Grotticella (grow-tee-che-la) means “little cave” in Italian. In ancient Italy when there was no refrigeration, wine was stored in caves to keep it cool. Since wine is traditionally accompanied with a meal in the Italian culture, dining establishments throughout Rome and other cities have been built in actual caves. Grotticella Ristorante is our little cave on Corkery Lane. Come and enjoy the treasures of our wine region and taste the authentic culinary experience blending both the best wines of the region with fine traditional Italian cuisine.
Our family welcomes all of you with open arms at Grotticella Ristorante, YOUR TREASURE!
Grotticella is a BYO restaurant: |
Grotticella Ristorante Italiano | Discreet Diner
Typical of South Jersey's finest eateries, Groticella is in a strip of storefronts. Last year, Nino and Caterina Chirico assumed ownership, made some adjustments in the decor, changed the menu and added an espresso/wine bar. They opened their restaurant on Aug. 1, 2005. "We serve high quality food in an intimate setting," Caterina Chirico said a few days after our visit. I agree. Step inside and you could be on the Continent. The place is large and lovely. The tables are nicely spaced and dressed in white linen. Italian music plays softly in the background, ceiling fans hum gently, and candles flicker on the tables. The chairs are nicely padded, and we settled in for the experience. We started with calamaretti fritti ($8.50) and a special appetizer, mussels in a tarragon cream sauce ($10.90), and had them served family-style. Excellent choices. We asked for the calamari to be well-done; they were crispy and tasted of the sea. The marinara dipping sauce was slightly spicy. The mussels were those little ones from Canada, and they were as tender as could be. Don't forget to dip the warm rolls in the cream sauce. Yum. Our server was friendly and attentive and allowed just enough time between courses for us to refill our drinks, chat, and get ready for the main event. The deputy selected one of the evening specials, capellini della Nonna ($17.90), salmon and shrimp with capellini and sun-dried tomatoes. She was in heaven. There was so much salmon and shrimp.The portions were ample. And we each had plenty to take home. In a place with food this good, we had to save room for dessert. Good thinking! All the desserts are homemade, I later learned. The lemon tart ($6) was the deputy's choice. I like lemon flavor, but sometimes it's too tart for my taste buds. This was an exception. The filling had a sweet, smooth lemon taste, and the crust was so light and flaky that it left us trying to figure out, "How do they do that?" The tiramisu ($6.50) was very pretty. I would have preferred it to be a little creamier, but the flavor was good and it was quite satisfying. At the end of our meal, we both agreed: The reader was right. But isn't the reader always right? In our later telephone conversation, Caterina Chirico asked whether I had tried the zuccotino ($6.50), one of their specialty desserts. "No," I said. "What is it?" Then she told me: "It's like an upside-down dessert with chocolate mousse with chocolate chips, then vanilla mousse with almond chips, caramel at the center, then a thin layer of sponge cake. Drizzled on top is chocolate sauce." |
When a restaurant comes highly recommended by a regular reader, the Discreet Diner has high expectations. Kumko Murashima wrote in to say that Grotticella Ristorante Italiano in Williamstown is a must-see eatery. "You won't expect to see such an elegant and reasonably priced Italian restaurant in this region," the Rowan art professor said. So I signed up a deputy and we headed out.