Perhaps if molecular gastronomy was happening at Laboratorio Kitchen in Montclair, the name would make sense, but that is not the case. When I told Lowell, who worked as a research chemist, that we were going to Laboratorio in Montclair, he said, “I am retired. Why are you taking me to a laboratory?” The name implies a place with beakers, lab coats and chemicals or a restaurant with a menu similar to what Ferran Adria would serve.
We had two orders of a creamy, house-made burrata appetizer that came with truffled tomatoes, micro greens, basil oil and aged balsamic vinegar. It was scrumptious. An equally rich and worthy entrée was mushroom risotto with lump crabmeat and chorizo topped with frizzled spinach. Disappointments were the fig and Gorgonzola crostini with balsamic reduction, toasted walnuts and local honey as the cheese was cold and tasteless. Micro greens with small-halved tomatoes sat in the middle of a bowl of spinach polenta surrounded by four scallops. While the polenta had some zing and the scallops tasted fresh and had a nice sear, the dish was boring and bland. There were three desserts on the menu and we were told that they were made in house. We opted for a pecan tart, which was served one half hot and the other half cold. The accompanying whipped cream was cloyingly sweet.
There were three specials and they were recited without the prices. When we asked what one item cost we were told, “I think it is $28.” The waiter said he would check but never got back to us with this information. Additionally, both the appetizers and entrees were incorrectly placed in front of the wrong person. We felt that the prices were too high for the portion sizes. For example, the small burrata, from which each of us had a few bites each, was $14.
Kudos for the comfy chairs and lovely stemware. The dining room is stark with a bright blue wall, a brick wall, some banquette seating, highly polished clothless tables and a few pictures of Marilyn Monroe on the walls. Wine was poured when appropriate and we were asked if we were finished before our plates were removed from the table.
Mushroom risotto with lump crabmeat and chorizo topped with frizzled spinach.
Spinach polenta and four scallops.
Photos courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
Laboratorio Kitchen
615 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
973-746-6100
BYO
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What does boring and bland mean? Is this food writing? I’m sorry, but writing like this makes me very sad for our business. Just my opinion as an author and peer in the business of writing about food, wine and spirits.
Rosie Saferstein is entitled to her opinion. So is Bobrow, but if he’s that sad about the state of food writing, he can always try another profession.
The use of the word “boring” [clearly “dull,” “tiresome,” and/or “tedious”] [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/boring] suggests, to me, that the word “bland” is being used in definition #4 or #5. [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bland] Glad to help (translate) (from the English)!