Blu

[ejebud]

Having shipped off the kids to my parents for an exciting slumber party with their cousins, Beth (E) and I decided, kinda last minute, to use a gift certificate that her sister gave us a while ago to BLU. We have been there a few times before but not since Febuary a few weeks after the fire at AHD. We arrive a bit after 8:30 to find a nice table for 2 available. I, of course came directly from work so I was dressed in my finest Amazing Hot Dog t-shirt complete with battle stains from the days hot dog debauchery. We perused the great winter-esque menu and went back and forth on a few choices. We then asked the waitress if she would ask Chef Zod if he was up for making a tasting menu for us. Chef Zod graciously accepted our request and the menu began. What we were told was going to be a 5 course menu plus dessert, delightlfully became a 6 course menu plus 3 desserts!! The chef threw in a few surprises and we couldn't have been happier. Here's the menu:

Sahimi of Tuna

Avacado, Cucumber, Spicy Ginger Dressing

Monkfish Liver

Red Radish, Nori Broth

Monkfish Braised in Black Olive Oil

Roasted Red Peppers, Cauliflower Puree

Cod

Yoghurt Apricot Puree

Braised Pine Nuts

Venison

Chestnut, Brussel Sprouts, Butternut Squash Puree,

Cranberry Peppercorn Glaze

Basil and Fruit Gelee with Goat cheese

Chocolate Truffle Terrine

Mocha-Banana Bread Pudding

Butternut Squash Ice Cream

Peanut Butter Napoleon

This was for the incredibly reasonable price of $55 per person!! The highlights for me were Chef Zods puree's, silky smooth and flavorful. You just want to eat a whole bowl of the stuff, The Basil Gelee was unlike anything I have ever had. It was like a lightly whisked heavy cream infused with an intense basil flavor, and the degree of doneness on all of the fish dishes. Just perfectly cooked. It was a "glad to be alive" kinda meal. I went to the kitchen door, and after asking for "permission to come aboard", went in to his kitchen and talked shop a little. His passion for what he is doing is evident in his demeanor as well as his plates. He uses words like personalized cuisine reffering to each plate as an invitation to an individual guest into his culinary philosophy(my take on our conversation, not his words) He is, in, my mind, a culinary giant in our local gastronomic landscape.

I urge you to surrender yourselves to Chef Zod, It's like a day spa for your senses; food so innovative and simple at the same time, a task not easily achieved.

[Beth E.]

The dinner Eric and I shared last night was amazing.

I was staring at the menu trying to decide what to eat -- torn between a couple of different appetizers to start. The sashimi of tuna was an appetizer special that night. The tuna was great -- perfectly red, very fresh. The thin sliced pieces were resting on top of diced avocado and cucumber. The spicy ginger dressing was spicy, but not to spicy.

The monkfish liver was very interesting. It had that liver consistancy, but not too heavy of a liver flavor. Yum! The nori broth was a little salty by itself, but it made a wonderful counterpoint to the liver and the slightly sweet radish on top. Another winner.

The next course -- Monkfish braised in Black Olive oil was yummy again. Chef Zod has a way with fish -- it was perfectly cooked. Very moist. And I could eat the cauliflower puree that came with it all by itself. It was super creamy, rich and supple with that true cauliflower flavor. I want more now!

Next course was the cod. This came with apricot yogurt puree. great blend of flavors.

Then was the venison -- rare and beautiful. I really liked the chestnut/brussel sprout medley that came with it. And another puree -- this time butternut squash. Three dollops decorated the plate -- looked like a yummy little snowman.

Then came dessert -- first Eric and I were both presented with a plate of Basil and fruit gelee with goat cheese. Now I have to say that when this first came out I was disappointe. Not a spot of chocolate to be seen! But then I tasted it. The basil "mousse" just burst with flavor in my mouth. The fruit on top of it was not too sweet but just sweet enough. In the center was a nugget of goat cheese. It was a wonderful dessert.

