Category: Destinations

I’ve made the roughly 40-mile drive from Campbell Hall to Viaggio several times. For the Viaggio x La Valle Summer Harvest Dinner, the problem was getting a seat. It was sold out.

Chef Matthew “Rabbit” McCormick found room for me at the counter. Becoming friends with chefs you respect on Instagram and writing good things about good food does have its perks.

I didn’t start this blog for free food. I started it for the access and the relationships that help me eat great food. Eventually, I want to use those relationships to put together dinners and events that bring the right people to the table.

Then I sat down and found myself next to my seventh-grade social studies teacher. Of all the people I could have ended up beside at a sold-out dinner in Wayne.

Later that night, I told Rabbit he’d earned another good article. He joked that I didn’t need to write about Viaggio again. Sorry, Rabbit. I’d already written about my previous chef’s-counter experience, but this was a different menu with La Valle Foods, and there was plenty to talk about.

Quick verdict: I’d make the drive again for the carpaccio or either pasta course. Any one of the plates served at this dinner would get me back in the car.

Rabbit, Sam and a Little Kitchen Chaos

I like sitting at the counter at Viaggio. I can watch Rabbit and the team cook and plate, ask questions and see what’s coming next.

I also got to see the chaos of feeding a whole restaurant at the same time. Things got spilled. I’ll never admit it was caviar.

This was Rabbit’s first dinner event like this without Robbie by his side. He had his kitchen staff and Viaggio’s general manager, Sam Boyarin (@thesamager), who was also there for my first tasting at Viaggio. Yes, there was chaos—you’re feeding a whole restaurant at once. But Rabbit, Sam and the kitchen crew worked through it like the professionals they are. I think this crew is going to make names for themselves in the New Jersey food scene, and I’m looking forward to watching it happen.

I didn’t always wait for the full explanation before eating, either. That’s on me. I’d already finished a few courses by the time Rabbit started explaining them to the dining room.

Sam told us he’d managed a comedy club before Viaggio and didn’t even know what carbonara was before his first day. From what I understand, this is his first restaurant job. I’d like to hear how that move happened.

At this point, I consider Sam and Rabbit friends, and I think they feel the same. If they’re up for it, I’d love to sit down with Sam and Matthew “Rabbit” McCormick (@cheffrabbit_) and write about how they ended up at Viaggio and where their passion for the work comes from.

I also need the story behind how Matthew McCormick became “Chef Rabbit”—and where the family taco stand fits into it. With a name like McCormick, I would have guessed Irish fare, seafood at McCormick & Schmick’s, or some kind of spice royalty. A family taco stand wasn’t where my mind went, which makes me want to hear the story even more.

And I still need to find out whether Sam ever did comedy himself or is just a funny guy who happened to manage a comedy club and now a restaurant.

There’s a family history here, too. Robbie opened Viaggio with his father, Joe, in 2016, and the Felice family was in the New Jersey restaurant business long before that. His father is still involved. Rabbit, Sam and this crew are helping carry that history forward.

Rosé, Two Pinot Noirs and Limoncello

I brought two bottles of Pinot Noir: Patricia Green Cellars Anniversary Cuvée from Oregon and Flowers Sonoma Coast from California. But first, rosé. Then I opened the Patricia Green, followed by the Flowers. We finished with limoncello.

Viaggio is BYOB, but rosé and limoncello were on the house for everyone at this dinner. I got a little more of both, plus a few extra caviar bumps. I paid for my dinner and brought the two bottles myself.

First, an NJ Tomato Bite

The menu called the opening bite “NJ Tomato Bite *NOM NOM*.” It came with whipped Meyer lemon ricotta, Altima caviar and Olio Verde.

Tomato, ricotta and caviar before we’d even reached the first course. A good start.

First Course: Wagyu Carpaccio

The Wagyu carpaccio was seared on the outside, raw inside and sliced paper thin. It came with tomato aioli, arugula, Grana Padano and sea salt.

I’ve had plenty of carpaccios and tartares, and Rabbit, you nailed this one. It’s definitely one of my favorites. I’m not kissing your ass here or handing out praise just because it’s Viaggio. This dish deserves it.

I could have eaten a pound of this. It was one of my favorites of the night, and I’d happily order it again.

