By Sally Deering

The buzz on Newark Ave in Jersey City continues to be: when will White Eagle Hall open and when do the bands come on? Meanwhile, just a few steps beneath the White Eagle hall entrance, Cellar 335 has just opened and itâ€s a cool looking place.

Cellar 335 is the newest addition to Jersey Cityâ€s downtown restaurant and bar scene, a cool new eatery designed in urban industrial décor and with a kitschy “letâ€s have fun” vibe. A darkly-lit Tiki bar stands out in the dark mysteriousness of the bar area as soon as you step in from outside. The bar flanks the left side of the bistro with roomy space between barstools and lots of space for standing and mingling. To the right, thereâ€s an enclosed dining room – the type where you make an entrance – that offers dark wood tables, a muted red background and overhanging lights that slide on wires above, so the lighting can change in an instant.

Tables line the walls that are painted with murals by local artist Mustart. Another feast for the eyes is the moss wall, a living tapestry of colorful moss that grows off the brick. Placed in the center of the back of the room, it draws attention; and itâ€s a real showstopper. The dining room atmosphere is warm, and comfortable. On a recent Tuesday afternoon, as the waiters got ready for dinner service, they wore Polynesian leis over their t-shirts in honor of “Tiki Tuesdays” a wink to the Polynesian-twist to the food and drinks concocted at the Tiki bar.

General Manager Peter Arnone welcomes visitors to the dining room where the alert wait staff aims to give customers a night to remember. Eating at Cellar 335 should be a total experience of the senses, Arnone says

“We want all your senses to be played with,” Arnone says, smiling. “The art on the walls, the music you hear, the smell and taste of the food. We play with all your senses and weâ€re giving you a great experience.”

Designing the menu was a team effort supervised by Chef/Owner Jamie Knott, and assisted by Chef de Cuisine Jared Bane, and Arnone who decided on an Asian American cuisine with a Polynesian twist served tapas-style: small dishes meant to be shared. More like a family-style concept, Arnone says.

For starters, thereâ€s Spicy Cornbread ($2 ea), Crabcakes ($5 ea.), Bao ($4 ea), Charred Edamane, Hummus, Tropical Salad, Hamachi Tartare, Tuna Roll, Crack Fries, and Chicken Wontons. ($8-$14)

Hummus

Entrees are Spicy Beef Noodle, Szechuan Chicken Noodle, Avocado Fried Rice, Shrimp & Garlic, Branzino, Crispy Chicken, Prime Polynesian Ribeye, Prime Skirt Steak, Crispy Duroc Ribs, and Korean Style Wings ($10-$39).

“One of our popular dishes are the Bao (steamed buns) and we serve them four ways, stuffed with hamburger; pimento, cheese, and tomatillo sauce; the sausage & pepper Bao; and veggie-burger Bao.”

Wings

Classic Tiki cocktails like the Mai Tai, Peleâ€s Awa, The Smartest Guy in the Room, Zombie Priest Punch and the Smoldering Bastard look like a real treat. The bar staff make the syrups and freshly-squeezed juices, too.

“We play with classics and make them our own,” Arnone says.

The Smoldering Bastard

 Cellar 335â€s dining room seats 85; the bar seats 15 and the restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday. Itâ€s closed Sundays and Mondays because Arnone and his team set the bar high when it comes to consistency and they want to have just one wait staff, one bar staff and one kitchen staff running the show.

Chef John Chomenko creates the most amazing desserts. Everythingâ€s homemade like the Apple Hand Pies, the Zeppoles with Nutella cream; the Tres Leches Cake and the Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches including the Roasted Banana Ice Cream pressed between two Oatmeal Cookies. All the desserts are $10 – and worth every penny, indeed!

Cellar 335 just opened a couple weeks ago, but the buzz is great, Arnone says.

“Weâ€re appealing to everyone, from people in their 20s to their 70s,” Arnone says. “I love to be able to hit a broad spectrum.”

Right next door to Cellar 335 is the new Madame Claudeâ€s restaurant

“Theyâ€re legends in this neighborhood,” Arnone says. “Weâ€re blessed to be on the other side of their door.”

