Montclair Farmers Market
For some people, the Barista included, it doesn't get any better than summer Saturdays, when you can bike over to the Montclair Farmers Market on Walnut Street and pick up fresh arugula. Last weekend, the market began its 12th season with a cooking demonstration by the chef at Corso 98, the nearby bistro. Every weekend: five growers, a pickler, a cheese vendor and the organic artistry of the Montclair Bread Co.
Gray Russell, environmental coordinator for the township of Montclair, tells us that leafy greens, asparagus and blueberries are in season, so we went over to Epicurious to find a blueberry pancake recipe.
This past Saturday, Nicky Mesiah of Mesiah Event Planners shared some of her delicious and healthful treats & recipes with the folks at the farmer’s market - Pita Bruschetta Pizzas, Cabbage & Apple Waldorf Salad and a killer Chocolate Zucchini/Carrot Cake! All Nicky’s fantastic creations take advantage of the produce that’s in season right now. They not only taste amazing but they’re good for you too!
I don't know about you but I can't seem to finish all the tomatoes I've been buying at the farmer's market. I've made them so many different ways I'm exhausted. I promise myself each week that I'm not going to buy any but they look so beautiful I can't help myself. I get completely carried away and ... WHAM! ... there's another 10 pounds of them sitting on my kitchen counter! 
You may not believe this but Matarazzo Farms still has the most beautiful basil at the farmer's market and it's nearly the end of August! Nothing says summer like the heady smell of basil and now's the time to capture it's essence as a homemade pesto.
Ha Ha! The Barista herself scooped me!! I was gallivanting around New Jersey this weekend and found some beautiful corn myself! It has been superb at the farmer's market this season and the ears I picked up on Saturday were also just wonderful. 
The farmer's market was exploding with the early autumn harvest on Saturday! There were peaches and basil and tomatoes and pears and grapes and the first gorgeous squashes. Summer and Fall all mixed up together! Glorious! There was a beekeeper and honey maker from North Caldwell New Jersey with 17 thousand bees and Nicky Mesiah was there teaching folks how to make a healthy Waldorf salad. It was a party really not just the market.
Fans of the original Little Saigon on Franklin Avenue in Nutley, who mourned the restaurant's passing due to a fire, have been waiting, chopsticks poised, for its reopening in Montclair. Tucked away at 19 Elm Street, just steps from Bloomfield Ave., Little Saigon opened just prior to the new year, in the space formerly occupied by Apple's Caribbean. If you've visited Binh Duong in Bloomfield, you'll find many of the dishes familiar, but the atmosphere far more appealing. And although nitpicky foodies at 
Little Saigon's dishes display all the hallmarks of great Vietnamese food -- fresh ingredients artfully prepared so that distinct flavors and textures and aromas emerge as you eat. It's food so flavorful you want to finish every last slippery strand of vermicelli or grain of rice. After wowing us with lunch, an extensive take-out order was procured for additional (yum!) research. The expertly-packed fare brought home did not disappoint; gracious touches like sprigs of coriander, basil and mint decked dishes accordingly and all the appropriate sauces were included. Shredded pork rolls, tightly wrapped in translucent rice paper, served as great starters. Grilled squid, incredibly tender, took on another dimension when dipped in the accompanying bean curd sauce. 
Sauteed beef with lemon grass and curry sauce on a bed of vermicelli was pleasingly spicy, not overpowering. Papaya shrimp salad, a menu standard, with its sprinkling of peanuts, shredded papaya and halved shrimp, was as good as we hoped, with the added bonus of a generous serving. Little Saigon has an interesting selection of desserts, including what qualifies as the Vietnamese version of comfort food, a warm tapioca pudding with sliced bananas floating in sweet coconut milk. Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk (similar to the Thai version) is a nice ending; more daring folks can try a Durian shake. 
For the uninitiated, 
Lots of tables in Baristaville, but how about high chairs, crayons or juice without the dirty looks. For our first Kid’s Dining Guide to Baristaville and Beyond, Barista readers weighed in with lots of great eateries where the owners are actually happy to see you -- and your brood. Some you may have tried, others might be new, but either way, we hope this gives you an alternative to staying home rather than brave another restaurant meal with toddlers.
That's what my mother always called it, going out for "coffee and," with the emphasis always on the "and". Two new places in Baristaville cater to that urge, when you just want to a little something sweet with your coffee. The first to open, Mr. D's, with its tucked-away location on the corner of Glenridge Ave. and Bay St. in Montclair, already has a buzz, with tipsters posting us to go and check it out. Tin-topped tables, complete with kistchy red and white tablecloths and a red linoleum floor, give the place a vintage 50's Americana vibe. A simple menu -- coffee in all its varieties, tea and a smattering of muffins and other sweets -- as well as the massive chalkboard behind the counter remind us of a French patisserie. Mr. D. is Karl De Iorio, who grew up in Verona, and whose father was the proprietor of the now-defunct Tony's Barber Shop on Valley Rd in Montclair. Although he lives in Lake Hopatcong, De Iorio gets to his shop by 6:30 am in order to caffeinate morning commuters. 
The other new addition to the java scene is Gimmee Jimmy's Cookie Bar on Church Street. Calling it a cookie bar is an understatement. The new shop offers everything from boxed chocolates to cheesecakes to key lime pies, to yes, even low-fat muffins. To go with your sweets, there's a full complement of drinks, everything from hot cocoa (we noticed a caramel version), espresso, chai lattes, hot apple cider, and the quintessential cookie beverage, ice cold milk. There's even those decadent chocolate molten cakes that restaurants serve.
When it comes to pizza, denizens of Baristaville differ as to what constitutes 
Both pies, priced at $7.95 and $8.95 respectively, are considered "personal" pizzas, but at 12 inches, they are huge for one person, and definitely could be split, or serve as appetizers for a larger group. Another hit was Cosimo's famous steak salad (pictured), another generous serving, featuring succulent strips of steak, juicy tomatoes, red onion, roasted peppers, black olives and chunks of fresh mozzarella. Cosimo's menu has plenty more to recommend, including an extensive selection of pasta, chicken and veal dishes, as well as meat and fish. We're still working our way through the list of 13 different pies, with a wild mushroom pizza and a seafood pie next in the rotation. Cosimo's is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and has ample parking. 194 Broad Street; 973-429-0558.
Talk about your transformations. Round Trip Fare, the newest restaurant to inhabit the space at the Upper Montclair train station (formerly occupied by Daily Soup, and before that Lotsa Pasta) has rolled into the station with personality to spare. The once-pea soup green walls and clanky metal chairs have been banished to create a space reminiscent of an elegant dining car. Looking beyond the decor, for proprietors Kim Sisco and Heather Maione, there's also got to be some deja vu. The two met years back while working at Lotsa Pasta; later they entertained the idea of opening their own restaurant. Up until a few months ago they were thisclose to signing a lease in Kinnelon, until they heard word that Daily Soup would be vacating the space. 
"When we realized we could be in Montclair, and in this space, it was like we came full circle, right back where we started. That's where we got the name Round Trip Fare," says Maione. Another coup was landing Chef Arturo Barrales, formerly of Cafe Panache in Ramsey and Blend in Ridgewood. Long before he was a head chef, Barrales worked pantry at a restaurant Sisco's family owned. Besides renewed connections, Chef Barrales, Sisco and Maione have something else in common -- all are parents to sets of fraternal twins. The fate that brought them together seems to translate into good karma for the fare itself. Touted as new and classic American food, the varied menu has something for everyone. "We wanted the atmosphere of a tablecloth restaurant, but a place where you can have a great burger or pizza, even if other people at your table wanted a more traditional meal," says Maione. We stopped in for lunch and were wowed by a cayenne-infused lobster soup with shrimp. Then we tried an artfully prepared sirloin steak wrap (pictured) with melted mozzarella, poblano chiles, tomato and avocado, served with perfectly seasoned french fries and a tangy jicama and carrot slaw. A chicken quesadilla was another big hit; teamed with salsa, sour cream and chunky guacamole, it transcended the typical by pairing the traditional chicken and cheese filling with sauteed spinach and mushrooms. 