Five stars from me. Deep down, I’m a steak-and-potatoes guy. Tasting menus get me to try flavors I wouldn’t necessarily order on my own and learn about other cultures through a chef’s cooking.

Viaggio x La Valle Dinner: Second Course: Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

Next came spaghetti all’Amatriciana with guanciale and pecorino nero. I make this at home, so I had something to compare it with.

I first learned to make Amatriciana because I saw it on the menu at Rossi & Sons in Poughkeepsie. One night after work, I drove over already thinking about dinner. I hadn’t checked the hours. They were closed.

So I looked up a recipe, stopped at the grocery store and made it myself. Both Rossi’s version and mine used bucatini.

Rabbit’s was better than both mine and Rossi’s. I like my cooking, but I know when someone has me beat.

Rabbit, you still need to take a ride to Poughkeepsie for a Rossi’s sandwich. Have a look at their menu and you’ll understand why.

This was also the course that made me want to try La Valle tomatoes in my own sauce. I did, and I’ll get to that.

Third Course: ‘Doppio’ alla Norma

The ‘Doppio’ alla Norma was one giant raviolo with two separate pockets: fairytale eggplant in one and smoked juniper ricotta in the other, all sitting on a bed of tomato passata. Rabbit’s take on enormous pasta. I’m on board.

This was one ginormous raviolo—big, tasty, and interesting.

It tasted as good as it looked. I wanted a whole bowl of it.

Two pasta courses in the same dinner. No complaints from me.

And that’s coming from someone who’s lactose intolerant and willing to let his stomach complain for the right meal.

Fourth Course: Hiramasa Mosaic

This was one of the more technical dishes of the night, and Rabbit nailed it. The Hiramasa Mosaic paired delicate kingfish with leek-artichoke purée, sea fennel, and fresh chive.

Rabbit added caviar to ours, which went really well with the fish. I also appreciated the work that went into putting this dish together. Rabbit, this is why I keep writing about you. My laptop practically autocompletes “Viaggio” and “Rabbit” now.

For this final savory course, I actually let Rabbit finish explaining it to the dining room before I housed the whole dish. Once I started, it was gone in less than two minutes.

When I find food I really like, I eat too fast, and I don’t like to share. Reach toward my plate and I might react like a dog protecting its dinner. You might get a tap with a fork or spoon. You’ll definitely get a sarcastic comment. Maybe that’s the northern New Jersey in me.

Fifth Course: The Italian Sundae

The Italian Sundae was fior di latte gelato with Sungold tomato jam, focaccia crumble and basil. Yes, the tomatoes made it into dessert too.

I’m lactose intolerant, which is why I had no business finishing a bowl of gelato. I was going to have a taste.

I ate the whole thing.

I never would have expected those ingredients to come together in a dessert this good.

A big shout-out to Viaggio’s pastry chef—and I’m sorry I’ve forgotten your name—because you took a combination I honestly didn’t think would work and made it simply amazing.

This is exactly why, in my opinion, letting the kitchen decide can make more sense than choosing every dish yourself. Left to my own devices, I probably would have ordered something familiar and missed out on this entirely. Trusting the kitchen gives you the chance to discover something you didn’t even know you wanted.

I never would have ordered this on my own. Now I’d happily eat it again, over and over.

I should mention the room, too. Even with my back to the dining room, I could hear everyone getting comfortable with each other. It started to feel like one big Italian family bonding over dinner, with Lisa from La Valle dancing around too.

What I Learned About La Valle

La Valle Foods goes back to 1949, when Alfonso Sellitto started the business near Naples in the years after World War II. The company says it’s now in its fourth generation.

According to La Valle’s company history, its products were sold throughout Italy by 1960. It was exporting canned San Marzano tomatoes to the U.S. under other labels by 1965, and its own La Valle-branded whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes arrived here in 1982.

The Sellitto name is still behind the business. Alfonso Sellitto S.p.A. is listed among the official San Marzano DOP consortium’s member processors.

La Valle’s whole peeled San Marzano DOP tomatoes were the ones I wanted to learn more about. Rabbit spoke highly of them and said he uses them in a lot of his cooking. The full protected name is Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP. They come from a defined area in Campania covering designated towns in Salerno, Naples and Avellino.

