Deliciously Large Portions Please Stomachs & Wallets

On a recent Saturday night, as our stomachs growled (and neither my wife nor I wanted to cook), we decided to venture out to a nearby Italian restaurant called Bella Sera (saving precious gas money by staying within 2 miles of home). I called the restaurant at 6:15 pm to see if a last-minute table would be possible. As the phone rang repeatedly, I had my doubts, but finally the guy on the other end said, “Come on down; the wait won’t be long.”

When we arrived, the front waiting area was busy but passable. We gave our names and had a table within 10 minutes — so far it was going good.

As a lover of Italian food, I was excited to try this local restaurant for the first time. I ordered the chicken parmigiana for my entree as I usually do the first time I dine at an Italian restaurant. My logic is, if you can’t make a decent chicken parm, the place is doomed! My wife decided to go with the balsamic chicken since she is doing Weight Watchers right now.

As an appetizer, I ordered the escargot and my wife ordered the seafood salad. The turnaround for the appetizers was very quick for a busy Saturday night with many large tables of hungry people among us. The escargot arrived about 10 minutes later, and was very good. They gave a big order for just $7.95. My wife’s seafood salad came in a big plate, causing her to ponder how she could eat it all plus her entree. She dug in and stopped to gasp for air about halfway through. The server walking by stopped and inquired, “Should I wrap it up to go?” Yes, please!

Our entrees came out a little while later and were very generous portions. Both orders came with a small bowl of pasta and it was obvious my wife would not be finishing her chicken tonight. So the real question was, would I finish mine? The chicken parm was delicious and I anticipated I would be eating the whole thing.

Fast forward about 20 minutes later as the server handed us the containers of our leftovers; we had had our fill for the night. For a dinner consisting of two appetizers, entrees and two iced teas, the bill came to just over $50 — not bad considering we had three containers of leftovers to enjoy over the next few days.

Next time we go back, we will bring our favorite wine as it is a BYOB and most tables there had bottles of wine or beer.

For a small town, this little Italian restaurant is a gem — just ask the constant flow of hungry people that continued in well after we were seated. We will return for more in the near future, as will all the locals who know that Bella Sera is the place to go for great food!

by Tom Kaszner of Riverdale, NJ

Bella Sera
60 Main St
Bloomingdale, NJ 07403
973-283-8020

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

No Comments »

When Emotional Eating Is Good For You

Okay, I know that a funeral repast is not the usual way to review a restaurant, but this was my dilemma. I just couldn’t stay quiet about the meal we had yesterday at Rita and Joe’s, a cozy Italian restaurant in Jersey City.

Let’s put aside my reason for being there and talk about the food. First of all, our meal was buffet-style, so everyone ate the same food (no need to drool over the plate on someone else’s table). Because we had made a reservation for a large group, they already had carafes of coffee out waiting for us. I was a little worried the coffee would be too strong, too cold, or just bad but it was like darling baby bear’s porridge: just right! It has actually been a VERY long time since I could say that I enjoyed the coffee I drank while dining out, and here it was not just steaming but delicious.

We soon discovered that we had to wait almost an hour before we could eat because three more people would be arriving late (this was a family request, not a restaurant requirement that we wait). So, our waiter brought over plates of both plain and garlic bread. Oh, my gravy! Excellent!! My mouth is watering just remembering how good it tasted. He also brought us more coffee, water, and a pitcher of coke with plenty of ice chips. Nothing keeps a table of mourners content like bread and caffeine within reach.

Time to eat. The buffet consisted of several types of salad greens attractively arranged on a silver plate; a tray of Genoa salami slices, turkey slices, thinly-sliced provolone, cubes of fontina cheese, and thick slabs of home-made mozzarella, all garnished with red bell pepper slices and both green and black olives.

The cheeses on the platter were all of very excellent quality: very creamy and so good. The salami was sliced extremely thin and had just the right amount of salty taste. The oil/ vinegar dressing for the salad was also perfect. You might be thinking, “Cold cuts…? so…?” But, seriously folks, this wasn’t Subway. Try and remember the last time you had some real Italian deli meats.

Hot plates included ziti in gravy, chicken parmigiana, and eggplant rollitini.

