Natural Start — Restaurant in East Orange

This was my first time trying this restaurant, and I’m usually very particular about where I eat. A coworker recommended it, so I gave it a shot.

The store was extremely hot, likely because of the open kitchen and people coming in and out. It made the wait a bit uncomfortable, but I understand the setup. The staff was friendly, and the food came out quickly. I ordered the chicken and waffles, which were reasonably priced with a good portion size. The taste was great and definitely stood out.

I also had a side of grits. They were pretty bland and lacked salt, which might come down to personal preference. However, they became extremely watery not long after being served, which was odd and not something I’ve experienced before.

The major issue came when I went to eat the peach cobbler. I was shocked to find a large patch of mold on top. This was after I had already eaten everything else. It was really disappointing. It seems like the cobbler might not be made in-house, which could explain how it developed mold during transport. Still, there’s no reason something like that should be sold to customers. Fortunately, the mold was on top and not hidden at the bottom.

My suggestion would be for the staff to check desserts like peach cobbler and banana pudding before serving them. A quick visual check or review of expiration dates can go a long way. I’m sure quality and safety are priorities already, but in this case, something was...

This place is AMAZING! The other day I ordered, Natural Start, for a late lunch/ early dinner. I was absolutely satisfied! I had got their Turkey Wing Platter w/ double Collard Greens and a side of Baked Mac n Cheese. EVERYTHING was so dang good! Excellent portion sizes and very reasonably priced. Also has the nerve to be delicious too!!!! I was expecting a regular (large) turkey wing, with a sample sized amount of the sides. The Turkey was extremely tender, they give you a lot of it, the collard greens were extremely satisfying and delicious, but the biggest surprise was how good the Baked Mac n Cheese was! Typically when you order from soul food spots the baked Mac just isn’t the best, especially given the price they typically charge. This place has great baked Mac! All in all, I was absolutely surprised by how delicious the food was, it was very comforting and home-y. The gentlemen who took my order was extremely attentive and caring. Made sure my order was fulfilled correctly. I’d HIGHLY recommend, Natural Start, to ANYONE looking for some great food, that is reasonably priced and you happen to be in the East...

My first time customer experience: I only had the fried chicken wings (ordered for a Super Bowl party) and they were delicious! Everyone loved them. I would have liked them fried just a little harder so you'll have to make that request, if you're like me. My only issue was I called a few days in advance to understand the procedure when ordering a large quantity of wings. On the day to order, they completely switched up on me and made me come in to pick them up immediately and when I got there, they didn't have my order ready at the time they insisted I be there. Although, I dropped everything (cooking for the party) to get there at the time they told me. Upon arriving, I received attitude because I didn't leave a name, even though they never asked me. I ended up waiting another 30 mins for my order. It cost me 1.5 hours total and I was really late for my party. I will try not to hold this against them because it was really busy for them. I would try to eat here again. I just wanted to inform anyone ordering large quantities of food to...