Casa Bella

Last Tuesday I had to be in New Jersey on business. It was a long drive to and from, but it gave me the opportunity to have lunch at one of my (and my wife's) favorite Italian restaurants; Casa Bella, in Denville, NJ.

My wife and I discovered CB about 5 years ago. We were heading west on I-80 on a Friday night in the summer, which wasn't particularly smart because I-80 is the highway you take out of New York City to go to the Poconos. Needless to say, the traffic was pretty bad and we found ourselves in stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper traffic. At 7:30 PM on a hot Friday, that is not much fun, especially when you are trying to get to southern Pennsylvania.

We were both very hungry and we needed gas, so we got off the 1st exit after the junction with I-278. After driving a bit in either direction on US Highway 46 we saw CB. We both agreed that a roadside Italian restaurant in central/western New Jersey was probably going to be incredibly mediocre, but it was also possible that it could be a hidden gem, because (as my wife put it, with just a hint of her famous sarcasm) "Italians can cook, you know." Since we don't eat at chains except in the most dire of emergencies and we saw nothing more promising, we decided we'd give it a shot.

That decision turned out to be a very good one, as we had an excellent meal. So good, in fact, that every time we are driving south of NYC, we try to plan the trip so we can have a meal at CB.

CB is an old, old school Italian restaurant. The waiters (there are no waitresses) wear crisp white shirts, ties (or bow ties) and vests (dark green, dark red or black). Many of them speak with thick accents. They are all very professional and far more "fine dining" than "family restaurant" in terms of their level of knowledge and the quality of service they provide.

That said, the interior of CB is pretty ordinary, though all the chairs have green leather seats, and the tables are covered in very nice white linen tablecloths. The cutlery is old-fashioned but very nice, and every table setting is accompanied by a perfectly folded white linen napkin.

The menu at CB is pretty traditional, but it is extensive and there are multiple pasta, veal, beef, chicken, and seafood entrees and a variety of appetizers and desserts. There are separate menus for lunch (11:30am to 4pm) and dinner (after 4pm). CB also has a wine list, but since we go there when we are on the road, that is pretty much out of the question for us.

On this trip, after my complimentary bruschetta (which is nice and crisp) I started with the fresh (actually very fresh) mozzarella with roasted peppers and sun dried tomatoes in a balsamic vinegerette ($7.25). The heat of the roasted peppers contrasted very well with the mozzarella.

My wife and I have tried most of the appetizers on the menu. Particularly memorable are the prosciutto e melone; i.e. imported prosciutto with slices of melon ($7.95) and the zuppa di cozze ($8.25): i.e. steamed mussels in wine, olive oil, garlic and red sauce (there is also an alternative white sauce). We also had the fungi farciti ($7.95), or mushroom caps, stuffed with crab meat. It was pretty darn good.

For lunch I decided to have the saltimbocca alla romana; i.e. the veal saltimbocca($15.50). I've had it once before and it was as delicious this time as it was last time. The meal consists of several very thin slices of veal in a thick marsala and mushroom based sauce, which has an excellent flavor that compliments (but does not overpower) the veal. It was excellent.

Between us, we have probably had at least a dozen different entrees and they all have been very, very good. I think my favorite was the Costata di vitello alla fiorentina ($27.95). The description on the menu says it all; "Thick, plump sauteed veal chop, with prosciutto, shallots and brown sauce." It might be the best Italian meal I have ever had, and it is definitely among my top 10 or 12 meals of all time. The only downside (if you can call it that) is that it is a very rich and filling meal. In fact, the first time I had it I wanted to take a 4 hour nap afterwards (I was on my way to an important meeting when I went this week, so a 4 hour nap, or feeling like I wanted one, was out of the question).

For desert I had the tirami su ($6.50) which I've had once before. It was good, though not as good as the last time I had it.

After our first meal at CB we wondered how such a great little restaurant could make it work on a pretty barren stretch of an old US Highway. We later learned (pretty much by being there at lunchtime and right after work) that there are some large office parks in nearby Parsippany and many people who work there go to CB for lunch, happy hour, and/or an early dinner. Also, the few times we have been there later in the dinner service, we have always seen what appear to be a lot of locals in the bar (which is on your right as you enter CB) and in the dining room.

CB is a very good restaurant. So good, in fact, that it is hard to characterize. It is much, much better than your average Italian restaurant and the food is as good as you are likely to find outside of Little Italy, Arthur Avenue, or the North End of Boston. The atmosphere, menu, and prices, however, aren't what you'd find in a fine dining establishment.

Probably the best way to put it is that CB is a really, really good old-fashioned Italian restaurant. You may or may not ever find yourself at the junction of I-80 and I-278 at lunch or dinner time. If you do, however, take the trip Casa Bella. It's just a few minutes west and you will not be disappointed.

Here is a link to Casa Bella's website - http://casabella46.com/