Bonjour Montclair

Bonjour Montclair gives the feeling of being in a small cafe in France. It's usually hard to get a seat not only because it is petite!, but many people order from there each day. It's certainly more practical to order, then pick up your food to take home. If you are by chance sitting in the cafe and you just so happen to be eating a "Strawberry, Banana, Nutella" crepe (CAN NOT MISS THIS!) you will indeed get the sensation of the Parisian delicacy. Ordering whipped cream and powdered sugar on top makes the dessert creamier and délicieux! 

Bonjour always uses fresh fruits, meats, fish, vegetables, creams, and chocolates. All of the crepe's are delightful and creative. My all time favorite dinner crepe is Grilled Chicken, spinach, and fresh mozzarella. You can pretty much ask them to put anything on the menu inside a crepe for personal customizing. The crepe's are served with Mesclun salad (which has a great homemade dressing!)

Crepe's to Order!

1) Portobello Mushrooms, spinach, feta, onion

2) Goat Cheese, tomato, basil

3) Smoked salmon, goat cheese, onion, tomato, pesto

4) Grilled chicken, tomato, basil

5) Steak, portobello mushrooms, Swiss cheese

Sweet Crepe's to Order!

1) Strawberry, banana, nutella

2) Cinnamon and sugar

3) Apple Cinnamon (Add vanilla ice cream!)

All of the salads on the Bonjour menu have crisp lettuce and creative fresh ingredients.

Salad's to order!

1) Bonjour Shrimp Salad

2) Goat Cheese salad

3) Smoked Salmon Salad

The fresh squeezed juices and smoothies are also a great meal ad-on. The entire menu of Bonjour Montclair offers many healthy options and will certainly not let you down. The menu is also vegetarian friendly! Almost all of the crepe's can be created as sandwiches in case your dining with a friend not worthy or ready for the almighty Crepe!

Greek Taverna (Montclair)

I avoided Greek Taverna for at least 3 years due to negative reviews I had heard from unsatisfied customers. About 2 months ago before I went to Florida, my mom and I decided to try it. We went inside to find a comfortable environment (low volume music, nice decoration, kind waiters, and fast service.) We started off our dinner with the traditional Greek salad “Horiatiki,” (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, capers, olives, feta cheese, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice dressing.) I only had a few bites because this was the main portion of my mom's dinner, but it was delicious!

My mother also ordered the “Patates Psites Sto Fourno,” sliced oven baked potatoes with olive oil, lemon, and herbs. I tried a few bites of this (which was a great choice) the potatoes are cooked tenderly with a strong lemon rosemaryish flavor that makes you want to eat more and more.

Finally when my dinner came the chef had presented my meal beautifully. The waitress brought over a clay pot filled with large chunks of tender lamb in an orzo tomato sauce bath, to finalize this  joyous creation the chef melted a creamy cheese on top of the bowl for extra delight. I put the first piece of lamb on my dish and drizzled some orzo on the top, the aroma was overwhelming and smelled like Christmas morning. Each bite was filled with strong, sweet spice. The lamb seemed to be marinated in nutmeg and cinnamon which blended well with the tomato; it was like an Italian Christmas marinara. The lamb was tender and juicy and I had enough to last me for about 4 solid days! The lamb dish I ordered was a special at the Montclair Restaurant so I'm not sure how frequently it is offered but it is well worth it!

We finished off our dinner with traditional “Baklava” dessert (chopped almonds and walnuts wrapped in phyllo dough with honey on top)

and “Tiramisu” (ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, and Marsala)

The baklava was great as most Greek restaurants make wonderful baklava. The Tiramisu was also delicious and creamy. Over all our dinner experience was successful and not badly priced for the meal.

Two weeks after my dinner experience at Greek Taverna, I continued to tell my boyfriend about how delicious their menu was and that we absolutely had to try it. One night after dinner as we were sitting at home, my mother called and said she was bringing us dessert. She walked in with a Greek Taverna bag and I was ecstatic! She pulled out Baklava and Tiramisu; we quickly separated the dessert onto 3 plates and began feasting. I looked over at my boyfriends face and noticed he had stopped eating. There was a large spot of brownish green mold on the side of the dessert. My mother and I decided we would bring the dessert back to the restaurant and let them know of this treachery.....

The owner apologized continuously and offered to give us more dessert. He explained due to the fact the dessert is fresh and contains no preservatives, air probably contaminated it. We got our money back and did NOT take dessert home with us. If I do end up eating at Greek Taverna again, I would not soon be ordering their dessert. I understand things happen but It surprises me that the person who placed the dessert in the to-go containers missed the LARGE spot of dark mold on the cream colored dessert.....

Perhaps one day I shall take another chance and return but for now I'll continue my passion for Greek food at Greek Delights.

Cuban Pete's

    The food in Cuban Pete's takes you into the atmosphere of Old Havana. Each bite is well flavored with tradition and a rich marinade. Eating in the homes of some of my Latin friends, I would say the menu is comparable in the authenticity and quality. Cuban Pete's offers a wide variety of options from seafood, meats, vegetables, and delectable desserts. Let's not forget the many flavors of sangria filled with juicy citrus fruits and served iced cold. The restaurant owner got in trouble a couple of years ago for exceeding the alcoholic limit in the sangria but the customers weren't complaining ha-ha! The owner of Cuban Pete's was also the previous restaurant owner of Mexicali Rose (which was not nearly as successful.)
    The one huge problem most customers have with Cuban Pete's is getting a seat. It's definitely one of the most popular restaurants; everyone wants to go to experience the environment and rich foods. Its almost impossible to get a table on Friday and Saturday nights. Cuban Pete's makes reservations but will not sit you down until EVERYONE in the party is there. Cuban Pete's is VERY crowded and does not allow much space to stand and wait for your reservation. The waiters walk through quickly with large trays of food; the waiting customers are squeezed into space that does not exist. The waiting process is obnoxious to say the least, and although the restaurant is large it needs a more practical set up. If the lines are not too bad I'll usually wait because I know the food is worth it! The most I've probably waited was about 45 minutes on a Friday night. I ordered the Chulettas Asada's (my personal favorite.) Your wait won't be too long as long as you get there sometime before 8PM. Cuban Pete's does NOT deliver although they should consider it.....Many people are confused by the two large “Cuban Pete's trucks,” all Montclair residents see driving around. I think Delivery would benefit them a great deal!


    Sangria (do not miss!)
 1)“Asia De Cuba”
2)“Cuban Pete's Sangria”
3)“Habana Banana”


 Great Dinner Dishes (do not miss!)
1)Chulettas Asada's (pork chops with caramelized onions served with plantains, rice, and beans)
2)Ropa Vieja (cuban shredded pork, served with plantains, rice, and beans)
3)Mariscada “Naked Paella” (seafood medley in delicate tomato broth)
4)Churrasco (marinated skirt steak with spicy chimichurri sauce served with plantains, rice, and beans) 
5)Boliche (intensely flavored Cuban pot roast pork chop with sausage in the middle for flavoring, served with rice, beans, plantains)


    The sweet plantains are to die for! They are made to perfection with candied sweetness and a tender inside. The few times my friends have ordered chicken (I never do) it usually comes out dry. This is the main reason I avoid chicken all together. My father once ordered the steamed whole blue snapper and his complaint was that it was over done and filled with many bones. Next time I go to Cuban Pete's I'll be ordering the “Bahama Coconut Fish,” and my boyfriend will be trying the “Coconut Shrimp Conga.” Only two people who enjoy food as much as we do decide what their ordering a week and a half in advance ha-ha.