LORENA’S
168 Maplewood Avenue
Maplewood
973.763.4460
4 Stars
“Lorena’s” is the unhesitating response of a prominent online food columnist when asked to name a restaurant for which she would most like to receive the gift of a meal. This gem of a BYO seamlessly replaced Jocelyne’s, another gem, at this spot in June 2005. Chef/co-owner Humberto Campos Jr. developed his particular style, a fusion of French and New American, at some of the finest restaurants in the metropolitan area. They include the Ryland Inn, Nicholas, and the Stage House on this side of the Hudson and Daniel and March on the other. His fiancée/co-owner, Lorena Perez, works the front of the house with grace, warmth, and beauty.
Perez keeps an eagle eye on servers to ensure that the smallest details are attended to. Prices are included with verbal description of specials. We are asked how we would like the restaurant to handle the wine we brought. Dishes for each course arrive within seconds of each other, and are presented without fanfare.
We start with English pea soup, light and sprightly in defiance of its rich components of smoked bacon and crème fraiche. A salad, of all things, alerts me that exceptional talent is at work here. In separate piles on a white rectangular plate are a tangle of lightly dressed baby watercress, shreds of duck confit, and a quenelle of Roquefort. A dot of fig jam and a schmear of port wine reduction complete the artful composition. I taste each in turn; every one is excellent. But when I toss everything together—bingo!—the flavors and textures marry in perfect proportion, becoming more than the sum of the parts. This quality becomes a hallmark of our dinner.
A case in point: barramundi, an Australian fish with firm, mild-flavored white flesh, resting on diced roasted beets with strands of braised endive and petite wedges of orange confit. The crowning glory to this already nuanced counterplay of earthy and sweet is a beet-horseradish emulsion. My only quibble is that the barramundi skin could be crisper.
That is true also of an otherwise flawless dish that pairs veal tenderloin with what the menu promises are crispy sweetbreads. Veal with this much flavor is a rare find these days, and the two sweetbreads, while not quite crisp, are the epitome of pillowy lushness. Accompaniments include celery root purée with a hint of garlic, baby summer squash, and corn.
The cozy dining room is as attractive as its namesake. Soft green walls sport mirrors, impressionist prints, and decorative plates. A fireplace mantel is draped with a tasseled silk runner, and damask drapes frame the windows.
Desserts are ever so slightly a letdown. Lavender crème brûlée is correct, nothing more. Warm soft chocolate cake, made with Michel Cluizel’s Hacienda Conception, is too molten, almost sodden. Perfection can be had, though, in crepes—light, crispy-edged, filled with caramel, and accompanied by exceptional homemade ice cream.
Reviewed by Pat Tanner - Nov/Dec 2006
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