sip on a mojito instead and do it in style? Montclair's own star Italian restaurant Fascino will take the sweat, marination, food storage and cleanup out of the job for you and create a heavenly Tuscan barbecue spread right in your own back yard.

Continue reading "Fascino Brings Tuscan Sunshine to Your Backyard BBQ" »

It's official: Elevation Burger, will start serving up its organic, grass-fed, free-range hamburgers (starting at $3.79 for a single patty), at its first New Jersey location on July 28.

In addition to burgers, vegetarian burgers, vegan burgers and hand-cut fries cooked in 100% olive oil, you can indulge in thick shakes and soda floats made with hand-scooped Blue Bunny ice cream.

Located at 367 Bloomfield Avenue at the corner of North Willow Street, Elevation Burger will be open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Sundays. Seating includes individual tables along with a communal picnic table. After you eat, come back and tell us what you think.

We hear that future Elevation Burgers may land in Clifton, Paramus, Morristown and Summit.

Indian food has been a personal favorite for as long as I can remember. It whispers sweet nothings to my taste buds and leaves them longing for more. However, as a student on a limited budget, eating out is a rarity, especially when my significant other reminds me that the money I spend on eating out should be going towards the tab I've run up with him/rent/my school loans. But that's another story altogether.

Continue reading "Fancy Something Spicy? Indian Feasts Await " »

Baristanet readers have had a love affair with Mr. Cupcakes in Clifton since we wrote about it here. Talk of the rivalry between Montclair's Flour Patch Bakery came up here. True, the two cupcakes are opposites -- Flour Patch's dainty cupcakes are like whimsical works of art -- almost too pretty to eat. Mr. Cupcakes are the Hungryman's dinner of cupcakes, hefty with huge dollops of frosting that leave you satisfied. Then there's the cost difference; Flour Patch's frosted cupcakes start at $2 a piece; cookie topped versions are $5. Mr. Cupcakes are $1.50 each. Since Munchmobile's Genovese was not a real fan of either (which makes us concerned for him, although we'll give him props for recognizing the wonderfulness of the French Toast flavor, a fave breakfast treat), we ask you to pledge your cupcake allegiance. Take our poll in the jump; we've included Nutley's Petite Cafe in the mix, but feel free to choose the write-in option, and tell us where you sate your cupcake Jones in comments....

Continue reading "Dueling Cupcakes And A Killjoy" »

Happy Days are here again. The burgers, fries and shakes that recall that bygone Fonzie era are back in force. Pictured, the Crunchburger (an Angus beef patty with double cheese and potato chips) at Bobby's Burger Palace in Paramus' Bergen Town Center mall. One of Bobby Flay's string of burger joints, the BBP features sophisticated burger offerings, ginormous beer battered onion rings, sweet potato fries and shakes and malteds including classics like Black and White and the newbies Blueberry Pomegranate, Mango and Coconut. Full menu here.

Closer to Baristaville, sliders rule at Buffies Baby Burgers -- just a stone's throw away in Cedar Grove. The vibe here is more of a throwback to the '60s, with hot dogs, chicken nuggets and ice cream also on the menu.

Elevation Burger, which has the burgers-fries-shakes formula down, too, will open in Montclair within the next two weeks. The twist? Burgers are organic, grass-fed, free range beef. Besides a new burger spot downtown, the aforementioned Five Guys Burgers and Fries comes to Upper Montclair; the chain takes a spot in the Olympic building and has won fans over with a menu featuring burgers with a host of free toppings.

So you've got a lot of choices -- what's your best burger experience?

This admission could horrify many a grandmother, but our oldest son never knew what a sweet was until he was 6 years old. My fault, undoubtedly, as I didn't want him to inherit my debilitating sweet tooth. So, by 6, his palate for smoked salmon, pesto, sushi and fresh fruit was so determined, he had little interest in candy.

While he makes allowances for a little chocolate - which, incidentally, I believe, is congruous with a refined palate and healthy eating (all those flavonoids) - the word 'cake' doesn't quicken his pulse as much as the word 'computer.' This upsets me no end, since I am a maker, baker and incorrigible eater of the stuff (as readers of my blog, Divaindoors.com, know all too well.) Cake, that is, not computers.

Continue reading "Candy, Son? No Thanks! " »

We told you about Farm2Bistro, the Nutley restaurant that tries to buy all its ingredients locally, last fall. On Sunday, New York Times Jersey food critic David Corcoran reviewed it, giving it a "good" rating.

Amazingly, Corcoran never met the affable and usually omnipresent chef Michael Madigan, who was working on his yacht business one time Corcoran was visiting, and stuck in the kitchen the other time. Still, after interviewing the chef by phone later, Corcoran certainly got the flavor of the entrepreneur.

Continue reading "New York Times Discovers Nutley" »

Market, a delightful new produce-driven bistro in the old Greek Delights space, could be Montclair's first true farm-to-table experience. Owners Joshua Cederbaum and Adi Hecht and chef David Werner source most of their organic fruits and vegetables from sustainable farms in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The menu, chock full of what's freshest now -- ramps, fiddlehead ferns, shell beans -- is delicious in its pure flavors and simplicity.

Continue reading "Market Moves In" »

We're sorry to hear today that Daruma has closed their doors. The Upper Montclair joint posted a sign that stated:

"Due to unfortunate circumstances, we are forced to close Daruma at this time. Thank you for your patronage. We will miss you all!!!"

Well, it's not our fault. We were there on Saturday--their last day--spending lots of money. We went to Daruma for hibachi and sushi twice a month. It was the only place I can take my slobbering, 20-month-old fuss budget who screams and arches his back for no reason.

My baby loved it there. He would drink his miso soup, watch and be quiet. The twins were big fans, too. Yoko was so sweet to all of us. Yoko, if you're out there, goodbye and thank you!

Kung fooey. What are we supposed to do now? Drive to Route 46 to find a fireman to pee on our onion volcano?

In honor of the Thai New Year, Spice II is offering 10 percent off through Sunday, April 19. 399 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair.

Cafe Tartufo, the little cappuccino joint and gelateria on Broad Street in Bloomfield, has been through several incarnations. First it was a standalone restaurant with two rooms.Then one of the rooms was turned into a short-lived Mexican restaurant. Then suddenly there was a "closed" sign where Tartufo used to be and it disappeared for a while.

It has returned, a few doors down, a little smaller but with the same glass case full of Italian pastries and the reassuring poster of the caffeine-crazed coffee addict. But there is a new twist. Its Ecuadorian owners have started adding some Central American dishes to the menu - a nice addition to the sandwich and salad fare. My new favorite meal is Tartufo's plaintain soup, which is big enough to serve as a light meal, and at $3.95, a recession-friendly one. Chunks of plaintain float along with carrots and other vegetables in a savory broth, which is topped by parsley and fresh-made plaintain chips. Also on the menu, an Ecuadorian shell steak, served with a cilantro-based herb sauce and potato cakes, for $12.95.

Continue reading "Tartufo Rides Again" »

Talk about chefs putting Montclair on the national foodie map...First, there was Ariane Duarte, then there was Michael Carrino. Now, we hear another chef is about to be launched out of his Baristaville kitchen on to national TV. This summer, Marcell Veiga (left), head chef at Gencarelli's Cucina will go pan to pan against the likes of Mario Batali and Bobby Flay on "Iron Chef."

Raised in San Francisco and Miami, Marcell comes to Gencarelli's by way of Coral Gables, Florida where he was head chef at Les Halles. Cooking since he was a kid, his culinary style combines French and Italian influences. He told us he'll be practicing on new dishes this month, before the program is filmed. If you hit the right night at Gencarelli's you might find one of his new creations as a special. Good luck to Veiga. We'll be tuning in to Food Network on July 26.

Tell us where you're dining this weekend...

The just-opened Paramus Fairway is a short drive from Baristaville -- a straight 15-minute shot from Upper Montclair up the Parkway to 17. Inside, between Loehmann's and a Blimpie, are tens-of-thousands of square feet of great grocery shopping.

