What's the Best Italian Restaurant In Passaic County?
- Aldo's Cucina, Wayne
- E & V Restaurant, Paterson
- Novelli, Wayne
Sounds straightforward, right? But with a dizzying array of options – everything from old-school red sauce joints to modern takes on Grandma’s homemade cooking to trattorias with gourmet pizzas -- the answer can be hard to answer.
We asked for your favorites; three have been narrowed down as part of our contest and those finalists have been profiled this week.
Voting continues until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28. You can vote multiple times, albeit once per day.
Grab a fork, read on, and let your fingers do the clicking. The winner will receive a framed DVlicious certificate as well as the pride in knowing it offers a taste of Italy close to home.
E&V Ristorante, 320 Chamberlain Ave., Paterson, (973) 942-4664
What Makes It Pasta Perfect: Brothers and co-owners Ralph and Elio Federico learned to cook authentic Italian dishes at their mother's side. One of those dishes, now a perennial chef's special, has been on the menu forever: homemade fettuccine topped with shrimp, shiitake and button mushrooms, artichoke hearts, prosciutto and a sauce made with white wine and a touch of marinara.
Some of the customer favs include: filet mignon bruchetta, penne a la vodka and stuffed chicken with brocolli rabe . But be warned, the portions are huge, so expect to be bringing a "doggie bag" home with you.
Worth Special Mention: The old-school eatery, which opened in 1967 as a pizzeria and then switched over to a full-fledged restaurant in 1982, has been rated “excellent” by Zagat and was once featured by Eyewitness News (ABC, Channel 7) for its authentic dishes such as veal marsala, spendini (meat rolled around a filling or minced and formed into balls then batter-dipped and cooked on a skewer) and seafood.
At the same time, the Federicos say they keep up with the culinary requirements of the time. Now a fixture, E&V (The V in the name is from Vince, Elio’s original partner) prides itself on its generous portions, attentive service, moderate pricing and customer-driven dishes.
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