Boonton, NJ - walking into Alhara, we were hit with an uncanny sense of déjà vu, and quickly…read morerealized it used to be the location of another favorite Middle Eastern eatery called Al Aqsa. Despite the surface similarity, it is a totally different restaurant with new owners. Alhara brings a regional focus on Syrian cuisine in a fast-casual format, featuring shawarma, falafel, build-your-own bowls, loaded fries, salads & soups, and dips and sides like labneh, hummus, and babaganoush. On paper, it sounds familiar and formulaic, but lemme tell ya, Alhara is anything but ordinary. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food is everywhere in NJ & NY, with no shortage of pretty excellent options. I've eaten my way through a fair share of them, but found the quality and flavors at Alhara to be distinctive, exceptional, and a cut above. The homemade sauces are unlike I've had anywhere else, with unique taste profiles that are flavorful and complex. The garlic whip and babaganoush are out of this world, the falafel is just perfect (crunchy and fluffy in all the right places), the long grain rice is delicious and seasoned just so, and the shepherd salad holds its own. Nothing is bland or average. Be sure to try the pomegranate sauce - not homemade but an uncommon condiment that'll pleasure your palate with a sweet-tart zest. Being first-timers, we wanted to try everything and ordered a couple of bowls with all different kinds of toppings, sides and sauces. My bowl was so heaping with all the fixin's that the sauces had to be served on the side. You can order from a digital kiosque or at the counter. The owners (a lovely couple) were friendly and patient with our questions even as we stood over the kiosk for an eternity with decision paralysis over what to get. Alhara has been open for about 7-8 months. Boonton is full of good eats, and this is a welcomed addition to town and definitely a new favorite!

I rarely write reviews. This area of NJ has middle eastern cuisine scattered every few blocks and…read moreit's all pretty solid and some great. Alhara Schawarma was fantastic as soon as I walked in. Told the owner I'd never been before but had walked by numerous times, and he said let's change that. Had a beef/lamb schawarma sandwich with crispy Saj bread - thinner than a tortilla - fries and then drizzled with pomegranate sauce that breaks the savory and salty flavors in the sandwich. Delicious. Served with plastic gloves as the "pomegranate can make it messy", but probably wasn't needed but a nice touch nevertheless. Also had cup of lentil soup served with lemon, was very nice. The owner wanted me to try the chicken schawarma, so gave me a small cup. Delicious. My new favorite find in the Parsippany area.

Tropical Hut has be a long-awaited travel spot that was absolutely worth the two-year wait…read more Food: The chicken adobo was fantastic with an amazing, rich sauce, and the unique pork dish (not sure what it was called) was surprisingly delicious. The pancit and pandesal were both solid staples that rounded out the meal perfectly. Service: The super kind titas made the whole experience feel like being fed by your grandma: warm, generous, and full of heart. They served great portions and made me feel right at home. Aesthetic: Simple cafeteria-style setup with seating on the opposite side, giving it that authentic, home-cooked comfort vibe.

Been going here for years. The food is good and the place is clean. The prices this year have…read moregotten very expensive for Filipino cuisine. The food is 5 stars, knocking a point for the new prices and knocking one more point because all the workers park their cars in front of the store forcing customers to park away from the store or across the parking lot. Workers should never park their cars in front of the store. Those spots are supposed to be for clients. This is the only store I've ever seen do this.

Ordered online on Sunday evening. Order was hot and ready…read moreon time. If you look up cheese steak in the dictionary, you'll see this sandwich. Tons of meat, lots of toppings. Fries are delicious. Missus had falafel sandwich. Think gyro with hummus instead of meat. She said she'd have it again. We will definitely be back

Found this place online because it was dog friendly. So very happy with our whole dining…read moreexperience. The food was absolutely delicious. It was hot, fresh, and ready very quickly. The staff was super sweet as well. I would definitely go back and recommend anyone to try this cute little roadside restaurant.

Got takeout. The brisket was very moist, on the good side of what can be gotten in this region. The…read morebaked beans y'all! Not traditional, definitely sweet, but I would go back just for a side of beans.

Very friendly folks, the BBQ was so delicious,! I'd go back even thought I'm not a fan of many…read moresandwiches. This is a great spot if you're in the area.

Stop what you're doing and go check out this Yayoi Kusama collab. It's gorgeous filled with…read morehandbags and ready to wear that truly demonstrates how far street wear has come. Say hi to Andre (who works here) and chat him up about design. I had an inspired conversation with him about everything from how prep/varsity in infused in the design to our collective POVs on AI.

Gabby was amazing and the food was awesome. Can't wait to go back there…read more And l've been to Naxos and this please didn't disappoint

For the parents out there. They have an unwritten kids menu which is buttered pasta or chicken…read moretenders and Greek fries. The chicken tenders are legit high quality cuts breaded and stove top pan fried. Not frozen You're welcome.

There's a new buzz in town folks - move aside move aside…read more... It's the Montclair POP UP! Artists from around the area were carefully chosen to sell their goods here. Here you will find handmade: Hats Blankets Body Scrub Aprons Soaps Jewelry Lip balm Candy Clothes (for babies and adults) Pillows Paintings Body Butter Photos Gift Cards Mirrors Handbags Scarves Mittens ...... and so much more. Tons of goodies that you can grab for the holidays! The pop up is literally directly across from the Montclair Bread Co. Grand opening is 11/22 and will be open until 12/31. Come by and catch the buzz and support handmade!

Interesting. I love the concept so much, but to be honest it's very pricey and the items are rather…read moreodd (and not in a cool way). I would definitely come back here to see what changes, etc.

I've been dying to visit another pop up interactive art gallery but since covid it's been…read moreextremely difficult, but as the city reopens I've been on the hunt for new and exciting places to visit and this was it. The hot pot lab is a food themed experience, each ticket sold is one dollar donated to food banks in nyc. It was refreshing to see the staff who by the way were extremely dope wearing masks and the rooms supplied with sanitizer wipes etc. this day it was empty so we had the entire exhibit to ourselves, each exhibit is themed after ingredients found in hot pot, my fav was the noodle wall and the fish balls. This was definitely a much needed day of fun . Check out the gift shop as well.

From the owner: The Hot Pot Lab, NYC's first interactive food themed pop-up exhibition, is providing visitors a…read morenon-traditional way to experience traditional Chinese hot pot. As food is the most significant trademark of culture, we invite you to take part in the cultural melting pot NYC through a unique interactive food experience. This exhibition is proudly supporting Food Bank, the city's largest hunger relief organization during COVID-19 by donating 1 dollar per ticket sold.