If you go

Cellar 335

335 Newark Ave, JC

(201) 222-1422

www.Cellar335.com

Hours

Tues-Thurs, 5 pm-12 midnight

Fri & Sat, 5 pm-2 am

The post I KNOW A COOL, SECLUDED PLACE Cellar 335 in Jersey City first appeared on River View Observer.

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 Back in the day, Frank Fioreâ€s family emigrated from Southern Italy to the Bronx and after years of big family dinners made from Grandma Fioreâ€s recipes, Frank, his brother Raymond, his father, Ruggero and his mother Maria, extended their family table to Newark Avenue in Downtown Jersey City and opened Roman Nose–Authentic Italian Kitchen.

Located next to The Word Bookstore right off Grove Street, Roman Nose landed one of the best locations in town: the Pedestrian Mall that extends west from Grove, Roman Nose offers guests a  hearty taste of Southern Italy and a casual dining experience with white wainscoting on the walls and vintage-style tin ceilings.  It has two areas for seating and a small bar with a big wine and cocktails list.  Intimate and friendly with black & white family photos on the walls, Roman Noseâ€s atmosphere is like one big family reunion with guests drinking, dining and enjoying the themselves. 

“I moved to Jersey City 12 years ago,” Frank Fiore says, sitting at one of his larger tables during a busy dinner service. “I felt we needed a good Italian restaurant downtown. I spent every summer in Italy with my grandparents. For me the story wrote itself. We didnâ€t try to be Italian. We cook traditional Italian food as we always do and people appreciate it. We were artisanal.      I grew up curing sausages in our garage,” Fiore says. “We pickle, we jar. We made our own wine.”

Roman Nose – Authentic Italian Kitchen – is just that. The cooks were all trained to cook the recipes that Fioreâ€s grandmothers cooked back in Italy. And the menu is an homage to Fioreâ€s Italian roots. Antipasti dishes feature Olive Miste, Italian olives served in house marinade of lemon,  thyme, rosemary, garlic, and fennel seed; and Crostini di Casa homemade mozzarella, prosciutto, tomato, oregano melted on grilled filone bread.

Bruschette: (3 for $5; 6for $9) Pomodoro, Pesto, Ricotta, Miele, e Noci, Pomodori Secchi e Pecorino, Crema Di Carciofi, and Tapenade di Olive.

Formaggi e Salumi: ($15; choice of three) Served with Tuscan chestnut honey, roasted almonds, fresh bread; a selection of premium Italian cheeses including Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano Pepato and Fontina.

Insalate: ($8-$12) Insalata Caprese, homemade mozzarella, tomato, and fresh basil with extra virgin olive oil and aceto balsamico; Insalata di Finnocchio, Indivia, Radicchio e Arance Fennel, endive, radicchio, orange, toasted walnuts, and parmigiano shavings, with citrus vinaigrette; Insalata di Pollo, house salad with sliced grilled chicken breast, red onion, and parmigiano; and, Insalata di Tonno, house salad with Sicilian tuna in olive oil, red onion, and homemade mozzarella.

Polpette:  Family meatballs made with beef, pork, veal and amore, topped with Sunday Sauce and parmiagiano ($5-$10) include:  Meatball Sangweech, four meatballs stuffed into a fresh ciabatta; Meatball Bowl and Meatball Side.

Pizze:  Homemade mozzarella and pizza dough are made from scratch ($9-$30) and include Margherita, Saracena, Zucchine, Pesto, and Crudo with Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano shavings, arugula,  mozzarella and tomato sauce.

Zuppe:  Mama Mariaâ€s made-from-scratch soups ($6-$8) feature Lenticchie, classic lentil soup; Pastina and Minestrone.

Primi:  All pasta is made from scratch ($11-$18) and includes:  Spaghetti al Pomodoro; Fusilli al Pesto, and Tagliatelle con Gamberetti e Pomodorini, sautéed shrimp with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.