Every dish was above par in both taste bud and eye-appeal. The “gravy” (or “red sauce” for all you non-Italians) tasted like my favorite San Marzano tomatoes; rich and sweet. And I, who admittedly does not care for eggplant, had to taste the rollitini for the review. You know, sacrificing for the public and all. The ricotta filling was so creamy and wonderful that the whole roll just about melted in my mouth.

We were served more of the delicious coffee and some Italian cookies. I can’t quite place the memory, but I know someone somewhere in my family has made that cookie! It was made with a lot of eggs and from what I could gather from the other guests at the table, maybe a little lemon? They were iced with a royal icing and colorful sprinkles.

Despite the oddity of reviewing a repast, it’s really a good way of seeing how professional and warm a restaurant’s staff can be. And my meal at Rita and Joe’s definitely makes me want to go back to get the regular-diner experience and eat that food again! Lucky for me, it’s easy to get to — on the corner of Broadway and 1 & 9.

Rita and Joe’s Italian Restaurant
142 Broadway
Jersey City
201-451-3606
www.ritaandjoes.com
e-mail: ritaandjoes@hotmail.com

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

No Comments »

Fancy Italian Dining at An Affordable Price

As you drive up into their stone-paved driveway with overhead portico, you are greeted with a very pretty fountain and pots of greenery, giving a very nice Italian courtyard welcoming feel. It is only about 1 mile off Rte. 280, so it was pretty easy to find.

We were greeted at the door by the owner, Bobby. He escorted us to our table with lots of happy, small talk. He does know our friends, though, so I don’t know if he does this to all his customers or not. But, it was very nice, nevertheless.

There is a fairly large party room in this place which was being used while we were there. So, we sat in the dining room which has lots of niches with typical white busts of what appeared to be common Italians. The music being piped in was kept at just the right volume to illicit conversation.

There was a short list of appetizers, all reasonably priced, and some stood out that are worth describing We all shared the ones that we ordered, except my husband because his was just made for one; although I did taste his mozzarella. He had fresh mozzarella, roasted pepper, and tomatoes. He would have liked more than one piece of pepper, but he has a big appetite! I thought it looked like just the right amount for an appetizer. It was stacked and called “the tower” or some such. So how much could they have put on without it falling!!?? My friend’s husband shared his plate of sausage slices on a bed of hot peppers with very crispy potato slices, which were also spiced a little hot ~~ not too much, just right…….DELICIOUS! Someone else ordered the seafood salad which had calamari, scallops and shrimp and was in a very large bowl.

For entrees, my husband ordered the chicken Giambata, which is chicken sauteed with onions, mushrooms, potatoes and sweet bell or hot vinegar peppers. A friend had the chicken Betsy which comes grilled and sliced with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions and potatoes in “Betsy’s Special dressing”. I had the tilapia parmesian. I tasted a little of the sauce from both of the above plates with a little piece of Italian bread and thought both were really, really good. The bread was just exactly the way I love it ~~ crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; perfect for dipping in other peoples’ plates!!!

We also all had salad and all the different dressings were excellently flavored and given in good amounts.

The portion sizes were incredible…. easily enough for two people. And the prices were very reasonable. Between $15 - 18 for most meals. Lobster and other higher priced items were about $25.

As for dessert, no one was hungry enough to order any except one lady who ordered the Coconut Sorbet and passed it around for us to taste. And, boy I was glad she did! It was served in half a coconut shell and was very creamy and truly delicious with just the right amount of coconut pieces that I didn’t have to spend the rest of the night trying to remove some from my teeth! There was so much sorbet, that even after sharing at least half was left behind *sniff*,

So, all in all it was a very nice night out. I especially liked how you really get a lot for your money.

The Appian Way
http://www.appianway.com
619 Langdon Street
Orange, NJ 07050
973-678-0313

Review by: Claire McKenna

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

No Comments »

Familial Culinary Joys

Gencarelli’s Cucina in Montclair is a new feature of Bloomfield Ave, having opened only a few months ago. My friends and I tried the place out for my birthday a few weeks ago (no, it’s not too late to send cards/gifts). When we arrived, we discovered they had not received our reservation, which had been left on their answering machine. The staff hustled to find us a table in the modest, brick-lined dining room. I was aghast when I realized we were being placed right next to the middle-aged lounge singer, his keyboard, and his giant tip jar, all crammed in next to the dessert case. More on him later.

