Montclair's Zeugma Mediterranean Grill

I am not prone to gushing, but when I say “you need to get to this place,” believe me!

I was a guest at a press dinner (my meal was complimentary) a few weeks ago and visited Zeugma for the first time. They’ve been open over a year, and while I had seen clippings and heard chattering about it, somehow I never got there. This is  Mediterranean cuisine kicked up a notch. Read on for more details.

Executive Chef, Can Alp, who was born in Turkey, has designed a menu that blends middle Eastern dishes with European influences. For instance, his delicious “muhammara” is made with a sweet pumpkin puree instead of the usual red peppers and has a slightly spicy finish.

Beet Heaven

In his “beet heaven” dish, he takes labneh, the creamy yogurt spread popular now at many restaurants, and adds organic baby beets and lemon for a wonderfully bright and flavorful dish. 

Rip a piece of his homemade pita bread to drag through the “sauced eggplant,” redolent with green peppers, onion, and garlic, and you’ll be in heaven.

Turkish Dumplings

I could have made a meal of the “manti,” and the “borrek,” two dishes I was not familiar with. Manti are terrific little Turkish dumplings stuffed with shiitake mushrooms in yogurt sauce, and drizzled with paprika oil and parsley oil. Chef Alp rolls pastry and stuffs them with spinach and feta to create the delicate borrek. 

Borrek

Not to be missed if you are a fan of grilled octopus is Zuegma’s version. A hearty serving with grilled zucchini topped with roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a fabulous Kalamata olive dressing. 

Looking for a salad but something a bit different? Try the Roasted Artichoke and Kale Salad and you won’t be disappointed. A beautifully composed dish of baby arugula, artichokes, kale, mixed greens, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds, blended together with a light lemon balsamic dressing.

Roasted Artichoke and Kale Salad

For my entree, I chose the grilled lamb chops. Although they were cooked slightly more than my requested medium-rare, they were seasoned perfectly, and served with a delicious black garlic roasted eggplant puree, a bit of harissa sauce, and a delightful side of fresh mint, arugula and parsley.

Chef Alp does double duty as Zeugma’s pastry chef, and wowed us with what’s known as “Z-Chef Special.” You can definitely see how his experience in Paris has influenced him here. He takes delicate French meringue, whips pastry cream with strawberries, and plates it on a gorgeous lake of raspberry sauce. 

As if that wasn’t enough, he brought us a delectable warm, dark chocolate fudge brownie topped with pistachio gelato and crushed pistachio. And then, the pièce de résistance a beautiful poached pear soaked in a spiced red wine with “floss” halvah, vanilla bean gelato, in a sangria reduction! Magnifique!

I loved that much of Zeugma’s menu is designed for sharing. Take advantage of the menu sections labeled “mezzes” (small appetizers) and “in the middle,” (slightly larger plates) and craft your very own Mediterranean feast.

To re-confirm my original sentiment of “Get yourself to this place!” a couple of weeks later I went back anonymously. And I’m happy to report that the food and service were just as good as I originally experienced. 

Zeugma is BYO but is also a retailer for California’s Domenico Winery, selling both full and half bottles (no wine by the glass).

They are open for lunch Monday-Friday, dinner every day, and brunch Saturday and Sunday.

Zeugma Mediterranean Grill

44 South Park Street

Montclair

973-744-0074

www.zeugmagrill.com 

Hours and menu items subject to change.

Fresh Bread at Bivio in Montclair

For almost five years, pizza aficionados in the north Jersey area flocked to Bivio Pizzeria Napoletana in Little Falls like hummingbirds to sugar . Once you had a taste of Tomasso Colao’s authentic pizza made with his own natural yeast cultured dough, you were hooked. I count myself among the faithful. 

I wrote about Bivio Pizzeria when it first opened in 2011 and was a dedicated patron for Bivio’s entirely all-too-short run. Besides the delicate, innovative pizzas on offer, Tom was a master bread baker, and one of the joys of ordering a salad or appetizer was the incredible crusty bread that came with it. For awhile, you could also buy a loaf of Tom’s rustic breads to take home.