If you want it, they have it -- from niche ingredients like artisanal Argentine and Umbrian honey, to skyr yogurt from Iceland, plus the entire conventional grocery roster. For any single item, there are half a dozen options to choose from, not to mention whole aisles for kosher and gluten-free shopping. Most of the items I regularly buy--like Greek yogurt, the Silver Palate tomato sauce, even cat litter -- were 50 cents to $1 cheaper at Fairway.

Continue reading "Get A Taste Of Fairway Paramus" »

Ever since somebody asked for a section on Recession Recipes as part of a comment thread a few weeks, the idea has been bouncing around in my head. Well, I've asked for contributions on Facebook and also from some of my favorite local chefs. Two chefs came through, and I decided to make both recipes, from scratch, last night. I started at 6:15 pm at Whole Foods, not your obvious choice for a Recession Recipe shopping trip, but I stuck to my shopping list, adding only one discretionary item (half gallon of milk), and the check came to $30. Not bad for two dinners to serve a family of four. I had both of them on the table by 9 pm.

Continue reading "Chop Chop: Recession Recipes " »

A gourmet cheese shop with a huge selection from regional American dairies and abroad comes to Montclair at the end of March. Construction is almost complete at Tallmadge Cheese Market in the old Café Sultan space.

Owner Allin Tallmadge, a Verona resident and former Mac computer salesman, discovered "the amazing flavors of local Italian cheeses" on a trip to Tuscany a few years ago. Once back in the U.S., he dedicated himself to learning the ins-and-outs of cheese retail, studying with the area's foremost cheesemongers--at Artisanal and Murray's Cheese in Manhattan, then at The Cheese Shop of Ridgewood and finally at Eden Gourmet in South Orange.

A member of Slow Food USA and the American Cheese Society, Tallmadge is hopelessly passionate about cheese. He'll keep 125 to 200 cheeses on-hand, including Brie, Fontina Val d'Aosta (a nutty, easy-melting cow's milk cheese from northwest Italy), Cantal (sweet, milky cow's milk cheese from Auvergne, France), and small production runs from operations in the Northeast, Wisconsin, and California.

Continue reading "Tallmadge Cheese Market" »

Good luck to Chef Michael Carrino. Baristanet has learned that the top toque at Restaurant Passionné in Montclair will be featured on The Food Network's cooking challenge, CHOPPED on April 7th, 10 p.m. Chopped, hosted by Ted Allen (of Food Detectives and Queer Eye fame), challenges four chefs to turn some everyday ingredients into a winning three-course meal. Contestants get "chopped" after each course; the last chef standing wins $10,000.

What's your favorite food show and why?

I first passed Quincy's Place, an intriguing roadside eatery lit up with plain white Christmas lights, on New Year's Eve. I was on my way to hear Frank GG lecture at the Maplewood/South Orange First Night, and - as it turned out - Quincy's was part of his lecture on the history of the Oranges. Built originally as the DelAssandro Hotel in 1888, Quincy's sat at the base of a cable car line, which guests took to a lake atop the Watchung Mountains. As Quincy's menu explains, the cable cars stopped operating after one jumped the tracks and crashed into the hotel in the 1920's. Oh well. It was re-opened as Quincy's in 1996.

The place jogged a memory for me of a little tavern near Glen Echo Park, a former amusement park turned arts center in Maryland - a kind of out-of-the-way dive that served good chili. Quincy's Place, which I returned to with Frank in late January, had a similar ambiance and didn't disappoint. That is, it's an interesting place to go if you want a hamburger and a little micro-adventure. With an oversized gleaming wood bar backed by a huge mirror and flanked by TVs at either end, Quincy's exudes the kind of authentic old-fashioned feel that chains like Charlie Brown's and The Office can only hope for. This is an experience closer to Pal's Cabin, the Torn Hat or Star Tavern. Miraculously, neither the TVs nor the regulars are overloud, and the music on the stereo tends toward R&B.

Continue reading "Quincy's: A Roadside Tavern Just Down the Road" »

Bayou Grill, a new quick-service spot tucked into a strip mall in Verona, conjures Louisiana in name only. In fact, there is nary a hint of the Deep South anywhere on the short menu, a collection of griddled and made-to-order burgers, dogs, wraps and salads. The purpose here is utilitarian: feed locals, and fast. What you'll find is food that's a good step up from a traditional fast food chain.

Bayou Grill, an off-shoot of Mardi Gras Fine Foods, the long-lived catering company next door, occupies the space vacated by Amazing Hot Dog. There is not much to the long, narrow interior decorated with faux-antique kitsch, but there doesn't need to be. Take-out is available, as is free local delivery.

The menu consists of standards like burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, salads and specialty sandwiches. Bright spots include the Bayou Dog, a tasty, crispy-fried link topped with sweet sauteed onions, bell peppers and French fries. Despite being more Jersey than New Orleans, it's deliciously decadent, due in part to the wonderfully plump and spicy Thumann's hot dog.

Continue reading "Bayou Grill" »

Some restaurants earn a reputation for their food; others attract patrons with ambiance. The really good ones manage to score on both counts. The Orange Squirrel is one of the good ones. This new 50-seat restaurant in Bloomfield earned the distinction of receiving the most emailed tips to Baristanet from readers, telling us to go and check it out. Here's just one of the raves...

Run...do not walk to Bloomfield's newest restaurant, The Orange Squirrel. Located at 412 Bloomfield Avenue (at the site of the old Pad Thai and Oak Tavern), chef/owner and Bloomfield native Francesco Palmieri (a 2000 CIA graduate) works magic in his kitchen.

Like an oasis in a desert of car dealerships and auto body shops along a stretch of Bloomfield Ave., The Orange Squirrel beckons with its neon sign and big windows. Inside, you'll forget exactly where you are. From the exposed brick wall with flat screen showing iconic movies (we caught Ed Wood, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Edward Scissorhands on different visits) to the custom made Brazilian birch and limestone bar and vibrant orange seating, the restaurant redefines and unites the two separate spaces.

Combining an eclectic American/European menu with a chic, yet unpretentious design, The Orange Squirrel doesn't disappoint. In fact, it surprises, with special touches like the homemade shot of silky-smooth "Bailey's" that came to the table at the end of the meal. Or the amuse bouche at the start, a beautiful Prince Edward mussel one time, a miniature smoked salmon filled cannoli the next. And yes, even the bag of peanuts accompanied by a note to celebrate "Squirrel Appreciation" day. It's the kind of place that makes you smile. Palmieri is like that, too, full of surprises and creative energy, as he meets with patrons and checks on tables. Just don't ask him about the name of restaurant, or you might fall for one of his inventive tall squirrel tales.

Continue reading "The Orange Squirrel" »

Calandra's Italian Village is part gourmet emporium, part foodie theme park. With casual dining, drinking, noshing and shopping all under one roof, the Calandra family has created a destination that's an Italianisimo eating event.

Continue reading "Eating Italian - Where It Takes A Village" »

Torino North, an Italian bistro that opened earlier this year in Nutley, offers a welcome diversion from the same old red sauce fare in a 120-seat space behind the sprawling Roche complex. The menu is a mix-and-match of the familiar and the inspired.

Named for Turin, Italy, Torino is the latest in a four-restaurant chain of New Jersey cafes. Though there are no true surprises, ingredients are utilized in refreshing combinations and classics are executed with confidence: minestrone brims with diced carrots, celery and lentils in a brightly acidic tomato broth, and a fine Caesar is piled high on the plate with a zippy dressing heavy on garlic and anchovies. My favorite starter topped a plump, fried polenta cake with meltingly tender chunks of braised beef and the richest reduction. A hearty eggplant rollatini folded with ricotta in a sweet tomato sauce was billed as lasagna. The eggplant could have used another 30-seconds in the fryer.

