THE PASTA FACTORY

TRY THIS TASTY TEANECK TEMPTATION

There are at least 16 kosher restaurants in beautiful Teaneck, NJ, home of the UTJ (and about 14,000 Jews). However, there are very few really really GOOD kosher restaurants in Teaneck.

As a public service, your intrepid Kosher Nexus staff dined at the recently opened (and still under construction) Pasta Factory (1400 Palisade Avenue; 201-837-1000; supervision by the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County). If you think this was a sacrifice – well, we should have to make such sacrifices every day. This place is great – pricey, but great.

The ambiance (aside from the construction noises; we were assured that it’s almost done, though) is top-notch, as is the presentation of the food. And what food! Bread? Why settle for just plain bread when you can have onion focaccia or whole-wheat sesame rolls? (And why settle for butter when you can have olive or red pepper spread?)

The cream of onion-spinach soup was superb. The arugula and endive salad was given an unexpected crunch by the addition of sunflower seeds (our only complaint about everything we ate was that the dressing on this salad was a little too vinegary). The feta cheese salad was fresh and delicious. The salmon entree, served with roasted vegetables, was mouthwatering. And I’m still trying to get over the warm chocolate cake with a gooey chocolate center and whipped cream (extra exercise for me tonight!).

As far as the restaurant’s name goes, they do have a number of pasta entrees (as well as individual pizzas) – and they do make their own fresh pasta.

All in all, if you’re in Teaneck and have the money to spend (appetizers start at $7.50, pasta entrees at $13.50, fish entrees $19.50 and up), the Pasta Factory is well worth the trip.

(DW)