Patch food writer Donna Colucci visited the Glen Rock Inn to speak with owner Victor Quinn and Chef Dave to learn how to make an amazing chicken cutlet dish. Donna then sat down with Glen Rock Patch Editor Joseph M. Gerace and sampled the chicken cutlet breaded in panko sauteed in olive oil and served on a bed of spring greens showered with tomato basil salsa and mozzarella. Keep an eye out for Donna at a restaurant near you.

If it weren’t so well executed, one might be put off by the mix of eclectic, whimsical and rustic at the new Park West Tavern, which opened last week at the site of the former Winberrie’s restaurant. The initial entrance into the Chestnut Street tavern invites a certain formality. The ceilings are tall, the seating a clever mix of old English pub flanked by plush red chairs beside the bar. A fire burns at the dual stone fireplace while the aroma of slow-smoked meat breezes by. Patrons chat about the girl’s lacrosse victory near the amid the sound of clanking glasses, while businessmen nearby …

The “B.V.” in B.V. Tuscany Italian Restaurant aptly comes from the first initials  of the first names of owners Benny and Vicky Balidemaj, who opened their dream eatery in 2008. It’s quaint and Tuscan-like in appearance, and is perfect for a romantic duo date or family dinner. Two separate dining rooms are adorned with paintings of the Italian Tuscan countryside, and a huge, fully stocked wine rack dominates the back wall of the left dining room. The eatery is located on Cedar Lane in Teaneck with ample street parking and nearby free lots. The prime entrees that most customers order are the …

After talking to Max Viola, the owner of the newPearl Restaurant on Broad Street in Ridgewood, you understand what it means to be a restaurateur by birth. “I love to welcome people, to see them happy, to give them a great experience, and to have them enjoy their meal,” he said. It's as if he'd be having you over his house for dinner. Massimiliano, his name too long to fit on his ID, was born for this. His dad affectionately describes his son as an avid foodie, who loves to eat, and who could fairly critique a restaurant by age 12. Having been around the restaurant business his whole life …

Though Chef’s Table, located in Franklin Square shopping center, can seat less than 50 people, it is one of the best in the area, as the dishes are well-prepared, well-presented and contain fresh ingredients. And it is a break from your go-to restaurants. French restaurants are a dying breed these days. There are only a few in Bergen County, and they’re truly diamonds in the rough, with all of the pizzerias, diners and Chinese joints in the area. On their lunch menu, Chef’s Table offers specialty salads like a mixed green crab meat salad with a zesty lemon dressing, club sandwiches like tuna…

For a restaurant that opened without fanfare in late April, St. Eve’s appears to be doing just fine, the phone ringing off the wall in late morning with people seeking dinner reservations.   Steve and Judi Christianson, who lost their lease at the Citrus Grille in Airmont, N.Y., waited 14 months to get into their space on Maple Avenue in a new building near the Ho-Ho-Kus-Ridgewood border. The building is owned by a couple who used to dine at Citrus Grille and invited the Christiansons to “come on down” when they found out they had to move.   “We were originally looking for a place with a …

Novelli Restaurant has an inviting ambience that allows patrons to enjoy an evening out for a complete dinner or just a drink. Novelli is celebrating its seventh year of operation. The restaurant specializes in creating Northern Italian and Continental dishes. Novelli is a perfect setting for date night. They offer an entire Martini menu with an assortment of popular choices and some new, fun martini varieties, including: vanilla hazelnut, key lime pie, and creamsicle. In addition to the items on the menu, the chefs will prepare any dish you like as long as the ingredients are on hand. …

Pompilio’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in Westwood offers a culinary trifecta. Owner John Sambogna bustles back and forth from pizzeria to restaurant serving as John-of-all-trades; his son-in-law, Johnny, helps out with management, while Sambogna’s daughter, Blair, serves as the restaurant’s in-house pastry chef extraordinaire. Together they help make Pompilio’s a go-to destination when local families want a friendly, economical dining option with a diverse menu that’s sure to offer something for everyone. A recent extension to the existing original pizzeria business, the family restaurant offers …

Dinallo’s Restaurant, Bar and Catering owned by Robert Dinallo islocated at 259 Johnson Avenue in River Edge. Can you say Happy Hour?Make new friends or keep the old on Monday through Friday from 4 to7pm with discounted drinks. Back by popular demand, their famoussangria is sold by the glass ($7) or by the pitcher ($25).Dance the night away on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with DJ Jackfrom 9pm to 1am or join them on a Thursday night and hear the soundsof entertainers like Jerry Tolve or Hunter Hayes both fabulous.Visit on a Sunday and enjoy Old World Italian. Pork bracciole, porkribs, …

If you’re searching for a party spot, family get together location, or just an overall fun dining experience that’s affordable, there's an ideal place right off the Garden State Parkway and Route 80. Family-run and casual, Carucci’s Restaurant & Pub has always been the popular spot in Saddle Brook for great Italian cuisine and pub favorites. Whether you're seated in the bar area with big screen televisions and pinball machines, or a spacious dining room with front and side window views, gracious service and equally great food are yours. Lunch and dinner is served at Carucci’s, and there is a …