As we waited for the remainder of our party to arrive, our attentive high-school-aged waiter opened up our BYO bottles and checked on us regularly. We indulged and ordered a few appetizers; allow me to recommend the mozzarella in carroza, which is basically a giant mozzarella stick that you cut up and dunk in marinara. Mmmm, salty.

While our dinners were nothing spectacular, they were tasty and satisfying. I had the cavetelli with ricotta, which was like baked ziti without the baked part. The creamy ricotta mixed with marinara was delicious, but the choice of pasta was a little too thick in this type of sauce. Come to think of it, ziti would’ve been perfect. Prices were reasonable, falling in the $15 range for non-meat dishes and $20-25 for seafood and meat.

Gencarelli’s offers a wide variety of traditional desserts and coffees. I had the key lime pie, which wasn’t bad although the whipped cream was the best part. I probably should’ve tried something more Italian. I also heard raves about the chocolate lava cake and chocolate peanut butter cake.

Since it is a new establishment, Gencarelli’s owner and staff are eager to please. It seems they are really striving for a welcoming, familial atmosphere, which is all well and good, until the creepy lounge singer finds out it’s your birthday. You may not know this about me, but I am not fond of being the center of attention, particularly in the company of a room full of strangers. So when Donny (which I can only guess must’ve been his name) announced to all present that it was my birthday and handed me a maraca to help accompany him on his next number, I pretty much wanted to die. Thank goodness my best friends were there to make fun of me, as the situation warranted. But the best part of the evening was when they brought me my slice of key lime pie with a candle in it, and I inadvertently blew it out early. Obviously they made me light it again at the end of the song so everyone could clap. Mercifully, it was someone else’s birthday too, so the attention shifted to her. That’s when the dancing began. Check please!

Gencarelli’s Cucina
381 Bloomfield Ave
Montclair
(973) 744-8881
http://www.gencarelliscucina.com/

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

1 Comment »

Sometimes You Just Luck Out

It is one thing to choose a restaurant for the first time sans prior knowledge of its food as you’re walking past. There are visual clues that at least hint to the flavor inside; the decor, the smells, the crowd (and sometimes reviews are hung in the window to help out the true skeptics). It is quite another to sit amidst boxes in your new apartment, in your new neighborhood and, desperate for nourishment, google for local fare when there really aren’t many sites with good reviews of local food.

It’s culinary Russian Roulette. Yet it is exactly what my family and I did last weekend.

Recent transports to Weehawken, we had had some knowledge of good nearby restaurants that don’t deliver, and some fancier sit-down places which, if they do deliver, would be too pricey and ordering would have been a trial. So we decided pizza even though my family is extremely picky about their pies. (It must be a thin, crispy slice for my parents or it’s quickly declared inedible.)

We didn’t want this to be the first thing we ever say to our new neighbors, so I just googled +pizza and +Weehawken. Sadly, not many good sites came up, but I did find a sketchy-looking page that mentioned Monetti’s. My mom, who I’ve mentioned to you before, shrugged, “Well, at least it has an Italian name.” So, I called.

Two pies arrived within 35 minutes, smelling promising. A quick look inside showed piping hot, thin crusts with plenty of fresh toppings (one pie had sausage and peppers and the other had mushrooms - which weren’t the canned kind, as far as we could tell).

Crunchy, but not burnt-tasting or dry, the crust held firm under the hot, stringy cheese and delicious sauce. The sauce, which my Munchmobile cohorts would delight in, was neither too sweet or tangy.

We didn’t have to curse ourselves for such a risky venture, thankfully. Could we have done better? Probably. But their menu is staying close by my phone. And, who knows? Maybe someday I’ll head over to the actual restaurant.

And now that the GOJ editors are dusting off our keyboards and forks, others just like me will have us to discover on late nights in new Jersey ‘hoods, desperate for good food.

