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Adara
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
77 Walnut StMontclair, NJ 07042
(973) 783-0462
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
9 reviews for Adara
9 reviews in English
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Review from Jon K.
It has been 5-6 months since my first review of Adara.
Management and kitchen have dotted their "I"s and crossed their "t"s.
We made a reservation at the last minute and were unable to book one of their tours. Normally, it requires a reservation by 4pm the day before. We were extremely happy ordering the 3 course tasting menu and then adding some dishes from the a la carte menu.
The general manager was our waiter again. That is a good thing! He is extremely knowledgeable, efficient and has a passion for Adara that is refreshing.
Wife's three courses from the tour were: the New England Clam Chowder, the Duo of Duck (bundle and confit/coconut/papaya/lemongrass) and the Valrhona Chocolate Melange.
Mine were: the New England Clam Chowder, the Filet Anti Cucho (aji/panca/huancaína/porcini), and the Cucumber Shiso Sorbet.
The dishes we supplement to the tasting were: Campania (mozzarella balloon), Natura Mia (anasturtium/golden beets/savory marshmallow/aromatics) and the Umami (duck noodles/black tiger shrimp/bacon/dashi).
The highlights were the chowder (again!), the duo of duck, campania, natura mia and the valrhona chocolate melange.
I am pretty sure my wife would have gone back the next day just for her three courses from the tour!!!
The descriptions of the dishes hardly do justice to what actually arrives on the plate.
There were a few amuse bouche and an extra dessert that we tasted too.
If you have any curiosity about molecular gastronomy this is the place in northern NJ.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/18/2011 First to Review
***This review is based on just one visit...their first Friday night too!***
I had read online that… Read more »
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Review from Kristin W.
Montclair, NJ
3/1/2012 3 photos
We knew what to expect, and we got a great server. She was really amazing. There was another server there who might have changed the experience for us, as we're pretty casual and he was extremely formal in his delivery. So much so that it was difficult to understand what he was saying.
We decided not to bring wine (it's BYO), and went for the mocktail menu instead. Yum! At $8 each, the two drinks were about what we would have spent on a bottle of wine - and then we couldn't have driven home. These mocktails are labor intensive - our server and the maitre d' really prepared them carefully.
One of my favorite items of the night was the amuse-bouche. A Peruvian style ceviche, it included a tilapia noodle around an ahi bulb perched atop a sweet potato "tater tot." The citrus and cilantro were perfect with the sweet potato and tilapia. Delicious.
For the first course, we ordered the Natura Mia and Campania. I expected to love the Natura Mia with its savory avocado marshmallows and hearts of palm, but the marshmallows (unsurprisingly) were more sweet than savory and lacking in avocado. The Campania, on the other hand, was amazing. It looks odd: a large white balloon sitting at the end of a row of lovely tomatoes. There is also a scoop of olive oil gelato to add to the landscape. The flavors combined beautifully. The gelato actually tasted like olive oil, in the best way possible. And, after deflation, the mozzarella was just barely smoky and not salty. The stars of this plate are clearly the tomato slices together with the fried basil seeds, which brought out the sweetness of the tomatoes. Highly recommended.
For a second course, my husband ordered the Pork Belly with Five Flavors - one of which was root beer. From his hoarding of the mustard mousse and root beer jelly-cubes, I could tell he had fallen a little in love with the dish. It was a generous portion of pork belly, and, according to my carnivorous spouse, the root beer accented barbecue sauce was an ideal balance to the richness of the pork.
Our dessert teaser was the only flop of the night. It looked so promising: a tablespoon-sized ball of tahini "ice cream" in a tiny pistachio cone. It was adorable. Sadly, the tahini ball tasted bitter -in fact we thought it was bad pistachio, not tahini. After a tiny bite each, we both decided to leave it alone. Thankfully, the desserts we ordered were stellar.
I would definitely return to Adara. For us, its price puts it in the "special occasion" category - much like similarly priced Fascino and Culinariane, but it's definitely a special experience. For diners thinking about the five or seven course tours at Adara, make sure to give 24 hours notice as it is required for preparation.
Still, we loved 95% of the food, the atmosphere, the service, and the experience. Highly recommended. -
Review from David S.
Livingston, NJ
1/28/2012 3 photos
Molecular gastronomy seems to be the most common description of the cuisine at Adara however, in my opinion "modernist cuisine" would be a more accurate description. Science meets contemporary cooking.
The service was very good throughout the meal. The staff was extremely sensitive to my wife's soy allergy which we had brought to their attention in advance. We had servers stopping by our table adding tidbits about the dishes as we contemplated what to order. Everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable.
The other members in our party were not impressed by the food as they were expecting a more satisfying meal.
As for me I started with the the "smoking" crudo which was good. When I inquired about the "smoke" I was told that it changed all the time and on that evening it was lavender. I like the idea that it changes all the time. It was a great presentation too.
For my 2nd course I ordered the "lamb epices" and was disappointed that it arrived cold.
I recommend you go to Adara only if you are interested in new food tastes and textures. Overall this was an interesting and entertaining dining experience but I believe a bit overambitious for Montclair. -
Review from M K.
Montclair, NJ
4/7/2012
We went during restaurant week. 8pm on Tuesday. We're surprised we were one of only four tables. The service was good and the waiter was incredibly knowledgable yet loquacious. Overall the food was interesting and certainly the concepts as well, but it wasn't for us. We also left feeling hungry which is never a good thing, especially a three course meal. Don't know if that was related to restaurant week or not but either way....
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Review from Shelby C.
Caldwell, NJ
1/21/2012
We ate here last night and had a wonderful, unique dining experience. This chef really understands how to choose flavors, textures and ingredients that compliment and bring out the best in each other. To my surprise, his creative and progressive gastronomy techniques actually proved to offer simple, wonderful flavors. My fiancé and I had a blast discussing our dishes. Here were some of our faves:
First Course:
The "White Truffle Envelope" was fantastic! It bursted with bold flavor. I understand why, as our server said, it is a favorite of many.
Second Course:
The "Lamb Espices" was an all-around winner. To translate the menu description, the plate consisted of: lamb, bone in, cooked and seasoned perfectly (I would have preferred more sauce accompaniment, however), baba ganoush with dodiefor lamb sausage and cured olives, a fried goat cheese ball (yum), and, if that's not enough flavor fest for you, a heavenly heap of cotton candy (if forget the flavor). What a delicious and fun dish this was.
Dessert:
"Bitter Sweet Chocolate Orb" Oh.My.Goodness. We were licking the plate at the end.
The service was EXCELLENT, and the location of this restaurant is great. We were also quite impressed to see/hear a famous nyc radio personality (I won't disclose) dining at the table next to us, which confirmed that this restaurant is pretty legit! We will be back! -
Review from Lama B.
12/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Lada, Sharath and I came out with Chris last Saturday for a culinary adventure at Adara. Georges and Chris had been out to Adara once before in October but I had been working and could not join them so I was excited to get out for a taste of it. Sharath and Lada had no experience with progressive cuisine so I was excited to help them venture into the world of molecular cuisine.
We made it right on time for our 7 pm reservation, toting an exorbitant amount of wine and vermouth in hand and settled in for what would be a 5 and a half hour meal.
It was empty when we sat down but began to fill up quickly. Our server Chris was extremely attentive and immediately put our whites on ice, our vermouth in glasses, and asked when we would like our reds served.
We perused the menu and decided, since there were 4 of us, we would take the 5 course tasting menu and alternate the dishes so we could taste everything. We also decided to add a few dishes to taste a few more things...hey, it was their FIRST time:)!
The yeastless microwaved "bread" was a brilliant start, really setting the stage for much of the finesse that would follow.
The amuse of lobster and uni bisque and tomato salad that followed was super impressive.
The clam chowder was divine, and the melon gazpacho, although firmer than I would have anticipated was also excellent and very intense in flavor.
The kobe and yellowtail sashimi with cream and smoke was interesting and intense but not overwhelming. I thought it really had a touch of genius for the infusion of smoke almost smoked the meat through the cream. A definite must.
At this time I watched the duck roll pass by and thought out loud, "next time..."
We sipped vermouth, sparkling wines, and laughed as the courses continued to flow.
The mozzarella balloon campagnia salad was better looking than tasting I thought, as the balloon was gorgeous but the actual mozzarella was chewy and not very tasty. The tomatoes were delicious however. The natura mia salad with avocado marshmallows was insanely good.
The white truffle envelope and vanilla lobster were less of a hit as the envelope was a complete miss. I could not taste the truffle at all and there was no fois gras in it at all. Chris said he made the same comment to the chef the last time and there had been no change. This dish I did not enjoy. As for the lobster, the broth was insanely good but the lobster itself was not. While mine and Chris' was perfectly cooked Lada's and Sharath's was chewy which is not really acceptable.
There are kinks to be worked out yet...
The scallops in the 4th acqua di gio course were excellent but I did not love the steak. Although the sauces were phenomenal the actual meat left much to be desired. It was chewy and gummy and it had no flavor, despite being under sous vide. It was not seared at all and I did not end up eating my portion. Lada felt the same way. Although we both ordered medium rare portions, the portions were very uneven, with one of us getting a huge piece and the other party receiving a much smaller piece of meat. We mentioned this to Chris who said "oh maybe by volume..."
I think this is also a kink...
We ordered the maytag blue cheesecake as an intermediate course, and although the boys liked it, Lada and I did not enjoy it at all. I found it devoid of cheese flavor and way way too salty for my liking. I would not recommend this at all.
For dessert we had the chocolate orb, the cucumber shiso sorbet, the espresso with the hot ice cream which was TO DIE FOR.
We ended with a bite of banana bread which was unlike any other I have ever had.
The service was seamless, the attention to our needs was appreciated and although the dishes were not perfect and deserve some reworking, the ones that were good were incredible.
I am a fan and would totally recommend people give Adara a chance. It is grounded progressive cuisine and I do wish them success and longevity. -
Review from Michael B.
Essex, NJ
1/25/2012
We tried Adara for the first time on Saturday night with another couple. We were all excited to try molecular gastronomy. We had the 5 course menu.
Service: the service was very attentive and helpful in explaining each dish. As one other reviewer mentioned, one of the waiters was very formal and it put us off a bit; he also seemed to push us to order extra dishes, or add something to a dish for an extra charge ("a slight upcharge" as he kept calling it), which we found to be annoying. The female server was very pleasant and knowledgeable.
Food: we found the food to be very hit or miss. There was an amuse bouche with beet and some other things (so forgettable that I've forgotten). The presentation was very nice, but unfortunately there was almost no flavor and the consistency was like thin sliced cardboard. The bread was described to us by our server as "addictive; the best bread you've ever had". It was interesting and tasty (tasted like pancakes to us); but hardly addictive or even close to the best bread I've had. First course, 3 of us had the ne clam chowder (this was awesome) and the other had the suspended melon gazpacho (she liked it; didn't look like something I would enjoy). Second course, two of us had the campania (as I've read in other reviews, while it looked very interesting, the mozzarella balloon, once popped and eaten, was rubbery and had very little mozzerella flavor. The tomatoes were OK (I guess its hard to expect great in the winter, but some of the fine restaurants in NYC seem to get awesome beefsteak tomatoes even in winter); the balsamic was good and the olive oil gelato was interesting when mixed with the tomatoe and vinegar. Third course, 3 of us had the lobster (this was awesome) and one had the foie gras dish (basically one ravioli with very little foie gras flavor). Fourth course, 2 had the scallops with baby octopus (this dish was very odd; first, the menu doesn't mention that it is somewhat spicy; it had a couple of pieces of popcorn which seemed out of place, two VERY small scallops which did not taste very good and a very tiny piece of octopus; none of us liked this dish); the other 2 had the filet (it came with a purple potato popped chip thing which was interesting but without much flavor; the steak itself was a bit tasteless and not very tender). Dessert - chocolate orb was very good; extremely rich and a bit over the top, but extremely tasty.
So, all in all, two of the 4 courses were excellent, 2 were just ok or pretty bad and dessert was very good. For the price (with tax and tip it was over $200 per couple), we were expecting more. BYO helps (and it was nice that they had the proper glasses for our champagne, and red and white wines). For the price, I'd prefer to dine at CulinAriane or any number of restaurants in NYC. They did mention that the menu would change seasonally and would be changing soon. Not sure if we'd ever return, but if you are looking for a different experience from your normal Montclair restaurant, then give it a try. -
Review from Alison L.
Montclair, NJ
3/7/2012
We ate here a few weeks ago and I'm still thinking about the great experience we had at Adara. We went for our anniversary knowing it was a little pricey, but why not go for something special on a special day, right? We ended up with the 3 course menu, but with all the fun little courses they served in between, it ended up being a 7 course dinner. The portions are small, but the entire experience will fill you up. You're not going to leave feeling like you need to be rolled out, but satisfied. Even my big eater of a boyfriend was full. We went on a Thursday and the place was quite empty so we had a great amount of attention paid to us. Now, onto the food- everything was so delicious and presented beautifully in ways you wouldn't dream up if you tried. The New England Clam Chowder was so good, and served in such a special way and the pork belly was to die for. We will absolutely go back!
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Review from LZ G.
Wayne, NJ
12/11/2011
Interesting concept but too much emphasis on the concept and not enough on the actual taste of the food. Portion sizes are also small, especially for their prices. Service was slow, but our waiter was extremely nice and knowledgable. Will not go back. I have seen many restaurants in this same space over the years, and think this one will not be there for long. If the concept appeals to you, hurry over and try it before they too close.
