The Millstone Times

FOOD & DINING

Osteria Radici New Restaurant is the Talk of the Town In October of 2017, Allentown opened its doors to its newest restaurant; an upper scale fine dining restaurant with contemporary Italian dishes. According to owner and Chef Randy Forrester, “It’s the kind of place where tradition and cultural roots meet the modern Italian kitchen.” Chef Forrester comes from a culinary background, having worked in other area restaurants that include the Homestead Inn in Hamilton and Brothers Moon in Hopewell Borough. Chef Forrester’s extensive culinary experiences have accrued over the years due to the wide array of experience he has gathered fromworking in the kitchens of restaurants in Boston, Philadelphia, and Manhattan, where he learned to blend beloved classical and regional Italian flavors with a modern twist. He and his wife Ally, have traveled throughout Italy and studied different types of restaurants, those of fine dining quality, Michelin starred restaurants, with simpler rustic osterias. Osteria being an eating establishment very similar to a trattoria in that they serve simple, home- cooked meals. Some do have a "rustic" ambiance to them. The chef has come up with a way to blend the two together so he could give the average person fine dining close to home, without having to go to Philadelphia or NY to enjoy a gourmet dinner. In doing so, he has created an intimate ambiance of fine dining where you don’t have to spend a lot of money or dress up to enjoy a fine meal. The chef makes his own baked breads and pastas. Everything is from scratch and fresh, including local vegetables and local seafood from the Jersey shore. The menus are always changing with something different every few days. Chef Forrester’s menu comprises four or five appetizers, four pasta dishes, and five or six entrees. You can bring your own wine or beer. They also offer a selection of Gloria J. wines. The restaurant was recently written up with a raving review in the NJ Monthly Magazine. You can check out their menu for fine gourmet dining on line or visit them on facebook. Walk-ins are welcome but it is suggested, due to limited seating, to call in advance. 609 223-2995. www. osteriaradici.com Chef Randy and his family have lived in the area for some time and when looking for the right place to open a restaurant, they chose the quaint town of Allentown. The inside décor is bright, cheery, and inviting. The restaurant can hold up to twenty-five people, so if you are looking for a place to hold an event, they can accommodate you for lunch or ala- carte dinners. They are closed Sunday and Monday for the winter. They are located at 4 Main Street - Parking in front or on side roads. Hours 5-9. Closed- Sundays and Mondays during winter. They take most major credit cards. Check out some of their mouth watering dishes on their website. Experience for yourself the savory flavors of Old Italy!

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The Millstone Times

March 2018