Secondi: Entrees include Parmigiana di Melanzane, classic parmigiana, pan-fried and breaded eggplant oven-baked with layers of homemade mozzarella; and Pollo al Marsala e Funghi, tender chicken filets cooked in Marsala wine sauce ($16-$18).

Roman Nose serves kid-friendly portions for children under 12 ($6-$7); side dishes ($5-$7) and guests can substitute gluten-free Quinoa-Corn Penne Pasta for their pasta dishes ($2 additional).

If you go

Roman Nose, Authentic Italian Kitchen

124 Newark Ave, JC

(201) 360-2176

www.romannosejc.com

Hours: Tues-Fri 12-10 pm

Sat-Sun 11-10 pm

Closed Mondays

The post Mom’s Family Recipes with a Dash of Heart- Roman Nose brings Flavors of Southern Italy to Downtown JC first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

A short walk from Exchange Place on the Jersey City Waterfront, City Diner (formerly the Flamingo) offers tasty dishes in a hip décor, key ingredients for success according to its owners Nicholas, “Lefty” and Mike Giakoumatos. The three brothers from Queens, New York, bought the old Flamingo and in three months turned it into a trendy corner bistro. With its contemporary décor, free Wi-Fi and a bar that looks right out of a James Bond film – the only thing ‘diner-esque†about City Diner is its hours — open 24/7 – and that it serves breakfast all day.

City Diner has its regulars who come from every walk of life, Lefty Giakoumatos says. Nine-to-fivers who work in downtown Jersey City, families, local residents and folks heading to a game in Manhattan and looking for a pre-game dinner keep things hopping and the booths filled. Even at 3 am, the place can be hopping with customers. Mike says just the other night a group of teenagers having a pajama party and clad in their PJs came in for milk shakes.

City Dinerâ€s menu offers traditional diner dishes but with a flair like Firecracker Meatloaf and the Jersey Boys Burger. Several Breakfast Wraps are named after local towns, too, which brings a little neighborhood flavor to downtown Jersey Cityâ€s Wall Street vibe.

The menu features Morning Favorites, All Day Breakfast, Appetizers, Salads, Premium Sandwiches, Burgers, Dinner Entrees, Desserts, a Kids†Menu, and Drinks & Shakes. If you try the Morning Breakfast, you can choose from Eggs Benedict, Jersey Benedict (Taylor Ham), Florentine Eggs Benedict, Corned Beef Hash & Eggs, Huevos Rancheros, Chicken & Waffle, Steak and Eggs, and Loxed & Loaded. ($8.50-$16.95)

The All Day Breakfast includes Specialty Omelettes like the Harvest Market, Little Italy (tomato & Portobello mushroom), Athenian (spinach and feta), Denver, California, Carnegie (pastrami or corned beef & Swiss) and the Super Nova Omelette (smoked lox, onions and capers). ($7.95-$11.95) You can also try the City Omelette where you choose whatever ingredients you like; and Energy Omelettes like the Veggie Power, Powerhouse (turkey, spinach, avocado and Swiss); the Life Omelette (asparagus, grape tomato, broccoli, mushroom and mozzarella), and the Chicken Protein Omelette. ($8.95-$11.95)

Other breakfast items are the Breakfast Wraps & Sandwiches like the Croque Madam Croissant (ham, poached egg and hollandaise sauce served on a toasted croissant), Nutella Berry Croissant
(chocolate-hazelnut spread, cream cheese and sliced strawberries served on a toasted croissant), Ranchito Breakfast Burrito (scrambled eggs, Monterey jack cheddar, sour cream, black beans and pico de gallo) 5-Alarm Wrap (scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, smoky hot sauce, jalapeño and pepperjack cheese), the Jersey City Wrap (scrambled eggs, Taylor ham and American cheese), the Bayonne Wrap (scrambled eggs with bacon, avocado and spinach), and the Hoboken Wrap (scrambled egg whites and grilled chicken). ($5.95-$8.95)