try the young Turk in Montclair's dining scene, I was finally lured by a banner sign proclaiming lunch for $8.95. For that price, you get a more limited 
The Greek in me craved some tzatziki sauce to go with the huge plate of meat (served with salad and that's bulgur pilaf underneath). The closest thing to that is the iskender kebab, which is served on toasted pita bread with freshly made yogurt sauce. Another lunch entree, tavuk sis, sounds exotic, but is actually cubes of chicken breast, marinated and grilled with special seasonings. A quiet spot for lunch, Lalezar also offers a takeout menu, which states that you can take 10% off listed prices. With its evocative Middle Eastern decor, sitting in Lalezar, you almost forget you're on bustling Bloomfield Ave., and half expect to see belly dancers. Lalezar's takeout menu offers falafel or the doner sandwich (a.k.a. gyro) to go, an option if you aren't already a die-hard fan of Beyond Pita on Church Street. 
Savory offerings included freshly prepared, almost-too-pretty to eat appetizers from 
From its brilliant orange walls with bamboo-like wainscotting to its beautifully presented lunch specials ($6.95!) served with jasmine rice and a spicy tom yam soup, 
Desserts at Pandan are both gorgeous and memorable, especially turon flambe, a sweet plantain banana wrapped in a spring roll coating and served with an intensely-flavored, violet-hued ice cream made from tarot and young coconut and imported from the Philippines (along with other flavors) that has to be tasted to be believed. Pandan also serves and sells incredibly light homemade cakes by owner Linda Delos Reyes. Service couldn't be more gracious. A real find -- and they welcome calls for takeout orders. -- Liz George
After two long vacant years, the corner of Grove & Walnut has a new restaurant. One 15 Cafe, located diagonally across from Zuchette's, opened this past Saturday. The cafe occupies the space of a former luncheonette that was gutted and made over, bringing back 11 foot high ceilings and adding huge banks of windows. Co-owed by Najee Lewis and Betty Paulino, One 15 serves a menu with an accent on Spanish and American favorites. Lewis, who has a background in interior design and construction, found church pews for bench seating in an antique shop, and made the dining tables, as well as the tile-topped counter (constructed of faux painted wood to mimic stone, and accented with copper flashing). Paulino is heavily involved with the menu, working with One 15's chef, who previously cooked at Bonjour Montclair. 
"I wanted a place that was clean and bright," says Lewis, who is originally from Montgomery, AL. In addition to the One 15 omelette, featuring three eggs with cheddar cheese and carne molida (a Spanish-style ground beef), Lewis will bring in some Southern flavor with fish and grits. Besides breakfast offerings --pancakes, bagels, muffins, danish -- One 15 Cafe is open for lunch and dinner. Hours are 6:30 am to 10 pm. Oh, and the french toast rocks!
The long-awaited opening of Egan & Sons did not disappoint. In fact, the place dazzles. Everywhere you look, there's attention to details from warm polished woodwork, to surprising art work (patrons, like those in the painting, can smoke here), to gas-lit lamps, and even a snuggery, a cozy booth/room, perfect for an intimate group (a little bar fly told me these spaces originated as a place to secret away women). Then of course, there's the beer. I tried an ale and a lager; both had distinctive flavor and heft to pair well with one of Egan's mammoth burgers (featuring rolls from Nicolo's). Hand-cut crispy chips (a.k.a. fries) accompanied by bottles of ketchup and vinegar (douse them with the latter) and a chunky, tangy cole slaw rounded out my tasty meal.
The denizens of Baristaville may be used to the colored seltzer bottles that provide the decorating motif for the Raymond's ever since it moved down Church Street into its bigger digs. But out-of-towners, seeing the cafe for the first time, are still smitten. This category includes our friend David Corcoran, whose review of the restaurant appears in the Jersey section of today's New York Times. Corcoran gives Raymond's a "Very Good" rating, a rating he does not hand out lightly. Not only does he swoon over the motif ("How can you resist a restaurant whose motif is a vintage selzer bottle -- scores of them, in translucent pastels, stacked to form a tall divider that refracts multicolored light like a stained-glass window?") but he uses the G-word to describe Raymond himself.
