It’s hard to miss that Taste of Italy is sandwiched between two businesses with the word “dollar” in them. The restaurant, though, likely predates both of them, having set up in that shopping center in 2001, long before the development of Airport Road as we now know it.
Much has changed since then. There’s an enormous strip mall across the street, an increasingly busy airport and a wildly popular minor league baseball stadium down the street. A nearby cluster of hotels spills out guests looking for dining options.
Taste of Italy, too, can be added to that list of changes. This past summer, the restaurant underwent a major facelift, ditching the relaxed pizza joint vibe in favor of a more slick, minimalist appearance. Rustic, terra cotta walls have been replaced by a cool grey Venetian plaster. The pizza by-the-slice counter is history, along with its adjacent six-pack fridge. In its place, there’s a bar with seating for a dozen, plus three recessed flat-screen TVs and two wine taps, and blue and green neon bling that automatically echoes the Grisafi family’s latest venture, Corked—albeit to a lesser degree. Gone are pastoral scenes of the Italian countryside, and the “ristorante” designation. In their place are splashy wine paintings lining the walls from Leeane Laine, and decorative beer kegs suspended over the front dining room on an open shelf. Meet Taste of Italy, bar and grill.
This past summer, the restaurant underwent a major facelift, ditching the relaxed pizza joint vibe in favor of a more slick, minimalist appearance.
The value for your dollar remains intact, so longtime customers don’t need to worry too much about these changes, as they are largely superficial, with the exception of the bar addition. Everything is still made to order. Pizza is definitely still available (even by the slice, albeit on limited duty). Sandwiches are definitely still a possibility for dinnertime consumption. However, as suggested by the artwork, wine is front and center, although the list is more thoughtfully edited. Instead of its previously customary two or three types of varietals by the glass, there’s now just one iteration of a house merlot, house chianti, etc. (You can buy bottles, too.) There’s still beer, with an emphasis on craft brews. Undoubtedly, the restaurant’s calling card—the ample menu with wide appeal and generous portions of food made to order—has a new look, but maintains 85 percent of its venerable offerings at the same prices, says Nicolo Grisafi, chef and owner. Grisafi, 60, estimates about 75 percent of their business comes from walk-ins. And Taste of Italy will continue to happily accept walk-ins, although you can now make a reservation via Open Table.
Grisafi says his established clientele is loving the new look out front where there’s a better opportunity to mix and mingle over a drink in a more contemporary atmosphere. Make no mistake, though, this place is still where the variety of pies is numerous and recipes for each, coveted. “The pizza is still here and so am I!” Grisafi says.
Grisafi’s youngest son, Franco, 22, is now managing the bar area and that is no surprise, as culinary skills run as thick as sauce in the veins of this Italian family.
For Grisafi, the process of perfecting pizza and pasta started when he came to the U.S. at just 19 years old.
Brother Paul (Paolo), runs the kitchen at Roma and Joe (Giuseppe), who opened Roma four years ago, has been occupied since October 2013 with the steakhouse/wine bar concept, Corked in Bethlehem.
“They grew up in the business, so it is in their blood,” Grisafi says.
For Grisafi, the process of perfecting pizza and pasta started when he came to the U.S. at just 19 years old. He set up his first small shop in Phillipsburg and several since then. “But I’ve never felt the location was right until I got Taste of Italy,” concedes Grisafi.
There’s no big secret about what keeps him here, though: the great food and seemingly endless satisfied customers. Not an easy task in a Valley now replete with convenience food opportunities. “I just keep on top of everything; a watchful eye on everything,” Grisafi says.
Speaking of great food, if you’re curious about the particulars of those 15 percent new items, Grisafi says, “We are doing a lot more steak than we had been in the past.” They’ve added a Sicilian Steak with Crabmeat, a new hit. It’s a 12-ounce New York strip topped with lemon butter crabmeat. It’s unusual because it’s breaded and finished in the oven and served with roasted potatoes and asparagus. The Lobster Sinatra entrée is an undertaking. Imagine a four-ounce lobster tail, with littleneck clams, scallops and shrimp, sautéed with portabella mushrooms and roasted red peppers in a vodka sauce. You can keep it simple, though. Taste of Italy does that old-school move where you can customize your own dinner by selecting your protein (chicken, shrimp or veal), pasta type and sauce. The same approach is valid for their handful of pasta dishes, which includes but isn’t limited to gnocchi, tortellini, Alfredo and puttanesca. Speaking of great food, if you’re curious about the particulars of those 15 percent new items, Grisafi says, “We are doing a lot more steak than we had been in the past.” They’ve added a Sicilian Steak with Crabmeat, a new hit. It’s a 12-ounce New York strip topped with lemon butter crabmeat. It’s unusual because it’s breaded and finished in the oven and served with roasted potatoes and asparagus. The Lobster Sinatra entrée is an undertaking. Imagine a four-ounce lobster tail, with littleneck clams, scallops and shrimp, sautéed with portabella mushrooms and roasted red peppers in a vodka sauce. You can keep it simple, though. Taste of Italy does that old-school move where you can customize your own dinner by selecting your protein (chicken, shrimp or veal), pasta type and sauce. The same approach is valid for their handful of pasta dishes, which includes but isn’t limited to gnocchi, tortellini, Alfredo and puttanesca.
In the world of greens, the popular but bitter green arugula shows up in a heavily accessorized salad form (arugula capriciossa) with shrimp, tomato, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives and more, tossed with a lemon-basil dressing.
Other new items include a broccoli rabe appetizer, sautéed with olive oil and garlic, along with cherry tomatoes. They’ve added a Casa Wedge salad, topped with diced tomatoes, red onion and cucumber, topped with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and applewood bacon and tossed with the traditional blue cheese dressing. These are modest additions to an otherwise robust menu that might leave you scratching your head trying to decide what to order.
As for Grisafi, he knows his tried and true favorites. “I love both my Marsala and my Francese sauces.” The one dish that does it for Grisafi, though, is his savory Shrimp and Scallop Risotto with Spinach. We’ve tried it and we couldn’t agree more, Nic!
