100 Steps Kitchen + Raw Bar — Restaurant in Cranford

impressed.

The food was delicious, the service was attentive and very welcoming, the ambience was lively yet cozy with a splash of sexy and intimate. We were there for Saturday Dinner.

Oysters - GET IT. the freshest in the area and well curated.

Chili Glazed Octopus - GET IT. Many places overcook octopus where it becomes rubbery. This was beautiful cooked and the flavors were on the spicy side which we loved.

Crispy Slow Braised Pork Belly - GET IT. My only qualm is that there are only 3 pieces of the pork belly. Succulent, crispy, and melts in our mouth. I also enjoyed the shaved brussel sprouts and I think there was barely or farro mixed in to offset the rich pork.

Persimmon & Whipped Feta - very well balanced and not overwhelming.

Recommendation-- get the parker rolls to scrape the sauce from the Octopus as well as utilize as a vessel for the Persimmon Feta dish.

Seafood Bouillabaisse - GET IT. I wish I had more bread to dip! Really yummy. I do wish there were some larger scallops incorporated (that may be me being greedy). I will none the less order again and again... It's light yet so fulfilling.

Manila Clams a La Mariniere - GET IT. I couldn't get over how fresh the clams tasted. Incredible. Great flavor.

Slow Braised Beef Short Rib - GET IT. In many cases braised short rib can be overpowered by deep red wine and tomato paste whilst cooking. (Personally causing me acid reflux) this was light, complex, and still warmed my tummy. Beautifully cooked and tender. A great balance between richness and light.

Creme brulee - the consistency was different from what I expected where it was a thicker pudding base but I really liked it.

Gianduja Chocolate Tart - if you enjoy chocolate nutty-ness get it. It was yummy

I wanted to add that the restaurant takes their time in treating their patrons. They are considerate and aware -- where I felt there was a high emotional intelligence to how they attended to customers which made our experience absolutely delightful.

We will definitely come again. And again. And again. Well...

Really wanted to write a 5* review but sadly I just can’t. This was our second time at the restaurant and second time we’ve noticed how overly salted all of their dishes are (and this is coming from someone who loves salt and seasoning!). Unless you want people to roll out of your place with a stroke I highly recommend revisiting recipes for at least 5 of your dishes (the ones we tried personally) i.e. branzino, mussels, rabbit pasta dish (can’t remember the exact name), pork chop, and the creamy soup in the appetizer section. Even the bread they bring out has sprinkled salt on it - so completely unnecessary! Moreover, if you are charging NYC prices then you should perhaps also hire NYC-caliber waiters, the ones that are switched on and think several steps ahead. Ordered mussels today with two side dishes (broccolini and cauliflower) which required the presence of something other than butter knife, but no knife was present to cut the veggies with. Table next to us had butter served with their bread (so were we the first time we visited), but I guess you ran out this time around? My husband ordered coke, a small bottle of it was brought with no glass. He was fine drinking it out of the bottle but when we ordered the second one we had to ask for a glass and some ice. Something very straightforward, no? Positive (and the reason for 3* and not 1) are oysters - always fresh and delicious! Hope you’ll take these comments on board and implement certain changes as there is absolutely no reason why this place cannot be 5*; it has all the potential and what seems to be a wonderful owner! P.S. Please change the spelling of Bronzino to Branzino on the menu as that’s the correct...

I don't get the 4.6 overall and 5-star ratings that people give this place. I think it takes more than just good (decent) food to warrant a five star rating. We came here a bunch of years ago and never went back and then I recalled why we hadn't been back when the plates came out...

I ordered the Duck for $31+ and got two small pieces (two!!) about 1" wide, 2.5" long and 1/2" thick.. I was like; really? Two pieces? My wife ordered a pasta dish which was again a modest portion with too much lemon. This makes the plate overwhelming to continue eating. Lemon is difficult to incorporate into a pasta, if you should at all (which you should not), so a little goes a long way. The Kebab app wasn't much better than any of the other local middle eastern places in the area so no big deal here either... considering the price! They kept pushing the oysters too so this is obviously a margin maker for them.

The Maitre'd came to our table which is good practice but what was I going to tell him? Yo, dude, come on?? But I wanted to. The staff is of course nice and attentive but then again you have to be in a place like this or else who would come back?

We liked A Toute Heure much better back in the day. No surprise why they closed this restaurant given the owners make much more margin at 100 steps, obvious by the price and portions of this place.

I never rate restaurants on Google bc although I know food VERY well, most restaurants do a decent job with providing SOME value considering prices these days but I rated this place bc I just don't understand the high ratings. Anyway, it is decided... I would rather spend my hard earned...