As Eric and I were enjoying our coffee suddenly more desserts appeared.

We shared a chocolate truffle terrine -- very intense chocolate flavor and a nice dollop of chocolate mousse on the plate too.

The mocha-banana bread pudding gave me more chocolate goodness. Nice distinct banana flavor. The butternut squash ice cream was a taste surprise. Whooda thunk to make ice cream out of butternut squash?

The final dessert was a peanut butter napoleon. the napoleon squares looked like thin peanut brittle, but they were not hard. Inside was banana icecream and peanut butter icecream. Needless to say my sweet tooth was satisfied.

Chef Zod is a true talent. Do not walk -- run to Blu.

[jasper]

I would just like to say that Zod is not only a great talent, He is also a great guy. He truly is a chefs chef.

[FaxMachineAnthem]

My wife and I had our third dinner at Blu on Sunday night. Based on Eric’s post, we decided to try the tasting menu. When I called to make the reservation and request the tasting menu the host seemed a little surprised and asked where we had heard about the tasting menu. I would have felt like a dork saying “on egullet.org” so I said a friend had tried it. She said they offer a 5, 6, or 7 course tasting menu, so I asked for the 6.

We arrived a little after 5 pm and were one of only two parties at that time. By 7 pm the place was nearly full. Our waitress asked if we had any special requests, anything we didn’t like, or any allergies. We had none—just wanted whatever the chef thought was good. I hate to disappoint, but the list of dishes is going to be woefully imprecise. I wish I brought a pen and paper but didn’t think of it. Here’s what we had:

roasted beet with goat cheese

mussels (out of shell) on white bean puree

scallops

codfish

crisp octopus

beef

venison with whipped yam and red wine sauce

Again, apologies for the lack of detail. Obviously all the dishes came with a sauce or something to complement it. Some of these items are currently on the menu and some are not. (As an aside, I wish they’d update their menu on the web more often!)

Everything was fantastic. Every time we eat at Blu we remark about how well balanced all the flavors are. Nothing is overpowering; every flavor is complementary. My favorite dish was the venison. The yams and red wine sauce combined so well with the meat. Incredible. My wife’s favorite was the mussels.

dessert

basil pudding with roasted pineapple

"fig newton" (given only to me, but we shared)

chocolate terrine with banana pudding (given to my wife, but shared)

The basil pudding was awesome. Our last time at Blue, we had a different basil dessert which I thought was more interesting than tasty. This one was fantastic.

The “fig Newton”, as they called it, was nothing like what I think of as a fig newton. It was layers of sweet fig cream between thin crisp cookies with crushed almonds. Like no dessert I’ve ever had and it was great.

I’ve had the chocolate terrine before, and I preferred the old version. This one was fudgier, the last one was dryer. Still, it’s not like it could ever taste bad.

The service was great. The restaurant’s atmosphere is evolving. It’s becoming more casual. The host wears jeans now and they play Led Zep, and even some Motley Crue! The volume is very low though, so it’s not as out of place as you might think. My only complaint is the tables. There’s some kind of board or brace or something under the tables that’s off center and it really cramps the legroom on the far side (away from the entrance). I always remember to have my wife sit on the far end of the table towards the kitchen because my legs are way too long for that (and I’m

They bring the dishes at a leisurely pace which is great for the tasting menu. It really allows you to savor the experience.

I’d recommend, if you do the tasting menu, that you get there early like we did. We were there just over 3 hours. It sure didn’t feel that long, though. Also, I would think that getting there early, when it’s not as full, allows the chef to focus more on your dishes. They also keep the portions small enough so that you’re not full until the desserts start. The bill came to $164 after tax, before tip.

The tasting menu was a great experience. Blu is our favorite restaurant!

