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Nuovo Trattoria Manalapan

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In short- why do people that have no idea how to run a restaurant open a restaurant in a town full of Italian restaurants that are mediocre at best, and are much better than this one?

Mediocre pizza, poor bread, poor risotto, vegetables that taste like fish, a server that didn't know that burrata was, or care how our food was......you name it, this place didn't fire on any cylinders. Look elsewhere for Italian food. And did i mention it wasn't inexpensive? The over under on staying open, 3 months!!

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  1. They worked on that space for a lot longer than 3 months. I'd say about 6 months ago, coupons started appearing locally, but then it was shuttered again.

    Thanks for taking one for the team.

    1. That spot is literally the kiss of death!

      1 Reply
      1. re: charmel

        It might not be if they put in a restaurant that knew what it was doing.

      2. A friend of a friend of mine is one of the owners of this place. He is not a chef. I wanted to give it a try last night but mr. Toonik said no way. After reading your review, we definately we won't be going. We ended up going to Porta in Asbury Park. It's really a shame that we always have to travel about 30 minutes to get delicious italian food.

        1. We only had the pizza there. It was pretty good. The menu looked good, and BIG..that was the only thing that threw me off. So many menu items, how do they stay fresh? Anyway, I did see a lot of plates coming out of the kitchen and they did look good, but like I said..we only had pizza. Not really in a rush to go back either.

          3 Replies
            1. re: MarlboroMan

              They shuttered again.. for a long time.. then reopened.. then shuttered again. I drove by last night and now it's "Camillo's Wood-Fired" and open for business. So much for "Nuovo." Under new ownership? I dunno. I never went to Nuovo. Still miss what was there previously, though I can't even remember the name now. :)

              On a semi-related note.. there is a restaurant to be (Middle Eastern cuisine, Rt. 9 South in Marlboro, just south of Union Hill Rd.) that has been under construction for, well, YEARS now. I think since 2011? The same two trucks are in the parking lot. They haven't moved in at least 8 months. There is no longer any construction or activity going on, and the parking lot is a mess.. but when I drove by last night, the building was lit up on the outside.. VERY pretty.. and kind of mysterious.

              1. re: MarlboroMan

                Before Nuovo it was a brunch place named Le Peep.

                I agree with you on that Middle Eastern place. I can't believe they would put all that effort on creating those sculptures on the exterior and end up not opening after all these years.

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