Essex Eats
Chilled shots of Brinley Gold vanilla rum, an awesome lager from Cricket Brewery, tiny, herb-studded mozzarella balls with spicy basil-infused honey for dipping from Bloomfield's Formia Ristorante...the 4th annual Taste of Essex at Mayfair...
Turkish Delight
Lalezar may be the only place you can sample turnip juice in town; seems it's a cold drink favorite in Turkey, in additon to cherry, apricot and peach juice. After planning to try the...
Your Vote Counts
It's no Zagat, but it will be interesting to see who wins. NJ Monthly magazine is culling together its annual Readers Choice Awards for restaurants. From now until March 12th, click here and cast...
I’m Not Hungry, I’ll Just Pick
What does Essex taste like? Pretty darn good. Last year, I attended Taste of Essex, an annual event that brings food and drink from more than 25 area restaurants, caterers, eateries and wineries under...
The Plot Thickens…
In the "restaurants up for sale" category, we've learned that La Giada on Bloomfield Ave in Montclair is on the block. The business is listed for $135,000, and for those that are keeping track,...
And A Liquor License, Too…
Train commuters who travel out of the Upper Montclair train station already know about Round Trip Fare, a new restaurant that opened February 11. In fact, one couple has already made a standing Thursday...
Return Trip Guaranteed
Talk about your transformations. Round Trip Fare, the newest restaurant to inhabit the space at the Upper Montclair train station (formerly occupied by Daily Soup, and before that Lotsa Pasta) has rolled into the...
Ironbound Influence
Chickens roasted over a pit fire, spicy linguica sausage, sandwiches served on a Portuguese roll...no we're not talking about a road trip to Newark. It seems the Portuguese influence is making its way to...
Food For Thought
Comfort food means different things to different people. And apparently, to some, comfort means a tuna fish sandwich. The Cheese Shop in Upper Montclair (Valley Road) was the only Baristaville eatery to receive...
Pizza Tonight?
Sure, the restaurant's facade isn't much to look at, but Cosimo's banner sign proclaiming "Best Pizza in Town" piqued our curiosity. After a belt-loosening lunch, here's what we discovered. And bringing home take-out...
Slice of Heaven
When it comes to pizza, denizens of Baristaville differ as to what constitutes a perfect pie. Is it a crisp, almost burnt crust in the brick oven tradition, or a slice with more pliability...
Bloomfield’s Cold War
Over on NJ.com's Bloomfield forum, discussion of a new frozen dessert store in Barsitaville has emerged. Rita's Italian Ices, with two locations in Belleville, is opening an outpost directly across from the legendary Holsten's...
When Only Chocolate Will Do
We've got nothing against flowers, but there's something to be said for a heart-shaped box filled with a decadent assortment of chocolates. To choose your own, there's The Basket and The Bean (Watchung Plaza),...
Coffee And…
That's what my mother always called it, going out for "coffee and," with the emphasis always on the "and". Two new places in Baristaville cater to that urge, when you just want to a...