Restaurant News

This week Rosie tells us about Upstairs in Montclair, LeVant in Edison, and much more news about NJ restaurants.

UPSTAIRS, MONTCLAIR
We knew Upstairs was up a flight of stairs, but we weren’t sure which door on Valley Road in Upper Montclair led to this much-buzzed-about restaurant. There is no sign, but to the left of Dai Kichi at 608 Valley is a glass door. Look inside, and if you see blue frosted-glass steps, that’s where you want to go. Once upstairs we were impressed with the frosted glass bar, white modern-looking swivel bar chairs, thin silver rods suspended from the ceiling with lights on the bottom, and hooks under the bar to hang purses. The room is long and narrow with the open kitchen in the middle and another dining room in the rear. Do not miss the ladies’ or men’s room. It’s worth the trip, and you may want to take your camera to show your friends this ultra-modern bathroom with directions on how to use the facilities. Enough said…

Follow these steps to Upstairs.

Not only is the décor at Upstairs stunning, but the food is impressive as well. Mostly small plates are offered, enhanced with daily specials. Also, this is one of the few restaurants in Montclair that are not BYO. And when we asked for the bill, the waiter told us that if we paid with cash, 10 percent would be deducted from our charges.

Upstairs bar.

You can do a lot of mixing and matching here. A hit was three spicy pork meatballs with cilantro purée and scallions, decorated with a sweet potato chip. Airy and light house-made ricotta gnocchi with baby heirloom tomatoes, garlic, basil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano were also a standout. The do-not-miss dish was a bowl of very thin rings of sautéed calamari served with a garlic, lemon, basil, and chili sauce. Crispy duck salad with watercress, celery root, red onion, and apple cider vinaigrette was fresh tasting but needed more dressing. Tagliatelle served with shrimp, butternut squash, and kale pesto is also recommended. Tilefish, listed with the larger-plate options, came with parsnip purée, fennel, onion, and a refreshing apple ginger butter.

The team behind this new find is owner Aki Keneda, general manager Scott Hirschberger, executive chef David Van Morrelgem, and chef Christopher Ryan Arturo. Upstairs is open for dinner daily from 5 to 10 PM. The bar is open Monday through Saturday from 5 PM to 1:30 AM and Sunday from noon to midnight.

Upstairs calamari.
Photos courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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LEVANT, EDISON
We were driving on Route 27 in Edison and saw a sign announcing the grand opening of a restaurant, so we veered into the parking lot with no knowledge of what we would find inside. It turned out that LeVant, 1871 Route 27, Edison, (732-662-7686), a BYO halal restaurant, had been open almost a year. The owner never took the sign down. Okay, we were still game, and after looking at the menu, which states that LeVant serves Mediterranean cuisine (although mostly Turkish cuisine was listed), we decided to give this not-newly-opened restaurant a try.

It’s easy to order too much, as the portions are tremendous. We shared two appetizers, one entrée, and one dessert and had enough left over for dinner the next night. A plate of pickled turnips and other pickles, olives, and warmed pita was placed on the table, and we started with baba ghanouj, which had more flavor from the tahini sauce than the eggplant. A chopped Turkish salad couldn’t have been fresher, with finely diced cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, scallions, red onions, and an olive oil and lemon dressing. We loved it. The vegetable couscous was also memorable. It had chickpeas, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, turnips, carrots, and squash and came with a bowl of a fragrant, light, tomato-based sauce that was also chock full of veggies. Dessert is made in house, and the muhallabia, a pudding made with milk, reminded us of crème brûlée, except it was topped with chopped pistachios rather than caramelized sugar. You can easily make a meal out of the appetizer selections or share an entrée, which run the gamut from shish kebab and its variations to shawarma, grilled fish, quail, and a mixed grill containing chicken, beef, and lamb. Considering that prices are low, you can dine very well here. Our dinner was $40 with tax and tip.

Baba ghanouj.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

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HOLIDAY CHEFS’ DINE-AROUND
If you’re looking to do something different after the holidays, a five-course gourmet feast with paired wines, Holiday Chefs’ Dine-Around, will be held at participating Cape May restaurants on December 29. A trolley will shuttle attendees to five different establishments, one for each course. 6 PM; $125, gratuity included. For more information and reservations, call 609-883-5404 or 800-275-4278.

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PILSENER HAUS BIERGARTEN, HOBOKEN
Want beer? Pilsener Haus Biergarten, 1422 Grand Street, Hoboken (201-281-0271), has enough to keep your whistle wet for weeks, with more than 20 premium authentic German drafts and 50 European and American craft beers by the bottle, as well as seasonal offerings. For a real deal, come here Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 8 PM, when half a liter of PH Original is $4. Pair your beer with items from the Austro-Hungarian menu, such as sauerbraten, Wiener schnitzel, chicken paprikash, and Hungarian beef goulash.

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Please send press releases and restaurant news, including information on staff changes, wine tastings, and cooking classes, to [email protected].

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