went for holiday lunch with the co workers, one of...

went for holiday lunch with the co workers, one of our co workers who is notoriously cheap suggested this restaurant. I made a reservation for 10 people on 12/13/17; when we arrived, Cesar (host? owner? head waiter?) insisted the reservation was for 13 people. I didn't see why it mattered until we were seated...we were the only people there, until a group of senior citizens came in. I guess Cesar was hoping to get a real paying crowd and 10 people instead of 13 ruined his mental profit margin.

this is in a strip mall by county college of Morris and it is obvious that the college crowd doesn't come here.

this place is byob but oddly has a display case of empty wine bottles. apparently they collect them from guests just to display? not a smart move--it just gives the impression that alcohol is available when it isnt.

the decor is totally dated. dark walls, dimly lit, and ugly paintings of food adorn the walls.

I have to say the best part of the lunch was the warm, crispy and plentiful Italian bread
with flavored olive oil. now I don't know how long those decanters of oil were out--they could be freshly filled or 2 years old--but went well with the bread. the fore mentioned cheap co worker ate half a basket of bread by himself and we still had plenty for everyone else.

all lunch orders come with a mixed green salad with mustard balsamic. yes, mustard. it was odd but good. could have used some tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, something more than mixed greens.

I ordered penne alle arrabbiata and it kind of smelled like it was cooked next to or sat alongside someone's fish long enough to absorb the odor. I don't eat meat or fish so I was a little put off. however it didn't taste fishy and the portion was generous.

honestly I wouldn't go back because Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen in NJ and there was nothing other than the bread to make this place stand out.