Hurry to this new NJ Italian spot before the crowds find out

In just about every NJ town, a new Italian restaurant opening causes quite a stir. People in town get excited; there’s a huge rush. And the name of the place is on everyone’s lips.

But once the honeymoon period is over, it’s only the ones that are worth their salt that stick around. The ones that stay loyal to the culinary traditions and high standards we’ve become accustomed to here in New Jersey. And it seems like in the case of this new restaurant, everyone’s sure they’ve got a winner.

And Ridgewood doesn’t really wait around to decide if a restaurant is good. It happens fast.

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People go, they talk, and within a couple of weeks, you kind of know what it is.

That’s why this one stands out a little.

A restaurant called Morsetto just opened, and it’s focused on southern Italian food, specifically from the Puglia region.

So not heavy, not overdone.

More fresh ingredients, seafood, handmade pasta, and simple dishes that actually take effort to get right.

According to an article on BoozyBurbs, for more than a decade, the chef behind it had already built a reputation in New Jersey, which usually makes a big difference when something new opens. Chef Francesco Curci was a chef and a manager in the area and then later became the owner of Apulia in Hoboken, a north Jersey favorite.

And he knew one thing. Many times in NJ, people don’t just show up for the food. They show up because they already trust you, and in a town like Ridgewood, that matters.

You don’t get a long grace period.

You either connect with people right away, or you don’t.

This feels like one that probably will.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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