New Jersey Shore - San Remo

Take a plane from Newark International to London or Paris. Make a connection to Milan and hop on the train to San Remo, a mere four hour ride. You will enjoy some of the best seafood, fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, nuts, olives, raisins, chicken, and veal served in any country of the world. OR go to San Remo Restaurant in Shrewsbury, NJ and save yourself all that time and money. Located on Shrewsbury Avenue, just west of route 35, San Remo is an intimate Italian restaurant. A best kept secret of those who enjoy fine dinning, San Remo, like the name sake, represents all of the best features of Italian cooking.

The décor is carefully selected to enhance your experience. Fresco walls are off set by overstuffed drapery rods that balance wisps of delicate fabric. The marble half columns are finished in wall paper so fine that unless you touch it you can't tell its paper. Table settings are white table cloths accented with yellow napkins. Are we in San Remo or are we in San Remo Restaurant? Who could be sure from the inside?

Our waitress, Victoria was pleasant, knowledgeable and attentive. We ordered a combination of daily specials and regular menu items; all to our delight. Hot bread and e.v.o. were delivered to our table just as soon as our wine was opened (Chianti we brought from home). The appetizer of antipasto looked like the right thing to order. We skipped it to our eternal regret.

At the next table, regulars at San Remo did order the antipasto. When it was delivered to the table my suspicion was confirmed. A large plate of seafood, hot and cold meats and cheese, as well as traditional olives, capers, and greens filled the serving platter. What a presentation! We chose the Straciatella soup and the chef's special salad. For those of you who recognize the soup but not the ingredients it begins with chicken broth, egg drop, spinach and cheese. The special salad consisted of baby arrugala with fresh strawberries, sliced roasted almonds, goat cheese and lemon rice wine vinaigrette. Yum!

The Portobello Al Balsamico can be served as an entree. The mushrooms are sautéed in a balsamic vinaigrette reduction along with roasted garlic and served over a bed of arrugala, finished with shredded ricotta salata. The Veal Tedesco is a scaloppini with jumbo shrimp, blonde raisins, and pignoli nuts served in a white wine reduction sauce. Wow! This is something to get excited about.

We ordered a half order of the chef special Lobster ravioli. The dish was light, delicate, aromatic, and so full of flavor that it would be an intrusion on the chef’s recipe to describe it in greater detail. Let’s just say for the record that white kidney beans, truffle butter, roasted garlic, diced tomatoes, a blanched broccoli rabbi and home made pasta were mixed blended and delivered to us like no other dish we have ever encountered. Another Wow! We were beginning to talk about writing a thank you note to our benefactor. (The person who recommended we go to San Remo)

Desserts were a combination of baked goods, supplied to San Remo specifications, and a few home made specialties. We had Zabaglione with fresh strawberries, Tiramisu, and a canolli with a light cheese center dribbled with chocolate sauce and dusted with powered sugar. The cappuccino was delivered in a cute, double size cup with a smiling face on the front.