[bgut1]

My wife and I had our third dinner at Blu on Sunday night.  Based on Eric’s post, we decided to try the tasting menu.  When I called to make the reservation and request the tasting menu the host seemed a little surprised and asked where we had heard about the tasting menu.  I would have felt like a dork saying “on egullet.org” so I said a friend had tried it.    She said they offer a 5, 6, or 7 course tasting menu, so I asked for the 6. 

We arrived a little after 5 pm and were one of only two parties at that time.  By 7 pm the place was nearly full.  Our waitress asked if we had any special requests, anything we didn’t like, or any allergies.  We had none—just wanted whatever the chef thought was good.  I hate to disappoint, but the list of dishes is going to be woefully imprecise.  I wish I brought a pen and paper but didn’t think of it.  Here’s what we had:

roasted beet with goat cheese

mussels (out of shell) on white bean puree

scallops

codfish

crisp octopus

beef

venison with whipped yam and red wine sauce

Again, apologies for the lack of detail.  Obviously all the dishes came with a sauce or something to complement it.    Some of these items are currently on the menu and some are not.  (As an aside, I wish they’d update their menu on the web more often!)

Everything was fantastic.  Every time we eat at Blu we remark about how well balanced all the flavors are.  Nothing is overpowering; every flavor is complementary.  My favorite dish was the venison.  The yams and red wine sauce combined so well with the meat.  Incredible.  My wife’s favorite was the mussels. 

dessert

basil pudding with roasted pineapple

"fig newton" (given only to me, but we shared)

chocolate terrine with banana pudding (given to my wife, but shared)

The basil pudding was awesome.  Our last time at Blue, we had a different basil dessert which I thought was more interesting than tasty.  This one was fantastic. 

The “fig Newton”, as they called it, was nothing like what I think of as a fig newton.  It was layers of sweet fig cream between thin crisp cookies with crushed almonds.  Like no dessert I’ve ever had and it was great.

I’ve had the chocolate terrine before, and I preferred the old version.  This one was fudgier, the last one was dryer.  Still, it’s not like it could ever taste bad.

The service was great.  The restaurant’s atmosphere is evolving.  It’s becoming more casual.  The host wears jeans now and they play Led Zep, and even some Motley Crue!  The volume is very low though, so it’s not as out of place as you might think.  My only complaint is the tables.  There’s some kind of board or brace or something under the tables that’s off center and it really cramps the legroom on the far side (away from the entrance).  I always remember to have my wife sit on the far end of the table towards the kitchen because my legs are way too long for that (and I’m

They bring the dishes at a leisurely pace which is great for the tasting menu.  It really allows you to savor the experience. 

I’d recommend, if you do the tasting menu, that you get there early like we did.  We were there just over 3 hours.  It sure didn’t feel that long, though.  Also, I would think that getting there early, when it’s not as full, allows the chef to focus more on your dishes. They also keep the portions small enough so that you’re not full until the desserts start.    The bill came to $164 after tax, before tip.

The tasting menu was a great experience.  Blu is our favorite restaurant!

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FaxMachineAnthem - Good first post and welcome to the board. I agree Blu is the best. I have a reservation in a few weeks and can't wait to return. I have my wines all lined up and ready to go. I too also wish they updated their online menu. Any changes you can remember? Again welcome.

Edited January 11, 2007 by bgut1 (log)

[FaxMachineAnthem]

Thanks bgut. I didn't pay close attention to the menu since we were getting the tasting menu, but I do remember that both the codfish and the venison were on the menu and both were excellent.

[paul jaouen]

Tommy - I'm sorry I didn't elaborate. While I agree that the cork being soaked through doesn't automatically make the wine corked, it still is not a good sign as more likely than not, air has gotten through to the wine. Same thing with mold as the mold was more than likely "feeding" on the wine. In both cases the corks were rotted and had disintegrated when I attempted to remove them. I also didn't immediately pour the wines down the drain. I wanted to taste them to be sure and sure enough they tasted dank and musty (I was also able to discern that the wine was more likely past its prime). I have read online about a product called Dream Taste which supposedly "restores" corked wine through a chemical process. I may have to look into it in case I have anymore issues with the other bottles. BTW, I don't take your response as being "nitpicky", you obviously have a background in wine and are trying to clarify and impart knowledge. Thank you for the response.

