Turtle and the Wolf | The Dish

MONTCLAIR, N.J. - For Chef Lauren Hirschberg, opening his first restaurant, Turtle and the Wolf, in his hometown of Upper Montclair, New Jersey, last fall was like coming home.

It was an idea Lauren and his best friend and co-owner Matt Trivonen came up with years ago when they were cooking in college.

Everything about the place celebrates Montclair--from the name, which references the history of the town, to the art on the wall.

Lauren's favorite dish is the shrimp and grits. To make it, Lauren first starts with shrimp stock. Next, on to the grits. Then Lauren poaches an egg and gets to work on the piperade. For extra flavor, he fries up some shishito peppers. Then cooks the shrimp in the shrimp stock. When everything is ready, Lauren plates the dish, layering the ingredients to create a complex mix of color, flavor and texture.

The shrimp and grits gets high marks from new customers and old friends.