Zeugma Mediterranean Grill & Wine Bar, a new Turkish fusion restaurant located at 44 South Park Street in the Siena building, is full of surprises.

Starting with the incredibly addictive Ginger Lee, a refreshing shaken drink made with fresh squeezed lemon, juiced ginger, honey and a dash of cayenne and garnished with candied ginger & lemon peel (lip-smacking on its own, but would also be incredible spiked with your favorite spirit) to cold mezzes like pumpkin mohammara (sweet pumpkin puree, walnut, garlic, feta cheese perfect for dipping with pita) to a pistachio steak burger served with roasted tomatoes, pistachio pesto, spiced fries and pickles ($16), Zeugma’s menu has imaginative dishes you won’t find elsewhere.

Take Zeugma’s grilled halloumi ($13), for instance. The delicious cheese from Cyprus is grilled, but at Zeugma, it gets wrapped in grape leaves first and then served with a sweet chili sauce. The preparation elevates the halloumi to a new level.

You’ll recognize dishes from Greek and Turkish cuisine, but at Zeugma, they have their own unique twist. Turkish chef Can Alp was born and raised in Turkey, but went to study French cooking in Paris. Alp came to the States and was a chef at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center in New York. He credits his time in Paris as being a big influence on his style, but he maintains the traditions of Turkish food and culture, creating the perfect fusion dining experience.

Adding to the experience at Zeugma is a fresh, welcoming decor, evocative of a seaside taverna. The space is opened up and completely renovated (looking completely different from when it was occupied by a steakhouse) with different seating areas, a lovely mosaic-inspired mural, as well as an attractive wine bar upfront (Zeugma is in the process of securing a California wine license, but you can also BYOB).

Other dishes to try include the tender grilled octopus ($16), the miso calamari ($14), and the pan seared salmon, served with root vegetables, mustard mashed potatoes and garlic kale sauce ($24). The menu is well suited to sharing and even making a meal of hot and cold “mezze” appetizers. Other dishes we want to come back and try include some outrageous desserts. Of course, there is baklava on the menu, but there’s also a chocolate souffle with passion fruit ice cream or a slow cooked pear with red wine, topped with cotton candy & ice cream. We loved the Z Chef Special dessert (pictured below), a light pastry cream sandwiched between layers of French meringue with raspberry sauce.

Zeugma may be the best thing to happen to the Siena.

Zeugma Mediterranean Grill & Wine Bar, (open seven days a week for lunch and dinner) 44 S Park Street, Montclair, 973-744-0074

Delicious ending @zeugma_grill

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Going out for lunch offers the perfect mini-break from the work day. It’s a chance to eat well, recharge and even catch up with friends for an hour or so. Yet, we are doing it less and less. Apparently going out for lunch is a dying tradition, according to the Wall Street Journal. No way. We can’t have that. Step away from your computer. Whether you crave a quiet lunch solo or dine with friends, jumpstart your lunch break tradition with these picks for great lunch escapes around Montclair.

Ah’ Pizz

The Ah’ Pizz lunch specials are no secret. I’ve had at least three friends tell me that Ah’ Pizz is their go-to place for a quick, well-priced lunch. Choose from three options — bowl of soup with choice of salad ($6.99); personal pizza with either soup or salad ($7.99); or choice of sandwich with salad ($8.99). All three options come with a fountain soda.

Ah Pizz

Ah’ Pizz (open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner), 7 North Willow St., 973-783-9200

Mezoco

How happy are we that Mezoco took over the space at Walnut Street Station? So happy, that we are now regulars for their tasty tacos (gotta love the toppings bar!). Carnitas, chicken, steak, vegetarian or tofu tacos are priced at $3.50; there are also individual meal combos or the Familia (12 tacos, rice and bean, chips and salsa) for a group of four to split ($48). The fact that you can walk over to the actual bar and order a beer to wash down those tacos is clutch.

Mezoco

Jack’s Seafood Shack

I’ve been missing Cape Cod this summer, but Jack’s Seafood Shack in Montclair has been my consolation. Get your fix of lobster rolls or a whole lobster without the long car ride. Or try Jack’s lunch salads. We like the lobster salad platter, served with a mound of yummy lobster meat (prepared either Connecticut or Maine style), potato salad and cole slaw on a bed of greens ($19) or the summery shrimp & romaine salad, featuring shrimp, corn, cherry tomatoes and queso fresco cheese, with a lime vinaigrette ($17). There’s also a terrific kale salad with tri-color quinoa, red onions, and radishes with a sesame dressing ($14).

Jack’s Seafood Shack, (open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner) 718 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, 973-893-5283

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You may know Montclair caterer Abe Dickerson, a.k.a. Chef Abe, as one of the parents who has been fighting tirelessly for healthier school lunches in Montclair Schools. Or you may know him from his catering business where he takes people’s favorite comfort foods and prepares them in healthier ways.

Now Dickerson has an opportunity to take his passion for healthy eating to the next level. He has made it to the second round of the Start Something Challenge. Dickerson has an opportunity to win a $10,000 grant toward his school lunch food company, Abe Foods, as well as gain the support and feedback of business experts to make his dream of a healthy school food company serving area schools a reality.

Dickerson says helping kids eat healthy now is so important to preventing diabetes, obesity and hypertension when they reach adulthood. “Kids are in school nine months out of the year and the education we give them isn’t just what happens in the classroom,” says Dickerson, who adds that many high school kids are buying junk food from vending machines or eating fried foods from vending trucks.

If he wins, Dickerson wants to bid on small single school contracts and affect change. “There’s a national movement to take back our local food school economy. The only way to truly make school lunches healthy is with scratch food cooking,” says Dickerson, who says schools are losing upwards of $100,000 on school lunch because of food that isn’t being purchased and in waste food removal. Dickerson believes schools like Montclair could be sharing profits rather than losing money on school lunches by sharing resources with other districts, and increasing buying power to create a better quality product.

Click the FOOD category here and then vote for Abe Foods. Voting starts today at noon and ends Friday, July 21 at noon. You are allowed to vote from one device per day per sector for the next seven days ending July 21st.

Remember what a fantastic time it was last year? Well, you won’t want to miss the 2017 Montclair Food & Wine Festival’s Bourbon and Biergarten! This year’s event, Saturday, July 15, moves to the Wellmont Theater, and pairs delicious dishes from area restaurants with wine, beer and spirits curated by Amanti Vino. There will also be live music by Street Beat Brass and a choice of three experience levels:

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