Stress Free Cooking
by
Barbara Seelig Brown's
Lifestyle Designs

RESTAURANT REVIEWS

Tre Vigne Ristorante
95 Morristown Rd. (Route 202)
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
(908) 221-0017

Hours: Lunch - 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Dinner - 5:00 p.m. - Midnight
Reservations Accepted

    One can enjoy a fine Italian dining experience by visiting Tre Vigne Ristorante in Basking Ridge. This restaurant is part of the group that has had many successful restaurants in the area such as Acquila in New Providence, Rudolpho's in Gladstone and Fresco in Lyons Mall. Tre Vigne, which translates to Three Vines, is located on the property that was formerly occupied by The Giraffe Restaurant, but keep this in mind only to locate Tre Vigne. There have been many notable changes!

    The décor has been toned down to resemble an Italian Villa. The walls are gently textured and painted soft ochre, which replicates the architecture found in Italy. Flickering candlelight in the evening creates a romantic, relaxing atmosphere. In Italy food is one of the most important facets of life and therefore ambiance is very important. You will realize this while dining at Tre Vigne. Fresh flowers grace each table and several large fresh floral arrangements add elegance to the dining room.

    The staff of Tre Vigne is first rate. You will find the entire wait staff to be friendly, polite and very knowledgeable.

    Reservations are accepted to eliminate the stress of rushing in to get a table and silverware is replaced as needed. These are only two marks of this quality establishment, albeit two very important ones.

    The wine list is extensive and very carefully put together. You will find wines to suit every pocketbook and many that are good values for restaurant selections.

    The list includes wines from Italy (of course), France (could these have been inherited from the cellars of The Giraffe?) and California. The Italian selections are varied in price, taste, and variety. You can choose to either splurge on a selection or find value by carefully studying the list of both the red & white wines. You will find such things as Montepulciano, (commonly referred to as Brunello's little brother), which is more affordable and easier to drink than Brunello. For the devoted Italian wine lovers (who might choose to splurge) there are excellent selections in the Brunello, Barbera, Barolo and Amarone categories. A lovely Italian wine that is worth trying and a very good value is the Coppo Barbera at $24. This is a pleasant well-balanced wine with good acidity that pairs well with a variety of foods so that an entire table can enjoy this particular selection. In Italy, the people make it a practice to drink the local wines, feeling that these compliment the local dishes. If you are knowledgeable in the regions of Italy, you will enjoy the vast selection and enjoy selecting accordingly.

    The bar area is comfortable for a cocktail before dinner, or an after dinner drink. The tables are not placed too close together and there is same pleasing soft light as in the dining room. Bravo for the notation at the bottom of the menu that states: Cell Phones and Smoking are permitted in the bar only.

    The menu is a nice size and includes all the necessary dishes to make selecting your dinner a real pleasure. Once you order dinner, a Chef's Compliment arrives. On this particular night, the dish was an extremely well prepared Smoked Salmon on a Cucumber disk with a Goat Cheese Mousse. The Salmon was paper thin and the goat cheese mousse light enough to please even those who are not fond of Goat Cheese. This is a lovely touch and even better when you enjoy it so much that you wish for more.

    There is an antipasti section which includes Grilled Shrimp and Asparagus served over a small amount of Mesculan with Shaved Reggiano, Sliced Tomatoes and Caper Vinaigrette at $11. The presentation was thoughtful and the dressing delicious, however a bit more dressing would be appreciated. The Crab Bisque with Brandy at $7 was light, smooth and seasoned appropriately to allow the delicate flavor of the crab to show through and shine. Some of the other dishes included Porcini Saffron Risotto with Truffle Oil at $10 and Mozzarella Di Bufalo at $9.

    There are four salad offerings which include an Insalata Casa of Baby Greens with a Champagne-Mustard Vinaigrette at $6, Insalata Cesare at $6, Arugula with Tomatoes, Red Onion and Goat Cheese with A Balsamic Citrus Vinaigrette at $7 and the most interesting which is the Baby Spinach with Brie, Pears and Candied Walnuts in a Warm Pancetta Dressing at $7. It is very nice to see Italian flair imposed on a traditional spinach salad. Anyone of these salads would be complimentary to your dinner, regardless of your thoughts on whether or not a salad should automatically be served with the meal.

    The main course includes several pastas such as Linguine Puttanesca at $17, and Lobster Ravioli with Pink Brandy Sauce at $19, just to name of few. You can also find Salmon with Polenta Crust $19, Lamb Medallions at $23 and Filet Mignon with Lobster Medallions at $27. There were additional specials that included a Veal Chop topped with Pancetta and Fontina Cheese at $23 and Pappardelle with Porcini Mushrooms at $20. The veal chop was pounded thin and left on the bone with generous layers of Pancetta and Fontina. A Barolo wine sauce was an appropriate accompaniment. The dish was delicious served over mashed potatoes with a julienne of zucchini, carrot and yellow squash. The Pappardelle (long, graceful ribbons of pasta) was prepared with a mildly seasoned Brandy Cream Sauce and Mixed Wild Mushrooms, mainly Porcini. Porcini are seasonal, rather expensive, and generally not found fresh in this country so this dish proved to be a treat that even an accomplished home-cook would not be likely to prepare at home.

    A dessert menu that includes homemade ice creams and sorbets, as well as the standards, is presented at the end of your entrée. The dessert menu also includes a selection of Ports, Cognacs and Cordials or Digestifs. The freshly made Mango Sorbet served with Fresh Fruit was a lovely compliment to a very satisfying meal consisting of the Veal Chop, Pappardelle with Porcini and Grilled Shrimp Antipasti. The Mango sorbet was freshly made and there was no shortage of fresh Mango used in the preparation. If you are a fan of mango, this is the dessert for you, especially after a meal of rather ample portions. The Espresso and Cappuccino scents fill the room at this point and you can't wait for yours to be served. The Ports ranged from $8-$16 per glass and provided a sampling of Ruby, Vintage and Tawny. It is amusing to read the list of Cognacs ranging from $9 - $125 per glass. One must really be celebrating to find it necessary to spend $125 per glass and that raises the question, do those customers know or do they not know what they are doing? Grappa is also available at $8 - $15 per glass. Grappa often suffers as an evil stepchild since it is distilled from the residue left in winepresses after the juice is removed for the wine. It is rather fiery and perhaps an acquired taste, however, very much appreciated in rounding out the menu.

    Private rooms are available that can accommodate up to 80 per room. There is a graceful staircase that will lead you and your guests to the party facilities. Parties can be personally arranged by calling the restaurant.

    The restaurant property provides ample parking.

    The sign is rather unassuming and does not suggest the lovely, elegant interior, upscale menu and attentive service.

    This is a restaurant worth visiting for a long, leisurely, relaxed dinner. It has the professionalism required for business functions, the softness required for a romantic evening with your loved one, and ample room for a very special family occasion.

    Jacket and tie add to the ambiance and also allows the ladies to dress up for a change. So give Tre Vigne a call for a reservation, put on something that makes you feel good and enjoy the food and wine of Italy in surroundings reminiscent of an Italian Villa that can be found right in Basking Ridge. Buon Appetito!

Stress Free Cooking by Barbara Seelig Brown's Lifestyle Designs

RESTAURANT REVIEWS

Stress Free Cooking
by
Barbara Seelig Brown's
Lifestyle Designs