Restaurants in Montclair

Hand-carved Cambodian bas-relief sculptures line Chakra's palatial, softly lit space, accenting silk-tented bungalows, teak flooring, and a low-lit stone water wall that oscillates between the colors of the seven chakras. Amid this earthy, intricate decor, Executive Chef Thomas Ciszak crafts eclectic fare with a simple philosophy, which he related in a New Jersey Monthly article: “I don’t get stuck in cuisine labels … I want to focus on what people love to eat. I just want it to taste great.”

He delivers on that philosophy with a seasonal menu of sophisticated yet accessible dishes, which may include selections such as a parma ham sushi roll, a classic veal schnitzel with a preserved lemon vinaigrette, or a hot dog masquerading in a top hat. His meals pair seamlessly with the bar’s specialty cocktails, as well as with selections from an extensive wine list, which Gayot included on its Top 10 Wine Lists in Northern New Jersey. For a sweet finale, the chef concocts a dessert menu that is chalk full of gourmet, sugary delights such as homemade Tahitian vanilla ice cream or chicory iced coffee paired with fresh-baked donuts and police-siren sound effects.

At Badlands Tacos, diners are transported to the titular locale upon gazing at the eatery's southwestern decor. Cow skulls adorned with feathers and bright ceramic art festoon the umber-colored walls. From behind a walk-up counter, a chalkboard menu displays an array of Mexican tacos, chimichangas, and 11 kinds of enormous burritos filled with fixings such as flank steak, cilantro, and guacamole. Badlands Tacos offers booths and tables at their BYOB restaurant, outdoor seating, catering for special occasions, or take-out to feed pet llamas hidden under the porch.

Mambo Tea House’s combination of cuisine and teas stems from the cultural backgrounds of its married co-owners, who were profiled in (201) magazine. Louis Nuñez, who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, supplied many of the restaurant's recipes and oversees Mambo's cuisine along with his head chef. Though the restaurant specializes in authentic Cuban food, its Latin-based eats—such as paella and mofongo—borrow from traditional Argentinian, Puerto Rican, and Dominican cooking.

Elsewhere in the eatery, CiCi Chan-Nuñez curates more than 40 loose-leaf teas imported from countries such as China, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan. The BYOB facility also supplies diners with mixes to convert their wines into sangria and mojitos.

Up to 60 guests can feast in the dining room, which includes bamboo-wood floors and Cuban-cigar wallpapers. Mambo Tea House hosts live Cuban music every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., so visitors can dance off dinner or recite their new poem without worrying that anyone will be able to hear them.

It’s been open since the early 1980s, but there’s nothing dated about Chengdu 46. The gourmet Chinese restaurant has managed to keep a steady crowd of happy customers for the past 30 years thanks to two things: its romantic ambiance, and crack team of native Sichuan chefs. Families and dinner dates alike gather beneath red paper lanterns to savory crispy peking duck and empress chicken by the flickering candlelight. One chef specialty known as Spicy South Sea Pearls consists of whole sea scallops that have been fried, sautéed, and arranged to resemble a more grown-up version of a candy necklace. All food can be prepared for dine-in or takeout, and parties of four or more can reserve a private room and dine from a multicourse banquet menu.

Average people burn more than 500 calories during a night's sleep; more if they're dreaming about running from ravenous koalas. Because every menu item at Energy Kitchen has fewer than 500 calories, you can offset your intake with only a little shut eye. With this Groupon, you get a $20 gift card for $10, which will arrive via snail mail within seven days of your email request. You can buy an unlimited number of gift cards, your balance is transferable, and the cards are good at all nine New York and New Jersey locations. So distribute these card-shaped gifts with reckless abandon to your office mates, manga-centric book club members, or relatives with multiple personalities.

Though Dante’s New York works well as a quick-lunch stop, visitors may be tempted to linger a while. The sandwich shop’s stately decor is reminiscent of a turn-of-the-century pharmacy: mahogany-colored columns and carved-wood accents border the ordering counter, and red-and-white vinyl adds an old-fashioned feel to the long booth on the opposite side. But the real star of Dante’s is the menu, which chefs deck out with dishes that incorporate homemade stocks and eschew canned or quantum-leaping products for fresh ingredients whenever possible. Chefs fill sandwiches and paninis with chimichurri and flank steak or fresh mozzarella, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes, but entrees get yet fancier with options such as pan-seared salmon with ginger-lime sauce and charcoal-grilled chicken kebabs.