In the heart of Linden, in a comfortable nest of its
own, sits a beautiful building complete with an abundance
of parking, fine external landscaping and miniature lights
that lure you into the surprise of an extraordinary, well-decorated
restaurant with high-style decor that includes fine Tuscan
design to Venetian and Roman appointments.
III Amici is vast and accented very stylishly with large
mirror treatments to avoid anyone having to stare at a
blank wall. The large, highly sophisticated bar is very
spacious and very up market. There is a provision for
entertainment, which I will talk about later. There are
at least two dining rooms on the first floor and the banquet
room downstairs seats approximately 200 people. The waiters
are all attired in formal tuxedos and the associate staff
is in formal attire. The wait staff is especially courteous,
extremely polite and efficient. Tables are spacious and
comfortable.
After being seated by the Maitre D', Stefanos, a leisurely
drink order followed along with the splendid menus. Giovanni
Lavorato, who is the owner, told us that the restaurant
is 15 years old. His head chef is his brother Mario the
chef, and the brothers hail from Calabria, Italy. The
menu is especially ambitious, running through the obvious
pesce and meats, including veal and chicken and pasta.
The appetizers present a large array of selections, one
of which is a signature appetizer, Spiedino Romano - a
wonderfully prepared bread with the center removed and
filled with mozzarella, which is dipped in flour and egg
and fried with an anchovy sauce. A very hearty and deliciously
tasty offering.
The Hot Antipasto is a medley of wonderfully stuffed
mushrooms, stuffed clams, shrimp, peppers and fish and
mussels. For those with hearty appetites, this is not
to be missed. The special appetizer of the day, a generous
offering of large oysters with a warm champagne sauce,
would delight anyone's palate. The salads are Caesar,
Endive, Tre Colori and Arugula. The Arugula, in particular,
features a tangy dressing. I could write a book on the
soup, starting with Pasta Fagioli. This is served in a
large, very beautifully decorated bowl with the finest
of red and white beans in a chicken broth. It is best
described as an elixir, a hearty soup with ample portions
and spiced to perfection. Escarole Fagioli, another premium
Italian soup with sauteed escarole together with wonderfully
flavored beans, is in a garlic and oil broth.
The Stracciatella Romana, which is the Italian version
of egg drop soup, meets all the tests of this great Roman
dish. Eggs are dropped slowly into a pot of bubbling chicken
broth and Parmesan cheese is added to make it a delightful
dish. Pasta comes in at least 10 versions in this spectacular
menu. The Linguine al Pesto fits the classical description
of al dente as the linguine is topped with fine Parmesan
cheese. Ravioli Bolognese again offers a very generous
portion of ravioli together with the classical meat sauce,
aromatic and tangy. Other pasta dishes are Rigatoni Amatriciana,
Spaghetti Genovese, plus Lasagna. The pasta dishes at
our table were enormous, beautifully presented variety
of fish swimming in a piquant sauce over al dente pasta.
The dish includes large, tender shrimp, clams, mussels
and several varieties of fish served on a steaming hot,
decorative platter fit for a king or queen.
Stuffed Shrimp includes a large portion of delectably
stuffed shrimp with bread crumbs, cheese and crabmeat.
A most tender presentation. This chef really knows how
to cook fish and shellfish. The Sole Francaise, which
was cooked to perfection in a lemon butter sauce, was
grand. Other items on the fish menu included Shrimp Scampi,
Stuffed Sole, Snapper Livornese and Calamari Marinara.
I would like to eat my way through the fish menu. The
meat menu is slanted strongly toward veal dishes and chicken
dishes. However, in the writer's mind, the Double Veal
Chop reigns supreme. I ordered the veal chop grilled medium
rare with no sauce. It was an absolute delight. The quality
of the veal was such that it was fork tender. The subtle
seasoning brings out the taste of veal to perfection.
I highly recommend this dish.
The Filet Mignon Provolone presents an ample steak, beautifully
seasoned in provolone sauce. Again, the quality of the
beef and the subtleness of seasoning make it a must. The
broiled lamb chops are double-thick, broiled and seasoned
to enhance the taste of the lamb. They are perfectly grilled
and one must have them in order to assure that they are
a most tasty delight. The vegetables, Sauteed Broccoli,
Sauteed Escarole, Sauteed Broccoli Rabe and Sauteed Spinach,
make a great accompaniment for any of the entrees. During
the mid-part of the dinner, music fills the air. Very
soft mood music is a fine accompaniment to a perfect dinner.
A lovely touch to fine dining.
Coffee of all types are available. Cappuccino, espresso
and a most delightful dessert menu are available. The
Cheesecake is a specialty. Chocolate Torte and Fruit Torte
plus Ice Cream and Berries bring to a close a lovely evening
of great dining. As you leave the restaurant, sounds of
music make you desirous of your next visit to III Amici.