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The mold on the outside of the cork is harmless. Just wipe away. It is possible your bottles were heat damaged but if you kept them in closets and the temperature didn't get much higher than low 70s, they may not be damaged but just advanced. A musty smell is not necessarily a sign of heat damage. A sticky wine residue under the capsule is one sign of heat damage. Another sign would be if the color of the wine is brownish and dull looking. And finally if when you taste it, the wine lacks fruit and is dull and tasteless then it is most likely heat damaged. I have not had the '87 Mouton but the vintage itself was not very good and quite backward. I would try decanting the next bottle for an hour+ or doing a double decant a few hours before you take it to the restaurant. The mustiness might dissipate. I would be very interested in finding out the results of your next bottle if you do decide to decant.

I also would not waste my money on buying any product that claims to restore corked wine. It's not going to happen.

I've been to Blu once recently and I was not overwhelmed. Some dishes were very good but they had a very heavy hand with the salt on others. This was a pretty busy Saturday night. I need to try it again on a slower weeknight. I did think the service was excellent even though it was very busy. The waitress did an excellent job of opening and decanting my 1975 Chateau Palmer. I am usually afraid to give waitstaff older bottles of wine as the corks can be fragile. She was gentle and took her time even though the place was hopping.

Best,

Paul

Edited January 11, 2007 by paul jaouen (log)

[bgut1]

Tommy - I'm sorry I didn't elaborate. While I agree that the cork being soaked through doesn't automatically make the wine corked, it still is not a good sign as more likely than not, air has gotten through to the wine. Same thing with mold as the mold was more than likely "feeding" on the wine. In both cases the corks were rotted and had disintegrated when I attempted to remove them. I also didn't immediately pour the wines down the drain. I wanted to taste them to be sure and sure enough they tasted dank and musty (I was also able to discern that the wine was more likely past its prime). I have read online about a product called Dream Taste which supposedly "restores" corked wine through a chemical process. I may have to look into it in case I have anymore issues with the other bottles. BTW, I don't take your response as being "nitpicky", you obviously have a background in wine and are trying to clarify and impart knowledge. Thank you for the response.

←

The mold on the outside of the cork is harmless. Just wipe away. It is possible your bottles were heat damaged but if you kept them in closets and the temperature didn't get much higher than low 70s, they may not be damaged but just advanced. A musty smell is not necessarily a sign of heat damage. A sticky wine residue under the capsule is one sign of heat damage. Another sign would be if the color of the wine is brownish and dull looking. And finally if when you taste it, the wine lacks fruit and is dull and tasteless then it is most likely heat damaged. I have not had the '87 Mouton but the vintage itself was not very good and quite backward. I would try decanting the next bottle for an hour+ or doing a double decant a few hours before you take it to the restaurant. The mustiness might dissipate. I would be very interested in finding out the results of your next bottle if you do decide to decant.

I also would not waste my money on buying any product that claims to restore corked wine. It's not going to happen.

I've been to Blu once recently and I was not overwhelmed. Some dishes were very good but they had a very heavy hand with the salt on others. This was a pretty busy Saturday night. I need to try it again on a slower weeknight. I did think the service was excellent even though it was very busy. The waitress did an excellent job of opening and decanting my 1975 Chateau Palmer. I am usually afraid to give waitstaff older bottles of wine as the corks can be fragile. She was gentle and took her time even though the place was hopping.

