Have You Tried 12 West Restaurant in Montclair Yet? - Montclair Patch

I?ve always thought train stations should double as restaurants. Enter?12 West,?the new restaurant in the Upper Montclair train station. It?s beautifully designed, the New American-style food is delicious, and the atmosphere is relaxed but upscale -- perfect for date night.

I?m not a gushing foodie, nor a measured restaurant critic. I?m just a girl looking for damn good food and wine -- and by that I mean: Brooklyn-good. (I've been here for 5 years and I still can't believe I no longer live 4 blocks from Applewood.)

To be fair, there are many great restaurants in and near Maplewood.?Lorena?s?of course,?Moonshine?in Millburn and Montclair?s?Upstairs?and the?Pig & Prince?all come to mind. And?Coda?is my top choice for a quick bite and drinks. But I put 12 West above them all.

Here?s what I loved:

- The design and the atmosphere of the restaurant itself: my husband will tell you, this is big with me, and 12 West has the perfect mix of modern style and homey details. Funky light fixtures, dark wood accents, high ceilings and lots of windows make it feel airy, current and festive, but not overdone. Weirdly, not one train passed during the 90 minutes we were there. ?Also, we were there at 6pm on a Saturday and it wasn?t loud at all. Impressive for a former train station.

- Foie Gras Terrine with Fig Jam - Oh my god delicious: smooth, creamy, but well-balanced by the not-too-sweet fig jam. I think the terrine may have been broiled quickly, so it was warm on the outside and cool in the middle, making every taste unique. This was possibly a mistake, but I still really enjoyed it.

- My glass of MAS DE GOURGONNIER Les Baux Rouge, a 2010 wine from Provence, which the waitress let me taste before I ordered a full glass. There are only 4 reds by the glass -- ?mostly the usual suspects, but this one from Provence was new to me. Full body, but delicate; perfect for a cool spring night. ?

- Joe had the hangar steak with chimichurri, which he described as perfectly cooked and the exact right portion size.

The only problem:

They?re still working out some kinks with the service. 12 West opened at the end of January, so I?m somewhat forgiving of this. (I liked it enough to write this post on a Sunday Night when Game of Thrones is starting up again!) Our server was really thoughtful, but overwhelmed. They brought our main course before they had removed our appetizer plates, they were slow with the water and drink refills, and the entire check process was way too long. This would normally enrage me, but this was one of the first restaurants I?ve been to since moving here 5 years ago that delivered great food with a just-right atmosphere. In other words, I felt slightly cool there.

But, the food and atmosphere at 12 West are both really great. And while I will always want to go back to Brooklyn for my ideal date night, I?ll definitely return to 12 West.

Source: http://montclair.patch.com/blog_posts/have-you-tried-12-west-restaurant-in-montclair-yet

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