NJ Dining: Lunch at Bar Cara & Tasting Menu at Blu

For those who don’t know, take heed: Ryan DePersio’s Bar Cara makes great pizza! The dough at Bar Cara undergoes a 24-hour cold ferment – like any great pizza dough should – and has a nice flavor profile that is noticeable and a light lift.

Then, there’s the Burger Americano priced at a very reasonable $10. Much has been said about burgers in New Jersey, and  I have my own personal favorite, but Ryan’s ranks right up there with the best. Bar Cara uses a special blend of beef, brisket, short rib, and sirloin. And can we say, toothsome?

Read more about the Bar Cara lunch, including charred octopus with crisp sunchoke, and the best-ever pistachio ice cream, on Hot From The Kettle.

Next, Blu, a small, darkly lit, BYO in Montclair is the perfect place to indulge a sinfully delicious meal.  Chef and owner, Zod Arifai, never appears in the dining room, but works wizardry from the kitchen, weaving textures and tastes into an all-but-irresistible spell.

When you are in the restaurant of a renown chef, like Zod Arifai, it’s best to let him have his way with you- opt for the chef’s tasting menu!   Read all about the  nine-course degustation on Hot From The Kettle.