When Bivio closed in 2015, I was devastated (as were many of their other loyal followers). Of course, I missed the pizza and the bread, but also the vibe. Bivio had a special warmth that I haven’t found anywhere else in the area. A restaurant’s ambience starts with the management and Tomasso and his wife, Jackie, imbued Bivio with a genuine cordiality that made Bivio somewhere you wanted to be. From the soft lighting to the cool jazz, to the friendly yet professional service, Bivio had it all.

I’m still searching for that very special pizza but at least now I can once again get Tom’s bread. That’s right, Bivio groupies, Tomasso Colao’s handmade Italian bread is now available at the brand new Bivio Panificio in Montclair. Tom is firing up his wood-burning oven to turn out the breads we so loved at the original Bivio. 

I was there opening day to visit Tom and, of course, to get my hands of that bread! Tom’s new location is a small storefront in a quiet residential neighborhood, and when I arrived he was hard at work turning out those gorgeous rustic loaves. In the oven was the last batch for the day, “pagnotta,” a traditional peasant loaf with a deep, dark crust. He had already made baskets full of bastones and pane Bivio, and the aroma in the store made my heart sing. 

After visiting for awhile, I went home with two loaves (because, how could I not?), a bastone and the pagnotta almost too warm to even hold. I had planned to use the bastone with dinner that evening, but the minute I got in the car, I tore the heel from the loaf and ooh’d and aah’d the whole way home. Welcome back, Tomasso, Jackie, and the “baby” (their natural yeast culture), you were sorely missed.

Bivio Panificio

107 Pine Street

Montclair, NJ

973-941-9602

Wednesday-Saturday (call for specific hours)

Soft Shell Crabs with Orzo Summer Salad

One of our favorite summer meals is soft shell crabs. Last week, we were able to buy “whales” at Gus and Company Fish Market in Montclair (whales are the largest size of soft shells). They weren’t cheap but they were incredibly meaty and brimming with freshness.

After a light dusting of seasoned flour, the crabs are sautéed in a delicate mix of just butter, olive oil, and cream sherry. They come up golden brown, crisp, and delectable. I can’t provide a formal recipe for you because it was a “verbal” recital from a friend’s long ago stint at a New Jersey seaside restaurant. These are the best soft shells we've ever had. Here’s the gist:

Mix some all-purpose flour with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a bit of paprika in a bowl. Transfer seasoned flour to a plate or container big enough to use for dredging. 

Dry the crabs with a paper towel. Dredge crabs in seasoned flour and set aside.

Melt 1-2 TB of butter and 1-2 TB olive oil (it should be a 50/50 proportion) in a heavy duty pan (we use cast iron). When the pan is hot, add the crabs, shell side down and cook until golden. Flip and cook about 3-5 minutes, depending on size of crabs. Remove crabs from the pan, add about 1/4 cup of cream sherry and cook until alcohol evaporates and approximately 2 TB of sauce remains. Pour pan sauce over crabs and serve.

We made a delightful orzo salad to accompany the crabs. From the good cooks over at Food52, this salad is the perfect summer side, packed with sweet cherry tomatoes, scallions, fresh spinach, and salty feta. It’s colorful and delicious, and as a bonus, you can make it ahead of time. If you like, a bright Sauvignon Blanc is very nice with this meal.

Happy Summer Eating!

The "No Agenda" Weekend

A couple of weeks ago, I started talking with my husband (more like lobbying) about getting away for a quick two-day trip somewhere. Nothing fancy, just something to help me pretend that summer really isn’t almost over. Of course, I should have thought about this earlier. WAY earlier. Anywhere I wanted to go was either booked up, or the hotel prices were so exorbitant, even I couldn’t justify it. So I gave up and resigned myself to a weekend at home. The last weekend before Labor Day. The next to last weekend of “official” summer. Do you hear the tinge of sadness in my voice? I even held off on making any local plans with friends for this weekend in the hope of a last minute breakaway. But, alas, it was not to be.

So now with nowhere to go, and no local plans, I am embracing the “no agenda” weekend! That's right, we're just going to throw caution to the wind and do whatever we want, go wherever we want, laze about in the sun, maybe even show up at a restaurant without a reservation! Oh, the horrors!