The menu is rife with spelling errors (pancatta, Ceasar and cappalini) and downright confusing descriptions: roast duck comes with sultan raisins "en sour" and beef carpaccio with "arugala jus."

Continue reading "Creative Fare With Creative Spellings to Match" »

Halcyon, the new sister restaurant to the very popular Egan's on Walnut Street, telegraphs right away that it is a fancy restaurant. Or as we like to say in my family, both fancy and schmancy. Mainly, it's the great etched-glass light panel over the bar, which continuously changes colors. But it's also the enormous lattice teardrop lamp, which dangles in front of that panel. And then there are the marble walls and the marble tables. The point, I suppose, is to evoke Manhattan sophistication, although as one of my friends said, channeling Dorothy Parker, "Nobody needs marble walls unless they're dead."

But just like the sleeping pill of (almost) the same name, I found Halcyon to produce disturbing, almost hallucinatory, side effects. The light is so low as to feel oppressive. And the noise, bouncing off the gleaming marble, is overwhelming. If you sit in one of the ostrich-skin textured booths, where the marble tables are too wide by about eight inches, you'll find yourself sure that your dinner companions on the opposite side of the table are having a better conversation than you are. (You won't be able to hear them.) The second time we went, I was so glad to leave that just walking on Walnut Street in the post-rain mist made me feel jubilant -- as if I'd just been sprung from a very long stint in the slammer.

The atmosphere was not the only problem.

Continue reading "Halcyon: Watch Out for the Side Effects" »

For weeks, the storefront teased commuters and passersby on Bellevue with giant photos of chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes. Yesterday, on the way back from seeing Bolt, we found Le Baker's Dozen had quietly opened for a test run; today (Saturday) is the official open. On the menu, cookies, cakes and pies, scones and cupcakes and other baked goods, including many vegan offerings. Tasters gave the cupcakes a thumbs up. The shop also sells some baking mixes, jams, cookie cutters and other items, giving it a country store vibe. Open 7:30 a.m. every day except Monday; drop in today and sample some mini-cupcakes.

My Italian grandmother died before I was born, but I heard she was a hell of a cook. Growing up in Queens, I knew a few nonne who could lay out a nice lasagna. Frank, from A&S Pork Store in West Paterson, can whip up a hot sausage and peppers sandwich, manicotti or eggplant rollatine with the best of those great ladies. Unlike those grandmas, Frank doesn't deck out his work space in pictures of all the saints, instead his place is stacked with cheese, bread, olives, pasta and other imported goodies.

Frank cherishes the food he makes. "I cook with orgoglio," he says. It means pride in what you do. He started working at the Brooklyn A&S Pork Store as a delivery boy 35 years ago; Anthony Scicchitano, founder of A&S, took Frank under his wing and the rest is history.

My first taste of A&S was their hot sausage bread and fennel taralli back in the summer. The kids shared a bag of cheese doodles (sacrilege) as the three of us sat at the lone green resin table outside A&S, next to the big Italian flag. Sinatra played on the radio. I washed down my snack with a lemon Pellegrino soda and felt like I was in some weird alternative universe version of the Sopranos. I convinced my daughter to try a fennel taralli; she liked. Somewhere in the great beyond, grandma was smiling.

Continue reading "Italian Comfort Food, West Paterson" »

I first heard about Spice Cuisine from Baristaville's sign king J.C. Aviles in early 2007. At that time, the little Thai restaurant in an out-of-the-way Bloomfield location was positioning itself as a place where you could get Thai food and Italian. Since then, the Italian side of the menu has been abandoned, but Spice has become, both for my real and my Baristanet families, one of our favorite places to go out to eat in Baristaville. It's my Cheers, and also the place where we said goodbye to Katie before her grand trip out West.

Let's stipulate that the food, and the prices are excellent. It wouldn't be a favorite place otherwise. But the main attraction is the restaurant's owner Sheree (aka Ruenboon Sarabhayavanija). Lesson to any entrepreneur, food or otherwise: the secret ingredient in any new enterprise is connecting with your customers. She does it so well that my family has long called Spice "Sheree's place," as in "Do you want to go to Sheree's place tonight?"

Well, good news: Sheree has a new place, and it's not in a dark corner of Bloomfield. She's moved, metaphorically speaking, from Baltic Avenue to Boardwalk.

Continue reading "A Favorite Thai Place Adds Location to Its Menu" »

I don't hang out in bars. I am not a big drinker and after a long day at work, all I crave is the quiet of my apartment. Still, my aunt and cousin have been talking up a local bar, a dive named Sharky's, which they tell me has amazing wings and clams. I thought: Edible wings and clams at a bar? I was, of course, understandably skeptical. Most bars, if they serve food, stick to the unfailingly simple task of re-heating finger foods (like mini eggrolls, mozzarella sticks and jalapeno poppers) in a deep fryer, along with the occasional burger, fries and frozen pizza.

Against all expectations, Sharky's, a dimly-lit hole-in-the-wall built onto the front of a house on an industrial street in Clifton, serves fantastic clams and other shellfish like cold or hot peel-and-eat and fried shrimp and mussels in marinara. The menu also offers the usual deep-fried and grilled and blackened sandwiches and small bites, but the steamed clams are by far the hit, plump littlenecks served with a lemon wedge and drawn butter.

Continue reading "Where Wings Are King" »

We were there when Amanti Vino first opened its artistic gallery-inspired wine space. This year, owners Sharon and Chris Sevrens took vacant space next door and created a mirror-image expansion doubling the shop's size. Fran Liscio photographed the new space for us, which now has the capacity to feature over 900 labels. All wines are still tasted by Sharon, a sommelier, who brings in wines that are best in class for their price point, varietal, etc. The new space allows Amanti Vino to showcase more inventory while maintaining the uncluttered appeal of shopping the store. Amanti Vino's expanded collection of vintages ranges from $7 to over $600 a bottle.

Added to the new space is a walk-in, all glass, temperature controlled cool room to display Sevrens’ collection of old, rare collectible wines. The tasting bar has doubled in size and become more of a destination in the store. Daily tastings take place almost every day, with Saturdays still being the biggest of the week. There's also an upstairs classroom for in-store classes and private events. Sevrens helped me out recently with some Greek wine recommendations (in the jump)...

Continue reading "Amanti Vino Doubles Your Pleasure" »

Signs in the windows of what used to be a barbershop at 213 Bellevue Ave. in Upper Montclair promised the coming Falafel Hut for weeks. My boyfriend and I, excited, drove by periodically to check on the progress of the opening, hoping the Falafel Hut could become our go-to spot for quick pita sandwiches.

Our due diligence paid off, and the Falafel Hut, a small restaurant with walls freshly painted in dark maroon and bright lime green and outfitted with seating for 22, opened at the end of August. This is the first restaurant for Israeli native Sam Mabuk and his partner John Saman.

Mabuk describes the menu as Mediterranean. It offers a pretty standard selection of Middle Eastern sandwiches, kebobs, salads and spreads, and Mabuk says that the chicken and beef shawarma and falafel are some of the most popular dishes. The menu veers off in many directions, offering a range of wraps, hot sandwiches and heroes including a Cuban, a Philly cheesesteak and chicken parmigiana to standard deli classics like tuna and egg salad.

We stuck to the traditional Middle Eastern items, like the falafel pita sandwich, a simple but tasty combination of crispy, fried, golf-ball sized chickpea balls with shredded red cabbage, pickles and nutty tahini. All pita sandwiches come with the same accompaniments, including the garlicky gyro, which provides a nice variation from yogurt-topped Greek gyros we usually eat. The Hot Sampler platter is billed as an appetizer but makes a great light dinner with pita for dipping.

Continue reading "Falafel Hut" »

You don't need to know how to read coffee grounds to know there's some good Greek food in your future.

