77 Walnut - Montclair

[phaelon56]

The GF and I tried a place I'd seen many times and always thought might be worth checking out. It's on Walnut one door in from the corner of Grove - this is about 4 blocks east of Bloomfield Ave, near the railroad tracks (Marzullo Brothers Deli is diagonally across from them on Grove and is a very popular evening spot for espresso and desserts - haven't tried them yet).

Two nice but small rooms, noise level a bit high even though it wasn't crowded - probably due to the pressd tin ceilings. We sat outside at one of the two four tops on the front walk area. Nice spot... fan noise from the AC unit above the door is a given and nothing anyone can do about that but easy enough to carry on a conversation.

Really nice menu with pasta, chicken fish and beef dishes, all with an Italian slant. Service was friendly and relaxed. one waiter took the orders and another delivered them. The guy delivering the food never knew who got which dish - a minor issue that could easily be corrected with some front end training.

Both dinners served with a very small mixed greens salad. The two tomato wedges in each were cold, tasteless supermarket type tomatoes but the greens were a very nice mix - not too much bitter stuff, good variety and a really tasty balsamic vinegarette that appeared to be house-made.

She had two appetizers - I had soup and an entree.

Hers:

Baked brie with apricot preserves and walnuts. Served with a nice little pile of filed greens with the same vinegarette, some of it drizzled over the brie. Chopped walnuts were atop the brie and preserves and it was served with a half dozen or so brochettes (these are the toasted slices of baguette - correct?).

Mussels and shrimp with a sambuca sauce. generous portion for an appetizer and she pronounced them the best mussels she's ever had.

Mine:

Wild mushroom soup with bits of portobelllow floating in it and a half dozen brie "croutons". These were small speheres (3/4") of battered and deepfried brie. Absolutely incredible soup - a generous bowl and the best myshroom soup I've ever had - nicely speckled broth with an intense but not overpowering flavor.

Tortellini with caramelized onions, prosciutto, peas and gorgonzola/parmesan sauce. Sorry I can't remember the name of this dish but it was excellent. Once again a very generous portion. I'm not a big eater and took most of it home.

The above came to $45 total including tax and tip - no beverages or desserts. I think this place represent a great value and I will return. Also - they allows sharing of entrees for a $2 plating/sharing charge - a nice option that allows you to enjoy more appetizers. Entrees ranged from $15-25, apps from $5-10 and can't recall other prices.

[jaybee]

I lived for five years (age 10-15) on Vincent Place, which is between Walnut and Claremont Ave. one block down from Valley Rd. and about five blocks up from Grove.

It used to be a beautiful tree shaded area. I'll have to make a pilgrimage...

[Rosie]

I haven't been here in a few years. Is the same chef/owner there? I think his name was John Saul????? Another excellent restaurant in that area is Corso 98 at 98 Walnut St. BYO

[phaelon56]

It was hot... we were tired... it was late. We were just wiped out and ready to go home - didn't chat to get any details. I will find out as we plan to go back. They just started offering Sunday Brunch and also have a nice and IMHO reasonably priced catering menu. My GF's sister-in-law might be using them for some delivered food for a cocktail type party Labor Day weekend. If she does I'll report on that later (but it will be second hand as I'm out of town that weekend).

[Rail Paul]

I visited 77 Walnut a few years ago, and didn't have anywhere near as pleasant an experience. Will have to put it on the list of places to visit.

The prices strike me as lower than I recall, as well.

Be aware parking can be a challenge on some evenings as the ball field across the street draws company teams, moms and dads with mini-vans, commuters, people backed up by the railroad crossing, etc.

[phaelon56]

I can see how the parking would be a hassle on some nights - by chance we arrived when the park and ball fields were empty. YMMV - my GF's brother and his wife went there last nigth and were underwhelmed by the food. They said it was okay but just okay - nothing else. The chef came out to inquire about how their meal was and they were candid with their opinion - he explained that he usually has a staff of four in the kitchen but was stuck on by himsels alone that night and apologized for the shortcomings. He offered to "make it up to them" (I assume this means a comped meal?) if they would retrun for lunch or dinner on another day. They seem disinclined to do so but I think his offer was reasonable. I can't say that our meal was a transcendant experience but I thought it was a good value and well prepared.

By the way... the sister-in-law (the GF's not mine) is still trying to pick a caterer to deliver food for a cocktail type birthday party on Labor Day weekend (fairly upscale crowd). They ate at 77 Walnut as part of her "research" because their catering prices are very reasonable. She thinks she can wait until early next week to decide who to use and then make the arrangements. Is she crazy or are there caterers out there who can accomodate such an order on very short notice? Just curious...

[Lreda]

Quote :

The above came to $45 total including tax and tip - no beverages or desserts. I think this place represent a great value and I will return. Also - they allows sharing of entrees for a $2 plating/sharing charge - a nice option that allows you to enjoy more appetizers. Entrees ranged from $15-25, apps from $5-10 and can't recall other prices.

____________________________________________________________

I just don't get why restaurants would charge a sharing charge? I 'm in the business and don't. Maybe I'm nuts!! I could be making more money, but I think I'd piss off my clientelle if I did this.

Is this a common practice in restaurants? When I dine I usually don't split things although we will spare apps. Maybe I'm not looking at the check closely but I don't think I've ever been charged a spliting charge.

Can anyone help a brother on this one?