Rabbit also told a story about running out of these tomatoes. One quick call to Lisa, and she stopped at Viaggio on her way home in what Rabbit called her “mom van,” with enough cans to get him through. That’s the kind of relationship I like hearing about.

DOP means Protected Designation of Origin. Under the European Union’s rules, production, processing and preparation have to happen in the designated region and meet the product’s standards. For me, the useful part is knowing that “San Marzano” on a can and the full DOP designation aren’t automatically the same thing.

Seeing “S.p.A.” after the company name also sent my F1 brain straight to Spa. Apparently I can find a racing reference in a can of tomatoes.

The San Marzano DOP consortium (the name sounds like something out of a Mafia movie) describes these tomatoes as long and fleshy, with thin skin, few seeds and a sweet-sour flavor. All useful to know. What I really wanted to know was whether I’d notice the difference cooking with them myself.

Viaggio x La Valle Dinner: The Sauce Convinced Me

The tomato sauce at Viaggio was exceptional. Of course, Rabbit was the one cooking it. Now I want to know whose recipe it is: his, Robbie’s, or something passed down through the Felice family. Another question for the next dinner.

So I tried La Valle tomatoes in my own kitchen. My sauce was noticeably better than what I usually make. It didn’t come close to Rabbit’s, but I could taste the improvement in my own cooking. That’s enough reason for me to keep buying them.

I want La Valle to be my regular canned tomato brand. And La Valle, if you’re interested in a collaboration, I’d love to talk about what I could cook and share with a case or two every quarter. I could also put my sales experience to work introducing the products to restaurants and pizzerias here in the Hudson Valley.

A Hudson Valley pizza article is on my list, too. I have about five places I keep coming back to, but I’m still doing the research. Eating my way through every pizzeria while trying to slim down before getting on camera is proving to be a difficult combination.

I looked for La Valle on my last trip to ShopRite and didn’t see it. Maybe it was sold out. Maybe I missed it. I’ve since found it online, so I have another way to get it.

La Valle is based in East Rutherford. My family lives in Hasbrouck Heights, and I used to live in Rutherford, so I’m around that area anyway. Even my haircuts take me to Glen Rock. Lisa, maybe I need to ask about picking up tomatoes next time I’m down there. My grandmother would have loved making her sauce with these.

More Than Tomatoes

La Valle’s tomato range goes beyond the whole peeled cans: cherry tomatoes, ground tomatoes, purée and paste are also in the lineup.

The preserved vegetables and beans include sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, roasted peppers, marinated mushrooms, eggplant, chickpeas and lentils. There’s also extra-virgin olive oil pressed from olives grown in Italy and balsamic vinegar. Plenty to work with for an antipasto spread or dinner at home. I came for the tomatoes, but now I have a few more things to try.

Lisa was there representing La Valle, and her brother was at a table with friends and family. Their sister was home on babysitting duty, while their parents were on a flight back from Italy. Lisa, I hope you brought home leftovers.

She had great energy and wore custom tomato jeans for the event. Apparently there were La Valle sneakers too, which I somehow missed until I saw them on La Valle’s Instagram afterward. What kind of sneakerhead am I?

Lisa, I’d love to get together and hear more about your family, too. The family in Italy, the family importing those products here, and how you work together. I’d like to give that story its own article and introduce more people to the family behind La Valle.

La Valle also let everyone pick out products to take home, with aprons available too. I left with five cans and jars in total, an apron and a wooden spoon Lisa had burned the logo into earlier. A few things for the next round of cooking at home.

Ten Dinners and More Than 850 Miles

I live in Campbell Hall, New York, near Goshen. For my New Jersey readers, I’m roughly another 15 minutes beyond Woodbury Common on the way up. None of Robbie Felice’s restaurants is around the corner. These are my approximate one-way trips:

Viaggio in Wayne, Osteria Crescendo and Bar Mutz in Westwood: about 40 miles, usually 50 minutes to an hour before traffic. And we all know about that.

Pasta Ramen in Montclair: about 55 miles and over an hour and 15 minutes.

I grew up in Bergen County and have family in Essex and Morris counties. I usually get them to meet me at one of these restaurants or somewhere halfway north.

Apparently, I’ll drive farther for Robbie’s menus than I will to see my own mother. My father too. They come as a package deal.

