Sunday
May272012
A Muscle Maker Grill Preview
Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 10:29AM Muscle Maker Grill is due to open their Montclair location this Tuesday! Here are some pics of their healthy eats shot at their Nutley location.
Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 10:29AM Saturday
May262012
Red Eye Café Confirms Walnut Street As Montclair’s New Foodie Address
Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 10:36AM 
Photo Credit: John LeeBleary eyed residents of the Walnut Street area woke this morning to discover the grand opening of the Red Eye Café. Located diagonally across from Le Salbuen, Red Eye is named after the classic coffee beverage.
A Red Eye is named for the Red Eye flights from the West Coast. Late night (9 or 10pm) flights out of Los Angeles and San Francisco land in New York at about 5am.
Thursday
May242012
New Hot From The Kettle Wine Blogger and German Riesling Review
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 10:06AM 
Sara LehmanPlease meet the new Hot From The Kettle wine contributor, Sara Lehman. You may remember Sara as the former manager at Blu in Montclair. Sara has choosen to follow her passion and pursue a career in wine.
Check out Sara's first Hot From The Kettle post, a review of 1998 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Rechbächel Spätlese Trocken Riesling.
For more, visit Sara's oenophile blog, Fashionable Palate.
Thursday
May242012
Top Five List: BBQ Sauces for Memorial Day Grilling
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 10:00AM 
North Star Grilling Sauce by Heartbreaking Dawns on left. Nothing says the start of summer like Memorial Day, and nothing says Memorial Day quite like BBQ. Though I’ve found homemade Barbeque sauce both easy to make and rewarding to eat, sometimes time or circumstance just doesn’t allow it. Store-bought BBQ sauce to the rescue!
Choose wisely though, or you’ll end up with a gloppy mess of sauce and some unhappy guests. The five sauces I’ve selected below promise to fill all your BBQ sauce needs this season, and might even let you fool people into thinking you made the sauce yourself.
Wednesday
May232012
Thursdays at Tap features Charlie Jones
Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 7:53PM
Tapastry Restaurant proudly presents the legendary Charlie Jones on May 31st from 7-10pm as part of Meg's Music Series "Thursdays at Tap",
hosted by Meg Beattie.
Read more on the new Hot From The Kettle page, North Jersey Music!
Check out the new Hot From The Kettle calendar of Live & Local Music Dates! If you are a NJ based music artist and would like to be featured on North Jersey Music or have your performances posted on our calendar please send us an email using the "Contact Me" form in the right sidebar.
Tuesday
May222012
New Jersey Lunch: The Best of Montclair Restaurants 2
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 8:37PM
Costanera, Cocina Peruana located at 511 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, makes the HFTK Lunch Hot Spot List!
Read more on Montclair Restaurant News.
Tuesday
May222012
Tuscany Restaurant Opens in Montclair Today
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 7:35PM 
Tuscany formally opened its doors on May 22, 2012 to bring homemade Italian faire to Upper Montclair.
Details on John Lee's slideshow on Montclair Restaurant News.
Monday
May212012
Uncle Moustache Moves In
Monday, May 21, 2012 at 11:56AM 
Montclair get's a new relative: Uncle Moustache!
Read more on Montclair Restaurant News!
Saturday
May192012
Montclair The Show Trailer
Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 8:19PM 
Remember the bikini-clad Brazilian dancing girls at Ilson Goncalves' Samba Montclair? Of course you do!
Montclair The Show, the thirty minute, docu-movie about the very best of Montclair, directed by Mido Emad and hosted by NJ food blogger, me, is coming together in a beautiful way. Check out the trailer!
Friday
May182012
Meet Le Salbuen, Montclair's Newest Restaurant
Friday, May 18, 2012 at 8:15AM 
A few weeks ago Hot From The Kettle took a little peak behind the brown paper at Le Salbuen and shared the owners’ dreams, plans and ambitions for their Café Market on Walnut Street.
Read more on Montclair Restaurant News!
Thursday
May172012
MAKE YOUR OWN: INFUSED SPIRITS
Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 1:42PM 
With Memorial Day and the official start of summer mere weeks away, it’s the perfect time to infuse your own spirits. All you need are mason jars, some fruit, vegetables, or herbs, and your libation of choice. Mix it up, seal the jar, shake every so often, and in five days you’ll have the ultimate gourmet cocktail base, just in time for summer. Keep them for yourself to sip on all summer long, or wrap the jars with a bow and give them a hostess gifts.