Premium Sandwiches include the Blackened Chicken & Avocado Wrap, Mikeyâ€s Reuben, Firecracker Meatloaf, Southern BBQ Pulled Pork, California Cobb Wrap, Philly Cheesesteak, Classic BLT, Blackened Salmon & Avocado BLT, Turkey Avocado BLT, Grecian Gyro, and the Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Wrap. ($8.50-$14.95)

Dinner entrees include Calamari & Shrimp, Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Pan Seared Salmon, Fried Chicken Basket, Jumbo Fried Shrimp Basket, Lobster Ravioli, Grown Up Mac N†Cheese (cavatappi, sharp cheddar and blue cheese), Cowboy Steak (16 oz. bone-in ribeye), Charbroiled Porterhouse Pork Chop, and Chicken Milanese. ($14.95-$29.95)

“Nikos comes up with the ideas for the dishes,” Mike says, crediting his oldest brother with the menu. “He loves to put twists on traditional dishes, like our meatballs. These are not your grandmaâ€s meatballs. We make beef and pork meatballs stuffed with mac & cheese and wrapped in bacon.”

City Diner makes the best wings in Jersey City because they make them from scratch and with fresh, high-quality ingredients, Nicholas says. And the burgers are amazing, too, Mike adds, like the Jersey Boys Burger served with Taylor Ham, egg and cheese. Itâ€s a local favorite. City Diner regular Alex Ballas visiting from Philadelphia says the burgers are terrific and so is the French Onion Soup and Firecracker Meatloaf.

Another unique aspect of City Diner is that it offers two Happy Hours daily, one in the afternoon from 4-7 pm; the other late night at 11 pm. The bar menu features Craft, imported and domestic beers, and sexy cocktails, of course.

“Weâ€re dedicated to providing great customer service and quality food in a positive, home-spun atmosphere,” Nicholas says. “We wanted wanted to give Jersey City what it needed: a great 24-hour diner.”

If you go:
City Diner
31 Montgomery St, JC
(201) 721-5331
www.citydiner.com
Open 24/7

The post City Diner in Jersey City Never Sleeps first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

 Whether grabbing a slice in the busy pizzeria on Central Ave or joining friends for a sit-down lunch or dinner in the dining room in back, Renatoâ€s Pizza Masters in Jersey City offers the casual gourmet a delicious Italian experience.

 In the Central Avenue storefront customers line up for Renatoâ€s classic pizzas and subs, and on a recent cold afternoon, the Pasta Fajioli and Escarole with White Bean soups were extremely popular. In the back dining room, which seats 55 very comfortably, the atmosphere is relaxed, open and classy with tables covered in white linen and white butcher-block paper and extremely attentive waiters stationed close by to give customers their best service.

Owner Richie Renato and his sons Mark and Lorenzo oversee Renatoâ€s Pizza Masters in Jersey City; itâ€s been a family business since 1959, and Richie Renato bought the business from his cousin in 1962. Originally from Italy, Renato keeps a keen eye on the day-to-day and over the years has seen three generations of customers bring in their children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren.

And although times have changed, Richie Renato and his sons stays true to his mission to serve fresh and delicious Italian cuisine in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Itâ€s even written on the menu: “All our dishes are prepared fresh to order using the finest ingredients. Feel free to relax and enjoy!”

The dining room menu features Antipasti, Salads, Pasta, Entrees, Focaccia and Wraps, Personal Gourmet Pizzas, and Life Fare (sides). The Antipasti (appetizers) includes Fried Calamari Toscana; Shrimp with Garlic Sauce over Crostini; Zuppa Di Mussels; Meatballs Romano; Stuffed Mushrooms; and Portobello Mushrooms with broccoli rabe. ($6.95-$9.95)

Pasta dishes include Cavatelli, Chicken and Broccoli; Fettucine Alfredo; Angel Hair Pescatore; Papardelle Taormina, a wide noodle served with shrimp, prosciutto, mushrooms and peas in a pink sauce; and Pasta Al Forno, a choice of Old World baked pastas like lasagna, manicotti, stuffed shells, and cheese ravioli. ($9.95-$17.95)

