When Ilson Goncalves, a native of Blumenau, Brazil, came to the United States in 2004, he dreamed of serving the kind of simple, healthy, delicious dishes he grew up eating at his mother’s small restaurant back home. So, in December 2011, he opened Samba in Montclair, his 32-seat restaurant featuring authentic home-style Brazilian cooking found nowhere else in New Jersey.
Here you may dine on simple, high integrity fare with an emphasis on fresh vegetables and herbs – rice, beans, grilled shrimp, fried yucca – not platters of meat like you find at churrascarias and riodizios.
During the day, this rustic little BYOB serves up omelets, soups, salads, and fresh baked goods from Balthazar. But at night Samba is transformed into a warm, romantic Brazilian café headlining Chef Roger Gomes Deara’s soulful home cooking.
Appetizers include little pastries of chicken, cheese, and beef; shrimp sautéed with garlic & extra virgin olive oil; fried yucca with Brazilian pork sausage & caramelized onions; baby spinach salad with papaya, shaved parmesan, and lemon vinaigrette dressing; and sliced hearts of palm with mesculin greens & cherry tomatoes.
Entrées feature such dishes as grilled Atlantic salmon with passion fruit reduction, sautéed vegetables, and white rice; organic chicken sautéed with garlic, onions, tomatoes, okra, and fresh herbs; strips of chicken served with fresh cream mushrooms, tomatoes, and matchstick potatoes; thin pan-fried steak topped with two fried eggs served with sautéed collard greens, white rice, and breaded fried banana; and the Brazilian national dish (served on Friday & Saturday evenings only): black bean stew with prime meat served with white rice, fresh orange, collard greens, farofa, and vinaigrette sauce.
Samba is located at 7 Park Street in Montclair, New Jersey, and serves breakfast & lunch Monday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Dinner is served Monday – Thursday, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 5:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
For more information, or to make reservations, please call (973) 744-6764.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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