Hillsborough Couple Opens Taste in Warren

Warren, NJ -- Why taste one dish when you can have a taste of four?

That’s the logic behind Taste, an Italian Tapas style restaurant opened by Hillsborough couple, Joe Trani and Kari LaSpisa.

“Italians are big on family-style dining and sharing,” LaSpisa said. “This way you can try a bunch of different foods versus just one entree.”

Traditionally, Tapas is a Spanish style of eating. However, LaSpisa and Trani came up with the new twist on a recent trip.

“We went on vacation in Key West and fell in love with this style of eating,” LaSpisa said. “Then the concept developed on how fun it would be to do this with Italian food. Everyone loves Italian food.”

And Taste was born.

Opening last week, the restaurant already has diners flocking in to have a taste. So many diners that LaSpisa has to turn them away. She strongly recommends reservations.

This is the second restaurant the couple has opened. The first was Al Dente in Hillsborough.

“We sold the restaurant because we wanted to be a little further north and we really loved the Warren area. We thought it had a very nice community feel,” LaSpisa said.

At Taste, everything is about freshness.

“We are truly trying to do the right thing and serve the freshest and most authentic food we possible can.” LaSpisa said. “We try to buy everything locally at the market. Shop local is the point. We only use fresh ingredients and everything is made from scratch.”

Trani has a lot of experience with Italian cuisine. He was born in Princeton and moved to Italy when he was 7. Specifically he moved to Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples.

He went to culinary school in Italy, worked in restaurants there and also opened two restaurants in Ischia.

“Joe does all the prepping and cooking alone,” LaSpisa said. “Nobody is with him. He makes everything there including the dessert.”

Trani makes everything from scratch nothing pre-made. LaSpisa pointed to a hit seller, the fried calamari. Trani buys the whole calamari, cuts the rings and flours and fries it.

For the Bruschetta Burrata, Trani even cuts the cherry tomatoes to order.

“He works from 9 a.m. to midnight, six days a week,” LaSpisa said. “He won’t let something leave the kitchen if he wouldn’t eat it himself.”

Taste is open Monday through Saturday.

For reservations or more information including hours visit tastewarren.com or call 908-834-8136 or Facebook.

(Photo 1: Joe Trani and Kari LaSpisa. Photo 2 by Alexis Tarrazi: Bruschetta Burrata. Photo 3 by Alexis Tarrazi: Steak ala Joey).