a great family-style Italian restaurant

I made a quick one-night trip across the country on Tuesday and had a chance to have dinner at one of my favorite Italian restaurants — Attilio's in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Not a fancy restaurant, it's in a strip mall right next to a ShopRite supermarket.

Attilio's has great pizza and a small restaurant in the back. I hadn't eaten there for over 20 years, but everything was uncannily unchanged. Same menu (but higher prices), same pictures hanging on the wall, and the same family-style Italian food. I had the seafood combo over linguine (the first dish in the video), my daughter had clams with white wine sauce, and my son had baked ziti.

Highly recommended if you find yourself on the Jersey Shore, Attilio's is located at the intersection of Routes 36 and 71 in West Long Branch. Reservations are not necessary.

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Prague | unique pasta and pizza restaurant

When you come to Prague, you will of course want to try the local cuisine. I had a great potato soup for lunch one day and an incredible dinner one evening created by the Michelin-starred chef of the Four Seasons' Allegro. But for a very different kind of experience, try Ristorante Pizza Nuevo, part of the Ambiente group of restaurants. It's said that John Travolta loves this restaurant.

Although you can order off the menu, you'll probably want to choose the Degustazione Alla Campania, the "try as much as you can" pizza, pasta, and antipasti buffet. After a sampler plate at the antipasti buffet, the wait staff keeps bringing around all different varieties of freshly prepared pasta and pizza. The atmosphere is fun, the food is delicious (and filling), and you definitely will not leave hungry.

This is not a restaurant that tourists know about, but it's only a 5 minute walk from the main square of Prague. Even at 3 p.m. in the afternoon, the place was filled with locals, always the best restaurant recommendation. Ristorante Pizza Nuevo is a fun, good, and non-fussy pizza and pasta place to enjoy with your family or go out to with friends.


Ristorante Pizza Nuevo (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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