When I first moved to Montclair, I bemoaned the dearth of good Greek food. What a difference a few years can make. Now Baristaville has a burgeoning Greek cuisine scene, what with the excellent Stamna in Bloomfield and a much awaited expansion of Greek Delights soon to occur. Meanwhile, Greek Taverna quietly opened several weeks ago in the space vacated by Noodle Heaven. This Greek, which has ties to the Greek Taverna in Edgewater, was buzzing with diners on a recent Saturday night. If you ever stepped in Noodle Heaven, you won't recognize the space, which has been transformed into a warm, welcoming taverna-inspired space. Lots of brick, stone, curved archways and rustic accoutrements, including a 700-year-old door have combined to create a hellenic-infused experience.

The main event, is of course the food. While waiting for our table, we were invited to wait by the bar area (no, there's not a liquor license) overlooking the open kitchen. Our BYOB wine was opened and we were given wine glasses; it's a nice touch that made the short wait fun, as we perused the menu and anticipated our meal.

Continue reading "Greek Taverna" »

The premise of Farm2Bistro, a new restaurant in Nutley, is intriguing enough: get food as locally as possible and cook it up right away. Owner-chef Michael Madigan Jr., who also runs Snails to Quails, a supplier to New York yacht kitchens, searches the farmers market circuit each morning, then comes back to cook the food at night.

But Farm2Bistro is an experience even before you taste your first bite. You walk into the funky Nutley restaurant, where four leather-upholstered picnic tables and a palm-frond canopy await you, and Madigan immediately greets you, wants to know how you found out about his restaurant and sits down at your table like your new best friend. He asks if you like ice tea after you nod yes, goes to a candy/tea bar to mix you a concoction. I was served black oolong tea with cranberry half-sweet, my son Noah got mango-kiwi-raspberry with Gummi bears, and Mista Barista was served raspberry full sweet. Mind you, we didn't ask for these combinations. Madigan sized us up, brought us our teas, and we were all happy.

All this makes the experience fun, but the real thrill of the restaurant comes with your first bite.

I got the pork loin (special that day), which came with roasted carrots and potatoes and a little mound of something green, which turned out to be sauteed arugula. For some reason, I tried a carrot first, and I can honestly say that was the best carrot I've ever eaten in my life. I could have eaten a whole plate with just those carrots and left the restaurant a happy camper. But then I tried the sauteed arugula, which makes you wonder why anybody bothers with it as a salad in the first place. The pork loin, encrusted in herbs, was fabulously savory.

Continue reading "Fresh from the Farm" »

Tipsters sent us a note about Mr. Cupcakes.

You Baristaville people need to check out the amazing cupcakes at Mr. Cupcakes here in neighboring Clifton! I just had one and it's definitely worth the trip.

I brought the experts -- my two kids -- to check out the goods. Finding the place was easy (take Grove past Rte.3 to Van Houten, make a right). Choosing a cupcake was more of a challenge -- the menu has a list of both tried and true "executives" as well as interns lobbying for permanent status. If a Reese's peanut butter cup could be reincarnated as a cupcake, it would be Mr. Cupcake's Peanut Butterful Chocolate. My son loved the Average Joe (yellow cake, chocolate frosting) as well as the Triple Chocolate, which had a bittersweet dark chocolate frosting. My daughter swooned over the Carrot Cake and the S'mores. The cupcakes, at a $1.50 each, are dense and satisfying (you'll want to eat two, but you won't have room). Split them so you can try a couple flavors.

Mr. Cupcakes, 1216 Van Houten Ave., Clifton, 973-859-0180.

You really want to root for FAWA, the new Upper Montclair restaurant whose name is an acronym for French Asian With Art. The restaurant is attractive, minimalistic and sleek, with interesting lighting and shiny surfaces that somehow manage to convey "Zen" and "money" simultaneously. And who could object to a new sushi restaurant in town that also offers some grownup dinner plates like sea bass and and filet mignon?

The problem with FAWA is not with the taste. To start, we chose edamame and the yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno appetizer, a melt-in-your-mouth experience with just the right amount of kick. And for the main course, we had grilled Chilean sea bass and tropical lobster. The lobster came in a sauce that married sweet tropical fruit juices with green curry, and the sea bass came piled on a tight little pile of mushroom, asparagus and champagne sauce. Both dishes were colorful, tasty and distressingly petite. And neither came with rice, or anything else.

At most restaurants, these main-course meals might pass as appetizers, and you would be delighted to start a meal this way. But these were intended -- and priced -- as main courses. At the end of our meal, I was as hungry as when I'd started. I couldn't imagine what a steak-and-potatoes man might make of the repast.

So we ordered more.

Continue reading "With Art, But Not Rice" »

Passionne keeps racking up accolades. First a command performance cooking for presidents; now this, from a reader...

I wanted to let you know that I was recently at the James Beard Foundation for a dinner on Tuesday night, with much to my surprise, a local restaurateur was featured. Chef Carrino from Restaurant Passionne was the hosting chef and let me tell you, this meal was the best meal I've ever had at the James Beard House. My husband and I go twice a month and this just set us beside ourselves. The food paired w/ the wines couldn't have been better matched, truly spectacular. The chef was so humble to the attendees compliments and answered our questions without missing a beat.

He had a great team with him from the Exec Chef at Montauk Country Club all the way to the Chef du Cuisine at the Williamsburg Inn. Seems as though his team was chefs and mentors he's worked with in the past.

Listed below is the menu I brought home. Some of these items are staples on the restaurants menu I suppose, but every dish left me wishing it was full large portions, I've already made my next reservation.

Continue reading "James Beard Honors For Montclair Chef" »

If you blink driving by the new Joey Thai, you'll miss it altogether. Qualifying as a "hole in the wall" restaurant only because of its diminutive size, it's a pleasant enough, clean, make-your-own-atmosphere kind of place. Excited at the idea of new Thai on Bloomfield Avenue, we ran over to check the menu and meet Joey - a charming restaurateur - and a high rent refugee from NYC. Joey, psyched about his new two-week old Montclair eatery, tells us "I'll cook whatever you want...you want a special fish dish, stuffed angel wings (not on the menu)? Just call me a day ahead and I'll make it."

Our first taste of Joey Thai was a special order giant-size portion of take-out chicken pad thai. This was a winner - moist, flavorful, packed with chunks of chicken - voraciously devoured at our picnic.

Continue reading "Joey Thai" »

Sure, they look like (well, I don't have to tell you), but these little Shanghai sacks of pork and broth filled goodness have bewitched me ever since I tried them in Elmhurst, Queens. Commonly known as soup dumplings, they are found in Chinatown of course, and Flushing, Queens, but so far, I had no luck finding them in NJ, until I read about them here. The place is Hunan Cottage, on Rte 46 East, in Fairfield (look for a panda sculpture outside). Inside, ask for the other menu (the one that doesn't have items like Three Happiest or other Americanized staples). This menu (thankfully in English) is the one that the mostly Chinese crowd was ordering from. In addition to the soup dumplings, we had an amazing jumbo shrimp and squid with basil, and a pork with Chinese celery that was spicy in a good way.

Folks rave about Hunan Cottage here and here, too. BYOB.

Hunan Cottage, 14 US Highway 46 East, Fairfield, (973) 808-8328, (973) 575-6158

When we first visited Joe Bartoni's we were charmed by the old world Italian market, its sumptuous sandwiches, and take-out dinners. We became habitual drop-ins, stocking up on their home-made mozzarella, vodka sauce, eggplant rollatini and Balthazar's baked breads; my kids are regulars for their paninis on the $5 student lunch specials.

A year after opening, Bartoni's redid the back dining room, then the private patio, opening Bartoni's Italian Table to serve upscale dinners featuring hearty regional italian specialties, amazing cheese and fruit pairings, and nightly fish specials which have never disappointed.

Baristaville can never tire of too many food choices, and now, Joe Bartoni's has branched out for brunch. Bring your bottle of bubbly to mix the mimosas while deciding what to order off Chef Ciro's european-style menu.

