DEVILED EGGS
super-light, grease-free, wonderfully
creamy falafel served with smoked
salmon, smooth tzatziki and velvety
garlic. “There’s nothing about this
not to like,” said one guest at my
table. Agreed.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same
about the entrees. A generous por-
tion of slow-braised beef short ribs
($31) was disappointingly stringy; we
wondered if perhaps they had been
cooked too long. And while the party
of Asian flavors that bathed an equal-
ly generous portion of Ahi tuna was
stellar and the delicate soba noodles
that accompanied it impeccable, the
fish, alas, was a smidgen overcooked.
Can’t complain about the dessert;
Merida is a trained pastry chef as
well. The pumpkin tart served with
a spice cake that had been soaked in
a spice syrup and
topped with a soft
AT A
date purée and
GLANCE
cinnamon gelato
• MOST ENTREES
$20-$30
couldn’t scream
• CLOSED
“love autumn”
MONDAYS
more loudly. The
• NOT OPEN FOR
LUNCH
beautifully plated
• WHEELCHAIR
chocolate tart
ACCESSIBLE
sporting a choco-
• GOOD FOR
GROUPS
late mirror glaze
• FULL BAR
and garnished
with caramel-
ized phyllo leaves
pleased this chocoholic. But the
dessert that stood out — not so much
for taste but presentation — was the
ricotta zeppole tree served with a
warm chocolate dipping sauce. The
zeppole were a delight, the “tree” was
a surprise: a huge ball of white cotton
candy.
“It’s a giant Q-tip,” said one of my
table companions, who was no fan of
it. The other loved it. Bet Instagram
users will love it even more. ■
RICOTTA GNOCCHI
EXECUTIVE CHEF MICHAEL MERIDA
RICOTTA ZEPPOLE TREE
MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE HOLIDAY 2018
47