Best,

Paul

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Paul - Thanks for the reply and the advice. Its interesting that you replied to my post as I was meaning to update it. I decided to take a shot and email Mouton about my situation. Suprisingly I received an email back offering to accept my remaining bottles and substitute them as well as the "corked" ones for a different vintage (I believe 99). Excellent customer service if you ask me. The 75 Palmer sounds nice. What do you think of these three wines I'm bringing to Blu: a 2005 Tensley Colson Canyon Syrah, a 2004 Hermann Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (a favorite of mine from Nicholas), and a Jorge Ordoñez #1 Seleccion Especial Malaga. I loved the Tensley and the Ordoñez at a recent tasting. BTW, you wouldn't happen to be PMJ on CellarTracker?

Edited January 11, 2007 by bgut1 (log)

[paul jaouen]

That's a great deal if they are trading you '99 for '87. '99 is a much better vintage and Mouton has upped the quality of their wines starting in the second half of the '90s. They are much more consistent vintage to vintage. How exactly do they make the exchange?

Only wine of the three you are bringing to Blu that I've had is the Donnhoff. Great producer and the NK is one of my favorites.

And yes that is my handle on cellartracker although I don't post much there although I keep meaning to.

[bgut1]

That's a great deal if they are trading you '99 for '87. '99 is a much better vintage and Mouton has upped the quality of their wines starting in the second half of the '90s. They are much more consistent vintage to vintage. How exactly do they make the exchange?

Only wine of the three you are bringing to Blu that I've had is the Donnhoff. Great producer and the NK is one of my favorites.

And yes that is my handle on cellartracker although I don't post much there although I keep meaning to.

←

Mouton is sending me the material to repack the bottles along with prepaid shipping. I agree. Quite the good deal. BTW, I put two and two together while reading your recent post on the 75 Palmer. Thanks for your reply.

[bgut1]

I'm going to Blu tonight and will report back as to any menu changes.

[bgut1]

I just wanted to let you all know that I had another perfect meal at Blu. I will provide details when I get a chance.

[Rosie]

We were there on Friday and going again tonight. The marinated salmon app and the fig dessert are not to be missed.

[bgut1]

It was a bone-chilling cold night. We arrived a few minutes late for our eight o'clock reservation to find the place packed and very noisy. There were a large group of people standing in the small vestibule waiting to be seated but contently drinking glasses of wine. While we were happy to be immediately seated we were given the first four topper closest to the door. So every time someone opened the front door a cold wind hit our backs. A small price to pay for such fabulous food. On to the food. For appetizers the table ordered the following: 2 orders of the risotto with mushrooms and white truffle oil, 2 orders of tuna sashimi, and the sauteed shrimp with white bean puree and paprika emulsion. The risotto was good as the first time I tired it. Perfectly creamy with a beautiful taste of truffle. A perfect foil for the cold evening. While I recall having the sashimi during our last visit I noticed that it was not listed on the online menu. Evidently this must be a new item. I only had a small bite from my wife's plate but I do recall it was excellent. I had the the shrimp dish (trying to order differently from my last visit) and was not disappointed. The dish was beautifully composed consisting of three perfectly cooked shrimp atop dollops of white bean puree with large red dots of paprika oil/emulsion. Everything was just right with this dish. One thing I specifically recall was the seasoning of the shrimp. It had a nice salty crust. The entrees ordered consisted of the following: the hanger steak with blue cheese sauce, baramundi (evidently another new item), the lamb sirloin, and venison with sweet potato puree and roasted brussel sprouts with chestnuts (my dish - also another new menu item). Everything was perfect. The hanger steak wasn't the type of beef I recalled. I thought the cut would be tougher instead it was buttery soft. In fact one my dining companions thought it tasted like a filet mignon. The addition of the blue cheese sauce was not a new flavor combination but still quite good. I had a bite of both the baramundi and the lamb and recall both to be excellent and beautifully prepared. I had the venison. Again a perfect presentation of four or five slices of excellent medium rare venison layered atop a nice brown colored sauce of some type with five piped circles of sweet potato puree. This dish reminded me of what winter/seasonal food was all about. Chef Zod was clearly on top of his game. Everything that came out of his kitchen was Perfect!! Dessert was a tough choice. Choose the chocolate terrine (which I had before) or the new chocolate cake (think molten cake without the molten chocolate interior)?. No problem as my wife ordered the terrine and I the cake. While both were exemplary we switched after the first bite. I knew there was a reason I love my wife. Our other diners had the fig newton and the peanut butter/apple tart. Those two desserts were different in a good way. The fig newton consisted of fig napoleon of sorts. Very "figgy". My friend commented that the figs tasted better than the best he had ever had. The peanut butter/apple tart was also good. While more peanut butter than apple, it tasted of a peanut butter coated apple, a comforting flavor combination. The chocolate cake, fig newton, and peanut butter/apple tart seem to be new menu items. Again everything was perfect. The meal left me wondering how long Chef Zod intends to stay in Montclair. A very long time I hope. I am convinced, dollar for dollar, not a better meal can be had in New Jersey.

