New York Times Praises Ridgewood's Cafe 37

Chef Cesar Sotomayor must be in high spirits – his Ridgewood restaurant scored a "very good" review from The New York Times.

The 35-year-old native of Venezuela delivered "few fireworks" but showcased "classic" and "consistent" dishes to the grey lady's food critic, Scott Veale, during his visits to Cafe 37.

Well-received dishes included the Café 37 salad; lobster parfait; crab cakes; red snapper with cockles and chorizo; filet mignon; seared ahi tuna; diver scallops; lamb chops; pork chops; chocolate cake; poached pear; golden puffs.

All in all, the spot at 37 S. Broad street garnered a "very good" rating, just a notch below "excellent."

"There’s a price to be paid for all this ambition — dinner for two can easily run over $100 — but it doesn’t seem wildly out of line for the overall experience," the Times wrote. "And while there’s already much to admire in Mr. Sotomayor’s skillful cooking and firm control of his ingredients, it’s intriguing to contemplate what might result if he chose to stretch beyond his comfort zone."