Continue reading "Bartoni's Brunches Out" »

Let's admit a well-known Baristaville truism: Gina's Paneficio - Montclair's artisanal bakery of sweet treats and European style breads - is a winner. The Walters' family-owned business has been satisfying our carb cravings for 11 years with handcrafted, minimally processed baked goods. Not astonishing, then, that during the holidays loyal customers line up around the block to take home fresh fruit pies, tortes, impossibly rich Buche de Noel, and the famous double-corn & jalapeno mini muffins. So why am I writing about Gina's? Because there's something new, improved, and grown up at their Walnut Street boutique.

They just completed a welcoming makeover - you'll find walls painted bright, the display case turned around - making room for bistro tables and chairs. There's a wall of blackboard and chalk at the ready to amuse kids while nibbling cupcakes and cookies.

Continue reading "Finding The Sweet Spot" »

Continue reading "Summer-Time, And The Eating Is Easy..." »

A collard and spinach smoothie? That's one option at The Energy Bar, a vegetarian oasis in the South End of Montclair. I had tried a fruit smoothie there about a year ago, but it pretty much exited my consciousness until the Baristas got an admonishing email from a reader a few weeks ago.

I came here to put my two cents in about a vegetarian cafe and juice bar called The Energy Bar in the South End of Montclair. It is a truly fabulous restaurant. I was stunned to find that it isn't listed on Baristanet. They are just a cafe bar with a few outside seats but are expanding to have in house dining. The food is delicious and fresh and it isn't served anywhere else in montclair that I have found. Please add it to the list.

Point taken. During my visit to The Energy Bar last week, I tried the Green Energy (shown), a blended concoction made of apple, celery, collards, cucumber and spinach. (Small $4, Large $6) The apple adds a tiny bit of sweetness, and while I can't say it's the best thing I've ever tasted on God's green earth, it is 100-percent guilt free.

Continue reading "Drink Your Vegetables" »

Call me unAmerican, but most of the time I go out to dinner, I go for Thai food or Japanese. Although I love a hamburger, I rarely crave a steak, or have any interest in spending dinner-menu prices for something just as easily cooked on my patio grill.

But sometimes a steak is exactly what you want, and despite all the bad press red meat had gotten, it at least has the merit of being high-protein and low-carb. That's how I wound up at the Bloomfield Steak & Seafood House over Memorial Day Weekend.

Continue reading "Sometimes, You Just Want a Steak" »

You'll have to walk past the kitchen, and out the back door to find Bloomfield Avenue's latest dining oasis at Gencarelli's Cucina. The Baristas recently inaugurated the secluded patio, bedecked with spring flowers, cafe lights, and gurgling fountains.

Basking in the sunlight on a summer-like day, we savored the pear and gorgonzola salad with a side of bright orange, crispy sweet potato fries. Two delicious pasta dished graced out table - garlic linguine with shrimp in a white wine butter sauce and fresh cavatelli with brocolli rabe. But the real eye candy came when we sheepishly agreed to a mid-day dessert indulgence.

Continue reading "Gencarelli's Little Hideaway" »

Indigo Smoke is now Indigo Smoke Q, as in Bar-B-Q. That's what they call it in Kansas City, owner Lance Knowling's hometown. Gone are the water glasses, wine goblets for bring-your-own and waiters. In their place, a counter where you place your order, a community table and a flat-screen TV. Clients are encouraged to BYO beer. Plastic cups provided.

Knowling says it's not a response to several new casual soul-food joints in town, which include the Wood Pit and Ruthie's, but a decision based on the fact that Indigo Smoke has a fancy sit-down restaurant in Maplewood, with a full liquor license, and didn't need two. The proliferation of BBQ in Montclair doesn't faze Knowling, he insists: "Where I come from, there's a bar-b-q restaurant on every corner."

In line with the new casual digs and lower overhead, prices are lower too. A beef brisket sandwich is $9 at Indigo Smoke in Maplewood and just $7.50 in Montclair. A side of whipped sweet potatoes runs $3.75 in Maplewood and $2.50 in Montclair. And you'll get your food - to stay or to go - a lot faster too.

Indigo Smoke Q is at 387 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair. 973.744.3440.

Get over to Spice Cuisine this week and try some Northeastern Thai specialties in celebration of the new year. All this week, owner Sheri will be adding to the menu yummy additions like chicken in yellow curry, beanthread noodle salad with ground chicken and chili, roasted chicken with lemongrass and yes, larb, (shown here) a dish with ground pork, chili and lime juice.

Sheri is also offering your choice of either a free appetizer or dessert to celebrate. Those who've been to Spice know it is the friendliest Thai in Baristaville as Sheri is famous for her welcoming ways and complimentary goodies to customers. Don't miss her heavenly banana bread...

Continue reading "Celebrate Thai New Year " »

There's a brand new energy in the strip mall on Belleville Ave. in Bloomfield, a place known more for being the home of an A&P Supermarket than a gourmet restaurant and swanky nightspot.

Prana, a restaurant, lounge and nightclub, took over the space formerly occupied by Taste. On our visit, we sat on the upper level of the bi-level space, in a booth ensconced in wispy fabric, and were frankly amazed at the transformation. One minute, you're outside, navigating empty shopping carts; the next, you're inside the zen-drenched space with a mystical, exotic atmosphere and fanciful gourmet fusion food to match.

Continue reading "Prana Breathes Life Into Bloomfield Strip Mall" »

Long lines out the door are what confront most tribes in Baristaville who are out foraging for weekend brunch. Clearly, there should be more chefs cooking breakfasts for the hungry masses...Well, our family found one, just over the hill, where the biggest problem isn't the wait - it's deciding which of the mouth-watering items on the menus (yes, there are two full menus) to order.

Alan Platt is at the helm of Sweet Basil Cafe, in West Orange, which doubles as his catering headquarters. For 14 years, his signature chicken salads, and and healthy gourmet sandwiches are have been the cornerstones of his lunch following (try the grilled ahi & arugula or the mayan shrimp). Five months ago, he opened for breakfast whipping up an elaborate selection of egg dishes, and working his magic on the griddle with fluffy pancakes, french toast, and Belgian waffles. With so many choices, it would be smart to experience Sweet Basil with a crowd, or just return, very, very often.

Continue reading "Sweet Basil's Cafe & Grill" »

Flatbread Grill opened this month in the space vacated by Carvel on Bellevue Avenue in Upper Montclair. The eatery is attractive with booths, tables and easy chairs near a fake fireplace, and offers a pretty large menu, with an emphasis on grilled meats, served kabob style, salads, flatbread pizzas and other healthy fare. It's also got a full line of coffee, chai and bubble teas as well as pastries. The restaurant, owned by three sisters, is open seven days a week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good news for ice cream lovers that miss the former Carvel -- Flatbread Grill has soft serve ice cream at non-Cold Stone prices.

Continue reading "Bubble Tea, Breads And Yes, Ice Cream, Too" »

Continue reading "Dinner & A Show" »

This weekend, I fell in love in Bloomfield. No more road trips to Astoria (I was there just a month ago) to satisfy my cravings for authentic Greek food. The newly opened Stamna Greek Taverna is the real deal.

If you're wondering what stamna means, this is it. You'll see these vases at Stamna, which opened last week in Bloomfield, and operated like a well olive-oiled machine on our visit. The smoothness may have something to do with the staff and owners, Greeks with origins tracing back to Karpathos. The atmosphere inside Stamna is true Greek taverna -- lots of white and blue, Grecian urns and artifacts -- yet unique, as if the owners were displaying their own treasures from home. We especially got a kick out of the flat screen with live Greek TV feed (muted of course).

Continue reading "Bloomfield's Gone Greek (And It's So Good)" »

7Online's Neighborhood Eats gave the star treatment to our very own Watchung Delicatessen. Watch it here.

The newest sandwich is the Ben's Special, and it comes with a little extra mac and cheese.

