Restaurant Review: Gargiulo’s Tinton Falls

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By Bob Sacks

There is an almost mythical status heaped upon Brooklyn as the mecca for Italian food, and with good cause. Brooklyn bread, Brooklyn Sunday gravy (tomato sauce), and of course, pizza, are but three of the many Italian foods considered to be the gold standard for their respective categories.

There is a large, long-time Italian population there who will only eat out at an Italian restaurant if the cooking is better than what they can make at home, and that is no small feat! So, imagine what the level of food must be at Gargiulo’s in Coney Island, which has been in operation since 1907. The restaurant was purchased from the Gargiulos in 1965 by the Russo Brothers (Michael, Nino and Victor) and has continued to grow and evolve ever since. With family ties to the Jersey Shore, it was decided that the site of the former Portafino, in Tinton Falls, would be an ideal second location for the historic Neapolitan-style restaurant, so with renovations to the charming, venerable house, this newest iteration opened little more than a month ago.

The menu is still a work in progress, but many standards are offered. We started with Baked Clams ($18); topped with breadcrumbs, the medium-sized littleneck clams were fresh and moist, but unremarkable in terms of seasoning. More garlic and more oregano were needed.

Crowd-pleasing Rice Balls were perfectly crispy and satisfying.
Photo by Bob Sacks

Crabmeat Endive ($21) was more interesting. Three large endive leaves, each filled with a generous amount of juicy lump crabmeat dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil, allowed the delicate flavor of the sweet crab to shine through. A light and refreshing way to start the meal.

We liked the Fish Salad ($17.50), a mix of cooked, chilled, fresh octopus, calamari, scungilli and shrimp, served with bits of celery, olive oil and lemon; each tender element retained its own individual flavor. A more aggressive hand with the seasoning would have elevated this dish to excellence.

Our favorite appetizer was the Rice Balls ($13); seven golf ball-sized spheres of rice, mozzarella and parmesan, coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried, were greaseless and crispy; perfectly suited for dipping in the accompanying dish of rich tomato sauce. Recommended.

Two pastas called out to us as a shared middle course. Fettucine Verdi Gargiulo ($26), a large plate of spinach pasta with shredded chicken, slivers of prosciutto and mushrooms in a cream sauce, was a novel presentation, but the individual flavors were not distinct, and it begged for some garlic and spices to create a needed spark.

We preferred the Fusilli Filet ($24); perfectly al dente, braided spirals, held a satisfyingly chunky red tomato sauce with sautéed onions and prosciutto. A dash of black pepper and some grated parmesan was all the plate needed to ensure that we finished all of it.

Meat Balls ($6/each) are offered as a side dish, so it was vital to try one to compare with other Italian restaurants. This version, a large baseball of ground beef, veal and pork, was very tasty.

An entrée of classic Italian Eggplant Parmigiana ($25), arrived in its own baking dish. The lightly breaded and fried eggplant slices, baked with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil, did not disappoint. It was well cooked and provided a lushly textured mouthfeel.

Chicken Scarpariello ($28) is offered bone-in or boneless; we chose the latter. Well-cooked chicken breast shared the plate with hunks of sweet Italian sausage and potatoes, in a sauce of white wine, garlic and vinegar. We liked this, but suggest the bone-in version as being more authentic.

Homemade Cheesecake, with fresh berries, was rich and creamy but not at all heavy tasting.
Photo by Bob Sacks

There is a modest wine list offering selections from a number of regions of Italy, as well as some from other countries. I was advised that it is still being developed, and will ultimately provide a broader range of selections, hitting all price points. We chose a 2008 Argiolas Costera, ($40/bottle) a Sardinian red wine made from the grenache (garnacha) grape. Although not unpleasant, it was a bit past its prime, the fruit starting to fade, leaving a mild, herbal bitterness. It worked well with the tomato sauce dishes, but was less enjoyable with other preparations.

The dessert menu offered the standard selections. We chose Cannoli ($8); freshly made, crispy shells held a creamy ricotta filling. We also opted for the homemade Italian Cheesecake with berries and fresh whipped cream. Both very good.

Considering that Gargiulo’s in Tinton Falls has only been open for about a month, and is still finding its way, the food showed much promise. The service was warm and friendly, if still a bit unfocused. I have to think that given some time, it will reflect the high standards and rich history of the parent restaurant in Brooklyn, and folks at the Jersey Shore will be able to eat Gargiulo’s food without having to drive the Belt Parkway or BQE for it!

Gargulio’s Tinton Falls
720 Tinton Ave.
Tinton Falls
732-389-9100
Gargulio.com

Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, reviews restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.