Write Up - Courier News

Table 8
Eating Out: Stage House alum graces Table 8 in Montclair
By MILLICENT K. BRODY
Correspondent

Dining enthusiasts looking for a change of pace from the usual Central Jersey restaurants can head north to Montclair, home of a roadtrip-worthy restaurant called Table 8.

Once there, take a moment to meet the restaurant's founder, Demetri Malki, and ts executive chef, Michael Clampffer. Central Jerseyans might remember lampffer, who worked with Executive Chef David Drake at the Stage House Inn in Scotch Plains.

"Michael has no boundaries at Table 8," Malki said. "Long before we opened our doors, we worked together to create our menu. The young and not-so-young enjoy coming here for lunch and dinner. We believe coming to Table 8 is like coming home for a great meal."

Malki was born in Syria and came to the United States at age 6. "My family settled in Paterson," he said. "My father was a tailor. The family struggled for everything they had. At 11, I worked in a bakery making pita bread. I'd come home every night with burn marks on my hands. It wasn't easy, but I managed to earn $40 a week."

Malki moved on to busing tables and cooking in restaurants throughout New Jersey. He opened his first restaurant, Demetri's, on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair in 2002. Later, he moved a few doors down the street, gutted an old art gallery and planted his signature table in the front window.

Table 8's walls are covered with fabric, exposed brick and tiny tea lights, which are lighted just before the restaurant opens each day. Adding to the ambiance are highback, crushed red-velvet chairs and tables covered with custom-made fabric runners designed by Malki. But the real attraction is the food. Favorites include Napoleon of tuna tartar, sesame crisps, tamari citrus sauce and radish sprouts; dates wrapped in smoked bacon, then stuffed with almonds and gorgonzola cheese, arranged on a bed of Belgium endive; a couple of warm Maryland crab cakes, served with a crispy asparagus and red pepper salad, and a wild mushroom risotto with parma prosciutto cheese, ricotta salata and green asparagus in a mushroom stock. Pasta lovers must try the sheep milk ricotta gnocchi with a braised lamb shank and Swiss chard in a tomato lamb sauce.

Favorite entrees include Clampffer's seared deep-sea scallops with a Granny Smith apple puree, and winter squash in a black truffle red wine sauce; a seared organic breast of chicken with pear and rutabaga wild rice in a cranberry reduction; and monkfish osso buco, with Israeli cous cous, melted leeks, baby clams and shrimp in champagne butter.

Save room for dessert. The list of specialties includes a milk-chocolate-and-coffee parfait and a passion fruit tart with fresh raspberries and white chocolate shavings. There's also a chef's selection of house-made ice cream and sorbets. Flavors change weekly and can include pistachio, chocolate and coconut.

Email: dmalki@table8nj.com