Of course with all this lolling about we’ll need a cool beverage, so perhaps I’ll make this cocktail that my friend, Pam, sent me the other day (recipe below). It sounds so crisp and delicious.

What will we eat? Who knows? Maybe we’ll go out, maybe we’ll stay in. No agenda, remember? We had a delightful meal the other night at a cool Mediterranean spot in Montclair called “Mish Mish.” We could go back there for breakfast or brunch. 

And for dinner? I have been craving a lobster roll and with no trip to Maine in my near future, I think we’ll try the ones at Gus and Co (also in Montclair). The rolls looked divine when we were there buying soft shell crabs a few weeks ago. 

Luckily, if we need a sweet, dessert is already taken care of.  Last weekend I made this delicious Frozen Yogurt Bark, which is totally chilling in the freezer.  Fun and easy to make, frosty and sweet with raspberries, blueberries, and toasted almonds, it’s the perfect end of summer treat. You can use other fruits, nuts, or seeds to add different textures.

Pre-frozen yogurt bark

What is it that my Italian friends say?  “Dolce far niente,” literally, “sweet doing nothing.” That’ll be me this weekend. Hope you have a lovely, “no agenda” weekend, too.

Cucumber Vodka Cooler

Ingredients

- 2 cucumber slices

- 1 oz. simple syrup

- 2 basil leaves

- 1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

- 1 oz. white cranberry juice

- 2 oz. Praire cucumber vodka

- Muddle first 4 ingredients three times in a mixing tin

- Fill glass with ice (medium size glass) and pour ice into tin and muddle ice with rest of ingredients 7 times

- Cup mixing tin and shake vigorously for 10 seconds

- Pour contents into glass

- Use 1 Basil leaf for garnish

Visiting Samba in Montclair!

Mango Mousse

Recently I took a spur of the moment trip to Brazil. Without having to dig out my passport, pack a bag, or exchange currency. How did I do that? Well, I was invited to visit Montclair’s only Brazilian restaurant, Samba.

Owned by Ilson Goncalves, a native of Brazil, Samba recently installed a new chef and new menu. Chef Roberto Carnero, a graduate of the International Culinary Center in NYC, took over the kitchen in March, and has transformed the menu into a delicious, virtual trip to Brazil.

Chef Carnero offered one of his signature dishes, Butternut Squash Soup with Shrimp. Presented in the hollowed-out squash, the soup was luxurious and the shrimp were perfectly cooked. I scraped up every bit of the squash to make sure I didn’t miss one delightful mouthful. 

Butternut Squash Soup

One of Brazil’s traditional dishes has been transported to north Jersey with the Chef’s Bolinho de Mandioca.

Bolinho de Mandioca

Lovely little pastries made with yucca and filled with dried beef and more of that fabulous butternut squash. This was followed by a Roasted Beet Salad topped with Strawberries and creamy Goat Cheese.

The main act was Chef Carnero’s tender Skirt Steak served with roasted cauliflower and “farofa,” (toasted yucca flour). Make sure you try farofa when you visit; this side dish reminded me of polenta, and had a tender nuttiness that I loved. Because farofa does not seem to be well known here, I asked the Chef about this dish. He told me “through my research many restaurants use only the southern farafo. I personally like the northern farofa. I like the texture. We use a Brazilian purveyor from the ironbound section of Newark. Preparing the farofa is tricky as the more milled southern farofa can burn quickly, which obviously changes the flavor. We bloom garlic and onion until it browns but doesn't caramelize adding saffron when the time is right. We then add the raw farofa until it's cooked. If it not cooked, you get that raw chalky taste in your mouth.”  

Farofa

Two terrific desserts completed my little weekday visit to Brazil, a luscious mango mousse, and a flourless yucca-coconut cake with dulce de leche and passion fruit sauce.

Yucca Coconut Cake

Samba’s warm casual interior invites you to linger awhile, and candles and wall sconces provide a romantic atmosphere. 

I understand there is a lovely outdoor patio that I look forward to enjoying next summer. But I don’t think I will wait that long to return to Samba. Chef Carnero’s inventive Brazilian-inspired cuisine in nearby Montclair may just satisfy my culinary wanderlust. 

Samba

7 Park Street

Montclair, NJ 07042

973-744-6764

www.montclairsamba.com

Serving lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.

