Most Reviewed Restaurants in the Caldwells on Yelp!

Do you agree or disagree with the critics?

The website Yelp! has empowered anyone with Internet access to become the neighborhood's New York Times food critic. So how do John and Jane Q. Public review the many restaurants in the Caldwells? Take a look at the Top 5 most reviewed restaurants in our area. Then tell us if you agree or disagree with their critiques in the comments. 5. Forte Pizzeria and Ristorante, 3 1/2 Stars, 31 Reviews Reviews run the gamut from glowing, "Great food and it's fast. Probably the best known and best liked pizzeria around," to lukewarm, "Salad was decent and the chicken was pretty good." 4. Bangkok Kitchen, 4 Stars, 44 Reviews  A review from Huntington Beach, Calif. says, "...too bad we're not locals so we can't come back more regularly!" 3. Original …

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Citrus Brings Indian, Thai Cuisine to West Caldwell

Restaurant adds variety to dining scene, offers daily lunch buffet.

Love Indian and/or Thai food? A new restaurant in West Caldwell is cooking up both, adding a little spice to the local dining scene.  Citrus Restaurant opened at 555 Passaic Avenue at the end of January in the former location of a sushi restaurant (and for now at least the sushi bar and some Japanese decor has been untouched). It is the only Indian restaurant in the Caldwells and the second Thai eatery (Bangkok Kitchen in Caldwell has been the go-to Thai place for more than a decade.)  This is the second Citrus restaurant, the first opened two years ago in upstate New York, according to manager, Sanju George. George said the concept is simple. If you like Indian, but your friend or family member prefers Thai, you can both be satisfied here…

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Cut Steakhouse Arrives in Nearby West Orange

New restaurant opens across from Essex Green.

If you don’t want to hang out with celebrities and world-famous DJs spinning the night away at hip West Orange nightclub 4Sixty6, there is now another reason to come: Sam Mickail’s Cut Steakhouse. Executive Chef Sam Mickail, formerly of The Terrace in NYC, Highlawn Pavilion, Rare The Steak House, Il Tulipano and Waterside, opened this contemporary American steak house with Mediterranean influences last fall. “I did my research and decided that West Orange was thirsty for a great steak and needed an upscale steak house,” says the 30-year veteran, who was born in Cairo, raised in France, trained in Switzerland and staged in the finest kitchens in Europe. “I want people to get hooked, and realize that there is no need to go to New York for a …

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Reviewer 'Flips' for Red's Dips in West Caldwell

New restaurant brings Chicago-style, Italian beef sandwiches to North Jersey.

"Taste of New Jersey," a column that runs every other week on NJ.com, stopped in at West Caldwell's newest restaurant, Red's. Reviewer Brooke Tarabour gives a brief history of the Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich, the signature dish at Red's, and says that owner Barbi Newman "nails it."  Patch Local Editor Teresa Akersten was also favorable in her review of Newman's offerings, which are meant to provide a tasty, healthier alternative to fast food. So far the ratings from readers have been mixed on the restaurant's directory listing. Patsey gives Red's one star and says, "first of all there is no Italian Beef Sandwich in Italy. It is an American Sandwich and it is OK not anything special." Rick, on the other hand, gave the place four …

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Pig & Prince: Creative Cuisine in a Classy Setting

Chef Michael Carrino appears to have another hit on his hands.

Just when you thought Montclair's restaurant scene couldn't get any better, Pig & Prince opens in the renovated Lackawanna Railroad Station facing Bloomfield Avenue. Indeed, after sampling a wide range of dishes, it appears Chef Michael Carrino—who already had built a stellar reputation as the chef at Passionne—has another hit on his hands. Located in a sprawling space that includes a bar and a tap room, Carrino said he closed Passionne last year so that he could funnel his energies into a larger locale that included a liquor license and room to grow. The historic Lackawanna Railroad Station provides the perfect venue to accomplish both goals. Additionally, it is fitting that the resurrection of this beautiful space coincides with its …

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Restaurant Reviewer Finds State's Best Ethnic Foods

EthnicNJ.com writer scours New Jersey searching for best pho, tacos and pad thai.