Recipe:

You start with hot chicken cutlets and barbecue sauce, which gets topped with bacon and cheddar. That's all melted together and stuffed into a roll, which then gets further stuffed with hot homemade macaroni and cheese.

Good luck biting into it. You're better off opting for a fork.

The Watchung Deli in Montclair began in the 1920s. Now, two couples own it - Gary and Maureen Kiffer and Jeanne and Robert Johannsen. And to see them all at work is like watching a dance.

And it certainly helps that they know their customers.

The old Orion Bookstore languished empty for months, its future causing lots of speculation...Now, after months of delays waiting for permits, licenses, and remodeling to be completed, Montclair's newest B-L-D bistro, Uptown, opens next week in time for Valentine's Day.

Owners Susan Pinkwater and Marilyn Sanchez describe Uptown as a French bistro with a NYC vibe. Pinkwater says she formulated the menus based on the gastronomic adventures she enjoyed while living in France. Breakfast, brunch and lunch is served daily, and they'll begin with offering dinner specials on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. What we can look forward to: coddled eggs with goat cheese and herbs, croque monsieur, warm lentil salad, home made soups, and entrees like scallops saltimbocca and champagne/mushroom risotto. The emphasis on fresh and healthy food.

Continue reading "Room With A View" »

Like a monarch butterfly emerging from its cocoon, the former non-descript sushi-spot, Michi, has morphed into an elegant dining establishment, Kira Kira. Yet another newcomer to Bloomfield's restaurant row, Kira Kira offers Japanese specialties. Sushi lovers will be dazzled by the chef's creations which imitate art.

The presentation of inventive and delicious dishes make them almost too beautiful to eat. We tried the three-course lunch special including miso soup, seaweed and sesame salad, with eel, spicy tuna, yellow tail rolls and tea, for $9.99. Smaller appetites may enjoy the two-roll lunch special for only $7.50, or their vegetarian counterpart, $7.99 and $5.99.

We also went a la carte - the Garden Rolls were as spectacular to look at as they were to eat - spicy tuna, mango, avocado, crunchy asparagus, cucumber, radish and tobiko wrapped up like 6 little nori-covered flower pots ($9.99). Equally impressive eye candy, you'll want to try the Symphony special - a gorgeous timbale layered with lobster salad, spicy tuna, and avocado, capped with a trio of caviar ($10.95), plated on a trio of tasty sauces. The bento box lunch ($7.99 - $12.99) at the next table was also getting raves.

At "Kira Kira," (which translates Twinkle, Twinkle), the decor is refined and soothing. Sit at the front dining area bedecked with shiny silk cushions and traditional murals, at the sushi bar, or head past the zen fountain into a warm, persimmon colored dining room. Open for lunch and dinner, closed Monday. BYO - beer and sake is easy to pick up at the neighborhood grog shop. 390 Broad Street, Bloomfield. 973 748-0077. -- Annette Batson

What happens when fish market marries fish restaurant? You get three different seafood experiences in and around Baristaville.

At Whole Foods West Orange, I'm a fan of their salad bars and Indian food, but tend to forget about the Seafood Shack fish and raw bar, situated near the beautiful display of fresh fish that I long to buy, but whose prices give me pause. Which is one reason ordering at the sleek stainless steel bar is appealing - fresh grilled tilapia escabeche, bacon and oyster po'boy, and ahi tuna sandwich - all generous portions at $10.95 - seems like a bargain. The oyster po'boy was a shocking amount of light, beer battered gems, applewood smoked rashers of bacon, heaped in a roll with lettuce and tomato.

Ever since Chef Michael Ventura opened his bistro-market, "At The Market" last August in Nutley, readers, like JN, have been urging, no, insisting that we give it a try.

There is a new fish restaurant in Nutley that is wonderful. The prices are downright cheap, the service efficient and friendly. In an effort to be healthy, I'm trying to go every Thursday night for dinner. So far I've gone 4 times and each time has been perfect.

Last night was fish n chips which were done to perfection. I've also had Tilapia made "Caribbean" style with black beans and mango which was light and flavorful. The coconut shrimp appetizer is to die for. The swordfish was perfectly cooked. There is nothing my friends and I didn't like about this place. There's easy parking available behind the restaurant.

We ventured. The sight of glistening fish on ice greets you along with bright white subway-tiled store that gives the market an old-world retro look. There's a cozy dining room in the back.

Continue reading "True Fish Tales" »

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You don't have to be an establishment with 80 years of history to look like one. Just take Fitzgerald's 1928, the new restaurant at 13 Herman Street in Glen Ridge, which exposed some brick, blew up some photographs from the local historic society and appended the year 1928 to its name (that's the year the building it's in was originally built), and -- voila! -- instant history!

That's okay, because the best restaurant experiences are theater today (look at the success of Cuban Pete's), and the show that you get when you go to Fitzgerald's is Cheers. Here's the restaurant where, if you live in Glen Ridge, everybody knows your name, and you're expected to know theirs too. That can be a little awkward for those of us who are a little shaky on those other GRAA baseball and Gas Lamp Players moms, but that's the price you pay for living in a small town.

Continue reading "Fitzgerald's 1928, a Tradition Since ... Last Week" »

In the space vacated by Il Forno, Bistro 18 opened this week for lunch and dinner promising "New American cuisine with European & Asian influences in a bistro environment."

The owner, George Kalivas, has been in the restaurant biz in Manhattan and New Jersey for 40-plus years. Kalivas is joined by executive chef Ricky De Guzman.

Bistro 18, 18 South Fullerton Ave., Montclair, 973-233-0800 (BYOB)
Download their lunch menu here
; dinner menu here.

The concept, like Nobu Next Door in Manhattan, is to take a restaurant folks love and then open a branch next door with a twist. In Montclair, Chef Zod Arifai of Blu fame has done just that with his new boite dubbed quite simply Next Door. The twist at Next Door is an emphasis on grown-up comfort food with simple, satisfying preparations, the opposite of the more complex flavor combinations and food forward creations at Blu. The space with its spare walls and stark atmosphere is an interesting contrast to the food which delivers on the promise of lip-smacking, unpretentious comfort staples. Recently, we dug into a savory meatloaf that elevated the classic dish to the next level (mashed potatoes, too, of course). Burgers, pot roast, spaghetti and meat sauce are also on the menu, but Chef Zod makes these ubiquitious items anything but pedestrian. We love the salads -- and the prices for inspired comfort food (dishes from 5-$18) are comforting, too.

Check out raves here from Chowhound. If you want to get hungry, click through to the jump for the menu.

Next Door, 556 Bloomfield Ave., 973-744-3600.

Continue reading "Blu's "Next Door" Neighbor" »

When we passed a restaurant the other night in Bloomfield Center with the name Cafe Yahudah, a menorah in the window and a sign advertising "Southern Soul and Latin Food," we knew there had to be a story. We returned for lunch the next day and discovered that, indeed, there was.

In many respects, Cafe Yahudah looks just like any other no-frills soul food restaurant, with plain laminate tables and wooden chairs and a glass case filled with sinful-looking pies. But then there are the signs declaring "NO PORK, NO BLOOD, NO LARD, NO LECTIN, NO UNCLEAN FISH OR FOWL, MEATS ARE ALSO HALAL." And the menorah, with three books of scriptures in front of it.

The mystery was solved when we learned from our waitress, the daytime manager Johann Williams, that Cafe Yahudah is owned by the New Beginnings Kingdom Fellowship, a Messianic congregation based in Bloomfield. I would learn more about that after lunch, but first the food.

I ordered from "Rincon Latino," the Latin Corner, which served island food: delightful stewed chicken in a tomato-based broth. I was able to substitute one of my favorite foods, fried plantains, for the rice. My dining companions ordered the smothered chicken and fried chicken platters, which came with two sides and corn bread. Except for the plantains and jasmine rice, the sides are traditional soul food staples: candied yams, collards, green beans, onion rings. It was all delivered on trays, after a bit of a wait -- indicating everything was cooked to order -- and delicious. We were the only diners in the restaurant at lunch hour.

