Jersey Spin - August 2011 - NJ Food Reviews - D'oro in Chatham, NJ And Reservoir Restaurant in South Orange, NJ

D'oro - Main Street in Chatham, NJ, has connected locals here with east-bound highway service for years, and also with some remarkable and sadly some unremarkable dining options. Doro has taken up shop in what was once one of those unremarkable locations. Will the locals fare any better with this restaurant? I was curious as I always am and checked it out one sultry summer evening.

Held over from the previous restaurant is an odd, somewhat disjointed, entry which walls off two window tables. Personally, I wouldn't want to sit there as everyone walking in or out must pass these two tables, but there was a party sitting at one of them this evening and they didn't seem to mind.

The menu was full of the usual suspects in Italian fare, but as we all know in New Jersey it had better be good. Once inside, the place was cozy and it's always nice to have some fresh bread and olive oil to enjoy while looking at the menu. I decided to go with the Pollo Caprese with a Caesar Salad to start. The Caesar Salad was delicious and expertly made. It was the total package, fresh romaine, homemade dressing and croutons and (here's the expert part) served on a chilled plate.

I was really looking forward to my entree and it was delicious... chicken nice and tender with a flavorful Panko crust and topped with Arugula greens. My guest had a chicken dish called Chicken Sorentina which consisted of chicken cutlets, very thin sliced prosciutto, eggplant, mozzarella cheese with a sherry sauce. It was accompanied by mashed potatoes, julienne vegetables and could not have been any better.

Doro is a far cry from the disaster restaurant it replaced and wholly worthy of your personal appraisal, so by all means check it out. Yes, it's not cheap, but it is enjoyable with warm appreciative service and it represents a solid offering along this quaint New Jersey street. - Jersey Shadow -

D'oro
219 Main Street
Chatham, New Jersey 07928
Phone: 973-701-6990

Credit Cards Accepted - BYOB - Parking in the rear

Reservoir Restaurant - I always like to visit old Jersey classic restaurants... the ones that have been around for years and known by many. The Reservoir Restaurant is just such a place with its classic pizza and old Jersey Italian favorites. Once located in the North Ward in Newark and presently for many years on South Orange, Avenue in South Orange, it's still not far from it's roots geographically and spot on with it's traditional fare.

The Reservoir like many other depression era restaurants in New Jersey still doesn't take credit cards, which is becoming a novelty in and of itself as most places won't survive in New Jersey unless they do. One thing about the Reservoir is that if you want to eat yourself full with old-school Jersey Italian food, this is the place to do it. If you get up hungry at this restaurant, then you forgot to order any food because the portions are colossal.

I had the traditional Chicken Murphy with hot peppers (the only way to go for me) and it arrived in a huge bowl piled high and covered with perfectly cooked and crispy sliced potatoes. The flavor was good and the peppers were nice and spicy. My guest had the lasagna which was remarked as delicious, made even more so by being served right in the metal cooking vessel... very fresh and very homemade flavor.

It was a good trip down the hill to South Orange for a Jersey Italian meal full of unique flavor and dining atmosphere. Nothing like a dining room full of real Jersey conversations to go with a memorable meal. As we all know, there are places in New Jersey where drama and intrigue can often come with a good meal and this place has heaping portions of both. - Jersey Shadow -

Reservoir Restaurant
106 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, NJ 07079
Phone 973-762-9795

Credit Cards NOT Accepted! - ATM Machine On Site - Off Street Parking

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