LALEZAR
72I Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
973-233-1984
Hours: Daily, noon–10 pm
Price: $/$$
Style: Spacious dining space with jewel-toned walls, cathedral ceilings, tile floors and Turkish and Mediterranean accents.
Don’t Miss: Patlican soslu ($5.95), a mixture of sautéed eggplant, red and green peppers and onions in a tomato sauce, is delicious scooped on the warm accompanying bread. Sigara böregi ($5.95)—flaky phyllo triangles stuffed with feta and parsley, then lightly fried—are also a good pick. Or go for tried-and-true Mediterranean starters, such as hummus ($5.95), falafel ($5.95) and baba ghanoush ($5.95). Authentic specialties include incik ($22.95), oven-baked lamb wrapped in eggplant with potatoes and carrots, and manti ($15.95), which are housemade ravioli stuffed with ground meat and topped with garlic-yogurt sauce. Or try the succulent lamb and chicken kebabs ($15.95-$19.95) served over pita cubes and yogurt. From the grill, there’s Tavuk Adana, diced chicken breast with red and green peppers in Turkish seasonings ($15.95), and marinated lamb chops ($26.95). For a sweet tooth: creamy Firin Sütlaç, warm rice pudding with cinnamon ($3.95); baklava ($3.95); and kadayif ($4.95), shredded phyllo stuffed with chopped walnuts.
Heads up: Dine-in Monday through Thursday for a three-course dinner special at $9.95.
The Scoop: Saturday night belly dancing performances add an exotic note to the dining experience.