Noodlefan St. James’s Gate Publick House Village Trattoria 14 Academy Street South Orange Owner Reginald Samuels 973-313-0003 NoodlefanUSA.com 167 Maplewood Avenue Maplewood Owner John Meade 973-378-2222 stjamesgatepublickhouse.com 2 Inwood Place 21 S. Orange Ave. Maplewood South Orange Owner Mary Vayas 973-761-7711 973-762-2015 villagetrattoria.com The first time Reginald Samuels tasted Thai food, he was in love, and determined to share this experience someday in his own restaurant. Now his dream has come true with the opening of Noodlefan. Visit this modern space and sample the flavorsome Thai Asian cuisine. If you love noodle dishes, try the Tom Yum Chicken Noodle Soup, Spicy Green Noodles or Pad See-Ew. You’ll also find salads, curries, tea beverages and unusual desserts on the menu. Noodlefan’s chef can make your dish as spicy as you’d like. This family-friendly restaurant is equally suitable for date night, especially on Jazz Thursdays. Stay tuned for other special events Samuels has in the works. Owner John Meade just wanted to create a friendly place where you can order unfussy traditional food to please the whole family. He and his sons have succeeded with this cozy Irish gastropub where you can dine fireside. Start with a pint of Guinness, then share a plate of their famously mouth-watering PEI mussels and order up some comfort food. Shep- herd’s Pie, anyone? Highly accomplished chef Stephen Hayak offers daily and seasonal spe- cials using the freshest ingredients. You’ll want to try these, too, when you want to dine a notch above tradi- tional. It all works to perfection. If you want great Italian food in a family-friendly place, head on over to the Village Trattoria. Known as The Trat to locals, this village mainstay creates Angelo’s “Original” Village Trattoria pie. Want something new? Try the endless varieties of pizza including the popu- lar “Grandma pan pies.” The Trat’s homemade baked Italian dishes taste fresh and authentic and sandwiches and salads are scrumptious as are the daily specials. Choose from table service or takeout. Lunch and dinner served daily. BGR Burgers Grilled Right 9 W. South Orange Avenue South Orange Owner - Sannitti Family 973-762-0050 BGRburgers.com BGR stands for Burgers Grilled Right and that’s exactly what you’ll find at this newest burger joint in South Orange. A franchise introduced to New Jersey by the Sannitti family, BGR prides itself on its special blend of quality beef grilled on an open flame and cooked to order and temperature. The menu features burgers and shakes including masterpieces such as the Western BBQ, Triple “D” and Korean BBQ. They also offer chicken, Ahi Tuna, hot dogs, a kids menu and a signature made-from-scratch veggie burger. Check out the burger of the month or feel free to create your own. Restaurant K Orange Lawn Tennis Club 305 N. Ridgewood Road South Orange Chef Richard Krug 800-470-4335 krugcatering.com Chef Richard Krug has created Restaurant K, a dining club with top-notch cuisine that makes membership affordable. At just ten dollars per year, members can experience this intimate restaurant in a gorgeous old country setting at Orange Lawn Tennis Club. With an impressive background, most locals know Chef Krug from his tenure at Maplewood’s Lorena’s. He uses only the finest ingredients, scouring local markets to serve up New American cuisine with a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influence. Openfordinner,memberscanchoose from a $29 two-course menu Thursday - Saturday or opt for cocktails and tapas. Exclusive access to complimentary events such as winepairings,cheesetastingsandmore. Stony’s Stony’s 10 Sloan Street South Orange Owners Laura and Stony Johnson 973-763-3330 stonysburgers.com Laura and Stony Johnson want you to know that Stony’s is not just a burger joint. True, they do sell burgers and they’re ridiculously juicy and delicious. But Stony’s also offers big dinner-worthy salads, chicken sandwiches, tacos and burritos, and homemade soups. Lucky for us, lobster rolls are back for the warm weather. This funky open-kitchen restau- rant also boasts an outdoor patio, sand and all. Sit outside amidst the tropical plants, sip a fresh-squeezed lemonade and imagine you’re on the beach. If you’d like to order takeout, Stony’s makes it easy. Just pull up to their patio for curbside pickup.