14 August 2012 Zod Arifai Does Blu So Well

Zod Arifai Does Blu So Well

August 14, 2012 By

Salmon

Could it be that the 45-seat restaurant in bustling downtown Montclair serves up the best food in New Jersey?  It is quite possible. At his award-winning restaurant, chef and owner, Zod Arifai, masters modern cuisine with French, Italian and Asian influences.

Born in Kosovo to parents who were both good cooks, chef Arifai is self-taught with an inquisitive mind and short stints at Bouley and Aureole in Manhattan that have proven to be better at helping him transform in the chef he is today than formal training at a culinary school might have been.

On a recent visit, our party sampled dishes that blew us away. For starters, the Spaghetti Carbonara with Crispy Duck is creamy, velvety with rich duck morsels, the Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil is pure decadence with its unctuous texture, earthy mushrooms and drizzle of fragrant truffle oil.  The Seafood Dumplings with Spicy Coconut Broth showcases the thinnest, most delicate wrappers over a tasty seafood mixture that bathes in an ultra-flavorful, just-spicy-enough broth.

Veal Belly

Must-have entrées are the Salmon, Forbidden Rice served with peanuts, scallions and coconut-chili broth, the Duck Breast, Red Cabbage served with a caramelized turnip with a red wine-fig emulsion and the Veal Belly with Soft Polenta, Wild Mushrooms and Sweet and Sour Glaze. The salmon is of the finest quality and the forbidden rice is of toothy perfection. The duck is cooked to a flawless medium-rare and the red wine emulsion is a perfect complement to the protein. The absolute star is the veal belly. For those of us who think pork belly is the perfect food, chef Arifai’s veal counterpart is heavenly. The sweet and sour glaze is tart and cuts through some of the veal’s richness and the polenta is the best I have had, even in Italy – order this dish without fault.

Spaghetti Carbonara

At Blu, chef Arifai creates dishes from techniques and ingredients he tests out extensively and the results are simply spectacular. Nearly seven years after opening, Blu is more at the top of its game than ever.

Blu
554 Bloomfield Avenue
Montclair, NJ
973-509-2202
www.restaurantblu.com

BYOB

Hours:

Tuesday – Thursday: Open at 5:30PM

Friday – Sunday: Open at 5PM

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
26 March 2012 Adara – New Jewel in Montclair’s Upscale Restaurant Crown

Adara – New Jewel in Montclair’s Upscale Restaurant Crown

March 26, 2012 By

White Truffle Envelope

10/21/12 Update: After a visit on 10/20/12, I can no longer recommend Adara. The food is still delicious, but the new staff’s poor job and the 4-hour wait for three courses is not worth the food.

Adara, located in a secluded area off busy Bloomfield Avenue, offers perhaps the best culinary experience to be had in New Jersey.  The restaurant dubs its food as “Modernist” in style, and paired with top notch service and an elegant, understated space, it is simply fabulous.

Acqua di Gio

Wylie Dufresne, Grant Achatz and Ferran Adrià have popularized molecular gastronomy and have made it an exciting part of American culinary culture.  At Adara, Art Institute of New York City graduate and ACF certified Master Chef, Tre Ghoshal runs with the concept, flawlessly.

The menu at Adara offers a la carte options and three-course ($65), five-course ($85) and seven-course ($110) prix fixe tour menus.  Feeling adventurous?  There is also the grand tour, featuring 12 inventive courses ($175).

On a recent visit, General Manager, Philip Dowling and his attentive staff, eagerly guided our party through the 5-course menu that featured such dishes as the New England Clam Chowder – a bowl of complex flavors served with quail egg, masago, maple pancetta and tasty foam that Adara calls “deep sea wind”, the Campania – chef Ghoshal’s version of Caprese salad with vine ripe tomatoes, a mozzarella ‘balloon’, an extra virgin olive oil sorbet and basil, the White Truffle Envelope – a Hudson Valley foie gras-filled raviolo served with kumquat mostarda, cappuccino and pistachio, and the Acqua di Gio – dry sea scallop with baby squid, bacon, English pea and popcorn.

Adara is a BYO and is a perfect occasion for guests to dust off those great bottles and create their own wine pairings.

Adara is a must-try establishment with its creative, flavorful and breathtaking food.  It is participating in Montclair Restaurant Week with a $31, 3-course menu from March 19th through April 1st.

77 Walnut Street
Montclair, NJ 07042

973.783.0462
www.restaurantadara.com

Cheers,

Veronique

 

 

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
10 June 2011 New Jersey Cult Cook Triumphs at CulinAriane

New Jersey Cult Cook Triumphs at CulinAriane

June 10, 2011 By

Tuna Amuse Bouche

CulinAriane, as the name suggests, is all about graduate, Chef-Owner Ariane Duarte’s culinary prowess.  The staff is courteous and knowledgeable, the space in foodie mecca, Montclair, is warm and inviting, but the reason patrons are drawn to this cozy spot is the fabulous food.

