Cafe Arugula Lives Up to Local Reputation

If you're in the mood for traditional Italian fare at an affordable price, head to Café Arugula. Located in the heart of South Orange, it's more of a restaurant than café, with a full sit-down menu of Italian and American dishes. There are at least two dozen tables and booths, a banquet room and an espresso bar. It's a bit too big to feel like a sidewalk café on the streets of Florence, but the soft music, plush seating and beautiful paintings of Italian cities create a comfortable atmosphere. There's a more formal dining room in the back of the restaurant, but I stopped by for lunch and sat in the less formal café area.

The service was prompt, and the wait staff was never overbearing. They gave us plenty of time to peruse the menu as we noshed on large slices of soft, fresh-baked bread. I was slightly disappointed that when I asked the waiter for advice, he simply told me what was offered on the menu; he didn’t say the chef had any specialties. He was well versed on the menu and able to answer any questions but didn’t make any recommendations.

When our food came out, I could understand why he didn’t try to sway me towards anything in particular. It was all worth trying! From the drinks (fresh-brewed iced tea) to the dessert (unbelievably good apple pie), everything was made to order with the freshest ingredients.

The waiter was totally willing to accommodate my dietary preferences. Upon hearing that I am a vegetarian, he offered to make the Escarole & Bean soup with vegetable stock instead of chicken broth and leave out the butter. It turned out excellent, even with the substitutions.

The menu offers a variety of salads, most of which are arugula-based. I didn’t have a chance to try them all, but the Caesar salad was excellent.  It wasn’t oversaturated with dressing and was topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. As with the other dishes, the portion was just right. The Mussels Fra Diavlo lived up to my expectations, lighting my mouth on fire, yet still well-balanced with roasted garlic and spice notes. The Chicken Balsamico was tender and came with roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables. The sauce, according to my sister, was “not overpowering with balsamic, but not pure oil either. It was just right.” She orders some variety of balsamic chicken almost everywhere we go, and it's rare that she gives a dish such a high mark.

Try to save some of your bread to dip in the sauce—you won’t want to miss a drop! The Whole Wheat Linguini is the right choice for anyone watching calories. It comes with a ton of vegetables that complement the pasta nicely. It was slightly overcooked, but I still recommend it.

The only disappointing dish was the Maryland Crab Cakes. After living in Maryland for four years, I expect only the best when crab cakes are on the menu. At Café Arugula, the crabcakes seemed like flash-fried frozen patties. While the meat was good, they were not blended with many spices, and the breading was similar to that on chicken tenders at a fast-food chain. The small spinach salad served with the dish was enjoyable, but the cakes definitely leave something to be desired.

Now for the best part of the meal: dessert! There were plenty of options, and I chose the Famous Apple Pie. It truly should be famous. An apple turnover is served with two scoops of gelato (cinnamon and vanilla). The cinnamon gelato was enough to keep me coming back for more! The menu says it serves two, but there was more than enough of this melt-in-your-mouth, cinnamony-sweet delisciousness to be split four ways.

I recommend trying Café Arugula for a casual lunch or dinner. While I was there, a small lunch party was going on in the back room, and I overheard guests raving about the food. Everyone in the restaurant area, which was fairly crowded, seemed happy, and it was clear that some of the patrons were regulars (always a good sign!) Just remember that it's closed for lunch on Sundays and closed completely on Mondays.