Decent casual Italian food near West Orange

[ejebud]

Looking for a quick reccomendation. decent-not fancy Italian-WestOrange area.

Oh with 6 yo daughter.

Thanks Eric

[coughy]

Try the back room - pizzeria - at Calabria in Livingston. The food is good and the pizzeria is very casual but they serve the same menu that they do in the front. Fortissimo in West Orange has decent food as does Bella Gente on Bloomfield Avenue in Verona and they are all child friendly.

Edited July 18, 2005 by coughy (log)

[menton1]

IMHO the hand-down choice for your criteria in this area is Cafe Arugula in South Orange; Food is really a cut above your average Italian, with a friendly staff and a really casual-sophisticated atmosphere. Here's the web site: http://www.cafearugula.com/index.php/pg=index.html

Edited July 18, 2005 by menton1 (log)

[Susan]

We really enjoy Due Amici on Eagle Rock Avenue. They are a BYOB. The food is very good and the prices are reasonable.

[hitmanoo]

Corso 98 in Montclair.

Great food, friendly staff.

[ejebud]

Well folks, thanks for the great choices. Maybe someday I'll learn to post things like this with more than 10 minutes till we walk out the door. Anyway, we ended up going to Pizzeta in Livingston. We were pleasantlysurprised. We started out with Mussels Fra Diavalo. The mussels were plump but not to big and the suace was darn near perfect; spicy and not too sweet. We then had a pizza which was a small, individual pie with fresh tomatoes, garlic, Ricotta, and Pecorino. The dough was really tender and we really enjoyed it. We also had the Linguine in White clam sauce. It was divine!!. They use Cockles instead of clams, and the pasta was cooked absoluteley perfectly. They severley undercook it in the water, and finish it off in the pan with the sauce while the pasta is still in "absorption mode". It had the chewy consistency that is so desired yet so elusive. I don't know why it is so hard to find pasta cooked truly al dente, but it is. I plan on trying several if not all of your recomendations. I'm glad that Due Amici was mentioned; I've wanted to stop in but have been reluctant to waste my money on yet another mediocre Jersey Italian place.

[ejebud]

Hey WOW, I'm answering my own question!! We have recently discovered Fortissimo in West Orange, right next to Marc and Julie's Homemade Ice Cream. I am a HUGE fan of Zuppa di Vongole and I gotta tell you their's is REALLY REALLY good. They serve 10-12 fresh little necks(or P.E.I. Mussels) in a killer garlic Plum tomato sauce( or a Garlic White Wine sauce if you prefer). It's an appetizer for $8.95. I had a dish last night with a ceasar salad and their bread basket that has a couple of garlic knots (a little light on the garlic, but fresh and chewy) some small squares of Sicilian type pizza bread with a light coating of tomato sauce on top and a few long and absorbent slices of Foccacia, accompanied by a little dish of Olive and Caper Tapenade. One of the best meals I"ve had for under $20 in a long time, and what d'ya know, it's on my way home from AHD. The kitchen closes at 9:30 but if I call ahead........HMMM

[jb_973]

Hey - I am so glad to see a review of Fortissimo. This place is walking distance from my house. I've gone past it so many times, but still have yet to pay it a visit. Will definitely have to stop in there sometime soon!

[MsSumida]

Hey - I am so glad to see a review of Fortissimo.  This place is walking distance from my house.  I've gone past it so many times, but still have yet to pay it a visit.  Will definitely have to stop in there sometime soon!

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Maybe people see me coming...maybe they know in advance...but, I've had some really bad meals and some really mediocre meals here. Never something to write home about. As far as I am concerned,if you are hungry, and it is an odd hour,then you may be able to eat the takeout. EVERY time I've eaten in the restaurnat, it has been beyond bad. Chef Boyaredee can do better.

There is one guy who looks as if he wants to mug you when you walk in...tall, dark haired, I believe he is the son of the owner. The gravy is mediocre, the fried food oily and tastless. The salads are over sauced, the pizza mediocre at best, and the entrees tasteless.

West Orange can really use a good local Italian restaurant...to bad it hasn't come to town yet.

Sumi

[ejebud]

Hey - I am so glad to see a review of Fortissimo.  This place is walking distance from my house.  I've gone past it so many times, but still have yet to pay it a visit.  Will definitely have to stop in there sometime soon!

←

Maybe people see me coming...maybe they know in advance...but, I've had some really bad meals and some really mediocre meals here. Never something to write home about. As far as I am concerned,if you are hungry, and it is an odd hour,then you may be able to eat the takeout. EVERY time I've eaten in the restaurnat, it has been beyond bad. Chef Boyaredee can do better.

There is one guy who looks as if he wants to mug you when you walk in...tall, dark haired, I believe he is the son of the owner. The gravy is mediocre, the fried food oily and tastless. The salads are over sauced, the pizza mediocre at best, and the entrees tasteless.

West Orange can really use a good local Italian restaurant...to bad it hasn't come to town yet.

