The Artful Diner - Piccola Italia, Restaurant Review, Ocean, NJ

New Jersey Restaurant Review

Piccola Italia
837 West Park Avenue
Ocean, Monmouth County, New Jersey
(732) 493-3090

By The Artful Diner
Special to New Jersey Online
6/28/2004

Note: 08/2005 - Restaurant now has a liquor license.

Sandwiched between a kosher restaurant and a tiny Chinese chophouse, Piccola Italia is sequestered away in the Cobblestone Village shopping center, just a short hop from Monmouth Park racetrack and the Monmouth Mall. Originally a mom-and-pop Neapolitan nirvana majoring in marinara and garbed in red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, the restaurant was purchased two years ago by CIA grad Brian Gualtieri and transformed into a casually elegant dining establishment embellished with colorful murals, imported tiles, and fetching floral arrangements.

The decorative metamorphosis is quite becoming -- and the personable service more than up to snuff -- but it is the superior quality of the cuisine that sparks the imagination of the culinary cognoscenti. Mr. Gualtieri and his able sous chef, Aaron Philipson, have assembled an impressive array of innovative Italian offerings complemented by occasional international dots and dashes. Presentations are generous without being grandiose, attractively eye-catching without becoming eyesores. Proportions -- flavors, colors, textures -- are all right in sync.

If you wish to travel the more traditional route, start things off with the pasta e fagioli ($5.50). This classic pottage is just the proper consistency, neither too thick nor too thin, awash with perfectly cooked vegetables and pasta, and right on target in the seasoning department. Another time-honored favorite is the vongole e cozze marechiaro ($11.00), plump clams and mussels swimming in a sensuous white wine broth enlivened with garlic, basil, chopped tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil. You might also consider the calamari fritti marinati ($10.50), tender fried squid garnished with a zippy marinara, crostini, and pesto vinaigrette.

All of the above, needless to say, will not disappoint. But if you really want a demonstration of this kitchen's capabilities, don't be afraid to dabble in more creative fare. The grigliata di verdure alla Napoleone ($8.50), for example, is delectably picture perfect. Tiers of grilled portobello, eggplant, and roasted red peppers are interspersed with thick slices of tomato and mozzarella and finished with a heady balsamic glaze and splashes of basil oil.

The undeniable star of the show, however, is infinitely more cosmopolitan of composition. The special grilled shrimp and soba noodle salad ($12.00) was sampled as an entrée at lunch but is also available as an appetizer at dinner. Tender buckwheat noodles are gently tossed with baby greens and an exotic soy-ginger dressing and crowned with a tiara of crunchy grilled shrimp. A sprinkling of pine nuts adds a bit of pizzazz, as does a side of potent wasabi cocktail sauce. As enchanting to the eye as it is to the palate (see photograph).

Entrées, I'm pleased to say, are every bit as exciting as the appetizers... Veal saltimbocca ($21.00) may be considered démodé among supercilious foodies, but this is one dish, when properly prepared and presented (which is rarely the case), that can still cause even the most jaded gastronome to sit up and take notice. The problem, of course, is that although this is a relatively simple recipe, there is still a great deal that can go wrong. The veal can be tough... the prosciutto fatty... the sauce too puny or too pungent... the spinach gritty... the mozzarella an innocuous indulgence.

In point of fact, veal saltimbocca is an accident waiting to happen... and it usually does. But when things go right, as they do in Mr. Gualtieri's kitchen, this old favorite is a delightful revelation. The meat here is fork tender but still maintains its textural integrity, the spinach is beautifully sautéed, the flavorful mozzarella applied judiciously, and the Marsala reduction attractively assertive. A rich dish, to be sure -- made even more so by a pillow of creamy mashed potatoes -- but a tumultuous treat that your taste buds will not soon forget.

Also topping my list is the special swordfish ($28.00) prepared livornese ("leghorn-style" with white wine, olive oil, capers, chopped garlic, tomatoes, and parsley). The specimen presented is inordinately thick, which usually spells trouble: Namely, the tendency to incinerate the exterior in order to cook through to the core; or, obversely, undercooking the exterior while leaving the interior raw. I've been treated to both over the course of my reviewing tenure, and neither is very agreeable. Fortunately, Mr. Gualtieri succumbs to neither pitfall. The fish is uniformly prepared -- the flesh moist but firm, alive with its own flavorful attributes -- and luxuriates on a sumptuous seabed of sautéed broccoli rabe.

Other piscatorial possibilities include a benchmark zuppa di pesce ($25.00) -- shrimp, scallops, calamari, clams, mussels, and morsels of finny fare swimming in a white wine garlic broth imbued with a touch of pesto -- tilapia piccata ($24.00) presented on a pillow of cappellini, and grilled Atlantic salmon ($23.00) bathed in a provocative kalamata olive broth.

If you would care to indulge in meatier pursuits, however, the grilled 18-ounce New York strip steak accompanied by roasted Yukon gold potatoes, Gorgonzola creamed spinach, and a consummatory truffle jus just might be the answer to every confirmed carnivore's prayer. On the other hand, Mr. Gualtieri's pasta presentations (also available as appetizer portions) should surely not be dismissed out of hand. Particularly noteworthy is his capellini al pomodoro fresco ($16.00), delicate threads of pasta gently tossed with toasted garlic, basil, white wine, extra virgin olive oil, and crowned with a sumptuous tiara of diced fresh tomatoes. Absolutely first-rate.

And should you be watching your weight, you might want to consider the chef's increasingly popular "Lite Fare" menu. Items such as wasabi-crusted salmon ($23.00), herb-grilled chicken breast ($18.00), stir-fried couscous with vegetables ($17.50), and tilapia dressed in shiitake mushrooms, escarole, tomatoes, and cannelloni beans ($24.00) may be short on calories, but they are gratifyingly long in the flavor department.

Some time following my visits, the restaurant secured the services of a new pastry chef, Rory Philipson, wife of sous chef Aaron Philipson. However, judging by the quality of a strawberry almond tart garnished with strawberry gelato and crème anglaise ($8.00), which was sampled prior to Ms. Philipson's arrival, Mr. Gualtieri is also quite proficient in the dessert department. But even if you're not in the mood to assuage your sweet tooth, be sure to conclude your evening at table with a potent espresso ($3.00)... one of the best I've sampled in recent memory.

Piccola Italia isn't terribly easy to find... but it is well worth the effort. For once you've succumbed to its considerable culinary charms, this (relatively) undiscovered jewel is certain to woo you back again and again. Highly recommended on all counts.

Cuisine: Innovative Italian
Hours: Lunch: Tues - Fri, 12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m.; Dinner: Mon - Thurs, 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Fri & Sat, 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.; Sun, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Credit Cards: All major
Attire: Casual
Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in the restaurant.
Reservations: Recommended
Parking: Onsite
Alcohol: Liquor License
Price: Moderate
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Web Site: www.shorepoints.com\piccolaitalia