Tarentella's Going Home To Classics

 Everyone has that one favorite restaurant. It's the kind that's been there forever and has never really changed its' menu. Tarentella's Ristorante of Clark is one such place that has been offering homemade Southern Italian classics for three decades now. It offers everything that's as comforting as a nonna's hug .

This is the restaurant for me.I was first introduced to it by coworkers twenty some odd years ago.It's always been on the radar of people living in Union and Middlesex counties here in New Jersey.It's kind of reminiscent of a Jersey shore restaurant with its' big waiting room and long bar(which is always crowded by locals).I was in the area yesterday and knew I had to stop in for one thing :

This is what was left of their individual eleven inch pizza.Tarentella's is one of the few restaurants  in the Garden State that make anchovy pie and I had to have it . At that moment. with extra sauce too.It was sheer heaven!!! The pizza crust itself was papery crisp, again perfect and the sauce and anchovies were plentiful. This is how pizza should be.I also loved the fact that there was half a loaf of an Italian boule bread a crunchy crusted round loaf with an sweet, chewy inside , perfect with butter or olive oil. The bread alone is worth visiting this place.

I plan on returning - and soon. I was always a big fan of their minestrone which was more of a veggie stew than soup.It was always thick with tomatoes and cauliflower along with green beans. Their chicken Cesar salad was a standout too, with large pieces of  grilled chicken breast in a huge bowl overflowing with Romaine leaves and Cesar dressing along with large, shatter in your mouth croutons. Tarentella's also has a good selection of hot and cold subs along with wraps and panini, perfect for a filling lunch or early Sunday supper. Try their hybrid wrapaninni which is a warmed wrap filled with everything from a vegetarian mix of veggies to ones filled, with turkey , chicken or Italian cold cuts.  Calzones and stromboli are also served and it;s worth trying the Italian hot dogs. Tarentella's also has an extensive array of  meat and seafood dishes for a casual dinner out. You can choose anything from Chicken Marsala to rack of lamb to New York strip steak. Seafood lovers will go mad for their shrimp scampi or filet of sole francaise along with their char broiled salmon and the different sole dishes, one featuring chopped clams. Yes, get the desserts!!!Their capuccino was always my favorite way to end a meal there.Of course they have cannoli and zeppoli but also an Oreo pie, Mississippi mud pie and a caramel apple (!!!) too.

We all have that favorite restaurant that's a huge part of our culinary memories. Tarentella's is mine. Its' food is homemade goodness , perfect and delicious.

Tarentella's  1199 Raritan Road , Clark New Jersey 07660. It's right off the Garden State Parkway exit 135, the first left after the light.