Blue Sky Cafe--Montclair

[Rosie]

Chef/owner David Joseph of Blue Sky Cafe has run a successful restaurant/catering business for 13 years. He has sold Blue Sky and will be closing after Father's Day. Blue Sky will be an upscale Chinese (family oriented) restaurant called Sesame. Wishing Chef David and his family the best.

[glenn]

good riddance.

[tommy]

that's a big loss for all of us. his restaurant's departure will leave a void.

best wishes to everyone there.

[Jason Perlow]

good riddance.

Why good riddance?

I thought blue sky was the type of upscale restaurant that fit quite well in the Montclair area.

[=Mark]

Although the only meals that I've had there were special events organized by Rosie and whoever sponsored her at the time, I never had anything but excellent food there. A couple of the most memorable dishes in particular were:

Sauteed Diver Scallops on a nest of Seaweed Salad with Roasted Red and Gold Beets and Green Pea Coulis

And Roasted Rack of Venison Chop with Parsnip & Fennel Puree, Braised Red Cabbage, Sauteed Kale, with a Cabernet Apple Cider Sauce.

So what are Chef David's plans for the future?

Edited May 4, 2003 by =Mark (log)

[glenn]

Why good riddance?

Not to go into the gory details again, but what was a legitimate complaint from me about including a "service charge" at brunch (no matter what the size of the party) without notification, (there was no sign posted and there were no menus), turned into a major fiasco. It is illegal to do this, not to mention I never felt so ripped off as the only "service" we received was coffee refills in which the busser had to be called over. Brunch is/was a buffet. I dealt with the Mrs. who was completely defensive and unapolgetic. Yet they changed their policy shortly afterward. Ok, so I will go into details.

[Rosie]

Although the only meals that I've had there were special events organized by Rosie and whoever sponsored her at the time, I never had anything but excellent food there.  A couple of the most memorable dishes in particular were: 

Sauteed Diver Scallops on a nest of Seaweed Salad with Roasted Red and Gold Beets and Green Pea Coulis

And Roasted Rack of Venison Chop with Parsnip & Fennel Puree, Braised Red Cabbage, Sauteed Kale, with a Cabernet Apple Cider Sauce.

So what are Chef David's plans for the future?

Chef David plans on opening a restaurant in Maine. Yes, we are planning a field trip.

[pnapoli]

Chef/owner David Joseph of Blue Sky Cafe has run a successful restaurant/catering business for 13 years. He has sold Blue Sky and will be closing after Father's Day. 

Blue Sky will be an upscale Chinese (family oriented) restaurant

[beachcove]

Rosie, where in Maine?

[Rosie]

Rosie, where in Maine?

Freeport/Portland area.

[tommy]

Blue Sky will be an upscale Chinese (family oriented) restaurant

yeah, another restaurant that will most likely be completely useless to me .

[scarlet knight]

This is a real loss for Montclair restaurants!

[Casey]

This is a sad day indeed--two of my closest friends had their entire wedding (ceremony and reception) at Blue Sky, and it was the best wedding I have ever attended. Needless to say, its a special place to them and they are very disappointed. I have a feeling the four of us will be visiting the restaurant several times in the coming weeks....

Casey

[robin]

sad to see blue sky go, but very happy to see a good chinese restaurant come into montclair. off all the many wonderful restaurants in montclair, there is not one decent chinese place.

[rhubarbd]

You got that right, robin - there's no decent Chinese in Montclair, so we're keeping our fingers crossed for Sesame.

I'm in Glenn's camp, sad to say; was never impressed with Blue Sky - although i will acknowledge they served a delicious chocolate bread pudding. So ... out with the old; in with the new - let's hear it for good Chinese food here in town!

[tkrongold]

I must agree with a few of you who are not all that sad to see Blue Sky go...Visited several times & was not bowled over by the food or service.

However, I am looking forward to trying the new Chinese restaurant. There is no decent Chinese in the entire Montclair/Little Falls/Verona/Caldwell area. Only good Chinese restaurant I have found (& my husband makes us try them all!) is Bill & Harry's in East Hanover.

Thanks for the info on Blue Sky/Sesame.

[jhlurie]

Of course, as we all know, "upscale Chinese" can very easily mean "overpriced, westernized slop on fancy plates".

[dbrociner]

Sorry to be picky, picky, picky BUT Portland is over an hour from Freeport so its hard to say that the chef will be opening a restaurant in the Freeport-Portland area. Kinda like opening in the Montclair-Cherry Hill area or some such.

David (whose already hating himself for this posting)

[phaelon56]

Definitely an "asshole" and "rarely on topic", this member is "always disruptive" and "never talks about food." Diners also note he "deserves personal attacks."

Tommy - I haven't been active in reading or posting in this forum for awhile. Really love your new tag line -about time those damn Zagat's finally added the Tommy section to that overpriced book of theirs.

[tommy]

Definitely an "asshole" and "rarely on topic", this member is "always disruptive" and "never talks about food." Diners also note he "deserves personal attacks."

Tommy - I haven't been active in reading or posting in this forum for awhile. Really love your new tag line -about time those damn Zagat's finally added the Tommy section to that overpriced book of theirs.

in the 6 or so years that i've been buying Zagat's, i've spent about 70 dollars on that book of theirs. in the meantime, i've learned a bunch and experienced more, with some help from that book, and from some help from talking to others, on the internet and in person.

however, my sig line, which pretty much consists of direct quotes about me from other egulleters, past and present (mostly past i'm guessing), is, of course, priceless. the irony is the funny part, methinks.

as far as Blue Sky goes, i've had some bad dishes, and some great dishes. and always a nice time. any time a town like montclair loses a restaurant and a chef who clearly cared about his art and put his heart and soul into his restaurant, it's a sad time for everyone. this is no exception. and even though i haven't visited chef david's restaurant in about 2 years, i'll surely feel the loss. i trust this won't be a trend.

Edited May 7, 2003 by tommy (log)

[jhlurie]

And folks, when tommy actually strings together 3 entire paragraphs, we should listen.

[tommy]

And folks, when tommy actually strings together 3 entire paragraphs, we should listen. 

can i get an effing witness?!?!?

edit: damn, dbrociner is chef david! i had no idea. clever bastard.

Edited May 7, 2003 by tommy (log)

[toddevan]

what is so great about Montclair

Thai Chef - a zoo, worse than before

Blue Sky - bye bye

Corso 98- very good

Deja Vu - horrible service

barbeque place in Montclair- why not just go to Finks

28 - have not been.

Taro - pretty good but portions somewhat lacking

DaiKiChi (Uppr Montclair) - pretty good have had better

- Have left others out but is this town Losing its luster

[toddevan]

I did leave out Epernay which is good and other places as well

but is the dining experience in Montclair less than it once was??

[tommy]

what is so great about Montclair

not much. but maybe this could be a different thread altogether.