Osteria Moreni-172
An Osteria in Bernardsville offers authentic Italian flavors and ingredients in a family-style setting

by Jessica Jones-Gorman • Photos: By Vinnie Amessé © www.amessephoto.com

After successfully bringing the soulful cuisine of northern Italy’s Emilia- Romagna region to SoHo in 2010, the owners of Altamarea Group, which operates close to a dozen fine dining establishments in the tri-state area, decided to open a second location of its famed Osteria Morini in a small section of downtown Bernardsville—with a flavorful road trip as part of the inspiration.

“We traveled quite extensively to the Emilia-Romagna region, and it was inspiring how all of the Osterias there were this sort of communal gathering,” noted Bill Dorrler, executive chef of the Bernardsville eatery. “They were places where you could sit down with a group of people, talk, taste, and share food. It was a beautifully fun atmosphere built around delicious food.”

Inspired, the Altamarea team transformed Due Terre Entoteca—a restaurant they had operated in that location for almost a decade—to reflect that fun, noisy, communal theme, in part owing to its rustic wooden tables and casual ambiance.

“In Italian, ‘Osteria’ means a place where the owner ‘hosts’ guests,” Dorrler explained. “After operating a restaurant in Bernardsville for several years, we knew this was a fun, family-oriented town, and that an osteria would be a perfect fit for the neighborhood.”

The design of the new enterprise included an open kitchen—led daily by Chef di Cucina Kevin Knevals—that allows guests to watch the action of meal preparation unfold. The overall vibe emphasizes a family-oriented atmosphere suited for daily meals or special celebrations. Dorrler said the vast menu, filled with a variety of steaks, pasta and fish, encompasses “virtually everything you crave.”

“It’s a fun menu because you can eat from it in so many different ways,” he said. “It mimics the true, authentic Italian food experience: you start with plates of sliced cured meats and cheese served with grilled breads and house made mostarda. Then there’s delicious antipasti—salads, calamari…soups, followed by traditional handmade pastas and a simply-prepared second course of fish or meat. We have great relationships with our local farms, which result in fresh, crispy salads, and our wonderful meat purveyors supply us with gorgeous dry- and wet-aged steaks. Fresh cuts of branzino and salmon can also be grilled or pan roasted according to guests’ tastes.”

GP SPREAD

Other standout menu items include a seared Amish veal chop served with roasted endive in a marsala cream sauce; a 14-ounce marinated pork chop accompanied by roasted pear and pickled mustard seed; and the Brodetto, an Adriatic style seafood soup of clams mussels, monkfish, shrimp, scallops, and calamari. But the restaurant really shines through its more than 10 different varieties of handmade pasta.

“It’s not exactly a smart business plan to roll and hand make pasta every day, but we are committed to doing that and I think our product is second to none in New Jersey,” Dorrler said, describing classic ricotta filled dumplings, saffron cavatelli, and semolina pasta ribbons. “We have a variety of classic sauces—meat, truffle, pomodoro, and more—all popular with our guests.”

A few of the most sought-after pasta dishes are radiator with roasted chicken and cremini mushrooms in a Marsala and sage cream sauce, layered spinach lasagna, and a black trumpet mushroom risotto.

Desserts are also made in house, and the sweets menu includes tiramisu, an olive oil torta, and a milk chocolate budino with hazelnuts, coffee crumble, and fior di latte.

The wine list was curated by AMG Beverage Director Hristo Zisovski to include varieties native to the Emilio Romagna region. A private dining room is available for parties and seats 40 people.

“We’ve had wonderful success here in New Jersey, which led to another location in Washington, D.C.,” Dorrler said. “All three locations of Osteria Morini offer the same communal neighborhood concept, but each has a different look and feel. SoHo is a little more rustic…darker, while New
Jersey is very open, and the restaurant in D.C. is on a river, so it offers more of a romantic feel.”

Nicoletta pizzeria recently opened next door to both the SoHo and Bernardsville locations, which allows the chefs to incorporate thin-crusted varieties into Osteria’s menu, and Dorrler says the best way to experience the restaurant is to simply sample a wide variety of dishes with friends.

“I think the way to eat here is to come in with a group of four to six and order one of our meat and cheese boards, along with three or four pastas, a steak, and a side to share,” he explained. “Finish the meal with a homemade gelato and espresso, and I think you’d experience everything we have to offer. It’s a real taste journey.”

Osteria Morini
107 Morristown Road, Bernardsville / 908.221.0040
Osteriamarini.com
Cuisine: Italian
Kitchen Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, 5 p.m.- 10 p.m., Sunday, 4 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Price: Appetizers $11 – $15 / Entrees $26 – $35
All major credit cards accepted / Service: Friendly, professional
Bar: Full bar with a focus on varied selections from the main
wine regions of Italy / Parking: Street, valet
Private Parties: Yes