TRE RISTORANTI ITALIANI
It’s hard to bypass Italian restaurants, and in the past few weeks we tried three new ones. All are BYO.
Angeloni’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, 6 Brookside Avenue, Caldwell (973-226-1234), is a casual family-owned restaurant featuring thin and specialty pizzas, sandwiches, salads, house-made pastas, seafood, veal, and chops. The restaurant, which is welcoming and features attentive service, has wood floors, brick walls, skylights, family pictures on the walls, and red-and-white checkerboard tablecloths. Make reservations, as Angeloni’s fills up quickly, even on weeknights. One complaint: The paper napkins are thin, and you may need a handful depending on what you order. Rice balls have recently been our app of choice, and here the two baseball-size globes were split in half, topped with cheese and crumbled beef, and served with a side of tomato sauce. Chicken Savoy, a dish we hadn’t had since eating at the Belmont Tavern in Belleville, featured a light balsamic sauce as requested—thank you—and juicy chicken on the bone. It was served with cavatelli and pot cheese. The eggplant parm, which was not the best we’ve had, came atop a pile of pasta in a tomato sauce. Our plan is to try the thin or specialty pizza next time, as we saw many families devouring the pies. Prices are very reasonable, with entrées under $20. Pastas can also be ordered in small or large sizes.
Rice balls at Angeloni’s.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
At Tomato Pie, 20 South Street, Morristown (973-605-1006), we loved the large rectangular Grandma pie, made with hand-crushed tomatoes, cheese, and fresh basil. Not as successful were the large rice balls made with Arborio rice and stuffed with Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, chicken, and sliced prosciutto. The antipasto was chock full of quality ingredients such as fresh-tasting mozzarella, beans, cheeses, Portobello mushrooms, red peppers, olives, and Italian meats. Small and large pizzas, salads, fried calzones, and a few desserts round out the menu.
Grandma’s pie at Tomato Pie, Morristown.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.
Who remembers Blue Sky Cafe in Montclair? I worked the line, waitressed, bussed, and was a hostess there so I could learn about the restaurant industry. Well, Blue Sky became Sesame, a Chinese restaurant, and now it’s Acappello, at 398 Bloomfield Avenue (973-746-2553). It was interesting to see how this space has evolved; it now has colorful murals decorating all three levels. One mural shows a delightful street scene featuring depictions of the other restaurants of Acappello owners Nazmi and Benito Husenaj: La Campagna (Morristown), La Catena (Roselle Park and Bridgewater), and Cara Mia (Millburn). When you’re seated, you’re given a bread basket and a plate with bruschetta, Parmesan chunks, and fried zucchini. Appetizers include eggplant rollatini, in a different preparation from what we’re used to, filled with Fontina and prosciutto di Parma, lightly fried, and served with a pink vodka sauce. Other starters include calamari balsamico and salads such as arugula, radicchio, and endive with shaved Parmesan, olive oil, and lemon. Chicken can be ordered stuffed with prosciutto, asparagus, mozzarella, and mushrooms and finished with white wine and lemon, or as chicken Scarpiello, sautéed with hot cherry peppers, sausage, mushrooms, and garlic with fresh herbs and white wine. One not-often-seen fish preparation is salmon stuffed with zucchini, roasted peppers, and eggplant and topped with fried leeks in a light basil sauce. There are plenty of pastas to pick from, whether they’re served with seafood (capellini frutti di mare with shrimp, calamari and clams in a light tomato sauce) or combined with a Bolognese or pesto sauce. For dessert, diners can opt for, among other choices, chocolate mousse cake, napoleon cake, carrot cake, and gelato.
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ROB’S BISTRO AND RESTO, MADISON
Through January 23, Rob’s Bistro, 75 Main Street, Madison (973-377-0067), and Resto, 77 Main Street, Madison (973-377-0066), will be celebrating French Restaurant Week with a three-course menu. The price is $30 at Rob’s Bistro and $40 at Resto. Both restaurants are BYO.
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YEAR OF THE WATER DRAGON DINNER
Since 2012 is the Chinese year of the water dragon, the most powerful sign on the Chinese calendar, Rat’s Restaurant, Grounds for Sculpture, 16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, will be celebrating with a Year of the Water Dragon Dinner with executive chef Shane Cash and Buddakan chef Scott Swiderski on February 3. Cocktails will be served at 6 PM, followed by a five-course dinner. Call 609-584-7800 for pricing and reservations.
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BIN 14 TRATTORIA & WINE BAR, HOBOKEN
If you love drinking, sharing, or just talking about wine, some more options are now available at Bin 14 Trattoria & Wine Bar, 1314 Washington Street, Hoboken, with the addition of a reserve list curated by wine director Kevin Shannon. The list is ever changing, so when a wine runs out it will be replaced with something new. Some choices that were recently available include the 2008 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay, Ulises Valdez Vineyard, California; 2009 David Duband Grand Cru Clos Vougeot Burgundy, France; 2008 El Espectacle de Montsant, Spain; and 2008 Rochioli Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California. Bin 14 also offers more than 100 wines by the bottle and 75 by the glass, which can be ordered in 2-ounce tastes or 6-ounce pours. Cheeses, cured meats, salads, bruschetta, small plates, pizza, and half entrées are available to enjoy with your wine. For reservations, call 201-963-WINE.
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HUDSON RESTAURANT WEEK
Hudson Restaurant Week will be held from January 23 through February 3, with discounted prix-fixe meals at 30-plus participating restaurants in Hudson County. For more information, log on to www.hudsonrestaurantweek.com.
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