On a recent visit, my party was offered an outdoor, curbside table.  The evening was warm and this seating arrangement was perfect for a group of six guests interested in catching up with one another.  Right upon arriving, guests know the dining experience at CulinAriane will be special.  From the great glassware (nice touch for a BYO), the fine china and flatware and the antique serving pieces, attention to detail is not spared and helps set the mood for the coming evening.

The menu is creative, albeit condensed.  Each starter and entrée is more appealing than the next, and the nightly specials encompass amazing combinations.

Tuna Sashimi

Some outstanding starters ($12 – $16) my group sampled are the Sashimi Tuna Flower ($14), the Venison Carpaccio (nightly special), the Cornmeal Crusted Oysters ($12) and the Tempura Rock Shrimp Salad (nightly special).  The tuna sashimi flower is a signature dish, and absolutely beautiful, fresh and delicious.  The venison Carpaccio was more than seared causing it to be somewhat dry and grayish in appearance.  The fried oysters with a horseradish sauce were crisp, juicy and succulent.  The rock shrimp salad featured lightly fried Tempura shrimps over perfectly-dressed greens.

The entrees ($30 – $42) were not overshadowed by the starters.  Some stellar choices are the Pan Seared Scallops ($30), the Grilled Bronzini ($30) and the Focaccia-Crusted Hake (nightly special).  The scallops were perfectly seared and of the highest quality and the forest mushroom ragout they were paired with were an ideal match.  The portion of Bronzini served was considerable and the fish was masterly cooked.  The pan-fried hake was served over fiddleheads, broccoli rabe and fingerling potatoes and a great dish.

Maple Creme Caramel

Not to be outdone by wife Ariane, Pastry Chef / Co-Owner / Gracious Host, Michael Duarte, also a Culinary Institute of America graduate, completes the top-notch foodie experience with his dessert creations ($8 – $10).  Can’t-miss finales are the Callebaut Chocolate Ganache Tart with Orange Whipped Cream ($10), the Maple Syrup Crème Caramel ($10) and the Lemon Meringue Martini ($9).  Don’t skip on coffee which is strong, bold and a perfect accompaniment to the super desserts.

Word of warning, reservations are challenging to secure at this uber-popular restaurant, so plan in advance.

Yes, Chef Ariane amassed a cult following through her appearance on Bravo’s Top Chef series.  Is CulinAriane all media hype without culinary substance?  No, it is not.  It’s about quality ingredients, skillful preparation and clever presentation.

CulinAriane

33 Walnut St
Montclair, NJ 07042
973-744-0533
Website: www.culinariane.com

Social Side of CulinAriane:

Ariane’s blog: http://blog.dinnertool.com/

Twitter: @Culinariane

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/CulinAriane/174585542583637

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
27 February 2011 Epernay in Montclair – Non Merci

Epernay in Montclair – Non Merci

February 27, 2011 By

Four of my friends and me dined at Epernay last night after hearing good things about it in various restaurant reviews.  What a disappointment!  Can’t say anything positive about it – from the seating situation to the wait staff to the food – all mediocre.

Had reservations and was told to go back to the “foyer” until the staff was ready for us. Bad, rude, first impression.  When we were taken to our table, it was difficult to maneuver to our chairs due to the tables being so close to each other (not in a cute Paris way). Someone in my party commented that the fire marshal must not have visited lately.

Our main waiter was visibly intoxicated when we arrived and just didn’t make the cut. I’d brought Champagne and he insisted on chilling it for 10 minutes while we sat and waited for him to bring it for us, which he never didn’t.  He instead opted to open the bottle and pour the wine behind a wall and bring each guest a glass. Major fail in the showmanship department, especially when serving a bottle at a higher price point – this is a bistro, not a stuffy high-end place where wine might be poured away from the table.

Epernay Duck

The menu consists of predictable French bistro fare: escargots, onion soup, beet salad for starters then steak frites, mussels, cassoulet and duck for entrees.  Who could mess this up?  The kitchen staff at Epernay does.  Every dish was cold.  None of the dishes were good.  I had the lobster ravioli starter and it featured thick pasta and cold sauce.  I ordered the duck medium-rare and it was cold and well done with flabby fat that hadn’t been rendered at all (caveat – the mashed potatoes were nice).  The meats were likely par-cooked then microwaved to fully cook as all was grey and overdone.  No “a la minute” at Epernay!  My friend’s “seared” scallops were white and mostly boiled then served over what appeared to be canned corn.

Thank goodness Epernay is a BYOB as the stars of the meal were the fabulous wines we brought and sipped.  This level of cooking/serving cannot happen in a town like Montclair with stellar restaurants on every corner.

Epernay, A French Brasserie

6 Park Street

Montclair, NJ 7042

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,