March, 2002


"She calls it "today's Italian with a twist" and no, my friend isn't ordering a trendy cocktail. What she is doing is giving me her impression of the menu at Palazzo, a, fine restaurant on Montclair's South Fullerton Avenue.

No argument here. The food, skillfully prepared by executive chef and new owner John Giglio, is worth the visit. His menu presents fresh interpretations of Italian standards along with bold forays into world cuisine. And it's served in an atmosphere that is either quietly soothing or, particularly on Thursday through Saturday's jazz nights, extroverted and exuberant.

As soon as you walk in Palazzo, you realize this is not your grandparents' Italian restaurant. A short, attractive oak bar offers ringside seats at a baby grand piano, arabesque ceiling lamps contribute a muted ruby hue to the soft lighting, and dark wood floors add to the approximately 100-seat room's relaxing mood.

Palazzo's staff does a standup job maintaining the comfort level. Waiters are quick to uncork BYO bottles or suggest a glass of wine from the restaurant's exclusively Garden State list.

You'll find Palazzo offers a solid range of traditional starters. A soulful bowl of lentil soup, found on the specials menu, does complete justice to the Mediterranean standby ($5.00). Walnuts and raisins lend a nice touch to a refreshing rusticana salad of baby greens, gorgonzola cheese and tomatoes ($8.00). And Chef Giglio adds a twist to the classic calamari fritti ($9.00) by giving the squid a cornmeal coat before frying. The dish's coup de grace, though, is Giglio's rich, chunky marinara sauce that's neither too sweet nor too tart for this wonderful dish's gentle crunch.

The menu also has two appetizers inspired by Asian cuisine. Exhibit A is a pair of yummy Maryland crab cakes, stuffed with a mix of ground zucchini, squash, celery flowers, crabmeat, mustard, red pepper, and served in a ginger sesame dressing ($9.00), The condiment makes an appearance on the specials menu with Giglios delicious sushi--ten round pieces of perfect tuna given the right amount of peppercorn-crust jump. Don't miss this ten-dollar opener.

Palazzo's well-prepared entrees provide a delightful second act to its light, satisfying openers. The main events showcase Giglio's skill with pasta and his passion for contemporary Italian cooking style. One winning choice is Linguine alla Nostra ($17.00). Here, thin, homemade squid ink-black noodles form a delicious bed for a treasure of clams, mussels, calamari and juicy shrimp. A judicious amount of marinara sauce gives this seafood dish the right fruity counterpoint.

On the recommendation of the staff, we tried another homemade pasta, the Fusili Nicolette ($17.00). These thick, long pasta strips, mixed with earthy mushrooms, jumbo shrimp, spinach and a sun-kissed tomato sauce, create an intriguing flavor that was fun to try and pin down. We never did guess the ingredient pulling the ensemble together was clam juice-an inspired touch.

Giglio's leading culinary aria is risotto. His version of the Italian rice classic on the specials menu, with smoked salmon and asparagus, provides a textbook model of how risotto should be made ($18.00). Each bite of the dish's al dente character, saffron fragrance and smooth consistency (thanks to a touch of cream) is like an elegant taste of Milan. Bravo!

Palazzo's specials also include a ravioli dish of the day, and if your choice tastes like ours, a mixed seafood and sundried tomato ravioli, count on being well fed, Our squares, filled with chopped monkfish, shrimp, salmon, cheese, the tomatoes and a few breadcrumbs, were wonderful. A garlic and oil sauce, artichoke hearts and roasted peppers bring good Italianate flavor to this seventeen-dollar item.

The restaurant's meat and seafood entrees mainly feature dishes that don't stray from the classical. A cheerful, southern Italian touch suffuses poultry dishes such as the eggplant, prosciutto and spinach-layered Pollo Sorrento ($15.00). Fish specials, along the lines of pan roasted Atlantic salmon with nuts, herbs and light breadcrumbs ($22.00), are consistently available. And scallopini fans will enjoy Giglio's Veal Palazzo ($16.00), pounded into a pleasingly soft texture, sautéed with artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes, and finished with Madeira sauce.

