Ricalton’s in South Orange to Reboot into South Mountain Tavern

http://villagegreennj.com/food...

Only been there twice.  Dinner was OK, Brunch not so.

Didn't think the first iteration was all it could have been, but really admired the work (and money spent) on renovating the space. Not a small amount of work. Hope this new move is a great success.

Unless the food is better, and they drastically change the menu, it's just putting different lipstick on the same pig. Sorry.

Very necessary- hope they renovate physically (truly ugly, dated decor) nd change chef.  Snug ok for fair bar food.(After eating there a few times, never again)

Bring back the Stuffed Shirt!

My helpful hint of the day: 

Please don't forget to update the menu in the Snug. I ordered the soup of the day that was posted (cream of mushroom), but they brought the actual soup of the day... which was seafood bisque (I'm allergic to shrimp). Sending it back kind of diminished the mood at the table. Apparently the cream of mushroom had been posted from the day before (and the waitstaff didn't notice that it wasn't cream of mushroom in the bowl they brought out).

Stampoulos has a very mixed record in Millburn. The Garage failed. Martini's was hot for a while but was recently replaced. I am not sure if he is involved in the new place there. 

Good move. It was too hard to pronounce Ricaltons.

I miss Garage. Was it the set back location that did it in?

I have a soft spot for the Garage, too -- a son who is an aspiring chef got his start as a waiter there. Decent burgers, Syd's everything hot dogs, sprinkle-covered birthday cake on the menu every day. I think the location may have been a problem, and maybe lack of promotion. 

As for Ricaltons, I went twice and really wanted to like it.

I wanted Ricalton's to be a success in every way, partly because Stony was one of the original partners, and we tried it early on, with not much to get excited about except maybe the fact that our window seats offered a breeze & a view... Here's Mrs. Soda with our desserts.

Since then we've been to the Snug several times, with more limited expectations. It's fine, & I'm glad it'll continue operating.

-s.

There is a new chef coming, per the article.

stateguy said:

Bring back the Stuffed Shirt!

One of two best hamburgers in this part of the state

Is Stony still involved?  

Another new menu?  They really need to fix their staff - far to many rules on dead nights (no bar menu here, can't order main menu at the bar, only certain staff can serve drinks, indifference bartenders) made it a pretty mediocre experience overall so we stopped trying.

Uber negates its location advantage so we now dine out at place where the staff are far more accomodating and food equal to or better.

bog - and where is that?

The menu improved recently and there were promises that service would as well. Sadly their service never did. Every time we went upstairs we sat by the windows and would have to hunt down a waiter. Typically we would have to teach our waiter some fundamentals on service, such as when you finally drop off the meal after we've been waiting a really long time check to see if we need another drink. The slow service wasn't the result of lack of staff. There were usually plenty just hanging around near the bathroom ,like day laborers waiting at the Home Depot waiting for a contractor to pick them up.  

Basically, anywhere. Hat city kitchen and coda for local and cheap.

rhw said:

bog - and where is that?

I did not think the food really improved after the new menu.  What's improved?

gonets said:

The menu improved recently and there were promises that service would as well. Sadly their service never did. Every time we went upstairs we sat by the windows and would have to hunt down a waiter. Typically we would have to teach our waiter some fundamentals on service, such as when you finally drop off the meal after we've been waiting a really long time check to see if we need another drink. The slow service wasn't the result of lack of staff. There were usually plenty just hanging around near the bathroom ,like day laborers waiting at the Home Depot waiting for a contractor to pick them up.  

The new menu at the bar was very expensive.  One wants a snack when sitting at the bar, sometimes.

I miss The Garage too...

This is good news as while it's unknown whether this place will be good, some change was needed, and this change is better than just closing and having a big ol' empty space. 

Ric's had a lot of potential when it opened a few years ago. I was hoping it could be like a Coda in terms of being a good new American spot, but instead it was pretty much on par with Above and Gaslight IMO -- mediocre, overpriced and inconsistent. 

Here's hoping they get it right with the reboot.      

to reiterate - please gut the interior!  

The place was like an homage to Pals - just awful.

Please be original while appealing to our local demographic- not my grandparents!

Love it or hate it, the interior is what the cold hard $ was sunk into just a few years ago, so I'd be very surprised if anything changes there. I imagine this current reboot is capital-lite and that is the only way it happens.  

Service. Service. Service.  The problem was not the interior.

While the interior isn't 'ideal', they could make it work if the food (and service, although I don't think I had a problem the handful of times I was there) was good. We had a good experience the first time I was there, but the second and third just didn't cut it. If they can get the food consistently right then everything else should follow.

I see food as part of the overall service experience.

peteglider said:

to reiterate - please gut the interior!  

The place was like an homage to Pals - just awful.

Please be original while appealing to our local demographic- not my grandparents!

Sidebar: Guy from Pal's was on Chopped last night. Made it to the final round, but, alas, finished second.

I doubt much will change with the interior since this is a quick reboot.  But service needs to match the price points as does the food.  Same problem with Above - overpriced considering the level of service, but at least at Above, they had have a nice outdoor seating area and a good bar menu.  

Hopefully, the owners of South Mountain Tavern will take note of the comments and suggestions in this thread.