Had dinner again at Panevino in Livingston and it is still good. Since my office moved to Livingston it has been a frequent lunch destination, though it is often mobbed at lunch. And I did have dinner last spring out in their garden which is very pleasant. But last night's dinner prompted this post.
Enjoyed a glass of Banfi Principessa Gavi and a glass of Col D'Orcia Rossa Montalcino.
We had the calamari, very tender with two nice sauces, traditional marinara and a herbed aiola; the grilled shrimp on cannelloni beans with pancetta, just the right amount of olive oil garlic and very fresh parsley and a tricolori salad. Greens were crisp and dressing just right.
There selection of wines by the glass is decent, with a good cross section from Italy and California. With the appetizers I chose the Banfi Prinipessa Gavi; which was crisp and flavorful as it should be. On my last visit I recall being disappointed by the Pinot Grigio but that may have been just me. You will find more discussion on the wine below.
For our entrees Nell, my daughter had the Lasagna, which she said was good, not excellent, we reminisced on the best Lasagna we ever had. Hers was in Italy in the hills of Tuscany, mine was homemade by an Italian girl friend so many years ago. With the entree I had a glass of the Col D'Orcia Rossa Montalcino, which was a pleasant surprise, very rich, full body, with great fruit and just the right amount of tannin. On further research I find that this wine got a 90 points from Wine Advocate.
Their wine list by the bottle is quite good, but I have never been with a party large enough to try this.
For dessert we enjoyed the Panna Cotta with fresh berries. It was delicious.
For a what is actually a corporate restaurant, Restaurant Associates, Panevino gets good marks in my book.
Banfi Principessa Gavi is available at many wine shops around New Jersey
"Considered the premier dry white wine of Italy, Principessa Gavi compares favorably with the world's noble wines. Superlative with a distinct personality, Principessa is fruity, fresh and crisp with a gentle acidity and balanced finish. An ideal accompaniment with all shellfish, it also marries well with fish, veal and grilled chicken, as well as with the delicate flavor variations of Japanese cuisine." From the Producer
I love Panevino. I moved down to florida and can't find anything even to close to the taste down here. I love the ice tea. Do they have a website and sell the tea on line.
Posted by: Sue | 04/20/2009 at 09:47
My experience with Panevino is that it is a hit or miss. The biggest variable is service - the hostess can be really rude and unhelpful or really charming and gracious.
Their Pizza is good, especially the Quattro Stagione but again depends on who is really cooking in the kitchen. All is all, a mediocre restaurant - try Danielle's in Chatham instead
Posted by: andrew gondolfi | 02/18/2007 at 17:31
i popped in last night. they were pouring Banfi rossi di montalcino, but at 12 bucks a glass i passed. had a pedestrian chianti instead, but it was appropriate enough for the pizza.
the pizza was good, but not quite as good as its cousin Naples 45 in NYC. seemed like a nice place though. family friendly, outdoor seating. bright and airy. the next time i'll try that steak salad.
Posted by: tommyeats | 05/11/2006 at 14:25
Yes, Panevino is a Restaurant Associates establishment, http://www.restaurantassociates.com/ and is among several other great restaurants.
I like Pane's Pizza but my favorites are their Veal Spezzatino and the Tuscan Beef Salad. Both go very well with the Rossa di Montaleano they serve.
Posted by: Tommy | 05/11/2006 at 08:55
Peter, i just posted something about Naples 45 on my blog here, and an astute reader clued me in to the fact that Panevino is related to Naples 45. This is great news for NJ. I'm not sure how this one flew under my radar, but I see you've already been on the case. Have you had the pizza here? I find that Naples 46 excels at Neapolitan style pizza.
Posted by: tommyeats | 05/09/2006 at 13:54