Good Italian Restaurants?

[menton1]

Having spent many vacations in Italy, I long for the simple plesures of a restaurant in Italy. The food is simple, not a lot of ingredients, no designer displays, but you leave the meal with a wonderful, satiated feeling.

I have sworn off Italian restaurants in NJ for the time being. The choice seems to be either glorified pizza parlor food at high prices, e.g. Lasagne, Veal Parm, (Sometimes it can be BETTER at a pizza place) or the the "sophisticated" places where they try to give Italian dishes that "designer" touch that they really don't lend themselves to. There is a restaurant in Tenafly that bills itself as "authentic Tuscan cooking", but they do not even know what Ribbolita is!! (A ubiquitous Tuscan soup!).

It Italy, these skinny people have bottomless stomachs. They have 5-6 courses, an appetizer, a pasta, a secondi, a salad, a vegetable, and then dessert!! I usually just have two courses, and I am stuffed. But the food is so good, so simple. Perhaps a sabbatical from these Americanized places will do me good.

If anyone has any good ideas to snap me out of my reverie, please let me know.

[Rosie]

Corso 98 in Montclair

We recently ate at Casa di Amici in Denville and liked it alot.

Both BYO.

[Susan]

I'm not quite sure what authentic Italian dishes are, but I think La Tartuferia in Hoboken may have some. Why don't you give them a call and find out.

[Nockerl]

How could it be authentic when you are eating it in New Jersey? You could have a reasonable facsimile of what is made in Italy but it will never ever be the same. So although people call their food authentic, I like to equate that to the places that say "we have the best......"

Edited November 18, 2002 by Nockerl (log)

[Rail Paul]

How could it be authentic when you are eating it in New Jersey? You could have a reasonable facsimile of what is made in Italy but it will never ever be the same. So although people call their food authentic, I like to equate that to the places that say "we have the best......"

Starting off with the comment there are several authentic Italian cooking styles, since it's only been a unified country since 1870 or so, with substantial parts added in 1918. I think it some aspects of Italian cooking can be quite authentic in NJ, and I'll offer L'Alleghria in Madison as an example.

Both chefs are Italian born and trained, I believe. I've taken Italian business visitors there on several occasions and they've been wonderfully pleased.

I haven't travelled widely in Italy, but I know these guys well enough to know that they'd point out he slightest flaw...

And, now a question for you. Would you consider Felidia (for example) in NYC to be authentic Italian? Pluses - Bastianiches were born in Friuli or Trieste, I believe. Extensive travel, food scholars, etc.

[Nockerl]

How could it be authentic when you are eating it in New Jersey? You could have a reasonable facsimile of what is made in Italy but it will never ever be the same. So although people call their food authentic, I like to equate that to the places that say "we have the best......"

Starting off with the comment there are several authentic Italian cooking styles, since it's only been a unified country since 1870 or so, with substantial parts added in 1918. I think it some aspects of Italian cooking can be quite authentic in NJ, and I'll offer L'Alleghria in Madison as an example.

I was exaggerating in my post. Just simply put, it's not going to be "authentic" down to the nth degree simply because it is removed from it's place of origin. So the food is "true to its origins" but not the absolute "authentic" real deal. In my opinion for whatever it's worth.

With that said, i agree with you that there are fine examples of "authentic" Italian cuisine in both NY and NJ. Felidia's is a fine example. So was the food at I Trulli when Mauro Maffucci was there (prior he had been the chef at Felidia

I can tell you that one of my "most authentic" and delicious meal in Italy was in Orvieto at a little roadside restaurant. The sun was just beginning to set, a peacock was walking by, the vineyards were coming into bloom and i had a simple mixed grill with meat so full of flavor it was like eating these foods for the first time. Topping it off was a bottle of Orvieto that we figured out later was about $2. It couldn't have gotten anymore authentic than that.

I guess it's like having a Sachertorte in Vienna (the hotel-where it originated-name escapes me at the moment) vs. one in a Viennese restaurant here.

[Nockerl]

Bastianiches were born in Friuli or Trieste, I believe. Extensive travel, food scholars, etc.

I've met Lidia on a number of occassions and she is the absolute real deal

[201]

...I guess it's like having a Sachertorte in Vienna (the hotel-where it originated-name escapes me at the moment) vs. one in a Viennese restaurant here.

It's just called the Hotel Sacher Wien (Vienna Sacher Hotel). The funny thing is that they actually ship those things out to places in the States and people STILL think they're not as authentic!

[menton1]

If we want to include Manhattan, I would say that the food in Babbo comes closest to a real Italian experience. Mario Batali is a principal there, but I think possibly Lidia (She is actually Croatian) is a silent partner.

[Rachel Perlow]

It's just called the Hotel Sacher Wien (Vienna Sacher Hotel).  The funny thing is that they actually ship those things out to places in the States ...

More info please!

[201]

It's just called the Hotel Sacher Wien (Vienna Sacher Hotel).  The funny thing is that they actually ship those things out to places in the States ...

More info please!

Order away!

Having eaten these things both in the US and in Vienna (original and non-original on both sides of the Atlantic), I don't think the cost of shipping one here is quite worth it. Of course, I leave it to everyone else to make their own judgement!

[menton1]

This Sacher Torte pastry even has it's own website:

http://sachertorte.sacher.com/index_en.asp

I have eaten it in Vienna and it is absolutely incredible

P.S. I know Babbo has many threads in NY, but nothing comes close to that in NJ, only in Italy.