When area residents wonder where to find great Italian food, they turn to EthnicNJ.com. The website, founded by Maplewood's Anthony Ewing, maps and reviews ethnic food around the Garden State. "Since launching EthnicNJ.com in May 2010," says Ewing, "the website has really taken off. Readership has grown dramatically. The site's coverage has expanded to map over 700 restaurants serving 60 different ethnic cuisines." For Ewing, the website is an avocation and an answer to a problem. Ewing came up with the idea for the site after looking for good places to eat on his way back from soccer games. "There was a lot of information on the web, but it was hard to sift through," he recalls. The goal of EthnicNJ.com is to put this information all in …

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Catch the Red Eye Cafe in Montclair

One of Walnut Street's latest additions is a must stop.

Upper Montclair may be holding its annual sidewalk sale this weekend but it's certainly not the only commercial strip in town that continues to draw hordes of customers. Walnut Street, with its array of popular shops and restaurants, is definitely a nice part of town to check out. And if you do, stop by Red Eye Cafe at 94 Walnut Street, a homey 34-seat eatery with loaded bookshelves and vintage lighting. Open only since last May, owner Anthony Brinton, who spent more than a decade at Cafe Eclectic in Montclair, already has built a loyal following with a substantial cafe breakfast and lunch menu. Red Eye Cafe is located across the street from Le Salbuen Cafe Market, which also opened in May, and down the block from Halcyon and Egan & Sons—…

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Reviewer Raves About Divina's Eggplant Parm

Rosie returns to Italian restaurant in downtown Caldwell.

Mexican Mike's Gets a "Like"

Patch pays a visit to a Caldwell eatery which recently changed hands.

A spontaneous decision to go to Mexican Mike’s for dinner Monday night resulted in a feliz family of four. Just back from a weekend away and facing an empty refrigerator, we popped into the Caldwell storefront with kids in tow. The restaurant changed hands recently and we had only tried it two or three times before. While we were generally happy with past meals, we left this time feeling extra satisfied.  Dinner started with what seemed like a good omen—warm and crispy chips and salsa ($3). The pico de gallo was fresh with a nice bite.  The adults ordered two burritos ($8 each). The Veggie Burrito was filled with a medley of vegetables, guacamole, cilantro lime rice, black beans, shredded lettuce, jack and cheddar cheese and sour cream. …

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Teresa Akersten

6:59 pm on Sunday, April 14, 2013

@Tammy — This story was posted in July 2012 when it was still called Mexican Mike's. It's currently called Passione de Mexico.   more ›

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Piece de Resistance: Le Salbuen Cafe Market

A new restaurant offers a little touch of Europe in Montclair.

At only 620 square feet, Le Salbuen Cafe Market is a tiny restaurant. But it packs a big punch of European-inspired cuisine. Opened in mid-May, the restaurant run by John David Salierno and Christina Buenano Salierno of Bloomfield was full of patrons at lunchtime on Thursday. And it's easy to see why. First and foremost, the menu boasts a vast range of delicious—and unusual—options. Most popular seems to be the Walnut Street Salad priced at $13. The item, recommended by the waitress, was described on the menu as follows: Organic baby spinach, carmelized walnuts, fresh corn, figs, avocado, red onions, and egg, drizzled with roasted walnut balsamic dressing and served on top of a walnut goat cheese crust. Is your mouth watering yet? …

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Raymond Helfrich

8:11 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2013

I met Christina & John when they were (paying meticulous detail to) building out this lovely space. They're both charming, and they have a lovely sense of aesthetic. Since then, I've been there many times, and sampled their eclectic menus--everything's original and clean and tasty. What a charming pair and oasis, not far from the hustle & bustle of downtown Montclair. I recommend it highly.   more ›