—Seven Valleys opened last week, bringing Persian food to Hoboken. Owner Dale Ryan already has two cafes in Hudson County, but Seven Valleys is a more personal venture, bringing not only food but Persian culture to the fore. Cooking will hinge on thoughtful tradition and fresh ingredients, with chef Dayan Hadavi and an Iranian koobideh machine to make kabobs anchoring a menu that’s both familiar and exotic (Persian chicken stew with pomegranate and ground walnuts, saffron ice cream, etc.). Seven Valleys Restaurant, 936 Washington Street, Hoboken; 201-792-5979
—Bell Market at Bell Works is finally fully open. The restaurants, from RBC (“Run by Chefs”) Hospitality Group, have been opening piecemeal over the past several weeks, greasing their gears with regular preview happy hours, but now the entire operation is ready for business. RBC is helmed by chef Richard Corbo, his wife, sommelier Chantelle Corbo, chef Chad Spencer and pastry chef Jeffrey Sytsma. Bell Market is a self-described “social house and eatery” with five major “culinary concepts” in operation: Corbo & Sons with its Italian-made wood ovens, Honeybell bakery from Sytsma, Broadfork Greens & Grains, Jozu and Bubz Deli. Bell Market, 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel; 732-365-2500
—It’s been several months of waiting as Lefkes worked on transforming the former grand digs of the short-lived American Cut in Englewood, but the restaurant is now open. Another jewel in the crown of the Kellari Hospitality Group, Lefkes does modern Mediterranean with an emphasis on Greek classics. No surprise, the menu is packed with seafood preparations. Slight surprise, the ample (but reliable-looking) presence of sushi. Lefkes, 495 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs; 201-408-4444
—If you haven’t tried Dominican food, head to Cliffside Park, where El Conuco just opened its second location (the first is in Union City). The term “el conuco” refers to indigenous land, according to the website, and traditional flavors abound in the entrees (grilled meats, fish, a list of mofongos), with fresh juices and smoothies, including tamarind and soursop, to lighten things up. El Conuco, 455 Palisade Avenue, Cliffside Park; 201-945-9200
*Silverlake Cheesesteaks and Tacos opened on October 6 in Belleville. They don’t currently have a website but told us they’re working on one. Silverlake Cheesesteaks and Tacos, 93 Franklin Street, Belleville; 973-759-8000
In the Works:
—Union City’s whimsical Waffle & Bubble is adding a third location in Hudson County. The restaurant—most notable for having any variety of waffle cones stuffed with meats—is set to open around mid-November, says management. Waffle & Bubble, 291 Central Avenue, Jersey City Heights; no phone yet.
—An operation called the Kitchen & Beer Bar in Haskell, New Jersey doesn’t seem to have an online presence, but they are putting out a call for “beer-tenders and servers.” Craft beer, 12 draft lines (with “more to come”), and a menu from aforementioned kitchen should be on tap once they emerge into the limelight. The Kitchen & Beer Bar, Haskell; no phone yet.
—A self-described “cake and café shop” called Layers of Flavor is in the works in Montclair, also putting out a call for a pastry chef/baker. Not much else in the way of detail, as it looks like early days for the operation. Layers of Flavor, Montclair; no phone yet.
—The Edge Restaurant and Bar aims to bring a bit of the restaurant-meets-nightlife vibe to its sizable home in Jackson. The menu will feature modern American with Latin and Asian inflections, and you can expect a full, sleek bar menu when they open sometime in November (a recent Facebook post teasing a serious booze list made it seem like a few weeks rather than a few days). The Edge Restaurant & Bar, 109 North County Line Road, Jackson; no phone yet.
[Editor’s note: After publishing this post, we were informed that the Edge will not be opening until 2019.]