APRIL
Montclair
6
ROBIN TROWER
PERFORMS AT
THE WELLMONT
THEATER
8 P.M.
British guitarist ROBIN TROWER has been
writing, performing and recording rock ‘n’
roll and blues since the late ‘60s, when he
joined PROCOL HARUM (you know them
from soundtrack-friendly hits like “A
Whiter Shade of Pale”). His solo work has
landed him on several Best Guitarist lists,
and with his own label, he continues to make the kind of music that pleases
his fans, and himself. Doors open at 7 p.m.; backup provided by Eli Cook.
• $49-$242. 5 Seymour St., 973-783-9500, wellmonttheater.com
Montclair
A BOULANGERIE ON
CHURCH STREET
Montclair has its share of bakeries, but
boulangeries? In France, the word on a
storefront guarantees that the baked goods
sold there are made on the premises. Since
assuming the space left empty when Le
Petit Parisien departed, LE FRENCH DAD
BOULANGERIE & CAFÉ has shifted the
locale’s focus to a bakery model, baking
and selling whole wheat, rye, buckwheat,
spelt and other varieties of loaves, as well
as baguettes (bien sûr). “We use organic,
stoneground
flour so we
minimize the
loss of nutri-
ents,” says
owner and
head baker
Arben Gasi.
“Everything is
sourdough and naturally leavened, so it
takes at least 18 hours of fermentation to
unlock all that the grains have to offer.”
French-style baking, he says, is better for
people with gluten protein issues. In addi-
tion to its core bread business, Le French
Dad also offers a regional French menu
full of classic dishes — croque monsieurs,
pain au chocolat, lentil soup — many
featuring locally sourced ingredients from
an urban farm in East Orange, and cheese
from a Jersey cheesemaker. “People say,
‘Oh, you don’t have the same flour and
water here as in France, but we have very
good quality ingredients,” says Gasi. One
menu item, though, is a French import:
The coffee is from Malongo of Nice.
• 10 Church St., (973) 746-0288,
lefrenchdad.com
Bloomfield
THE BEST
TOWN FOR
SPORTS
FANS… IF
YOU’RE
RETIRING
Thinking of retiring, and
want to find a setting where
you can indulge in your
sports fandom? You may
already live there. Money
Magazine recently published
its “8 Best Places to Retire in
the U.S. Right Now” list, and
when it comes to the abun-
dance of parks and recre-
ation facilities, nearness to
major media markets and the
number of major league
sports teams within 30 miles,
BLOOMFIELD came out on
top. (Editors also took into
consideration other factors
including diversity and quali-
ty of life.) Mayor Michael
Venezia has said, “Having
grown up in Bloomfield,
I know that our town has
always been a great place to
live, and is only becoming
more desirable to people
of all demographics…but
especially [to] active
seniors.”
Montclair
A
ROADMAP
FOR
WRITERS
Essex County resident
JOANNE SERLING is
the author of Good
Neighbors, a novel
about four friendly
suburban families
whose loyalty and values
come into question when one
MARCH
of the group adopts a little girl
from Russia. Now Serling has
another (non-fiction) story to
tell: How to successfully make
2 P.M.
it down the rocky road to pub-
lication. Serling, who is also a
freelance writer and college essay
coach, shares insights into how to write
unlikeable characters and weather the
ups and downs of an often lengthy
process. • March 24, 2 p.m., at the
Montclair Public Library. 50 S.
Fullerton Ave., (973) 744-0500,
montclairlibrary.org
24
Bloomfield
EL TORO LOCO
OPENS IN THE
CENTER OF
BLOOMFIELD
Self-described as “the place to be if you
are looking for fun fiestas every single
night,” El Toro Loco provides every-
thing Mexican food-and-drink loving
diners might crave, and some they
might never have thought of. For exam-
ple, in addition to guacamole, there’s
tropical guacamole, with mango and
grilled pineapple. Entrees include cauli-
flower tacos, and Enchilada Costilla
with braised short rib. Happy hour
from 4-7 p.m. offers items such as
calamari, honey chipotle wings, and
beer and mixed drinks to wash them
down. Catering and space for private
parties are also available. • 80
Washington St., (973) 429-1000,
eltorolocobar.com
MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE SPRING 2019
13