FAVORITE MIDDLE- EASTERNFARE MISHMISH
FAVORITE NEWCOMER RESTAURANT TURTLE + THE WOLF
FAVORITE OUTDOOR DINING
RESTAURANT and
FAVORITE FAMILY RESTAURANT and FAVORITE PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN
RAYMOND ’ S
FAVORITE EATERY FEATURING SMALL & LARGE PLATES MISHMISH
READERS ’
CHOICE
AWARDS
2017
FAVORITE MIDDLE- EASTERNFARE MISHMISH
215 GLENRIDGE AVE ., MONTCLAIR 973-337-5648 MISHMISHCAFE . COM
Israeli chef-owner Meny Vaknin brings his experienceasa sous-chef foracclaimed restaurateur Daniel Boulud to this charming , busyMediterranean eatery . Choose from traditional delights such as schwarma , sabich and kebabs , or stick with the fish stew or Amish chicken . They ’ re all good .
FAVORITE NEWCOMER RESTAURANT TURTLE + THE WOLF
622 VALLEY ROAD , UPPER MONTCLAIR 973-783-9800 TURTLEANDTHEWOLF . COM
Montclair native Lauren Hirschberg spent 13 years in the kitchens of Manhattan ’ s celebrated Craft restaurants , working his way up from line cook to culinary director . Alongthe way , he absorbed lessons passed down from his boss , five-time James Beard Foundation Award-winner Tom Colicchio – for example , “ What grows together goes together .” Along with Montclair High School buddy Matt Trevenen , he has forged a fresh , contemporary menu that alters with the seasons ; a typical winter dish is their ricotta-semolina dumplings with chestnuts , brown butter , butternut squash puree and sage .
FAVORITE OUTDOOR DINING
RESTAURANT and
FAVORITE FAMILY RESTAURANT and FAVORITE PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN
RAYMOND ’ S
28 CHURCH ST ., MONTCLAIR 973-744-9263 RAYMONDSNJ . COM
With its ample outdoor seatingonthe wideChurch Street plaza , Raymond ’ s affords diners a great chance to peoplewatch . Greatfood combined with interesting scenery – it ’ ssoMontclair .
Though there ’ s no children ’ s menu per se at Raymond ’ s , kidsare obviously welcome there , andnot just becausetheybring their parents withthem . Adults and the younger set alike love the all-day breakfast , grilled cheese and customized burgers because they ’ re tasty , and sometimes sophisticatedspins on traditional recipes . For example , the grilledcheeseismade with Gruyere , smokedcheddar , bacon and redonion marmalade . Way to grow future foodies !
Stop in for breakfast , brunch , lunch or dinner , and you ’ ll see why this large , popular luncheonettewrit-large is a gathering place for Montclair residents and denizens of neighboring towns . Families , teens , workers on lunch break , grandparents and out-of-towners are consistently drawn tothe bright , retro décor and the satisfying menu .
FAVORITE EATERY FEATURING SMALL & LARGE PLATES MISHMISH
At Mishmish , diners enjoytheirsavoryMiddle Eastern fare in smaller or larger sizes . Small dishes include charbroiled Spanish Octopus , Lamb Merguez Sausage , Turkish “ Cheese ” Cigars and Charred ShishitoPeppers . The largerentrees featureaprotein plus sides ; for example , theGrilled Whole Mediterranean Sea Bass comes with two fillets , sautéed spinach , butternutsquash , whippedpotatoes , warm chickpeasand house-madetapenade . Bothroutes add up to asatisfying , savory meal .
26 SPRING 2017 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE