Millburn-Short Hills Magazine Back to School 2017 | Page 56

dining out
CRAB CAKES
NEW YORK STRIP STEAK
A Tempting
Transformation
Ricalton’s reboots as the fun and flavorful South Mountain Tavern
S
WRITTEN BY JOYCE VENEZIA SUSS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
outh Mountain Tavern, in
the shadow of the South
Orange train station, has a
large bar downstairs that
beckons weary commuters.
But foodies will want to
keep going, up the stairs to the
recently rebooted restaurant.
The former Ricalton’s has been
transformed by its owner, Tom
McLaughlin, and Ted Stampoulos,
creator of Martini’s Bistro & Bar in
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BACK TO SCHOOL 2017 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE
Millburn, and offers a very good
way to sate hungry appetites after a
long day.
Case in point: I’m in heaven with
any bowl of fresh shellfish bathed in
buttery, garlic-heavy sauce. I was
equally elated with South Mountain’s
appetizer of steamed PEI mussels,
cloaked in a glossy red Thai curry
sauce infused with kaffir lime and red
chili. The rich sauce had a hint of
heat and smokiness – and a ton of
South Orange
SOUTH
MOUNTAIN
TAVERN
19 VALLEY ST., [phone]
flavor. The pork belly cobb salad was
beautifully composed, with hard-
boiled eggs, chunks of avocado and
tomato atop chopped romaine and