Monetti’s (est. 1927)
201 Hackensack Plank Rd (on 32nd St.)
Weehawken, NJ
www.monettisnj.com (found only after I got the menu)
201-863-7474
201-863-0509
Delivery from 11am-11pm, 7 days/week

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

No Comments »

Not Just Another Italian Eatery

I am not in the habit of talking to strangers, and I don’t make “bus friends.” You know - those people who insist on making small talk while you’re waiting for the 5:40 bus that always seems to be late, or who look at what you’re reading as you try to scrunch away from them in your seat. They are usually in their 50s… or 80s… and wait until you happen to make eye contact and then they lock right in.

Well, recent experience has taught me that having a bus friend can actually come in handy .. at least for restaurant reviewers. One such bus friend mentioned to a cohort of ours about a couple different places in the North Arlington area that they insisted were really good. And Carucci’s, which advertises regional Italian food, was in their top 2, so we went.

The bus friend actually recommended we go during their happy hour, which I may try to do this week since I’m off (a perk of being an overworked teacher). They told us that the happy hour offers all their appetizers for dirt cheap - like about $1 - from 3pm to 6pm Monday thru Friday (I have yet to confirm this).

On our first trip (as well as the second and third), we simply went for dinner since we got to NA after 6pm. We ordered some usual pub-style appetizers like wings and chicken fingers, but also got fried calamari, a family favorite. For entrees, we chose their cheeseburgers and fries, as well as their chicken sandwich with mozzarella and roasted peppers.

Because of its location (in basically a North Arlington-sized strip mall), it’s way too easy to pass Carucci’s up and not give it a second glance. If you’re like me, you’ve been driving by assuming it’s (at best) just like all the other local Italian eateries, or (at worst) a boring little place in a boring little strip mall. Don’t make either mistake! The decor is very comfortable, with a rather pretty wooden bar and tables, and flat-screen TVs, giving it almost an upscale pub feel. Plus, as far as I can tell, word still hasn’t really gotten out, so it’s usually not very crowded or noisy, so it’s still dinner-date-worthy.

In terms of the food, most of us were really pleased on our first and return trips. The sirloin burgers were a hit; they’re clearly homemade and the buns were soft but not soggy. The appetizers also went over really well — the calamari is a definite must, and although we didn’t have them, I hear their mussels are a reason to go. The fries, which were neither under- or overdone were eaten with a quickness. We were all satisfied — with the bill, too! They really offer quite a good deal - you can get a bacon cheeseburger intended for someone with a really large mouth, with coleslaw and fries for just under $8. Very filling. The chicken sandwiches with roasted red peppers, however, were not received well. Those who ate them felt the peppers were lacking a marinade and it was kind of dry. We have not tried their dessert.

The weekly specials are similar to most bars: Wild Wing Nite on Mondays offers you 10 cent wings & $2.00 Domestic Drafts. On Thursdays, ladies’ drinks are $3.00 and there are $2.00 Domestic Pints “for the Boys.” Not sure what they do if a woman orders a domestic and a guy orders a “lady drink.” Oh, and rumor has it they offer karaoke some nights.

Carucci’s Restaurant and Pub
440 Ridge Road
North Arlington
(201) 998-4500
http://www.caruccis.com/North_Arlington
(there’s also a location in Saddle Brook)

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

1 Comment »

Leave Your Belt At Home

Caffé Capri in East Rutherford is the kind of place where eating dessert before dinner only increases your appetite. One spoon-sized taste of their bacio gelato and I couldn’t wait to order the actual meal.

The restaurant’s bright space is divided in two — when you enter, you walk into a spacious area with tables, a counter and dessert display, and then there’s a second area off to the side that is all windows, from floor to roof. When we went last night, everyone was seated in this glass house of sorts, so it felt welcoming and popular, but not too crowded. You might feel lured into sitting in front of all those windows, too, but you know what the best view is? Watching the young man twirling pizza at the brick oven as waiters and waitresses banter in Italian.

We found ourselves inside after just barely squeezing into the tiny parking lot because an Italian friend of my mother’s raved about the pizza. But after reading the menu, we knew we couldn’t just get the pizza.

