Osteria Radici, Allentown, NJ: A Restaurant Review

Restaurant Review

Osteria Radici is a very small, storefront BYOB gourmet Italian restaurant located in the charming village of Allentown. It is is enjoyed by diners who come to indulge in non-traditional Italian, inventive inspirational dishes. This is not your typical "Red Sauce, Old School" traditional Italian restaurant

This 24 seat restaurant is owned and operated by husband and wife team Chef Randy and Ally Forrester. Chef Forrester is passionate about his craft and in pushing the envelope in creating a seasonal menu that is largely influenced by his travels to Italy. While Chef Forrester runs the kitchen, Ally manages the dining room operations in a welcoming, gracious, and attentive.manner.

Prior to opening Osteria Radici, Chef Forrester honed his culinary skills under famed international chef Fabio Trabocchi at Fiamma in NYC, and under celebrity chef Scott Conant at L'Empero also in NYC.

In New Jersey, Chef Forrester worked in the kitchens at the Homestead Inn in Hamilton. and the Brothers Moon in Hopewell Borough.

In early 2018, Osteria Radici was a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best 25 New Restaurants in the country.

The dishes are made in-house from scratch. Bread and pasta served al dente, are made in-house daily. Seafood is mostly wild caught and locally procured from Asbury Park's Local 130 Seafood known for their commitment to sustainably sourced fish.

Their seasonal menu that changes daily, features two five-course tasting menus: One from the land and one from the sea. Diners can also choose individual items from an a la carte.menu. The menu is limited to 10 dishes, 4 apps, 2 pasta courses, 2 entrees and 2 desserts. While the fare is Italian, you will be unlikely to be find a red sauce dish on the menu.

To gain the full experience of what Osteria Radici is all about, order all four parts of the menu to sample the different flavors and aromas of Chef Forrester's craft. The portions are not huge and you will not leave overstuffed.

The ambiance takes a back seat to the main attraction --- the high quality of food. The interior is dated, with spartan furnishings and decor having a slight rustic feel. This is offset with modern light fixtures, shelves filled with books dedicated to Italy and its cuisine, and black boards displaying changing Italian sayings and proverbs, and a photo of Italy with pins in it to show the locations of Italy where they have visited. The tables are without linens and set with earth-tone tableware.

Service is warm, welcoming, knowledgeable, and attentive. The dining room is staffed by Ally Forrester and an assistant who both function as waiter, server, and clean up.  Ally is what keeps it all together with her warm welcoming knowledge, attention to detail, and presence to ensure diners are experiencing excellent service.

During the colder months, request a table away from the door.

On street parking may be inconvenient during peak times.

Osteria Radici is open six days/week from 5 PM to 9 PM, Monday through Saturday. Reservations are recommended.

Updated: November, 2018