For entrees, diners can choose Shrimp served Francaise, Scampi or Parmigiana- style; Pork Chops Murphy; Sea Scallops with fresh garlic; Chicken Boscaiola with Portobello mushrooms; Flounder Francaise or Marechiare; and Grilled Skirt Steak. ($14.95-$19.95)

Renatoâ€s also makes homemade Focaccia, and serves it in sandwiches like the Steak & Portobello, Turkey, Roast Beef, and the Grilled Chicken Breast with pesto mayo, romaine, tomato, roasted peppers and fresh mozzarella. This hearty sandwich comes to the table with the Focaccia warm and the fresh mozzarella generously melted over the tangy peppers and pesto mayo. Served with light and crunchy waffle fries, this sandwich is absolutely delicious. ($8.95)

Personal Gourmet Pizzas round out the menu and include the Margherita with fresh mozzarella; Prosciutto; Selvatica with fresh tomato, mozzarella and pesto; Piccante, served with pepperoni; Gamberi, sautéed shrimp with vodka sauce; and Frutti Di Mare, sautéed shrimp, calamari, scallops, garlic, oil, and fresh mozzarella. ($7.95-$15.95)

“We sell everything on the menu,” Renato says. “I like to change it sometimes because once in a while customers like something new.”

Renato insists the dining be casual and the food he serves is a mix of traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine. Many of the recipes date back 50 years and more.

“These recipes are tried and true,” Renato says.

The reviews on Yelp.com are pretty terrific, too. Lauren K. of Hillsborough Township posted this on Yelp.com: “…The food is fantastic! Today I had the pasta special – spinach ravioli with shrimp in Alfredo sauce. The ravioli was fresh and handmade. The spinach filling was flavorful and the pasta was not overstuffed. The sauce was just the right consistency and wasn’t too cheesy. Alfredo is tough to get right and Pizza Masters gets it.”

Itâ€s clear from all the Yelp reviews posted online that Renatoâ€s Pizza Masters in Jersey City delivers consistently delicious Italian cuisine. The prices are good and the ambience invites lively conversation over a great meal. Elle R. of Jersey City said it best in her Yelp review: “Renato’s is one of the few restaurants that I can proudly say has blown me away every single time I’ve visited! Excellent food at great prices, and fantastic and friendly staff – what more could you ask for?!”

If you go:

Renatoâ€s Pizza Masters

278 Central Ave

Jersey City

(201) 659-2232

www.PizzaMastersJc.com

Hours: Open every day from 11 am to 12 midnight

The post Renato’s Pizza Masters Serves Italian Food That’s Traditional, Contemporary and Delish first appeared on River View Observer.

   By Sally Deering

Jean and Charles Stewart first met at a bar; she was serving drinks at an establishment in the East Village and he was a member of the Coast Guard stationed in Bayonne out for a night on the town. The two fell in love, married and started a family and now theyâ€re raising a son and building a new career as restaurateurs and owners of Lot 13 in Bayonne.

Lot 13 opened in 2011 and both husband and wife share all the responsibilities of running a restaurant and busy bar.

“We do everything,” Jean says, taking a break after cooking dinner for five hungry patrons. “We manage the restaurant, we bartend and cook. We have 18 taps and a great whiskey collection – whiskey and craft beer we were originally going for. The kitchen is getting rolling and weâ€re getting more business. Itâ€s all baby steps.”

Jean describes the menu as upscale comfort food.

“My husband is from Georgia, so we have a secret recipe for the rub for the pulled pork,” Jean says. “We have a smoker, too. We have fish and chips. Everything we do is fresh, not frozen or pre-prepared.”

Indeed, the reviews from patrons have been great. Nicole O. who lives on the waterfront posted this review on Yelp.com: “AWESOME place. I had the Lot 13 burger and it was the best burger ever. The beer list is great, something for everyone. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a good beer and burger.”