Hani Ghobrial and his brother Sam are go-getters in the “clean” restaurant realm. When you first enter Mangiamo! Pizza & Restaurant, you notice the cleanliness, a Ghobrial staple. “The first 10 points is cleanliness,” claims Hani. “Once people first walk in, before ordering food, and asking ‘Do you guys do parties?’ or ‘Do you deliver?’ the place gives you the feeling. We spent a lot of money to put the place together. We’re not a franchise; we're little guys.” The Ghobrials own three Bergen County eateries, and their latest, as of June 10, 2010 is Mangiamo. “Really nice, very nice,” said …

One of Mahwah’s great pleasures sits right off the junction of Route 17 North and South on Route 202 South, having served the town of Mahwah with great food since 1977: The Mason Jar. Located at 219 Ramapo Valley Road, less than a mile from the rolling campus of Ramapo College of New Jersey, the Mason Jar is a popular dining spot for both the college scene, as well as locals, set in a comfortable American pub setting. The Mason Jar is co-owned by Ira Kaplin and Joel Weiss. Kaplin, who was born in Suffern and now resides in Warwick, and Weiss, who is from Woodcliff Lake, bought the popular …

Santorini Taverna is a relative newcomer to Bergen County, having opened just two years ago, but its combination of authentic, interesting food and warm, attentive service should make it a favorite in the future. During its short run I've already heard tell of people walking across the George Washington Bridge from Washington Heights to eat here. I first came to Santorini Taverna when the weather was warmer and found its owner entertaining outside on the restaurant's porch. Though I was there just to take a couple of photos and survey the place, Angelo sat me down and served me some hot tea; …

Upon walking into The Brick House at 179 Godwin Avenue in Wyckoff for lunch two thoughts went through my mind... what a beautiful place and why haven’t I been here before? Aldo Cascio, owner of The Brick House, Aldo’s Italian Restaurant and Pane e Vino, met me at the door. I ordered an espresso and received the grand tour which included the Wine Cellar, Cigar Bar and the Banquet area. There are two kitchens that he built to accommodate the patrons who dine there. Their quaint nooks are perfect for intimate dining.  Built in 1851 as the Terhune House, this historical site has been transformed …

With all the standard appeal of other pizzerias apparent from the outside it's not until you taste a few items from their unique menu that you can appreciate what makes Francesca Pizza stand out from many other Italian restaurants. Brothers Salvatore and Gino Reina opened Francesca Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta in 2008. Their pizza pies, rolls and pasta dishes brim with fresh ingredients and the prices are right for families looking for a great meal. The Margherita pizza, the slice that their employees call their "most popular," is a thin slice with crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, pecorino romano …

The Fireplace at the juncture of Route 17 and Ridgewood Avenue in Paramus has been a pit stop for shoppers, area workers and travelers for more than half a century. The late Frank Reilly, a Navy vet turned FBI agent, opened a hot dog and hamburger stand in 1956, hiring other agents and their sons to help him. His son Patrick, who runs The Fireplace now, said Reilly soon bought out homeowners adjacent to his fledgling restaurant and built additions and the ample parking lot that surrounds The Fireplace today. "Until the 1970s, only men worked here," Patrick recalled.  "And the part-time kids …

Sometimes not giving up is a good thing, for both the owner and customer. Such is the case for Yummy Hot Bagel, recently opened at 155 Route 17 South. Brothers Sam and Rami Yehia (along with a third brother, who now owns a bagel shop of his own in Dumont), originally opened two Three Brothers Bagel shops, both in Hackensack, from 1993-2005.  And now the third, under a new name. “After we sold the others we were looking for location,” said Sam Yehia. "Paramus is a very good town with a big population, lots of diversity, lots of people, and high density business.” And lots of those people and …

Kailash, which symbolizes a sacred place in the Hindu consciousness,is located in the heart of downtown Ridgewood and it is hard to miss, these days as the chefs built an enormous igloo-styled palace in front of the restaurant. Passersby cannot miss the snow sculpture, an evolving project.  People stop to take pictures in front of the igloo, as well as taking refuge in its cave-like interior on blustery days. It is much more enjoyable to step inside the warm and invitingrestaurant where you will be treated to more wonderful sights andsounds. Original paintings adorn red walls where fanciful …

This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Damiano Pascali, owner and chef of Roman Pizza and Restaurant in New Milford. Originally established as a pizza parlor 37 years ago, in 1993 Damiano created dinner entrees to expand the business into one of Bergen County's most sought out restaurants. Pascali, along with Chef Elmer, have been serving up Italian cuisine for over 19 years to customers who come from all over to enjoy their creations. In November 2009, Pascali also opened Tre Voci Restaurant in Ridgewood. Using the freshest ingredients mostly from Italy, Roman Pizza and Restaurant…