Via 45 Restaurant

A Red Bank, NJ Restaurant Rating and Review

Via 45 45 Broad St Red Bank, NJ 07701 (732) 450-9945

 

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Price Moderate Fare Creative Italian Restaurant Ratings Food 3.0 Stars Service 2.0 Stars Decor 2.0 Stars Overall Rating 2.5 Stars

Restaurant Review

Most diners report the food is well prepared, innovative, using fresh local ingredients. Most diners report that the two owners are warm and friendly and often come out to the dining room to follow-up. Most diners report that they welcome special requests for altering ingredients and food preparation. Most diners report that the menu is limited Some diners report that on busy nights, the noise level can be high, but not unbearable. Many diners report the service can be spotty and slow.

Via 45 is a creative Italian BYOB that offers a unique, homelike approach to dining and in the preparation of food.

Co-owners and chefs Claudette Herring and Lauren Phillips Daly have adopted the European approach to serving dinner --- shopping each morning, and based on their selection of foods, create the evening menu.

The style of cooking is mostly creative northern Italian with new-age vegetarian and American influences. They offer a limited menu based on 16 dishes made up of four appetizers, four pastas, four fish choices, four meats, with an abundance of fresh vegetables. A vegetarian dish is always included on the menu and generally can be made up as a gluten-free or vegan serving.

The hand written menu changes every day, and can accommodate special requests to alter ingredients and food preparation.

Via 45 supports the slow food movement and local markets with produce and ingredients obtained from Sickles Market and Delicious Orchards, and fish from the Lusty Lobster.

The restaurant is small with an intimate dining room giving off a feeling of having dinner at a friend's house.

Diners eating here should be prepared for a casual, conversational dinner lasting up to 2 hours, and sometimes longer with groups of 4 or more. This is mostly due to the chef's approach to food preparation slowing down the output of the kitchen. On busy evenings, the noise level can be high, but not unbearable.

When available, for appetizers try the: Pacu ribs and tomatoes with mozzarella; the Scallop appetizer with prosciutto and peas drizzled with a Madeira wine; or the Goat cheese rolled in pine nuts and grapes with thinly sliced cucumbers marinated in lemon juice, vinegar, and roasted mushrooms.

When available, for dinner entrees try; The clams bianco and eggplant ravioli; The squash ravioli with butter sage sauce; The Roasted Lobster accompanied by zucchini and eggplant; or The Mako shark with broccoli rabe.

Save room for desserts, they are made on the premises. When available try: The Flour less Brownie with caramel and sea salt; The Ricotta Walnut Cake served moist, warm and with homemade lemon cream; or The Banana and Chocolate Frangipane baked inside a puff pastry.

They offer a 15% discount on pre-theatre dinners at Count Basie and Two Rivers.

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