It’s spring, with rainy days doing a do-si-do with sunny days—and new restaurants (or new menus) popping up like daffodils.
New Restaurants:
Mooyah Burgers, Fries and Shakes, 425 Valley Brook Avenue in Lyndhurst. This fifth NJ location of an international chain promises “never frozen” beef, turkey and black-bean burgers on a menu focused on food whose popularity seems to know no bounds. Open daily, 11 am to 10 pm. 201-345-4471. mooyah.com
DD Sprout Market Place, 70 Christopher Columbus Drive in Jersey City. This warehouse-size market and cafe features straight-from-the-farm produce on its shelves and on its menu. Take-out, too. Open daily. 201-475-5300 ddsprouts.com
Sushi Cafe, 555 Passaic Avenue in West Caldwell. This Japanese restaurant, relocated from Bloomfield Avenue in West Caldwell, remains under the stewardship of chef/owner Paul Kim. 973-403-7720.
Suite 304 Bar and Lounge, 304 University Avenue in Newark. Whole Foods is just the start of the food renaissance in Brick City: New as of last week is this bar from owner Sam Siino in the old Skipper’s Plane Street Pub space. The menu tilts Italian and the drinks spotlight cocktails and beer. There’s a deejay as well. Open daily till 2 am. 973-982-1111.
The Coffee Potter, 24 Schooley’s Mountain Road in Long Valley. Coffeehouse, with pastries. 201-230-9890.
Coming soon:
Ono Grind Poke, 1227 Raymond Boulevard in Newark. Hawaiian fare—yes, featuring wildly popular poke—in the trendy Halston Flats building. 201-290-4383.
Belly Sull Caribbean, 576 Scotland Road in Orange. Island cuisine to set the scene for warmer weather. 973-677-0007.
Jack’s Seafood Shack, 718 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair. Jack Tabibian, owner of Jack’s Lobster Shack in Edgewater, is anticipating a late April opening. 973-893-5278. jackslobstershack.com
Closed, for now:
Marco & Pepe, 289 Grove Street in Jersey City, is closed for renovations during a change of ownership.
New menus:
Halifax, 222 River Street in Hoboken. Chef Seadon Shouse has updated his Northeast coastal and farm menu. Think lamb meatballs with smoked gorgonzola fondue, or heritage-breed pork loin with green garbanzos. The cocktail list has new options, including Just a Spring Fling and Southern Pop. 201-253-2500. halifaxhoboken.com
Avenue, 23 Ocean Avenue in Long Branch. This brasserie on the beach has introduced a menu from chef Josh Sauer featuring those spring delicacies, ramps and morels. For example, halibut with spring morels; and trout with ramps and fava leaves. Also look for lobster spaghetti with butter-poached lobster, lemon-infused mascarpone, saffron and peas, in lobster broth; lamb loin with spring garlic purée, fava beans, chickpea-olive oil cake and mint raita (an Indian yogurt sauce). 732-759-2900 leclubavenue.com
Salt Creek Grille, 4 Bingham Avenue in Rumson. A significant menu overhaul puts more seafood and vegetarian dishes on the bill of fare at this multi-story restaurant on the Navesink River. New dishes include Faroe Island salmon; dayboat sea scallops; and cauliflower steak. There’s also a new small plates section, featuring items such as hamachi crudo. 732-933-9272 saltcreekgrille.com
Spuntino Wine Bar and Italian Tapas, Clifton Common, 70 Kingsland Road in Clifton. Asparagus and favas are sprouting on the menu, along with dishes that feature salmon and lamb. 973-661-2435 spuntinowinebar.com
New lunch hours:
Olivella, 7709 Bergenline Avenue in North Bergen, now serves lunch daily, starting at 11:30 am. On the menu for midday: focaccia panini, brick oven pizza and pastas. 201-662-6110.