Libélula Bakery and Kitchen in Montclair

STYLE

Scandinavian-style design, with large windows, light-wood furniture and lots of plants.

THE SCOOP

This charming new café is warm and inviting and was created by husband-and-wife duo Brian Martinez (the executive chef) and Veruska Samanaz (the pastry chef). The pair marry Dominican cooking with Peruvian dishes.

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THE MENU

Start with the fabulous vegetable omelette, which comes with your choice of a side (choose the maduros, fried sweet plantains). It’s deceptively simple but very tasty and comes with aji verde, an irresistible Peruvian green sauce that you can spoon over the omelette. The lomo saltado, a standard Peruvian dish, comes with roasted potatoes instead of French fries and is served over creamy basil noodles. The ceviche is delicious and beautiful to look at—it comes adorned with edible flowers. Another specialty is the mangu tres golpes, mashed plantain served with egg, fried cheese, sausage and mojo onions.

HEADS UP

The restaurant also sells wonderful pastries, empanadas, and custom-order cakes.

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