Five Questions For ... Tuscany Owner Valter Cianni

If Valley Road in Montclair starts to resemble the serene landscape of the Appian Way any time soon, don't be surprised. Valter Cianni, owner of the recently opened Tuscany Restaurant, may have a lot to do with it. Since it's grand opening at 622 Valley Road on May 22, the traditional style restaurant has from residents around the neighborhood.

Cianni takes inspiration from family recipes, most notably those from his grandmother, to present an assortment of dishes that use fresh, authentic ingredients that are sometimes absent in other Italian restaurants.

From seafood to dessert, Tuscany has brought a little bit of "la dolce vita" to the suburbs of Montclair. Patch asked Cianni five questions in order to get to know him and his restaurant a bit better.

What's your fondest memory of growing up in Southern Italy?

  You know, we used to get together on the holidays with family and friends at my grandma's house and she would cook this delicious meal with sausage we used to have, the fresh vegetables, all the bacon, Italian desserts, and pannettone.

Do you ever miss Southern Italy?

I miss it—that’s where I was born and raised. I’m used to living here now. It’s completely different. I miss the visits because I still have aunts, uncles and cousins [there].

How is Tuscany Restaurant different from other Italian restaurants in northern New Jersey?

What I love about it and am so pleased and grateful for is that the customers understand the quality of the food that I’m serving and the different kitchen I have from anyone else. The customers let me know that. The first night, a guy wrote on the Internet that it was one of the best Italian meals he ever had.

How often do you speak Italian while in the restaurant?

That’s the language I grew up with. Most of my staff all speak Italian. It’s very important to keep that authenticity in the restaurant.

Are there any old family recipes on the menu?

I make a great pudding from a recipe I got from my grandmother with the panettone or sometimes I use croissants, like a peach or chocolate croissant and I make a bread pudding with it. It’s absolutely delicious. I learned everything from my grandmother: how to make fresh pasta, fettuccine, gnocchi, meatballs, homemade bread, Bolognese sauce…I learned a lot of dishes from my family.