[Lreda]

Thanks folks, Nobody pooh-poohed the idea of a charge for sharing. I shocked!!! Gives me a new prospective on how the public thinks. I'm always learning!

[Rosie]

I don't like the idea of a sharing charge. However, we usually order two apps so it's not a problem. If we just want to share one app I just take my fork and taste from Lowell's plate. I can see having a corkage fee before a sharing charge. I have been told by restaurateurs that two people will come in and have one app, one entree and one dessert and that's why there is a sharing charge. What is your opinion on this Lou? What has your experience been?

[Rail Paul]

Dee and I stopped by Sofia's in North Caldwell on Friday night.

They do have a sharing charge ($5), and I asked about it. It's been in since the place opened, and covers the incidentals (bread, plate cleaning, etc) which are usually priced on a per diner basis.

I'll post separately on the meal itself, which was significantly below their previous accomplishments.

[Rosie]

I don't remember seeing a sharing charge at Sofia's or ever being charged. We have shared apps there. I would never dream of sharing an entree. I'm always too hungry! Interesting about your experience there. We felt the same way the last time we ate there and thought it was just a bad night.

[rozrapp]

My husband and I often share first courses and desserts, but never mains. We never ask for shared courses to be split and plated for each of us. But I have found that servers either bring two smaller plates for us to divvy things up ourselves or an extra plate for one of us to take off a portion. Occasionally, we have had the experience of the kitchen splitting and plating separately despite our not requesting it. Regardless of how these shared courses are handled, there has never been a sharing charge in the restaurants we frequent here in NJ, in NYC, or in other places we have been in recent years.

[Rail Paul]

Dee and I stopped in for dinner on Wed, September 4, about 630. I was pleased. We had intended to see a movie and stop at Indigo Smoke, but I screwed up the movie start time.

Two rooms, about 70-75 seats. Done in green, with track lighting, 1920s vintage wall prints, etc. BYO

Pleasant greeting, sit anywhere (only one table taken at 630 pm).

Menu had an insert for specials, with prices. Leaned heavily on chicken and beef, but two lamb items, several fish. Most entrees in the 15-20 range.

Nice bread basket, assortment of fresh breads (French, flatbread, semolina)

Dee had the rack of lamb, rare. She commented it had the taste of lamb from the 1960s, slightly gamy and flavorful. Modern lamb seems to have a less pronounced taste. We both liked this rendition, with a rubbing of sage and rosemary along with an olive oil crust.

I ordered the chicken madagascar (thick herb crusted fillet) with a red wine and tamarind? sauce over a roasted red pepper with a dollop of chevre on top. A thickened puddle of spicier sauce was adjacent to the chicken.

Service was excellent and attentive (2 staff for three tables), with water filled, wine poured, plates removed. Chef Mark Barrows came out to discuss the meal with each table about 730. He's been here for several months, having previously cooked in River Edge for the same owner. Unfortunately, the 7 pm diners were the last for the night. Only six people, all in.

Desserts (outsourced) were shown on a very attractive, large silver display platter. The platter was brought to the table, placed on the table, and described in detail. There were six items, none exciting, but described with care and attention. I noticed the server carrried the platter low, so the adjacent table could check it out.

Bill for us was $44 (2 entrees, a few diet cokes), plus $10 tip. Good value for the money. It's nice to see a restaurant executing on so many fronts, all they need is customers!

On our way out, both chef Barrows and the maitre thanked us for coming and wished us well. There's a decent wine and liquor store next to the Marlboro Inn Bake Shop, diagonally across the street.

[phaelon56]

Glad to see another positive report and the fact that it's a new chef explains the improvement from past experiences of other folks. I just thawed out some of the leftover tortellini yesterday and it was still tasty. I will return.

About sharing charges... it should properly be callled a "plating charge" and if done properly, the kitchen will actually split the entree and serve it on two separate plates as half portions each with its own sides. If my dining partner orders just a couple appetizers as her dinner, I have soup and entree and she nibbles at my entree trying bits of it - I would be offended at a plating/sharing charge. How about the horror story I read in a travel forum (it appeared to be true) of a woman who only had soup at the Stage Deli and her husband had the huge (and hugely expensive at $14) Reuben. She tried "a bite" (her words and she insisted that it was just one bite) of hubby's sandwich and was charged a $7 sharing charge!!!

If it's truly unreasonable I'll go elsehere. I was going to try Makeda in New Brunswick a few weeks ago (an Ethiopian restaurant). I was a bit put off by the fact that their prices are literally double what other Ethiopian restaurants charge and then when I spotted the "$7 sharing charge".... enough was enough. I took my $$ elsewhere.

[Rail Paul]

About sharing charges...  it should properly be callled a "plating charge"  and if done properly, the kitchen will actually split the entree and serve it on two separate plates as half portions each with its own sides. If my dining partner orders just a couple appetizers as her dinner, I have soup and entree and she nibbles at my entree trying bits of it -

Thanks for reminding me...

I didn't notice a sharing charge or comment on the menu.

The couple adjacent to us had the cheese and crab stuffed portabella, which they shared as an appy. The mushroom was brought out on a salad sized plate (which it filled), with two similar, clean plates, one for each diner.

the pates were cleared and each was served a dinner.

(Holstein's Ice Cream Shoppe, in Bloomfield used to have a "booth charge" of $2 per half hour back in the 1960s. That prevented kids from hogging booths and not ordering anything, or sharing just one item. Doesn't sound like much, but shakes were 25 cents)