Now this place was hyped, and I mean hyped. It was talked up so much to me by so many people that I was afraid to try it. Truth be told I usually don’t go out for Italian, since I am Italian and I cook Italian every Sunday with my son since he was two. For us, Italian/American dishes are at home; it’s family.
So when I go out for Italian, I want something different, something I can’t make at home and something that tells me a tale about Italy I haven’t heard. I am so thrilled and happy to have found that at Angelica‘s. It was one of the few times a place not only lives up to their expectations, but exceeds it. My husband and I had just met with friends to watch a sports match in a nearby town. We were in that strange time zone where we could either eat really early or go home and get ready for round two of a busy day and get dressed for dinner out. We chose the former.
As usual, Angelica‘s was packed, but they made room for us in the patio area, which I thought was extremely gracious given how busy they were and the fact that my leggings had pictures of farm animals on them, we weren’t exactly dressed for dinner. The focus wasn’t on how we dressed or who we might be; they cared just as much about us as they cared about their guests dressed to the nines. Everyone that walked in was treated warm, welcoming, and like family. The service was spectacular from start to finish and I have to lead with that not because it was the star of the show, but because it was so appreciated, especially the management. The food was light and bright and full of finesse.
We started with the La Tur cheese with cured meat and citrus with a caramelized coating, and it was incredible. I’m not embarrassed to say I’m not familiar with that type of cheese, coming from Southern Italy, and Sicily, I know all the different variations of Parmesan Reggianos, but this is a northern Italian cheese and it’s delicate and alpine, and it paired so beautifully with their selection of cured meat and that citrus delight.
My husband thought it was excellent, and he does not swing a compliment easily when it comes to food. Some of the other highlights included the best penne vodka I’ve ever had in my life.
I chose to have it with the spice on the side so I could control the heat and it was the creamiest, most wonderful dish. The pasta was cooked absolutely perfectly, not too al dente but not too soft, it was right in that sweet spot in the middle. Perfection.
My husband‘s ravioli were light pillows of fluffy ricotta in a delicate tomato sauce. It easily could compete with the ravioli in Italy.
I was not in a huge fan of the fried olives. I felt they lacked that punchy flavor I was looking for and while the grilled oysters had a very nice delicate, cool citrusy topping, they lacked that saline punch I want, that brininess I crave with an oyster dish, but then again I do prefer mine raw.
Regardless, the other dishes were so stellar it didn’t matter, this was an absolute hit and I would visit there again 100% to try more menu items.
I have to give them one of my highest ratings a 4.8, for the quality ingredients, the incredible flavors, all served up with the absolute best service anyone could hope for. Bravo!
Maria O’Donnell is a food and wine writer at the Jersey Shore and you can follow her @foodwritergirl on Instagram and @CookingwithMaria on Facebook
