Bon Appétit
Authentic
MEDITERRANEAN
Photos by Dan Epstein
C
alandra’s Mediterranean Grill’s chef Robert Caravaggio is one of those chefs who trained the “old school” way starting in the kitchens of his Nonna, his mom, and his aunt. After a twenty year stint in Las Vegas where he manned the kitchens in places like Sam’s Town, The Tropicana, and Treasure Island specializing in both Northern and Southern Italian cuisine, the need to be near family brought him back to New Jersey. Serendipity happened when he met the Calandra brothers and as he says, he and Anthony “just hit it off.” In the year and a half that Chef Caravaggio has been at the helm of the Mediterranean Grill, he has completely redone the menu in the restaurant, the bar, the catering service, and even the room service at the Hampton Inn & Suites where the restaurant is located. He has created new dishes and some that are wonderfully nostalgic and harkening back 100 years of Italian tradition. There are several restaurant selections worth noting: the Calandra Salad–a deconstructed Greek Salad with cucumber, feta cheese, kalamata olives, onion, grape tomatoes, avocado and dressed with season lemon vinaigrette; and the Watermelon Salad, which includes fresh mint, basil, and pan-seared scallops, seasoned with salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Another salad worth tasting is Insalada Capri, which features sliced beefsteak tomatoes, burrata cheese, sliced prosciutto, roasted walnuts, fresh pesto and just the right touch of lemon vinaigrette. Chitarra Amatriciana is a pasta dish named for guitar strings which it resembles. The pasta is dressed with onions, fresh basil, roasted tomatoes, a touch of pomidori sauce, fresh parsley, fresh pecorino romano, and of course a touch of evoo. A real standout is the Chippino, a fisherman’s stew from the Liguria region, near Portofino. It’s a wonderful combination of calamari, salmon, mussels, clams, and shrimp with a spicy tomato and wine broth which is served with toasted
Chef Robert Caravaggio crostini made of course from the amazing Calandra’s fresh baked bread. Fish is big in Italian cuisine, so you’ll find Chef Caravaggio’s take on Bronzino that is served grilled, with curry-infused couscous, and roasted cauliflower with Italian bread crumbs and garnished with grape tomatoes, shallots, and lemon zest. Not to be missed for lamb lovers is a Mediterranean Rack of Lamb, made from Australian lamb which the chef says is bigger and more flavorful than popular New Zealand lamb. Served with sun-dried tomatoes, couscous, and a cucumber-based fresh Greek salad. Chef Caravaggio gives kudos and says: “I’m proud of what we do here. I have an amazing kitchen crew. I couldn’t do it without them.” He also notes that both servers and kitchen staff have been with the Grill for an average of 10 years. Using the finest ingredients he can procure as well as utilizing the baked goods from the renowned Calandra’s Bakery, which delivers twice daily, the Grill has found itself with rave reviews from Zagat, Diner’s Choice, Open Table, and Trip Advisor. A trip to this truly singular dining experience won’t disappoint. And as Chef Robert says: “It may be the most authentic Mediterranean restaurant you’ve ever visited.”
Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill Bronsino with curry infused couscous 52
Suburban Essex
June 2019
118 US Highway 46 East, Fairfield, NJ Open 11am-10pm - 7 Days www.calandrasmedgrill.com