Sumi

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Whoa, my sense of taste must be WAY off because I can't stand Spagetthi O's but I really enjoyed the Zuppa di Vongole at Fortissimo. Now I must tell you that besides the zuppa, a ceasar salad(that was not over dressed), the Linguine in White Clam sauce and a pasta special made with parpadelle, I have not had any other dishes here. My review is pretty much on the Zuppa. I should have advised of this in my last post. Dine at your own risk.

[menton1]

Hey WOW, I'm answering my own question!!  We have recently discovered Fortissimo in West Orange, right next to Marc and Julie's Homemade Ice Cream.  I am a HUGE fan of Zuppa di Vongole and I gotta tell you their's is REALLY REALLY good.  They serve 10-12 fresh little necks(or P.E.I. Mussels) in a killer garlic Plum tomato sauce( or a Garlic White Wine sauce if you prefer).  It's an appetizer for $8.95.  I had a dish last night with a ceasar salad and their bread basket that has a couple of garlic knots (a little light on the garlic, but fresh and chewy) some small squares of Sicilian type pizza bread with a light coating of tomato sauce on top and a few long and absorbent slices of Foccacia, accompanied by a little dish of Olive and Caper Tapenade.  One of the best meals I"ve had for under $20 in a long time, and what d'ya know, it's on my way home from AHD.  The kitchen closes at 9:30 but if I call ahead........HMMM

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I repeat my recommendation of Cafe Arugula in West Orange, website link is above. (With Menu)

The chef is from Italy, but the nice thing about CA is that they don't pretend to be authentic. No silly dialectical translations of dishes on the menu, just straightforward, Italian-American style food, menu in ENGLISH. Nice environment as well, and the sauces are less gloppy than at the typical Ital-Amer places that proliferate in NJ.

[jb_973]

Maybe people see me coming...maybe they know in advance...but, I've had some really bad meals and some really mediocre meals here. 

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Thanks for the heads-up... I was hoping that this place would have a dependable menu option, as it would be nice to have something local. If I find myself in there, maybe I should try the dish ejebud had!

On that note, Reggianos, a few doors down from Fortissimo always seems to have a packed parking lot. Certainly a lot more traffic than Wish ever had. I hear this is more 'fine dining' than casual.

Also, Primavera in the Wilshire Hotel is not too far a stroll, and I have still yet to go there.

Jason

[hitmanoo]

Maybe people see me coming...maybe they know in advance...but, I've had some really bad meals and some really mediocre meals here. 

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Thanks for the heads-up... I was hoping that this place would have a dependable menu option, as it would be nice to have something local. If I find myself in there, maybe I should try the dish ejebud had!

On that note, Reggianos, a few doors down from Fortissimo always seems to have a packed parking lot. Certainly a lot more traffic than Wish ever had. I hear this is more 'fine dining' than casual.

Also, Primavera in the Wilshire Hotel is not too far a stroll, and I have still yet to go there.

Jason

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Primavera used to be in the spot occupied by Reggiano's. They are doing the exact same thing as they used to do. They have a liquor license and are a little more expensive after the move. They do a pretty solid job. I get a chuckle because they have about 30 specials nightly that seem to be the exact same list of specials night after night.

Reggiano isn't doing anything special. I find that they tend to oversalt a little bit, and several of my dining companions have complained about that far more than I have. They too are a little pricy, but they do a consistant job. Not quite sure why the lot is always packed other than the fact that in Northern NJ, many people feel that a pricy Italian place must be doing a good job, and with a liquor license as well, people are able to have a few cocktails. I'm not trying to knock Reggianos, but you can get the same or better food at far too many places to go out of your way to come here...

Took my first trip to Fortissimo last night. Very reasonably priced and they serve a so-so slice of pizza that my wife felt was a little "doughy." I had linguini with red clam sauce that I felt was right on target. Nothing high end, but priced perfectly for what it is. I'd give it another try. It'd be nice to have a cheap local Italian place that is consistant enough to frequent.

[coughy]

We tend to go to Fortissimo when my son wants Italian food or we want something close and quick. It is not high end food but for the price and convenience we eat there. The food is good - my favorite is Cappellini Mona Lisa and my husband likes their Rock Shrimp appetizer.

[Shmily]

Well folks, thanks for the great choices.  Maybe someday I'll learn to post things like this with more than 10 minutes till we walk out the door.  Anyway, we ended up going to Pizzeta in Livingston.  We were pleasantlysurprised.  We started out with Mussels Fra Diavalo.  The mussels were plump but not to big and the suace was darn near perfect; spicy and not too sweet.  We then had a pizza which was a small, individual pie with fresh tomatoes, garlic, Ricotta, and Pecorino.  The dough was really tender and we really enjoyed it.  We also had the Linguine in White clam sauce.  It was divine!!.  They use Cockles instead of clams, and the pasta was cooked absoluteley perfectly.  They severley undercook it in the water, and finish it off in the pan with the sauce while the pasta is still in "absorption mode".  It had the chewy consistency that is so desired yet so elusive.  I don't know why it is so hard to find pasta cooked truly al dente, but it is.  I plan on trying several if not all of your recomendations.  I'm glad that Due Amici was mentioned; I've wanted to stop in but have been reluctant to waste my money on yet another mediocre Jersey Italian place.

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really sorry top add this...but we have had several REALLY disappointing meals at Due Amici and will not be returning...