Edited January 22, 2007 by bgut1 (log)

[bgut1]

We were there on Friday and going again tonight. The marinated salmon app and the fig dessert are not to be missed.

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Rosie - Enjoy your meal. Have the venison if you haven't already tried it.

[bgut1]

That's a great deal if they are trading you '99 for '87. '99 is a much better vintage and Mouton has upped the quality of their wines starting in the second half of the '90s. They are much more consistent vintage to vintage. How exactly do they make the exchange?

Only wine of the three you are bringing to Blu that I've had is the Donnhoff. Great producer and the NK is one of my favorites.

And yes that is my handle on cellartracker although I don't post much there although I keep meaning to.

←

Paul - To follow up my previous post, I received word today that my case of wine had arrived from Mouton. They sent it directly to me even without sending the other bottles back (which I intend to do anyway). What a class operation. I wish I could afford to drink their wines more regularly.

[xyz123]

[Rosie]

We had a tasting menu recently & were in heaven. We asked Chef Zod to cook whatever he wanted and we all left the restaurant with big smiles on our faces. Had a mushroom risotto made with tapioca topped with a poached egg which was sublime. Also, had veal, fish, lamb and a few desserts. There were many courses and all of them were excellent. A few pictures are here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=mo...lbum&album=4167

[xyz123]

Rosie, what is that dish that looks like clams and something, you wrote "clams with linguini" , what is going on there, salmon dish looks beautiful

[Rosie]

I'm not going to be able to describe it properly but Chef Zod made a sauce/foam from pasta and served it with shucked cooked clams. There weren't pasta noodles but a taste of pasta.

I loved the salmon.

[Pan]

I may have occasion to visit this restaurant at some point. I haven't read the whole thread, but it looks like this is a much-beloved place among eGullet members. My friend has celiac disease. Would it be easy to get a rewarding gluten-free meal at this place?

[FaxMachineAnthem]

^I would think that would be very possible because the chef's specialty seems to be seafood.

[Curlz]

Just saw this on Table Hopping with Rosie...

Blu, 554 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, will be closed for vacation July 31 to August 13. Reopening August 14. For reservations call 973-509-2202; BYO.

[Lreda]

Just saw this on Table Hopping with Rosie...

Blu, 554 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, will be closed for vacation July 31 to August 13. Reopening August 14. For reservations call 973-509-2202; BYO.

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jump

[Curlz]

According to Baristanet "...fans of Blu will be excited to learn that the empty space next door to the restaurant (vacated by the closing of The Roost), will become a new culinary venture in 2008 from Chef Zod."

YIPPEE! I've been hoping he'd take over this space. Haven't been spending much time in Montclair lately, but I'll try to stop in and see if I can get more scoop from him.

Edit: Where's the little blushy smilie? Oh...HERE:

Seems that Rosie broke this news in her Rosie's Food Bytes column last week. I should have known! Barista is known for pulling a lot of what they post from other sources. Sorry, Rosie!

Edited September 18, 2007 by Curlz (log)