Walnut Street Kitchen — Restaurant in Montclair

I was excited to try Walnut Street Kitchen, I have had excellent experiences at other local restaurants in the area. My wife and I always look forward to our date nights and the great food Montclair has to offer. Unfortunately, what followed was nothing short of a gastronomic disaster orchestrated by the inexperienced chef, Bev Lacsina, and a front of house staff sorely lacking in management, leadership, and basic training.

Let's start with the wine service – a broken cork shoved unapologetically into the bottle, setting the tone for the evening's calamities. The appetizers, a mere prelude to the main act of disappointment, shall be mercifully spared from further critique.

The main courses arrived on cold plates, a fittingly icy reception to the dismal fare that awaited. The mushroom risotto resembled a sad puddle of unseasoned rice, crowned with a solitary, overly salted mushroom. Meanwhile, the cauliflower gnocchi – a promising concept in theory – languished in a murky broth reminiscent of dishwater, accompanied by a paltry scattering of chickpeas.

In a desperate attempt to salvage the sinking ship, the server offered misguided culinary advice, followed by unprofessional gossip about the chef's culinary mishaps. Replacement entrees were begrudgingly accepted, revealing nothing more than lackluster renditions of home-cooked classics – roasted chicken and beef bolognese, devoid of any culinary finesse or imagination.

Just when I thought the ordeal was over, the check arrived, accompanied by a perplexing parting gift of a chocolate chip cookie and four stale bagels, an unexpected and unwelcome finale to an evening of culinary catastrophe.

In conclusion, Walnut Street Kitchen and Chef Bev Lacsina have achieved the remarkable feat of delivering the worst dining experience I've endured in the past fifteen years. It's a shame to see such potential squandered amidst a sea of incompetence...

TLDR: amazing food, especially the salads, want to come back and eat everything on the menu

Longer version: I was in the mood for something a little different, and the menu at Walnut Street Kitchen called to me. I knew I wanted the Filipino chicken kebabs and snap pea salad, and then there were two specials that stood out—potatchos and a winter citrus salad. We made a meal out of small plates/appetizers and were completely filled up.

Every dish was better than the last, and each bite was amazing. The salads/vegetables were incredible, and I LOVED the chicken kebabs while my husband (who doesn’t love fish roe) devoured the potatchos special (which was liberally sprinkled with roe). We haven’t even gotten to the entrees yet, but I have my eye on several dishes lol.

We also got the Thai tea tea-ramisu for dessert, and omg, we need to come back and try everything on the dessert menu. I’m sad we haven’t been here sooner.

The decor is cute; the atmosphere is welcoming; and it’s just a lovely local place that I wish more people knew about. Highly recommend.

Edit: oh the owner/chef Beverly stopped by to chat, and she’s LOVELY. She talked about her food inspiration and how she organizes the menu to make sure people always have something they want to try next. Warm, welcoming, and absolutely a delight. Just cannot recommend enough.

Edit 2: eep, we didn’t get to try the bagel bread pudding (which they make with their own bagels), but they send us home with a bag of bagels!! Seriously, if you’re not eating here, you’re...

My husband and I dined here for a day-after Valentine’s celebration. Our 7:00 reservation allowed us to be seated right away. The playlist was stellar. It was all the music I grew up listening to as a kid, and it made me feel at home.

McKenzie was our server and she was incredibly professional, kind, and attentive. The menu has so many great choices, but the specials shouldn’t be slept on either! Here’s what we had:

Appetizers: -Brussels sprouts salad with sliced apple, marinated feta, roasted squash, candied pecans, quinoa and tossed in a vinaigrette Kabocha squash ravioli in a braised beef and peanut ragu, crispy eggplant and a peanut-green bean crumble.

Entrées: -Flat iron steak in a mustard-sherry au poive sauce, carmelized onions, and potato churritos -Fresh cavatelli in an escargot sauce, shelled escargot, topped with a parsley butter crumb Side of sautéed wild mushrooms with sage and citrus

Dessert: -Orange and cardamom olive oil cake, assorted coffee and tea.

The food was stunning. Every bite was a hit and truly made with love. Such thoughtful flavor combinations and interesting applications, all the while cooked perfectly. We had the opportunity to speak with Beverly, and we learned so much about her passions for the industry and the pride she has for the products she creates. We will certainly be back...