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Thai Chef Thai Chef started life as a French restaurant with Asian influences. The French chef left and the restaurant could now best be described as Asian with French influences. However it is categorized, Thai Chef offers excellent food using fresh spices such as lemon grass, basil, kaffir lime leaves, and cilantro. The dishes are beautifully presented. To call this cuisine spicy is inaccurate and it misses the point. The crab meat pancake, spicy (not very) shrimp, chicken with wild mushrooms, and duck that we tried were all delicious. Thai Chef is clearly worth the trip to Montclair. $$ [10/02] Habana Habana is the third Cuban restaurant now open in the area. The appetizers are varied and delicious. The “Habana Mixto” provides a fine sampler. Traditional dishes, such as Ropa Vieja, are expertly prepared. The steak offerings were excellent and enormous. The “baby” Churrasco (a skirt steak) provided me with left-overs for lunch the next day. The regular Churrasco could easily have fed 3 people! My wife, a reluctant meat eater, devoured her Oxtail Stew. Make sure you order the fabulous sweet plantains as one of your “sides.” Vegetarian dishes are also available. $$ [6/02]
Tim Shaefer’s Cuisine is a terrifically creative restaurant that is well worth the trip. The menu is difficult to describe because it borrows from numerous sources, combines unusual elements, and changes seasonally. “Fun with fusion” is as good a description as any. The flash fried calamari, southwestern duck quesadilla, wild mushroom ravioli, and stuffed, double-cut boneless pork chop were delicious selections when we visited. Don’t miss the (nonalcoholic) “Martini” of the day. Tim is more of a beer person than a wine person (see http://www.brewchef.com ), but his entrees work very well with wine. $$$$ [05/02] China 46 China 46 is one of the most authentic Chinese restaurants in the area. The sheer number of offerings is daunting, but there is clearly something here for everyone. The adventurous will be delighted (Duck Tongue, anyone?), but so will those who prefer traditional Chinese/American dishes. The Plum Duck, “Bouillabaise,” and Dim Sum items that we tried were terrific. Several interesting selections (Twin Lobster Salad, Braised Whole Duck with Scallion, as well as Shark’s Fin and Chicken Casserole) need to be ordered in advance. Numerous vegetarian dishes are available, as are healthful steamed dishes. You can even mix and match your preferred ingredients. $ - $$ [3/02] Pastafino Pastafino replaces the Pink Pasta. The decor is fresher and cleaner. The fare is basically Italian, but it’s a higher grade than most Italian restaurants in the area. The menu offers a surprising number of chicken choices, but seafood and veal were more than adequately represented. Veal Allendale was especially good. The only jarring note was the distressing number of patrons who brought white Zinfandel with them! I trust this is not a reflection on the residents of Allendale! $$ [2/02, revisited 12/02] Kinara Kinara is Hindi for “edge of the water.” This is one of the better Indian restaurants in the area. The chef here has a sure, but delicate touch. A perfect place to stop on the way into Manhattan, it offers some unique appetizers as well as more standard kabab, masala, tandoori, and curry-style dishes featuring lamb, chicken, shrimp, etc. Numerous vegetarian dishes and terrific breads are also available. Kinara was given a “very good” rating in the New York Times. $$ [12/01, revisited 5/02]
Mignon Steak House As its name implies, Mignon is a beef oriented restaurant. They offer mostly grilled versions of lamb, veal, pork chops. They also offer shrimp, scallop, lobster, and King Crab legs. But beef is their heart and soul. The entrées range from New York Strip Steak and Petite Mignon to a 40 oz Porterhouse that will serve two or more. All the beef is aged on the premises. Interesting steak sauces include wild mushroom demi-glace, mint cream, and green peppercorn. Vegetables are a la carte. $$$ [11/01]
Natalie's Cafe Natalie’s downsized and moved down the block. Zirole’s is now where they used to be. This is a very pleasant little cafe for a casual meal. In addition to wraps, focaccia pizza, and panini (sandwiches), there are upscale specials. The night we visited there were several lovely salads as well as primavera ravioli, shrimp and scallops fra diablo over linguine, blackened fresh tuna, and pasta with shrimp, tomatoes, lump crab meat, and lots and lots of garlic. $ - $$ [10/01]
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