“Food is art, and food is love. And we should show love and appreciation for those who cook it by eating it with relish.” – Mark Bittman
Two weeks ago, the hubby and I went over to Rutherford N.J. on Friday night for dinner. Rutherford is one our favorite towns to go out to eat. We stumbled upon this place in one of our dinner outings. We checked out their menu and decided to make a reservation. Here we are😊! Panebianco Cucina is located in downtown Rutherford. They offer a wide range of Italian and Mediterranean fusion-inspired dishes, along with a seasonal menu, desserts, crafted cocktails, and wine, all in an elegant yet comfortable dining room.
Lets start with drinks and the appetizer. My husband ordered a cabernet, (which was very good), but I wanted to try one of their cocktails. Per recommendation from our server, I ordered the “Midnight in Amalfi.” This is made of Ocho Plata Tequila, Limoncella, Raspberry, Liquor 43, and Ginger Beer. Refreshing and not over the top sweet. This drink definitely made me feel like I was on the Amalfi coast of Italy. We then ordered our appetizer, the Feta Cheese Turnover. The Turnover is made of apricot, pistachio, thyme and a honey drizzle. I loved the gold crust of the puff pastry! It was also airy, and the cheese added a nice richness to the dish. It was a great mixture of savory and sweetness. A great combo!
Dinner! I ordered the Cavatelli Ragu Di Salsiccia, which had Italian sausage, guanciale, pomodoro, and goat ricotta. So good! The pasta is made in house (which I’m a huge fan of 😋😋) … great flavor and texture. Loved the sauce and the guanciale provided a nice additional saltiness to the dish (Italian cured pork made from the cheeks of a pig). But the addition of the goat cheese added a nice creaminess and tanginess that balances out the richness of the sausage and guanciale. My husband ordered from the specials… he had the spicy rigatoni (again the pasta was made in house). The sauce was flavorful and had just the right amount of spice. He loved the addition of the burrata! The creamy, buttery center, added a velvety, cooling agent to the spiciness of the dish.
Moving on to dessert! The dessert was ordered off of the special’s menu. It was a chocolate and pistachio panna cotta. What a great combo! Loved the flavor profiles of this dessert. The pistachio provides a distinct nuttiness and crunch to the gentle yet luxurious sweetness of the panna cotta. The addition of the chocolate provides a richer, slightly more intense flavor to this dish.
Overall, Panebianco was excellent. It’s a great date-night spot but also perfect for gathering with family and friends. The food and presentation was incredible. The staff was super sweet, friendly, and attentive. My husband and I will definitely be going back. Thank you for reading my review and continue to chomp away!
-Chomping Chica