Once upon a time in Montclair, just over 10 years ago, a restaurant called Blu was one of the town’s hottest dinner spots.
The chef and owner, Zod Arifai, enjoyed a strong following for his creative, flavor-packed concoctions that excited both the palate and the imagination.
After a decade, Arifai sought new pastures, closing Blu and moving to another Jersey suburb and then Manhattan. Montclair mourned his over-the-top, much-talked-about plates.
Last year, the itinerant chef returned to Montclair with a new dining concept, Italiana by Zod. Just steps from his original restaurant’s location on Bloomfield Avenue, it delivers Arifai’s take on one of New Jersey’s most favored cuisines. The menu includes everything from house-made bucatini cacio e pepe to wood-fired sourdough truffle pizza.
Fans of Arifai flocked to the new restaurant, which landed on New Jersey Monthly‘s 2026 Best Restaurants list. But nostalgic devotees continued to ask after Blu’s characteristically complex dishes. And although Arifai is still committed to exploring Italian eats, he couldn’t resist the calls.
His answer? A Blu pop-up.
Mussel custard with honeydew and crispy quinoaCourtesy of Zod Arifai
Over the summer, Italiana by Zod began presenting a menu of the former restaurant’s favorite dishes. The reservation-only experience will continue through the end of the year, hosted in a private dining area at Italiana by Zod twice a month: October 14 and 15, November 18 and 19, and December 16 and 17, with seatings at 6, 6:30 and 7 pm. The $95 five-course tasting menu gives diners a chance to sample old favorites while also featuring a few new dishes by Arifai.
For those who remember Blu, it’s a chance to return to the good old days. For those who missed it the first time around, it’s a chance to find out what all the fuss was—and still is—about.
Dining and Cooking