New culinary gem cuts dazzling image

March 3, 2002

Rating: ***1/2


"When you are ushered into the gilt-edged, dining room that is Adagio'sshowcase restaurant, it feels as if you have taken a trip back in time.The captain greeting you is wearing a white tie. Classical music plays softlyas you settle onto a chair cushioned in red. The stage is set -- gildedmirrors, tapestry, silver tea service -- for elegance and great expectations.So the immediate question is, "Can the food match the atmosphere?"The answer, happily, is yes.

With this backdrop, it almost would be possible to get away with suchold-fashioned dishes as duck a l'orange or lobster with drawn butter. Butchef/owner Joseph Cetrulo offers up-to-date, interesting selections forthe three-course, $50 prix fixe dinner.

Part of the fun is choosing from among a variety of exciting options,including cloud-like gnocchi with tomato-braised rabbit as a starter, orbranzino (striped sea bass) masterfully crusted with neatly browned potato,a signature dish served with a goat cheese and roasted tomato torte thatprovides excellent contrast to the mild, moist fish.

There are no surcharges, an annoying feature at many other restaurantsthat offer single-price menus. So the foie gras terrine costs the same asthe salad with apple, pear and pancetta.

If you feel like pampering yourself you've picked the right place.

Begin with a cold lasagnette, in which poached lobster and scallops arelayered with octopus, salmon and tuna, a virtual seafood symphony. For warmseafood, there's the pan-seared sea bass animated with garlic, anchoviesand capers, underscored by crushed red pepper, and served over polenta.

Other appetizers run from basil-crusted sea scallops with canellini andzucchini purees to "handcrafted" pasta with freshly chopped lobsterin tomato sauce and a safffon seafood risotto. A more earthy plate centerson prosciutto di Parma, deliciously juxtaposed with sections of braisedfennel, chunks of Parmeggiano and honey/almond glazed taleggio cheese.

There's a temptation to overindulge in warm, lightly-salted focacciastraight from the kitchen, the standout among the breads that are broughtseveral times during the meal. Unless some discipline is exercised in regardto the bread tray, you'll slight your entree.

The array of main courses is as intriguing as the starters, which isnot always the case elsewhere. Our meal started with complimentary sleeksalmon rillettes topped with Beluga caviar and remained at the same loftylevel until the last sip of cappuccino.

Entrees have roots in several cuisines, from the Tuscan barbecue saucethat comes with the grilled yellow-fin tuna to the French-inspired creamyleek sauce on the pan-braised salmon with artichokes. There's the touchof the Orient in lobster tail, sh#mp. and scallops, done tempura-style andready for dipping in an outstanding sweet and sour sauce or a smooth remoulade.

Veal comes two ways, braised and seared, on the same plate with a risottoof root vegetables. The meat was a shade too bland for maximum effectiveness.It was the reverse situation with the herb-crusted free-range rack of lamb.Its porcini-Dijon sauce should have had a bit less mustard. But the meatwas perfectly partnered with wilted Swiss chard and a black olive/potatopuree. Roast Muscovy. duck in a sherry reduction with diced potatoes andbutternut squash, available only for two, is the lone poultry choice onthe prix fixe menu.

The final course includes coffee, tea, cappuccino or espresso and petitfours, as well as desserts produced by Adrienne Fragomeni. The most glamorousis the tartlette featuring a swirl of carmelized bananas combined with chocolateand a banana cream. It could easily serve two. Those looking for somethinglighter should try the kitchen-made sorbets -- perhaps the spring-like whitepeach or the slightly more intense raspberry. Gelatos also are producedon the premises.

The wine list, includes representatives from the West Coast, France,Germany, Italy, New Zealand and Australia. It is nicely indexed, with winesby the glass cross-referenced in the front and then mentioned again, whereavailable, on the roster of wines by the bottle. The wines are classifiedaccording to type, such as light-bodied dry and fruity, or medium-bodieddry with some tannin.

Among the choices by the glass are the Pieropin Soave ($8/$32 a bottle),Stonehaven Merlot from Australia ($6.50/$26) and the Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon($,8.75/$35.) Many of the dessert wines also come by the glass, but if youwant the rarified Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes, you'll have to go for a wholebottle, at $490.