The Remedy, which just opened in mid-July, is owned by Bloomfielders Alissa Jones Garcia and Gerald Garcia, both of whom have worked in various aspects of the architectural design world -- Alissa as a controller, Gerald as a photographer and lighting man. Their design connections show in an environment rich in espresso and latte hues, with simple bamboo placemats, a mirrored fireplace and a tall bookcase filled with tea-scented candles and coffee-bean jewelry.
We can't vouch for the tonics yet, but we can vouch for the atmosphere, which is both conversation and laptop friendly, though without any wireless connection yet. Moreover it's yet another sign that Bloomfield's on its way to becoming the next Montclair.
While some posters have offered 
Restaurants in Baristaville are opening faster than we can eat at and write about them (an end of summer cold rendering tastebuds useless is also not helping). If you've driven by the restaurant formerly known as 
Mom always said it was the most important meal of the day; now we challenge you to find a cheaper breakfast deal (where someone other than Mom serves it to you). We've learned that launched today, Church Street Cafe is offering a complete breakfast seven days a week, from 8-11 am. For the ridiculously low tariff of $3.99, select from these four different breakfasts, each including juice and a hot beverage: 
It's always been a seasonal irony. The Passover meal celebrates a flight from slavery so speedy that the slaves had to take their bread with them before it had a chance to rise. Matzo: the first fast food in recorded history. But preparing the seder is anything but fast - a process that involves days of schlepping for special ingredients and hours of chopping, roasting and baking.
Went to a summer party where the hosts served sangria -- red and white -- and there was much rejoicing. Fortunately, Mano A Vino, a Montclair blog for wine lovers, has got some recipes for 
We can agree to disagree with NJ Monthly and their annual "
For folks waiting to 
Chefs are the new rock stars -- let's face it, what could be sexier than a man who will cook for you? Manhattan's chef's are all bold-faced names, some with faces telegenic enough to make them regulars on Food Channel and the morning news shows. Montclair's no slouch in this department. We're always catching Ryan DePersio from Fascino on TV, and we got to think it's about more than just his way with a whisk. 
Feeling overwhelmed in the kitchen, or out of time to whip something up for your Thanksgiving host? With turkey day assistance available all over Baristaville, you don't need to sweat it to have a nice meal at home. Eat up and be thankful.
Owner Robert Scott travelled the world while cultivating a passion for tea. Now, he brings Baristaville enough tea choices to last a lifetime. Listening to Scott describe teas - floral, full bodied, nutty, earthy - and discuss blends, growing regions and harvests - is like listening to a Napa valley winemaker.
Had enough of those wine pairing dinners? Now's your chance to exchange wine goblets for a frosty mug. This Sunday, January 28, you're invited to The Petite Cafe in Nutley for its first beer and food tasting:
You love pad thai, your in-laws prefer Italian and your kids will only eat chicken fingers. What's a diner to do?
Don't expect the lavish interiors of your Montclair Thai restaurants, and until they get a double door for the front, you may find yourself a little chilly in very cold weather. But you'll love the prices. Pad thai and all the other noodle dishes are only $6.50, and most of the Thai entries are just $7.50. The pad thai was very good, but we were especially delighted by the salmon in panang curry sauce. In addition to traditional Thai iced coffee and tea, there's a honey-sweetened lemongrass juice. And save room for the fried banana, thai custard and fried ice cream desserts, which are presented beautifully. 
We've got good Asian food here in Baristaville: tangy Vietnamese, fiery Thai, mega-fresh Japanese. But until now, my hunger for truly authentic, mind-blowingly good Chinese food -- the kind served at Beijing's equivalent of a local diner, where low-level bureaucrats gobble steaming slices of meat drowned in hot red oil and swill a dizzying drink called Er Guo Tou on their lunch hour -- went wholly unsatisfied.
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. 
The Baristas and local Mexican food afficionados eagerly awaited the opening of
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. 
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.
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!
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. 
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.
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 
When we 
