Faubourg in Montclair, with Dr. Foodnazi

Let me start off by telling you: I no longer eagerly attempt evening activities in Montclair, primarily due to the cluster-****** downtown parking situation in that city...

But tonight, armed with parking-related reassurances ("Come on! It's Sunday Night!") from both my own mate and the diminutive Dr. Foodnazi (the spouse of my long-time pal Dr. Whyme), I plunged my Outback into the abyss of Bloomfield Avenue. approaching and passing the eatery without scanning a single empty space for two blocks. I turned right onto Church Street (a never-fail waste of time when seeking parkage), to take another pass at Bloomfield... When what did I see, just across from Scala Di Nonna? MY SPOT! And, it's Sunday at 7PM, so PARKING is FREE! YESSS!I have the Gift Of Park! My next installment: Our meal...

-s.

BTW: Here's the website...   https://www.faubourgmontclair....

Can’t wait to read your review. I think the opening of this place helped us get a reservation on a normally busy night across the street...so no complaints from me. 

Where is this place? What's it next to?

Montclair, on the main street (Bloomfield Ave.), on the block north/west of Park St., not far from the Clairidge Theater and the Church Street row of restaurants

gotcha. thx. I was trying to figure out where there was such an available large space. Do you know what used to be in the space?

You're posting about this when there is a new Krispy Kreme donut shop on Rt. 22 in Springfield?

drummerboy said:

gotcha. thx. I was trying to figure out where there was such an available large space. Do you know what used to be in the space?

Not sure, but read that at various times it was a bank (probably the first iteration), then some type of theater, then retail. 

Preface: Our table at Faubourg (booked by an unusually prescient Dr. Foodnazi - sight unseen - probably the first day that reservations were being accepted) would be, per Dr. F. herself, "well-located"...

 OK, so we and our pals arrived together, discovering that one enters the restaurant by going through an outdoor terraced "alley", replete with tables, chairs and a very active and noisy bar scene. Once seated for a few minutes at our table (inside), Dr. F. realized the din we were now being subjected to, and decided that we'd all be much happier dining al fresco at some quieter table up on one of those outside terraces; she rose and strode up the aisle,  presumably in search of the Maître d', but instead she snagged our Nice Young Server ("I'm usually a bartender, but staffing's still tight"), and sweetly asked if we couldn't all be moved to a table outside. N.Y.S. checked with her Very Professional-Looking Manager, then ushered us out to the "last available outside 4-top", which happened to be adjacent to that frenzied bar crowd. We shrugged and awaited her return with our drinks. She soon brought them, along with menus. But not the menus we were reading inside. These were Bar Menus. When asked for the regular menus, she innocently replied that only bar menu food was served outside for now...

I rose, went inside, found the V.P.L.M., and said, "Wanna make a new Best Friend?" We were shortly returned to our original table inside, and ate well, if not quietly.

The Place: A stylish rethinking of the previous spaces has resulted in a cool, youth-friendly (indoor & outdoor bars, for Pete's sake!) open design, which unfortunately also turns out to be extremely LOUD. And our N.Y.S. garnered a $50 tip from our table of four, which tells you something about the joint's price point.

My plates: An excellent Tarte Flambe & wonderful Orichiette in Lamb Ragout (Clean Plate Club). Nice beer & wine selection, Pretty desserts.

Would I go back? Dunno. There are lotsa great restos in these parts, even some where you can hear your tablemates' quiet conversation...

-s.

It's hard to top Verjus!!

drummerboy said:

gotcha. thx. I was trying to figure out where there was such an available large space. Do you know what used to be in the space?

The space used to be a theater, for movies and plays.

soda said:

Preface: Our table at Faubourg (booked by an unusually prescient Dr. Foodnazi - sight unseen - probably the first day that reservations were being accepted) would be, per Dr. F. herself, "well-located"...

 OK, so we and our pals arrived together, discovering that one enters the restaurant by going through an outdoor terraced "alley", replete with tables, chairs and a very active and noisy bar scene. Once seated for a few minutes at our table (inside), Dr. F. realized the din we were now being subjected to, and decided that we'd all be much happier dining al fresco at some quieter table up on one of those outside terraces; she rose and strode up the aisle,  presumably in search of the Maître d', but instead she snagged our Nice Young Server ("I'm usually a bartender, but staffing's still tight"), and sweetly asked if we couldn't all be moved to a table outside. N.Y.S. checked with her Very Professional-Looking Manager, then ushered us out to the "last available outside 4-top", which happened to be adjacent to that frenzied bar crowd. We shrugged and awaited her return with our drinks. She soon brought them, along with menus. But not the menus we were reading inside. These were Bar Menus. When asked for the regular menus, she innocently replied that only bar menu food was served outside for now...

I rose, went inside, found the V.P.L.M., and said, "Wanna make a new Best Friend?" We were shortly returned to our original table inside, and ate well, if not quietly.

The Place: A stylish rethinking of the previous spaces has resulted in a cool, youth-friendly (indoor & outdoor bars, for Pete's sake!) open design, which unfortunately also turns out to be extremely LOUD. And our N.Y.S. garnered a $50 tip from our table of four, which tells you something about the joint's price point.

My plates: An excellent Tarte Flambe & wonderful Orichiette in Lamb Ragout (Clean Plate Club). Nice beer & wine selection, Pretty desserts.

Would I go back? Dunno. There are lotsa great restos in these parts, even some where you can hear your tablemates' quiet conversation...

-s.

 Loud appears to be a “ feature” these days. Unfortunately. 

That said, my meal was delicious. But not better than Laurel and Sage, which is quieter, friendlier staff, at a similar price point.

galileo said:

It's hard to top Verjus!!

 I kept looking at that photo thinking "isn't that Ver Jus?".  Thanks!