A glass of red wine might come a shade too warm, as one of our choicesdid. Since the bottles for the reds by the glass are housed in the bar theyare not temperature-controlled.With prices by the glass running well intodouble digits in some instances, the wines should be served at optimum temperature.Sipping too-warm wine can be compared to listening to a concert while wearingearmuffs.

One other small complaint -- that classical tape or CD should be changedoccasionally.

Adagio includes both the formal restaurant, which requires jackets formale patrons, but also a more casual taverna, which contains the bar andoffers a la carte dining.

The operation is housed in the former Roots building, the location fordecades of a top-notch clothing store. The Roots sign is still on the structure.You have to look up at a line of subtle lettering to be certain you've foundthe restaurant.

Word that Adagio is a very special place obviously has gotten around,so make sure you don't drop in at prime dining time. The 40 seats here oftenare spoken for several weeks in advance, and one visit, will tell you why."

Adagio's service, food make beautifulmusic

October 11, 2002

Rating: **** (Extraordinary)


"SUMMIT -- Although some may think we hoard our stars and award themstingily, in truth there is no greater pleasure for a restaurant criticthan to find a place worthy of all the stars we have to bestow.

Such a place is Adagio, opened nine months ago in a former bank buildingby Joseph and Cathy Cetrulo, who also own La Campagna in Morristown.

Adagio is actually two restaurants in one. The first, just inside thedoor, offers a la carte dining in handsome dark wood booths adjacent toa long bar. It's convivially noisy, casual and lively.

But behind this room and down a corridor is another restaurant altogether,offering a three-course, prix fixe ($54 per person) menu amidst far moreformal surroundings.

We optedfor the prix fixe experience, and we loved it. Everything isso casual these days it was actually fun to dress up. (Jackets but not tiesare required). The room is beautiully appointed, with oriental carpets,mirrors and classical artwork in baroque-style gilt frames, generously spacedtables covered in white-overtapestry cloths, and attractive wood. chairswith carved backs and upholstered seats.

Service by a formally attired staff is, in a word, perfect.

The three courses offered are an appetizer or salad, a main course, anddessert. An additional course -- if you want an appetizer and a salad, forexample -- may be added for an additional $8.

A tray of wonderful bread selections, including olive raisin, seven grainand rosemary, is passed frequently, and both butter and a robust, frity,full-bodied olive oil are offered. There was also a complimentary appleand pumpkin soup, served in a miniature flute for sipping, that was divinelyflavored and as smooth as silk.

The wonderfully fresh baby arugula, radicchio, and endive salad embellishedwith bits of roasted pancetta,. paper-thin slices of crisp, slightly sweetand slightly tart apple and pear, crunchy walnut halves and cubes of aboutthe most assertive gorgonzola cheese we've ever tasted was tossed with alovely apple balsamic vinaigrette.

Our other appetizer choice featured two enormous, perfectly grilled shrimpatop a toothsome risotto flavored with lemon ginger and fresh herbs.

One of our entree choices, a stuffed veal chop, came from a short listof nightly specials. The veal was exquisitely tender, the cheese and spinachfilling superbly complementary, and the marsala-infused sauce ambrosial.It was served with delicious mashed potatoes.

The perfectly poached salmon was served in a soup bowl so that it continuedto absorb the roasted garlic-saffron broth in which it had been poached.The basil pesto couscous served with it was boldly flavored and satisfyinglytextured.

We couldnt work our way very far down the extrmeley tall peanut buttercoupe parfait, but we did manage to sample all of the lovely ingredients:rich vanilla ice cream, chunks of dark chocolate brownie, peanuts, bothpeanut and caramel sauces, and the dark chocolate "straw." Thesinfully rich mocha pot de creme boasted a perfectly balanced mocha (chocolateand coffee) flavor and was served with chocolate biscotti and topped withBailey's infused whipped cream.

Since no one seemed in a hurry for us to leave, we poured the secondcup of excellent decaffeinated coffee from a pretty silver pot and listenedto the exquisite classical background music as our taper grew shorter andshort er and our admiration of Adagio grew larger and larger."