Tom W. of Bayonne also wrote on Yelp.com: “I glanced at the tap options, not noticing the chalk board beer menu to the left of bar, with somewhere between 10 and 14 draft selections, 6-10 can selections, and 15-20 bottle selections.  I ordered a beer from the tap closest to me, a Goose Island IPA.  The tap consisted of two Goose Islands, Allagash White, Dogfish Head 60, and another one or two decent crafts.  Guinness, Stella, and Miller High Life rounded out the choices.  The can and bottle options did include Budweiser and Coors Light, several Weyerbachers, some seasonal imports (Hofbrau Oktoberfest among them), and other flavorful favorites among beerheads.”

Sang B. of Jersey City posted: “I have only been here once but so far so good. I came here a Saturday afternoon – just passing by and hoping that it was not closed. I was really glad to see the open sign. Initially I was drawn to this bar because of the tap list. I had the Winter Solace on draft which was very good. My husband picked a few others and he said they were very good as well. Their menu was pretty good as well. I tried the wings, grass-fed burger, chicken nuggets (special) and lots and lots of fries. Wings were on the larger side, grass-fed burger was very moist, and everything had enough salt to allow the beer to taste extra refreshing. We saw some people try the chicken cutlet sandwich also, which looked delicious.”

“We have our neighborhood regulars, which is the backbone of our business and we have some bands and shows we put on that attract people further out,” Jean says. “Jersey City is close and the Light Rail is close to us. Weâ€re on the corner of 18^th and “E” and the Light Rail stops at 22^nd, just a few blocks away.”

Building a business while raising a new family can be tough and there are still details that need to be taken care of like a website for the business and business cards, too. In the meantime, Jean and Charles – everybody knows him as Chuck – are planning to add a brunch on weekends and their growing hops for beer in their outdoor garden.

“We could look into a brewerâ€s license, but we can also sell the hops,” Jean says.

She could sell them to the NJ Beer Company, a local brewer whose beer flows from one of the Lot 13 taps.

“We try to do a lot of New Jersey local stuff,” Jean says. “Our beef comes from a New Jersey farm.”

And even though Chuck is from Georgia and Jean is from Natick, MA, she says they made the right move opening their business and starting a family in Bayonne.

“We love it,” Jean says. “Itâ€s nice to run your own show. Itâ€s rewarding and challenging. I like the cooking end of it. I like to see people enjoying it. Chuck and I are both petty outward and social.”

If you go:

 Lot 13

169 Ave “E”

Bayonne

(201) 535-5066

Hours: Mon-Thurs, 4 pm-2 am

Fri, Sat, 11am – 3 am

Sun, 11 am – 2 am

Kitchen serves food until closing

The post Lot 13 Gives Bayonne New Hip first appeared on River View Observer.

Whatâ€s interesting is that Constantine Katsifis, owner and NJ restaurateur, turned the temporary closing into an opportunity: he refreshed Skylarkâ€s menu and hired a new chef, Darryl Harmon. Chef Harmon, a native of South Jersey, will be using his local roots and culinary skills to enhance Skylarkâ€s Jersey-focused, farm-to-table menu, which supports area farms by using their in-season fruits and vegetables.

www.skylarkonthehudson.com
Phone: (201) 533-8989
Hours of Operation: Brunch: Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 1:45pm
Lunch: Monday – Friday: 11:00am – 4:00pm
Dinner: Sunday: 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Monday – Thursday: 4:00pm – 11:00pm
Friday : 4:00pm – 11:30pm
Saturday: 4:00 – 11:30pm
Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

The post SKYLARK ON THE HUDSON NOW OPEN AFTER SUPERSTORM SANDY CLOSING first appeared on River View Observer.

Ten Ingredients

By Sally Deering

VB3 on Washington Boulevard in downtown Jersey City features theVB3 Pizzeria where office workers and neighborhood residents dash in for a slice or a pie; and the VB3 dining room and lounge with the sexiest bar in Jersey City. Itâ€s an eye-catching island of dark wood with a surface of “orange liquid lava” and bar stools with bright-orange backs and faux leopard print seats.  No detail in this beautiful restaurant has been overlooked by Owner and Executive Chef Michael Colletti, General Managers Giuseppi “Little Joe” Russo and Giuseppi “Big Joe” Russo; and business partners Gary Leff and Ricky Leff. This team put heart and soul into the place and it shows.

