Blu Grotto Ristorante
Rating: Very GoodÂ
We decided to gamble and visit the recently opened Blu Grotto Ristorante, because the odds on a new restaurant having worked out start-up kinks so quickly can be a long shot, but we were pleasantly surprised, actually quite pleased with the quality of the food and service. A free-standing structure on the grounds of Monmouth Park Raceway, the airy interior has a main dining room, bar area, and a large multilevel deck outside. If not for the betting machines and TV screens in the bar, diners might forget where they were.
Chef James Corona, no stranger to our area, had been Chef at the renowned Doris and Ed’s and the now closed Sogno in Red Bank, as well as some high profile New York City spots. His experience and expertise were quite apparent in the pretty plating and creative ingredients of our dishes.
From the Crudo offerings, we chose the night’s special: Raw Scallops ($15), thinly sliced disks, fresh tomato, basil, and minced anchovies. Light, and refreshing, it was artfully composed on the plate and tasted as good as it looked.
Raw Oysters Appetizer (MP), with mignonette and horseradish sauces, showcased three sparkling fresh Hama Hama and three briny, sweet Kumamotos, both natives of the Pacific Northwest.
We could not resist ordering the rarely seen Octopus Salami ($15); large, translucent slices, with chickpeas, Castelvetrano olives from Sicily, and mizuma greens. Octopus is prepared, then shaped in half a plastic bottle to create the look of a log of cured meat, before being sliced into rounds. Perhaps a bit too much black lava salt crystals on top, but otherwise a real treat to find this savory dish on our side of the Atlantic.
Butter Bibb Salad ($9); crispy lettuce, thin slices of ripe peach, bitter radicchio, shaved pecorino and honey-sherry dressing, was the perfect light starter for a hot summer’s night; another fine example of the menu showcasing local and seasonal ingredients.
An entrée special of Day Boat Scallops ($30) shared the plate with summer corn puree, farro and corn succotash, zucchini, cauliflower, mushroom caps and Romesco sauce (almonds/red pepper). Large sea scallops, perfectly seared, were juicy and sweet, their lush texture enhanced by the succotash – one of our favorites of the night.
Skuna Bay Salmon ($26), from Vancouver Island, looked gorgeous, and was a novel change of pace from the usual salmon preparations. A generous square of medium rare fish with green zucchini, tender fennel ragout, and a dollop of cooling basil yogurt on top, made for a great contrast of flavors in every mouthful.
Veal Limone ($27); veal loin, artichokes, caperberries, and of course, lemon, was perfectly tender and juicy; the sauce creamy, but light.
Another special of the evening, Filet of Bronzino ($28); tender baby artichoke hearts, Marcona almonds, green olives and a white wine sauce showcased the sweet, delicate fish.
A more than generous serving of crisp Tuscan Fries ($6) was noteworthy, with their fluffy interiors, and light dusting of rosemary and herbs. Highly addictive, they are not to be missed.
There were numerous pastas offered on the menu as well, which were very tempting, but we just did not have enough room to sample any of them on the night of our visit.We intend to return to investigate them soon.
The broad wine list, with a number of interesting bottles, was quite gently priced. We quite enjoyed the refreshing acidity and minerality of a 2012 Giacomelli Vermentino ($36) which was easy to drink on this warm evening, and paired especially well with the oysters, octopus, and scallops. The Vermentino grape, as made by a number of artisanal producers, lays waste to the poor name Pinto Grigio and Soave lend to Italian whites wines; it is that good.
Our nonwhite wine loving guest opted for 2013 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir ($13/glass), a well-made version of this grape, more resembling the leaner Burgundy style, than the usual California Pinot fruit bomb. A perfect match for the veal and the salmon.
As it turned out, our visit made us feel like real winners. We sat outside on the deck, listening to live music from a talented guitarist, and really enjoyed the food. Our server knew her way around the menu and specials, and was accommodating as well as entertaining. Chef James is clearly enjoying his freedom to create a new style Italian restaurant with some of the prettiest plating we have ever seen, as well as serving up intriguing combinations of ingredients. We are willing to bet you will enjoy Blu Grotto Ristorante, too.
The Two Bobs rate Blu Grotto Ristorante: Very Good.
Blu Grotto at Monmouth Park
200 Port Au Peck Ave.
Oceanport
732-571-7900
Bob Sacks, wine aficionado, and Bob Sickles, owner and operator of Sickles Market, review restaurants in this bimonthly column. Read their reviews here.
