New N.J. Italian restaurant is a bold challenger in competitive food city | Review

Red Bank continues to evolve as one of New Jersey’s most robust dining destinations, and when something new hits the scene, it’s instantly on everyone’s radar. Add in the element of it being a new chapter for well-known restauranteurs, and the interest piques tenfold.
Esperto Restaurant Group made a splash earlier this year when they acquired Monmouth County favorite, Il Nido. With one Red Bank hot stop, Centrada Cocina & Cocktails, already in their back pocket, they made a move on the former Catch 19 space on Broad Street, opening double-decker Catezza Italian Kitchen & Bar in mid-September.
The name Catezza a take on “delicatezza,” which means “delicacy” in Italian, manager Jacqueline Wuth shared.
“Owners John & Anthony DiLeo and managing partners Anthony Fiorentino and Norman Reola felt that Red Bank needed a new take on classic Italian fare – something more seasonal, traditional and regional,” she said.
With the help of NYC design firm, Celano Design Studio Co, they were able to bring their dream dining experience to Broad Street where guests would feel welcome and comfortable.
When it comes to the menu, executive chef, Dimas Montalvo III (formerly Wave, Taka, Pascal and Sabine and Reyla), was on a mission to create a bright and fresh twist on Italian cuisine.
His signature dish: the quickly popular grilled octopus with farro and Italian hummus.
“I wanted to put out an idea of what coastal Italian means to me: tender marinated octopus, creamy hummus made with cannellini beans instead of chickpeas, and farro tabbouleh, hearty grains with fresh cucumber, tomato, onion salad,” he said.
His creativity can be seen throughout the menu, from the other starters, mains, fresh pastas and pizzas coming out of their custom built, Marra Forni wood-burning oven. Not to mention a mixologist and sommelier on staff to boost the beverage programs.
Fully staffed and stocked, Catezza set the stage what what I hoped would be an exciting and refreshing addition to Red Bank’s restaurant rolodex.
When bread isn’t complimentary, my default expectations immediately heighten. Catezza’s bread service ($8) consisted of an assortment of fresh breads from Balthazar Bakery (Englewood), served alongside whipped lemon goat cheese ricotta, extra virgin olive oil and cracked black pepper. The ricotta was bright and creamy, and the EVOO was deep and grassy, both of which complimented the bread wonderfully. My only qualm was that the bread was room temperature, and would have had more of a wow factor had it been warm, or even better, toasted.
Catezza’s prowess around traditional dishes shone through with the escarole and beans ($16), a comforting dish of tender greens, creamy beans and flavorful, crumbled sausage. Delicate and hearty at the same time, my only complaint here was the absence of toast to sop up the addictive, white wine-scented broth.
A nod to the Sopranos era, I couldn’t bypass the gabagool crostini ($19), 3 thick cut pieces of toasted sourdough slathered with a spicy Calabrian roasted red pepper mascarpone spread, topped with thin slices of capicola, toasted nuts, briney olives and fresh basil. These were almost too much, but the combination of flavors and textures sang “that’s amore” with each bite.
Catezza makes all of their pasta from scratch in house, so I was excited to do a deeper dive into that section of the menu. The better of the two we tried was the rigatoni Bolognese ($31), a rustic take on the famous Italian meat sauce. Instead of a velvety, cooked-all-day texture, Catezza’s version was chunkier, loaded with large pieces of veal, pork and beef. I enjoyed how savory it was, but found the sauce a bit heavy and oily. With a bit more finesse, this dish could be a real star.
And then there was the airline chicken ($34), a dish that stood out as both a conversation piece and menu outlier, but was one of the best things I ate at Catezza. The bone-in, crispy skinned, parley salsa verde topped chicken breast was juicy and well-seasoned. The grilled vegetable blend that accompanied it felt like an overly salty afterthought, but the chicken itself was spectacular.
The meal continued on an upswing with the spicy tomato seabass ($48), an elegant dish of fregola pasta onions, slow roasted tomatoes and a thick, flakey filet of sea bass in a spicy tomato broth. Aside from the lack of said heat, I loved each component individually and together. The fregola was al dente, and the fish was moist and tender. This is a dish I’d absolutely come back for, spicy or not.
We rounded out the meal with a dessert I typically don’t go for, but am grateful we did. What could have easily been mistaken for a fancy cocktail, the fior di latte panna cotta ($14) was a more novel experience than your usual spoon to mouth situation. Layered in a coupe glass, the creamy panna cotta was topped with a smooth strawberry layer and then finished with Prosecco granita and gold leaf. Each bite was sweet, bright, creamy, crunchy, and all in all, felt light and refreshing.
Bearing in mind that Catezza is new, I anticipated a few hiccups, which were minimal and execution-focused. Spaghetti with clams is one of those timeless Italian dishes with a cult following that is loved for its purity and simplicity. Any changes, remixes or enhancements are easily noticed, and can risk falling short of expectations. Catezza‘s spaghetti clam ($30) came close, but had a few notable shortcomings. First, the use of fresh pasta for this dish just didn’t work. Clam sauce relies heavily on the starches from dried pasta as a thickening agent, and with quick cooking fresh pasta, that phenomenon can’t occur. The tightly spun bundle of fresh spaghetti ended up clumping up to the point where it had to be cut with a knife vs. twirled with a fork. Additionally, the pool of sauce that surrounded the bundle had a matte finish and was semi firm, indicating that the dish must have sat a bit too long before it was served. The clams were a touch chewy, but all of the classic flavors were there. Overall, this dish just needs a little reworking to achieve a more harmonious experience.
The pizza section pulled me in all directions, but ultimately, we settled on their special pie, the angry Italian ($26), a beautifully baked, thin crust pie topped with Calabrian marinara, capicola, sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni and hot honey. While I love hot honey on a pepperoni or sopressata pizza, it didn’t work with all of the meats on this pie. The sauce itself was on the sweeter side, so the honey ended up throwing everything out of balance. The fattiness of the meat trio and cheese added heft, making this a one slice-only venture. I’d love to try a few of their simpler pizzas to confirm if this was just a matter of too much being too much.
Playing up the old Hollywood and la dolce vita eras, the ambiance at Catezza feels sleek and sophisticated. The beautiful design and decor can be noticed from the second you step through the doors. The curved bar to the left grabs your attention, a bold and spacious area to enjoy a drink before dinner. The dining room itself is outfitted in wood and velvet, with gorgeous light fixtures hanging above. An elaborate wall mural leads guests up to a more intimate dining area, complete with its own bar and decked out with velvet curtains and vintage black and white photos of celebrities. My favorite area of all was the rear dining space, the chef lounge, that looks into the open kitchen featuring their massive, tiled pizza oven boasting the restaurant’s name.
The bar and dining room filled up quickly with a mix of couples, friends and a few families. At just six weeks in, I was impressed to see that Catezza was already drawing a serious crowd.
Catezza shows plenty of potential as a very young restaurant. Service was knowledgable and attentive. The menu strikes a nice balance between traditional and contemporary, and is perfect for those looking for a fresh take on Italian cuisine. The few execution missteps aside, Catezza has the legs to be the next big dining destination in Red Bank. With a buzzy bar and three distinct dining spaces, Catezza offers a wide range of options for private dinners and events.
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Stephanie Rizzolo may be reached at [email protected]. Find NJ.com on Facebook.