Chef Colletti, 29, attended the Culinary Education Center in Asbury Park and after graduation worked at the prestigious Le Cirque and then Chef de Cuisine at Mai House. After five years in New York, Chef Colletti joined his friend and celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn at the Sunnyside Group and helped him open Good Stuff Eatery in Washington D.C. In 2010, Colletti and Mendelsohn appeared in “Iron Chef” competing in “Battle Proscuitto” against world famous chef Michael Symon. Chef Colletti also cooked for President Barack Obama and his staff at The White House.

Letâ€s meet Chef Colletti!

RVO:  Chef Colletti, can you tell our readers a little about your background?

CC:  My family is from Sicily. My father moved here at 14 and I was raised in Elizabeth. My grandfather would be in the garden all day and my grandmother would cook in the kitchen. There would be 20 of us in the kitchen – weâ€re a big Italian family.

RVO:  How was VB3 realized?

CC: The Monaco building was getting built and my cousins were looking to open a third restaurant that served more than pizzas and sandwiches. We opened VB3 in May 2012.

RVO:  How would you describe your signature cooking style?

CC:  Modern seasoned Italian cooking from the farm to the table – Italian food with a modern twist.

RVO:  What is the most popular VB3 dish?

CC: Our Baby Back Ribs are really popular. Itâ€s a two-day process. We bake them, braise them, rub them with seasonings and roast them. Then we glaze them with a homemade BBQ sauce and grill them. Itâ€s fall-off-the-bone delicious. And we serve them with pickled cabbage, and grilled peaches.

RVO:  How do you come up with the dishes you create?

CC:  Itâ€s a constant process. Something might pop up in my head. It could be new produce that comes into the market. And I have great chefs in the kitchen. Weâ€ll discuss the seasonâ€s offerings and work on dishes. Sometimes the best dishes come from messing around. Here, itâ€s okay to ‘play with your food.â€

RVO:  How do you run your kitchen?

CC: The most important thing about the kitchen is that is has to be clean. And I give my chefs freedom in the kitchen. My crew has been with me a while and they are all seasoned professionals. I like them to be themselves. Itâ€s a better work environment. You canâ€t run a kitchen like a corporation. I want my chefs to let their personality show in their food.

RVO:  Can you share an easy recipe for our busy readers?

CC: Pasta with lentils is a quick go-to dish. Cut up onion and garlic and sauté them in olive oil. Add 1-1/2 cups of lentils and cover with 3 cups of chicken broth and cook the lentils for about 45 minutes. Boil some pasta, small noodles like Ditalini, strain and add the lentils. Serve it with some grated cheese and some olive oil. Itâ€s simple and delicious.

RVO:  Do you have a food philosophy?

CC: Yes – simple, local and fresh. I like the ingredients to speak for themselves.

 RVO:  What chef inspired you the most?

CC: Chef Brian Walter at Aqua was a great influence. He was maybe 26 at the time I worked for him and he was doing some really cool, fun stuff. And at Le Cirque, owner and restaurateur Sirio Maccioni taught me how to run a restaurant at that caliber. He was the owner and general manager and he knew everybody who came to his restaurant and treated everybody with respect. Some chefs hide in the kitchen. I go out and talk to my customers. I want to connect with the people who eat my food. 

RVO:  Did your family influence your decision to become a chef?

CC:  The biggest influences on me were my grandmother, my grandfather and my father. They taught me the appreciation and love for food. There was food and family and that brought happiness to everybody. And now, Iâ€m doing that here.

If you go:

VB3 Restaurant, Pizzeria and Bar

The Monaco Building

475 Washington Blvd.

Jersey City

(201) 4823

www.vb3restaurant.com

The post RESTAURANT VIEWS- EXECUTIVE CHEF MICHAEL COLETTI- VB3 RESTAURANT, JERSEY CITY first appeared on River View Observer.