A thick filet lands at the table still sizzling, but dinner is not finished cooking. At Valença Restaurant in Elizabeth, the steak arrives on a blisteringly hot stone, giving you control over every last degree of doneness.
It is part meal, part tableside performance, and the crackle tends to turn heads across the dining room. That signature dish alone could explain the crowds at 665 Monroe Avenue, but Valença has much more working in its favor.
Founded by Martinho and Teresa Pereira in 1989, the family-run restaurant has grown from a local Portuguese dining spot into a sprawling operation with multiple dining rooms, banquet spaces, a bar and grill, a patio, takeout service, and even an on-site liquor store…