Thursday
May172012
Artisanal Cheese at Amanti Vino
Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 9:41AM 
Amanti Vino, located at 30 Church St., is well known as Montclair's source for unique wines, and craft beers. Now, the local shop has something extraordinary for you to nosh on while you sip - cheese!
Read more on Montclair Restaurant News!
Wednesday
May162012
Top Five Dinner Date Restaurants
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 12:33AM 
Whether you’re courting someone new, trying to seal the deal, or treating your long term significant other to a night on the town, your restaurant choice says a lot about your intentions, and can dictate the direction the night will go.
Usually you want to shoot for somewhere with an intimate atmosphere, soft lighting (candles yes, fluorescents no) and the option for drinks or BYOB to get everyone in a relaxed frame of mind. Dinner dates of course all subject to taste and personal preference, and I can’t exactly speak for the masses, but I think the five picks below would hold you in good stead for most occasions and company.
Tuesday
May152012
New Jersey Lunch: The Best of Montclair Restaurants
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 9:01AM 
When the mid-day growl starts rolling, I consider the options: a sandwich? A salad? A yogurt? A bowl of Kashi? A whole salami? A wedge of cheese? Really? A triple grande skim latte? I think, not.
The Hot From The Kettle weekly “Lunch Hot Spot" will examine the best lunches offered in our fine, ever improving hamlet: my beloved, Montclair.
Wednesday
May092012
TOP FIVE CULINARY GIFTS FOR MOM THIS MOTHER'S DAY
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 12:25PM 
Don’t forget, or you’ll never live it down- Mother’s Day is this Sunday! Break out of the ordinary this year and really make the moms in your life feel special and appreciated. Whether its your mom, stepmom, the mother of your kids, or another special lady who made you who you are today- she’ll love any or all of these top five.
Photo Credit - Mediterranean Diet
- Brunch - Surprise mom this mother’s day with a proper brunch. Treat her to Nordic Eggs Benedict- just butter and toast a round of hearty bread, top with a poached egg, some curls of smoked salmon or gravlax, and a generous swathe of hollandaise sauce, chives and bacon optional.
Tuesday
May082012
Mother's Day Plans? Take the Poll!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 11:00AM Take our Mother's Day Poll. And remember - - honesty is the best policy.
Monday
May072012
SPRING THAW
Monday, May 7, 2012 at 12:06PM 
Even though we haven't had much of a winter here, I still can't wait for the warmer, longer days that May brings. The warmer weather and sunshine just make you want to fire up the grill and eat dinner on the patio. Though its not quite that warm yet- we can still get into a sunnier state of mind with bright spring flavors and fresh produce.
Monday
May072012
Ingredients Matter at Elevation Burger in Montclair
Monday, May 7, 2012 at 6:01AM 
Save the barbeque grill for brisket and ribs and head over to Elevation for burgers this summer - besides the clean-up is a whole lot easier!
It’s been almost three years since Elevation Burger opened on the corner of Bloomfield Ave at North Fullerton and surprisingly locals can still be heard exclaiming “I wish I knew about this place earlier” even today. Several things set Elevation Burger apart from all of the other burger joints in the region, at least two of those reasons are going leave you wondering why you haven’t been visited in a while.
Thursday
May032012
NICO Kitchen + Bar at NJPAC in Newark
Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 12:00PM 
The DePersio family is bringing their family recipe for success to Newark!
Mr. Hot and I recently had the pleasure of dining at NICO Bar + Kitchen located at the NJPAC on what may be the most picturesque corner in Newark.
Wednesday
May022012
Top Five Ways to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Around Montclair and Margarita Recipe
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 6:00AM 
Divorced Eggs at Eddie's in Nuevo VallartaThis year, Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday- lucky us! All the more reason to celebrate big, with delicious Mexican food, drinks, and traditions. Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day (that’s September 16th- not even close!). It’s actually the celebration of the Mexican army’s victory over French forces on May 5th, 1862, and also an all around celebration of Mexican heritage and culture. Whatever you decide to celebrate this Saturday, you’ll have lots of options around Montclair.