French Bistro Cooking Returns to Montclair!

To say that Chef/Owner, Mark Papera, of Fricassee French Bistro is excited to return to Montclair would be an understatement. When he heard that his original restaurant (Epernay) was up for sale, he moved lock, stock, and barrel, from Ithaca, New York, purchased the business, and immediately started the transformation. In a little less than a month’s time, he (and his merry band of family and friends) brightened the interior, overhauled the menu, installed new furnishings, and reestablished his NJ roots. Whew! Most restaurants take six months for that kind of work, but Mark had been itching to return to NJ for two years so he was eager to get it done.

I had never been to Epernay when Mark was the original owner, but I did visit the second incarnation a couple of times. Unfortunately, I was less than wowed. So when I heard that Mark had returned, I was curious.

You’re probably saying to yourself right about now, “OK, but what about the food?”  Let me sum it up this way: in two weeks, I have been there three times and each visit was sublime.  If you read my posts regularly, you know I am not given to superlatives often, so if you are a lover of French bistro cooking, read on.

In those two weeks, I have probably tried almost 50% of the menu, thanks in part to Mark’s hospitality.  Foods that I was a not particular fan of before are now on my  “must have” list. These include the delectable mussels, swimming in a white wine-garlic-herb broth that just begs you to sop it up with good bread (from Balthazar) or slurp with a spoon.  In fact, I liked these so much that on my second visit, I had the mussels for my entrée with plenty of bread, and a lovely Cameron Hughes Lot 259 Riesling.

Dreamy mussel broth

Roasted Beet Salad

Also on my list of new favorite foods, Mark’s roasted beet salad, which is comprised of mixed greens, roasted beets, goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and a sherry vinaigrette. The salad tasted like summer with herbs of mint, parsley, and basil.

Frisee Salad

Mark also does a classic frisee salad, which was heavenly. Frisee lettuce with generous bacon lardons and bleu cheese, croutons, mustard vinaigrette, topped with a poached egg, which envelops the salad perfectly when pierced.

Pates

If you enjoy pate, try the country pate, served with cornichons and Dijon mustard. It was so smooth, with just a hint of mustard. And not to be outdone, the chicken liver mousse was fabulously delicate.

Pommes Frites

Cotes du Boeuf

Any self-respecting French bistro has a regular “plats du jour” and Fricassee is no different. I was there on a Thursday and had to have the Cotes du Boeuf for two. A huge dry-aged rib-eye cooked spot on, served with a mixed green salad, and perfectly crisp and salty pommes frites.

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Mac 'n Cheese

Fricassee offers a selection of four or five gratins de macaroni. I sampled the wild mushroom and truffle. Here’s what I wrote in my notes: “OMG!” A small terrine of creamy spiral macaroni and a crunchy topping of Parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella - the perfect winter comfort food. Other mac and cheese options include vegetable, cheese, and short rib and bleu cheese. I don’t think you could go wrong with any of them.

Duck Confit


Other winners on this tidy menu are the herb-crusted tuna, seared rare and served on warm green lentil salad, with mustard vinaigrette; the crispy skin salmon with a ragout of white beans, chorizo sausage, tomato confit, baby spinach, grain mustard cream sauce; and the duck confit served over pumpkin and bleu cheese risotto with walnuts and sage.

Herb Crusted Tuna

Crispy Skin Salmon

 

Dessert does not take a back seat here! Fricassee serves a classic tarte tatin topped with vanilla ice cream, a light lemon tart with raspberry sauce, profiteroles, vanilla crème brulee, and chocolate mousse. I have tasted all but the profiteroles and I must tell you that while they were all delicious, the crème brulee was exquisite. Probably about the best I’ve ever had. And the chocolate mousse is a very close second.

Tarte Tatin

Lemon Tart

Creme Brûlée

Fricassee embodies the true essence of a French bistro – casual atmosphere, good service, outstanding food.  I, for one, am glad that it’s close by. Say “oui” to Fricassee!

Fricassee French Bistro

6 Park Street

Montclair, NJ

973-744-2191

www.fricasseebistro.com

Open Monday-Saturday, 5:00-10:00pm

BYO