Continue reading "Fried Chicken, with Messiah on the Side" »

Gencarelli's Restaurant & Dessert Lounge opened quietly last week in the former Gaucho Grill, offering "simple Southern Italian dishes." Although we haven't had a chance to dine there yet, some of our readers have - read about their experience here. Expect tried and true family recipes, says owner Debbie Gencarelli, "your waiter won't be reciting an endless list of fancy specials here," she says. We like the idea of a coffee and pasticceria bar that's open late...and we hear they serve a mean hot chocolate. The official grand opening week is January 8-13, but they're dishing up now for lunch and dinner, and on New Years Eve with two seatings; open for coffee and dessert (and BYO bubbly, of course) 'till 1am with a DJ...381 Bloomfield Avenue. 973-744-8881.

Il Forno on South Fullerton is gone, Bistro 18 is going in. Chef Ricky tells us the menu is "American Eclectic" which we love, 'cause it means creativity in the kitchen. Contractors were there today working on the renovated space for a Dec. 28 opening - but don't hold them to it. Call first: 973-233-2800.

Baristaville has another new lunch and dinner option for slow Mondays. Next Door, a new eatery featuring comfort food favorites, is now open, seven days a week.

Continue reading "Restaurant Watch" »

Why do I keep returning to Jackie's Grillette - Upper Montclair's newest upscale deli? I love the warmth it exudes - from the savory food, from owner Tina Arsheed and her staff, to the classy decor (tomato red and granny smith green walls). I like its comfort-factor: get a pick-me-up at the espresso and juice bar, pop-in alone or with friends for a sweet treat; pick up a quick take-out and dash out the back door to catch the train, or a enjoy a speedy dine-in before a movie; it's kid-friendly (fresh fruit smoothies, pastries!), and serves from the breakfast, lunch and dinner menu all day.

About themenu: there's a wide range of omelettes, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and entrees - many vegetarian choices - often infused with a Mediterranean twist.

The first time I stopped in I tried the day's special: Tina's homemade (really!) vegetarian lentil soup - with a palate-pleasing zest of lemon and fresh parsley. I asked for a half tuna melt to go with it. Jackie's Grillette didn't disappoint - well seasoned with a bit of crunchy sweet red pepper. My friend's grilled marinated veggie sandwich with fresh mozz and pesto was devoured with gusto.

I went back with my Man later that week and we got wrapped in the place, literally.

Continue reading "Meet Me At Jackie's" »

The Baristas and local Mexican food afficionados eagerly awaited the opening of Pinata Restaurant in October. Owner Enrique Rios Loyd, from the state of Queretaro, has created a cozy Frida-worthy locale using bright blues, reds, yellows and greens, peppered with folkloric tchotckes from his homeland.

Pinata's menu features regional specialties like Chiles en Nogada - a typical holiday dish (poblano chiles stuffed with beef, raisins, apple, pear, and nuts), home made tamales, chilaquiles (a cheese and tortilla bake with chicken or beef), Ensalada de Nopal (a salad of prickly pear cactus, jicama, watercress and avocado), pozole soup, and sopes (a kind of meat and vegetable tostada on thick, hand made masa tortillas, covered with mexican sour cream and cotija cheese).

Continue reading "Mexican Flair In Montclair" »

You've seen them in Manhattan (Asia de Cuba and Le Pain Quotidien come to mind) and maybe wondered about the pros and cons. Montclair's Table 8 has one and Cuban Pete's, although these tables always look to be inhabited by groups of folks who know each other. That won't necessarily be the case at the new branch of Cianci (taking over the space vacated by Orion Books in Upper Montclair), where we hear new plans include a communal table. For the uninitiated, here's a primer. What about you...

Continue reading "Coming Soon: The Communal Table" »

Spice Cuisine, the friendliest Thai restaurant in Baristaville, is celebrating its first birthday. To mark the occasion and thank customers, they're offering free appetizers or desserts all week long.

Spice Cuisine, 26 Belleville Ave., Bloomfield NJ. Open 7 days from 11:30 am to 10 pm. 973.748.0056.

Chef Todd prepared a finely tuned six-course autumn menu which practically got a standing ovation. The point and counterpoint of tastes and textures was like an epicurian symphony, our two favorites being the mild tasting Pan Roasted Monk Fish laced with a mussel reduction accompanied by sweet potato confit and chorizo wilted greens - and an amazing Juniper Berry Cured Duck Breast in a foie gras butter, served with jasmine rice, asparagus, and fennel. We ate way too much, but we couldn't stop - even at cracking open the decorative chocolate pumkin at the end of our meal.

"The Professor," Neil Baldwin, gleefully over-indulged with us and sends this review:

To grab a reservation call 973-233-0216 a.s.a.p! If that seems like an unsophisticated, crass and blatant way to start a restaurant review, so be it.

The phone number is the highest praise I can provide, the quickest way to tell everybody about one of Montclair's tastiest dining destinations, Church Street Kitchen.

I was filled with the best intentions of writing this review as soon as I got home from the inaugural tasting hosted by ebullient co-owners Cheryl and Greg Spinelli and Laura Eveleth.

Alas (but don't feel too sorry for me), perhaps it was the combination of bewitchingly-sweet Moscatel wine, addictive chocolate petit fours, aromatic Port poached pear, exotically-varied artisan cheese "trilogy,"

Continue reading "Church Street Kitchen" »

I want to tell you about a very pleasant woman, Kim Hackney, who has opened a REAL BARBECUE (not the Portuguese type, although that's yummy too) restaurant in Montclair on Bloomfield Avenue near the Fire station and Bay St Station. It's called "The Wood Pit."

Last night I went there for takeout, after seeing the store open up about 2 weeks ago. I was going to work late and was on my own for dinner.

As I passed the store driving west on Bloomfield Avenue, I caught the sweet smell of hickory smoke hovering over Bloomfield Ave. I knew I was going to be in for something good!

Continue reading "Wake Up And Smell The BBQ!" »

Leaving Mama Giola's last Sunday, I had a big smile on my face. I'd just been treated to a free meal at the new Bloomfield Ave. Italian restaurant, which was trying out its menu and staff with a "friends and family" night. (Full disclosure: they have taken an ad on Baristanet.)

Of course, anybody offered a free plate of food would probably come out of a restaurant smiling. And the food was both abundant and tasty, especially the fresh ravioli. But what made the meal memorable (and will have me coming back on my own dime) was the warm and friendly atmosphere, which (almost) made up for the fact that my boyfriend and I were double-dating with my boss and her husband.

Continue reading "The New Italian in Town" »

On a particularly indulgent afternoon, I sampled the tuna/lemon/artichoke and kalamata mayo wrap which puts all other tuna salads to shame (imported tuna does make a difference). But I didn't stop there...Mama's stuffed peppers and broccoli rabe should've been reheated at home, but I consumed it at room temp as a mouth-watering antipasto. The grilled vegetable and goat cheese on raisin-nut-whole wheat sounded overly complex, but proved to be a winner too.

This isn't your average lunch take-out... Flavors burst, entertaining your palate. While my kids (who stole a few bites) found the mains too sophisticated, they loved the fresh berries and orzo pesto salad and Lisa's homemade cookie. You get a chilled bottle of water too - all for $10. Cucina 98 can even help your afternoon caffeine buzz with an espresso to go - $2.50.

This week's menu featured pistachio encrusted chicken roll, stuffed with sundried tomato, sage, and smoked mozz, served with wild rice salad and grapes. You could also try meat lasagne, or a grilled hummus and veggie sandwich on whole grain. Call in your order (973-746-0789) just stop by the kitchen, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 11- 2:30.

We like a good cupcake -- we just don't need the drama or the lines at Magnolia on Bleeker Street in Manhattan (thank Sex and the City for that). Now, a sweet Manhattan transplant has set up shop right here in Montclair, just doors down from the Little Gym. Flour Patch Bakery (One Greenwood Ave., Montclair) is formerly Flour Girl, winner of Best Birthday Cake honors from New York Magazine for its whimsical, hand-decorated, cookie-enhanced cakes.