In the past year, I’ve been to Viaggio four times, Osteria Crescendo three times, Pasta Ramen twice and Bar Mutz once.

As I’m writing this, I have the Jonas Brothers’ episode of Last Meals on, and Kevin’s choice includes the lemon pasta from Bar Mutz. The show even got the recipe from Robbie. Apparently I’m in good company. Then again, I ate at Bar Mutz before watching this episode, so I’m going to say they followed my lead.

Ten meals across four restaurants. Count those as round trips from my house and it comes to more than 850 miles. Traffic can make the trips longer, but I keep going.

Some reservations were under friends’ names, and I didn’t photograph every dinner. I only started documenting my meals consistently about six months ago. There was a time when I just ate.

I photograph the shitty meals too. I just don’t usually write about them. I work in a business that lives on reviews, and I’d rather spend my time sharing the places I enjoyed. If I mention a restaurant and nothing appears a week or two later, it may not have made the cut. It may also mean I’m behind.

Alongside the blog and Instagram, I have a full-time job, two other businesses, and work helping businesses with web design, AI, automation, CRM and advertising. Somebody has to pay these dinner bills, bar tabs and wine bills.

I like that these restaurants give me different reasons to go back. I’m not making all those trips for the same dinner.

I’ve even met Robbie Felice’s parents at Viaggio. Still haven’t met Robbie. He’s the reason I started eating at these restaurants in the first place. I’ve read plenty about him, but I’d love to sit down and hear his story myself: how he got here and what he wants to do next. From what I understand, our circles may even overlap.

I also think northern New Jersey could use more Formula 1 viewing parties. Other than Sim 1 Racing in Paramus, I don’t know of many, and I can picture Robbie’s restaurants being part of that. Food and drinks inspired by wherever the race is taking place, maybe a guest chef or a collaboration between kitchens. That’s an idea I’d like to talk about.

If they’re interested, I’d also like to talk with the chefs and general managers at Osteria Crescendo, Bar Mutz and Pasta Ramen. These are some of my favorite restaurants in New Jersey. I want to know more about the people running them, how they got there and why they chose this work.

Robbie, I’m into sneakers and cars too. If we ever manage to meet, I think we’ll find some common ground.

Or meet me in São Paulo. I’d love to take you to Evvai and introduce you to Luiz. Eduardo at Metzi was interested in your cuisine, and I think you’d find plenty of inspiration at Metzi, Kazuo, Evvai and D.O.M. Alex Atala opened D.O.M. in 1999 and helped redefine South American fine dining by showing that native Brazilian and Amazonian ingredients could anchor a world-class tasting menu. We’d need to fit in A Casa do Porco too. Italians appreciate good pork.

Then there’s Liberdade. I could spend a month showing you places to eat in São Paulo and still have more on the list. The first meal, or a few of them, would be on me.

I Still Need the Viaggio x La Valle T-Shirt

The Viaggio and La Valle staff were all wearing a Viaggio x La Valle T-shirt. I want one.

I joked with Rabbit that I’d write a bad review if I didn’t get the shirt. It was a joke. I loved the dinner.

Viaggio x La Valle Dinner Review: Would I Do It Again?

I’d absolutely do it again. The carpaccio and both pastas were the standouts for me, the fish was great, and I finished a dessert I should have left alone. They even got my caviar-hating dining partner asking for another caviar bump.

I got a seat at the counter, caught up with my seventh-grade teacher and met people behind the food I was eating. I even found tomatoes I want to keep using at home.

This is the kind of dinner I want more of: good food, people worth getting to know and a reason to sit down together. It’s also the kind of night I’d like to help put together myself.

I’d pay for another one and make the drive again.

Now I just need the T-shirt.

Completely Unnecessary. Absolutely Worth It.

But Viaggio, Osteria Crescendo, Bar Mutz and Pasta Ramen? I’d argue they’re completely necessary to the northern New Jersey food scene.

There’s no shortage of Italian restaurants and pizzerias around here. I want a reason to choose one over the dozen others nearby. Robbie and his teams give me that: originality, flavor and handmade pasta worth driving for. They’re raising the bar, and I think that pushes other restaurants to step up too.

Completely necessary. Absolutely worth it.

Just look at the energy Rabbit brings with him