I can't leave an Italian dinner without having dessert. Palazzo's final act includes a creamy creme brulee ($6.00) that I was shameless enough to finish with my fingers. And you'll have fun sharing a chocolate soufflé--a warm, semi-sweet, cake-textured chocolate surrounding a scoop of vanilla gelato ($6.00)."

February 22, 2002

"Palazzo is an absolute delight The atmosphere is stylish and sophisticated yet warm and relaxed, with lots of natural wood, fabrics of rich gold and royal blue, classic art on the walls, and crisp linens on the tables. A wine bar and a baby grand - played on weekends by a jazz pianist - are just inside the door, welcoming sights that say "Yes, you made an excellent choice for your dining plans this evening."

Chef John Giglio, who added "owner" to his title just two months ago, has been in the Palazzo kitchen for three years. When he purchased the restaurant, he kept everything the same, except for hanging an "Under New Management" banner over the front door.

Prices are moderate, and quality is high. Portions are the perfect size: just enough so that you can comfortably clear your plate. And trust me, you'll want to clear your plate.

Especially if you're lucky enough to dine on an evening when spinach ravioli in Gorgonzola sauce ($17) is on the specials list Handmade pasta pillows filled with exquisitely fresh spinach are dressed with a bold blue cheese sauce. This is not a subtle dish; if you truly love Gorgonzola, prepare to be enraptured.

There were many such "sop up that sauce" moments at Palazzo. Giglio graciously provides crisp garlic bread with the steamed mussels appetizer ($9). Tiny, tender, and impeccably clean, the mussels are presented with a saffron-kissed, bisquelike sauce far too delicious to leave behind.

Speaking of bisque, shrimp bisque ($7) was soup of the day on one of our visits, and we couldn't resist It was perfect: just creamy enough to be called silky, rich with flavor and beautifully seasoned, with a generous helping of tender, diced shrimp. Another reason to -reach for the bread.

I love the toothsome texture of homemade pasta, and this is definitely one of Giglio's strong suits. Fusilli Nicolette ($17) starred long ropes of flavorful pasta dressed with a lovely, crushed tomato sauce, spinach, sliced mushrooms, and four jumbo shrimp, perfectly cooked.

Everything on the plate screamed "Fresh!" This was an excellent entree.

I also enjoyed veal Palazzo ($17), three supple cutlets drenched in, a rich Madeira sauce along with artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes. On the side of the plate, sautéed fresh veggies and a delightful surprise: a trompe l'oeil baked potato that turned out to be a delicious mashed potato croquette.

That wasn't the only delightful surprise at Palazzo. On our Friday visit a complimentary amuse bouche preceded the meal: a tasty bite of fried cod nestled in an endive leaf with a dollop of creamy remoulade.

Another surprise came a moment later, as we learned that Palazzo has a license to serve only wine, not beer or hard liquor. A short list of recommended wines by the bottle or the glass is well-balanced and well-priced.

Giglio does not shy away from creativity. An appetizer of tasty mini-Maryland crab cakes ($9) has an Asian attitude thanks to a generous jolt of ginger in the dipping sauce. He also features exotic meats: One night kangaroo was on the specials list.

In the game category, I tried the venison osso buco ($24), which fell short of the traditional version. Though the tiny diced vegetables were nearly liquefied by the extended stewing, the meat did not nearly achieve fall-off-the-bone tenderness. The gravy was on the bitter side, and the mashed potatoes were disappointing pointingly thin. This was the only dish that really missed the mark for me at Palazzo.

Well, I did have one other moment of wistful wishing, while eating the arugula salad with goat cheese and Bermuda onion ($6). But that wish was for just an ounce more of the sublime walnut vinaigrette that had been so sparingly applied- The greens were perfect the goat cheese creamy and tangy, and the sweet onions were shaved paper-thin and mixed with marinated diced tomatoes.

At meal's end, coffee was lukewarm, while the cappuccino was scalding hot. Once it cooled enough to drink, it was a tasty treat.

Desserts were good, but one was great: the classic crème brulée. It's been a while since I've had one so perfectly executed. Smooth, creamy custard, rich with vanilla flavor, was still cool beneath the whisper-thin, freshly burnt sugar shell- It was a heavenly ending to a very enjoyable meal."