Culinariane, the Montclair eatery owned by Ariane and Michael Duarte of Verona, re-opened on January 8 after a hiatus for renovations.
The expansion of the restaurant’s seating area was necessitated after Duarte’s appearance in 2008-2009 on the Bravo network’s popular reality show “Top Chef.” Although Duarte did not win the contest, she did well enough–with her cooking skills and personality–to build a loyal viewership. Weekend reservations at the tiny restaurant, never an easy proposition, became impossible to snare less than several months in advance.
There are now 48 seats in the restaurant, 18 more than pre-renovation, and a chef’s table–but don’t expect an easy weekend reservation anytime soon. You can read about Ariane Duarte’s experience on Top Chef, and get her recipe for coriander rubbed roasted pork loin, in The Star-Ledger‘s Inside New Jersey magazine. [mappress]
