Stella Marina Restaurant
Located at 800 Ocean Ave in Asbury Park.
We arrived at Stella Marina around 8.45pm saturday night, and waited only about 5 minutes before being seated in what seemed to be a full house. After being seated, the waitress was quick to attend to our beverage and appetizer needs. Fresh and delicious crusty bread found it’s way to our table while we waited.
I was thankful our $25 bottle of chianti arrived quickly, as did our margarita pizza ($12). While the wine was quite stellar, the app sized pizza featured dough that was was crusty and tomatoes fresh but appeared to have shredded mozzarella cheese typically found on a regular cheese pie, not the creamy fresh mozzarella I was expecting.
We ordered pasta dishes for our entree – Bolognese for my dinner guest and Vodka for myself. The menu was appropriately priced, with apps starting at $8 – $12, pizzas at $12, pasta dishes at $17 and entrees ranging from $18-$23. The quality of the food was excellent, and both dishes quite good – however, the overall menu seemed lacking in originality. The owners Joseph and Michael Cetrulo also own a successful Italian restaurant, Serina just ten minutes away Long Branch, NJ. It appears that the menus are incredibly similar, with Stella Marina’s menu perhaps a bit less exciting than Sirena’s. The Italian staples are an all time favorite among many…However, I was hoping to see a menu with a bit more creativity.
While the restaurant is quite large, with two floors and desk space on the roof, its also quite impressively decorated. Wine bottle chandeliers, high end tile and stone, combined with a neutral color scheme gives Stella Marina it’s sophisticated ambiance, without being over the top.
Overall, the food was good, not remarkable – the service was nearly perfect, something not often seen in a restaurant just launched; and the ambiance and views can’t be beat. Overall price tag with a bottle of wine, a shared appetizer and two entrees was $70 (not including tip or tax); much less than I had expected to spend here. I rate “Stella Marina” a B+.
A second trip should render a more accurate rating.
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