Seems Martha is a fan, too. Check out the full menu here. What we liked: the devil's food cupcakes with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting and the yummy banana cupcakes that managed to taste both wholesomely good for you and decadent at the same time. Kids get a kick out of the cupcakes made to look like ice cream cones, but our grown-up tasters raved about Flour Patch's brownies,too. For those who want something on the less sweet side, they've also got muffins and coffee.

Visually, the place is a treat -- painted in sherbet colors with white chandeliers and a cake-cut out in the wall so you can watch the bakers at work. Specialty cakes can be ordered and customized to any birthday theme, and you can mix and match fillings and frostings to create your favorite combination,

Flour Patch and the other kid-friendly merchants are getting together to plan an event to celebrate their newfound connection. They're calling the event the Crane Park District Festival (that's the triangular park where Lackawanna Plaza, Glenridge and Greenwood Aves. meet). The kid-friendly event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29th from 10 am to 4 pm., more details to come. -- Liz George

Flour Patch Bakery, 1 Greenwood Ave., Montclair
973-746-7555

Eric Kaplan is a man who embraces serendipity. Looking to open a true, slow-smoked BBQ joint in Montclair, the chef, a Manhattan transplant, went looking for space. What he found was the former Yum's Pizzeria on Chestnut, across from Montclair Cooperative School and a stone's throw from both Montclair High School and Rand Elementary.

"Working in restaurants as a chef, I've been used to making a menu's worth of dishes, so the idea of having pizza ovens and not using them never entered my mind," says Kaplan. It wasn't just pizza ovens that Kaplan found. There was also authentic equipment from Nathan's for making hand cut fries from freshly cut potatoes. That inspired a menu item of hot, perfectly salted fries with dipping sauces like roasted garlic with rosemary, a creamy tarragon-Dijon, or if you prefer, Kaplan's own BBQ sauce.

If thin crust is your passion, Kaplan, inspired by DiFara's in Brooklyn, is creating thin, crisp, perfectly sauced Semolina pies (classic Neapolitan; a delicate tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella; as well as the usual suspects -- sausage, pepperoni). A panini press is also on hand to make yummy combinations like a smoked pork loin with ham, Swiss and Dijon mustard and there are salads and burgers, too.

Drop in and get the brisket or pulled pork, contrasted nicely with red cabbage slaw with cider vinegar. In the works -- a new dining patio behind the restaurant. Ruthie's BBQ, located at 641/2 Chestnut Street in Montclair is BYOB. Hours are Monday to Thursday, 10-9; Friday, 10-10; Saturday, 11 am -10. Call 973-509-1134. -- Liz George

You know where to go when someone suggests lunch. Raymond's right? Or else, the new hot lunch upstart, Toast, where you're also likely to run into your "A"-list moms. Both restaurants have fabulous menus and adorable surroundings. Either is great if you want both a salad and exposure.

But what if you'd like a place where you're likely to run into nobody? We won't question you about your reasons. Let's just say you have a delicate piece of *business* to discuss, and you'd like to do it without the busybody from the Home and School Association right behind you.

Here are a couple of suggestions that won't set you back more than $10 a person, where the atmosphere is both quiet, elegant and (dare we say?) romantic, and where you're likely to be able to take home a goody bag as well.

The grand dame of Montclair's Thai eateries, Tuptim, which preceded all the other Thai restaurants in town, never used to be open before dinner. For a few months, it's been serving a daily lunch special, but the day we went, we had the restaurant -- with it lush dark interior -- to ourselves. All the entrees on the lunch menu go for $9.95 and include lemongrass soup or salad. The special mixed appetizers for two ($14) is a delight. Or bypass the lunch menu altogether and order our favorite dish -- the meal-sized duck salad from the dinner menu.

Tuptim is located at 600 Bloomfield Ave. and serves lunch from 11:30 to 2:30.

Continue reading "Where Not to Be Seen" »

OK, they really just ate half. Who made this Guinness Book of World records-worthy dosa? Our own Udupi Village in Montclair. I'm hoping not to face any food this huge tomorrow, as I get to see how the other half eats on my jaunt with the Star Ledger's Munchmobile. Tune in tomorrow, as I plan to live blog our food road trip (details not yet disclosed -- they're very crafty over there, but Peter, I draw the line at eating live bugs.) -- Liz George

Whassamatter you? You never tried an affogatto?

Check out Off The Broiler to find out where to get your fix of this yummy looking confection, just a little way down Rte 10 in Whippany.

In other cold comfort news, we hear that the much beloved former Carvel on Bellevue Ave. in Montclair will soon become Flatbread Grill, a family-friendly eatery that will serve sandwiches, soups, salads, platters, and lots of dessert, including...

Continue reading "Ice, Ice Baby" »

There's nothing quite like coming home and having dinner ready. And when we say dinner, we mean a real dinner -- with vegetables or salad and yes, perhaps even a little dessert -- as opposed to a can of soup, yogurt or (horrors) a bowl of cereal.

Still, if all the adults in the house work and the kids are too young to cook anything more ambitious than frozen waffles, cooking that homecooked meal, even if like me, you actually like to cook, can often feel like just one more chore at the end of a long day. I know, some of you are organized, cook on the weekends or do other things to make it easy. But recently, after taking on extra work, during an already particularly busy work week, I decided to treat the family to something better than pasta with sauce from a jar.

Continue reading "Homecooked -- Just Not By You" »

Will Mexicali Rose change hands again? The restaurant (business only, no real estate) is for sale here. Commenters have had strong opinions about the place here. Then, of course, there was the famous mushroom quesadilla incident.

Tell potential buyer/new owner what you want to see changed...

Have you heard about MyOFO.com, this new site that lets you place takeout orders or request reservations at area restaurants without having to pick up the phone? Well, the convenience of it and their surprisingly good customer service has me hooked --  even though I couldn't get the pesky thing to work properly last Friday night.

On the surface, my first experience with the site was a sort of crappy one: After ten minutes spent reading restaurant menus, I registered on the site, entered my order and gave them my credit card info. But when I attempted to submit my order, something (maybe the pop-up blocking function on my computer, although I believe that was turned off and I got no error message relating to it) wouldn't let me get past the final ordering screen. I had to use the primitive, non-computerized approach of actually calling the restaurant (Senorita's Mexican Grill in Bloomfield, for those keeping score) to confirm the order, which they hadn't received, and then placing the order with them.

So why, given that I couldn't get the damn thing to work, would I give this website another shot?

Continue reading "Take Out, A Way Of Life" »

From the New York Times...

GAUCHO STEAK Alex Garcia, the chef at Calle Ocho and at Carniceria in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, has another stove to tend. He is now the executive chef and a partner at this Argentine grill on 10th Avenue, a branch of a place with the same name in Montclair, N.J. In addition to empanadas, ceviches, salads, grilled meats and seafood, there is a sandwich menu: 752 10th Avenue (51st Street), (212) 957-1727.

Bring a bottle of Malbec and try their local branch here.

Where are you eating this weekend?

Sleek, sexy, and sophisticated is the vibe of Bloomfield's intimate new bistro, Bohemia.  Soothing decor, soft lighting, romantic latin tunes, and a wall of wine  (yes, they have a liquor license and sangria) creates a warm and welcoming ambiance.

The peruvian chef's specialty is ceviche.  Ceviche is my "it" dish for summer: tangy chilled pieces of fish, mildly spiced, "cooked" in fresh lime juice with fresh cilantro and onions.  A perfect sensual palate pleaser and antidote to the dog-days of summer.  I order ceviche every time I see it on a menu - trouble is, few restaurants that I've visited really get it right. We decided to give Bohemia a try - and weren't disappointed.

Continue reading "Bohemian Rhapsody" »