I was tempted by their range of pasta, poultry and other dishes, such as shrimp and calamari with linguine, or the fresh, homemade fettucine with mushrooms, ham, and peas in a light pink sauce.

My eyes moved back to where the appetizers were listed and I was happy enough to see fried calamari, but then I saw calamari mimmo, something I had never seen before. It is essentially fried calamari with arrabiata sauce (my favorite!) - it was not as crispy since it’s actually swimming in the sauce, but this was not a bad thing by far - think of when you sop up bread with the last bit of garlick-y, tomato-y sauce. Ooooo - my husband is lucky I’m the sharing type.

There were four of us, so we ordered two pizzas (they’re all 12-inch) - a margherita which, if you don’t know, is with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, and a quattro stagioni which comes with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, artichokes, black olives, wild mushrooms, and prosciutto. The crust is thin, but not burnt at all, and had a firm, salty flavor. It really was a great platform for the toppings. It was a good medium between crispy and chewy. And after you’ve had fresh mozzarella, all the other so-called cheese slices anywhere else just seem like unsavory imitations that aren’t worth the tummy ache.

Although the pies are smaller than what you normally might expect (there are no 18-inch “large” pies), each of the four slices were large (but don’t picture the long, floppy, greasy slices you might normally expect either - no blotting necessary!). So with two slices each, each of us were completely filled to the brim.

But of course there was room for dessert (especially after that first taste - we had to make room!). So, we enjoyed some of the hazelnut gelato, and some of the bacio gelato. If you’re not familiar with the Perugina baci (which means ‘kiss’ in Italian) candy, it is a mix of milk and bittersweet chocolate and hazelnut chunks. Real (and hershey) kisses wish they could taste this good. Both flavors were rich and intense and, when together, they really enveloped and complemented each other.

I had initially thought the food wasn’t going to be enough because the four of us are healthy eaters, but from beginning to end, the meal was completely satisfying and filling.

Caffé Capri
119 Park Avenue
East Rutherford
(201) 460-1039
www.caffecapri-er.com

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

1 Comment »

An Italian Restaurant in Nutley? Go On!

Queen Margherita, formerly known as Regina Margherita (changed due to some kind of copyright dispute), is located in Nutley — can you fathom what type of cuisine it offers? I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.

A relative newcomer to the scene, Queen Margherita distinguishes itself from the pack with a more upscale atmosphere than is typically found in Nutley’s myriad restaurant/pizzerias. The tiny, cramped dining room is candle-lit and table-clothed, and is supplemented by a sidewalk-seating area which is open year-round. If you sit in the dining room, you have a good view of the pizza oven’s flaming interior. While the establishment does accomplish a certain level of classiness, the food doesn’t quite live up to the flair.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

No Comments »

I’ll Wear My Fat Pants Next Time

Marzullo’s is a diet-breaker. I urge anyone who battles portion control problems to stay away – far, far away.

The restaurant itself may be small, with closely-packed tables in a shoe-box sized dining room, but the dishes are enormous. My point of view may be slightly skewed as I went there during the week I was on Nutrisystem – but I assure you, I wasn’t the only one in a family of big eaters who had a hard time packing it all away.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

No Comments »

My dining buddy and I showed up at Paula’s at about 7pm last Thursday, disappointed because our first choice restaurant had been closed, and not expecting much from an Italian restaurant in the largely Latino neighborhood along Weehawken’s Park Avenue. We were seated in the front window of the tiny dining room, the only customers in the place – always awkward. The waitress advised us to grab a bottle of wine from the wine shop next door and we complied.

I was happy we’d be saving some money by going BYOB, since the menu items were pretty pricey. The main dish I chose, four-cheese chicken marsala, was $20. Ah, but what the hell. We decided to go all out and get an appetizer too. As I quickly got soused on my half of the bottle of wine, I decided that treating myself every once in a while isn’t the worst thing in the world. My companion ordered fried calamari ($10), which I normally turn up my nose at. I am not a seafood person. But the squid looked so fresh and light and golden, and there weren’t any tentacle-y pieces, so I summoned my courage and tried a bite. I actually enjoyed it! This place was quickly winning me over.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

1 Comment »