A honey-lacquered pork chop, decorated with cartoonishly perfect grill marks which hatch along the glossy surface, and toothsome spirals of lemony pasta, tossed with artichokes and torn mint, might initially rope you in. However, it’s the entire menu at Chef Robbie Felice’s Osteria Crescendo, which, right now, is firmly grounded in seasonal flavors, that I’m interested in discussing.
The summer months bring a sort of panache to menus that I have long admired. Bright flavors, competing textures and a bounty of fruits and vegetables at their absolute peaks. Between the spring and summer, I often have trouble picking my favorite culinary season. Luckily, the latter is often an extension of the former—so, it makes my life easier. Plus, there’s really no need to play favorites.
This is blatantly clear at Osteria Crescendo, where Chef de Cuisine Felix Gonzalez’s menu is defined by a careful dance of year-round menu staples directly beside must-try seasonal dishes.
The sleek dining room—scattered with pristinely white marble tables and wrap-around windows—peeks into the semi-open kitchen. But, for me, it doesn’t get better than a casual meal at the bar. After all, Osteria Crescendo’s breathtaking food is only half the story—the bar program deserves just as much praise thanks to Bar Manager Teresa Oh.
If you’ve got company (particularly someone you don’t mind sharing some sips with), start with what I like to call a “Ying and Yang” of Negronis. The OC Negroni comes with mezcal as the base spirit and the vermouth cut in half with Averna amaro, lending a slightly more bitter approach layered with a profoundly smoky flavor from the agave spirit.
On the other side is the Negroni Bianco, which is made with gin, Cocchi Americano (an aromatized wine) and one of my favorites, the Italian rose petal liqueur, Italicus. The pale yellow negroni riff comes swirled over a crystal-clear cube with a twist of lemon. It’s spirit-forward, floral and definitely aromatic, with less bitterness than a classic negroni and a ridiculously smooth, round finish.
I have long considered the calamari at Osteria Crescendo (and sister restaurant, Viaggio) to be one of the quintessential dishes of New Jersey. Taking a sharp detour from your classic red sauce joint fried squid, the calamari here is tender and crisp, plated on a pool of creamy lemon butter and showered with pickled shallots. The fried squid rings are tossed with just a touch of the pickling liquid and chili right out of the fryer. As the flavorful juice hits the hot calamari, it sticks to the surface, so that each bite is infused with that depth.
It’s sweet, bright, salty and punchy. A perfect appetizer, and one that is not seasonally limited—you can get the calamari year-round, and you should. It’s an absolute must.
On the other side, soft gnudi—delicate ricotta dumplings—which were on the specials menu, comes bathed in cacio e pepe sauce. As you cut into each golf-ball-sized gnudi, they ooze with cheese. It’s blisteringly rich and spicy. Another one that appears year-round, and an absolute necessity if you happen to dine on a day that it is available.
Then, it’s straight to some seasonal hits. Charred little gems dressed in herbaceous green goddess dressing and strands of milk stracciatella. The lettuces are crunchy and fresh—with a pronounced smokiness from a trip to the grill. They are chilled before serving.
Nutty sheep’s milk cheese is finely grated over the top and crisp English peas are scattered around the plate. It’s brightly green, both in color and flavor. Layered with a bounty of seasonal delicacies and piled high on the plate. I am picky about my salads, but this one is a knockout.
In stark contrast is the charred octopus, served with roasted peppers and a sweet and sour chili agrodolce. Creamy fried potatoes come on the side and a load of sliced chives adorn the tentacle, bringing a much-needed burst of allium freshness. The octopus delivers a sort of Spanish flair to the menu and pairs especially well with the OC Negroni.
If you’ve dined at any Felice restaurants, then you know pastas are understandably ridiculous. In a good way. Spirals of extruded fusilli are tossed with lemon and butter, studded with tender braised artichokes and showered with torn mint. The classic Roman pairing of artichokes and mint is a staple in the Candia household, and I am happy to see that Chef Gonzalez and Felice share the same love for this combination. Sharp Pecorino Romano and toasty breadcrumbs finish the dish.
It’s simple, yet vivid and symphonic—each ingredient playing off of each other to create a sum that is much greater than its parts.
Curls of pasta called girelle are dyed green with spinach. Coating the pasta is a luscious bolognese bianco—a tomato-less ragu, which is decidedly lighter than its classic counterpart, yet still packing plenty of depth with a trio of beef, pork and veal. The ragu tucks and weaves in between each coil of pasta, along with English peas, wilted spinach and what is perhaps the star, Boschetto al tartufo—a creamy sheep’s milk cheese infused with white truffle.
Again, toasted breadcrumbs come scattered across the top—a sort of Felice staple that you will find at all of his restaurants. It’s a simple addition to pasta. And one that I never grow tired of.
For entrees, Chef Gonzalez bones out a half chicken, leaving just the wing tip intact. This is cooked skin-side down and served over a bed of saucy fregola, a toasted pearled pasta similar to Israeli couscous.
Porcini mushrooms are all over the dish—in multiple forms—like a puree that swirls around the orbit of the plate. That earthiness infuses itself into every nook and cranny, which forms an incredibly complex flavor profile. The inclusion of both light and dark meat creates contrast and avoids palate fatigue. Might I add that both the breast and thigh are cooked to perfection—no easy feat to keep both in equilibrium.
But the star is the pork chop. A must-order. A black pepper glaze lends a sheen to the rib chop, its surface decorated with flawless grill marks. It’s almost too perfect to eat. Almost. The rosy-pink interior is moist and seasoned throughout. The locked-in moisture suggests a wet brine is used.
Around the plate are various other parts of the chorus. Grilled, thick-stemmed asparagus, bitter and crunchy frisée salad and a savory, black pepper zabaglione—a warm emulsion of egg yolks, wine and sugar that is usually served in sweet applications. Crescendo throws you a curveball by serving it with their pork chop, but it totally works.
For dessert, Pastry Chef Meichan Saechao’s menu is uber seasonal. She pipes a crispy cannoli shell with peanut butter crema and raspberry jam. Or, you could go for the vanilla bean cheesecake, rolled in strawberry shortcake crumble.
Six years in, and Osteria Crescendo has certainly found its groove. Permanent menu staples coexist alongside seasonal standouts, offering diners both variety and consistency. With an excellent cocktail list and unique Italian wines, it remains a restaurant that can do it all. That could look like a full spread in the dining room or a quick plate of pasta at the bar—the choice is yours.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
