Roseland Apizza

Posted By Michael Stern on January 2, 2010 5:44 AM

In bread we trust.

A bread basket is a sure sign of a restaurant's personality; at Roseland Apizza (pronounce that second word the Neapolitan way, “ah-Beets”), you get honest bread with old-time character. Hard-crusted, with tender insides that pull into supple shreds, it comes to the table by the hemisphere, cut from a round loaf.

Bread is the beginning of every meal at Roseland -- a kind of pre-appetizer that's hard not to devour. But don't eat it all, we warn you! Roseland has so many other things you'll want to eat, from a broad menu of hand-cut ravioli, lasagna, various parmigianas, and the occasional pasatelli and cappeletti in broth from the proprietors’ homeland in Le Marche. Hot and cold antipasti are spectacular; and whatever else you eat, you must eat pizza when you come to Roseland, for this is one of the great pizzerias in Connecticut, ergo one of the best on earth. The crust is what connoisseurs know as New Haven style: thin but not brittle, with enough brawn to support all but the weightiest combinations of ingredients and to allay the pizza-eater's primal fears: slice collapse and topping slippage.

Baker Gary Lucarelli makes some spectacularly lavish pies, such as a shrimp casino topped with bacon, mozzarella, fresh garlic, and jumbo shrimp, and this is a good place to sample the relatively uncomplicated Connecticut classic, white clam pizza. Recommended configuration: no mozzarella, no tomato sauce, just a crowd of freshly-shucked Rhode Island clams strewn across a crust frosted with olive oil and scattered with bits of basil, parsley, and oregano, thin-sliced garlic, a twist of cracked black pepper, and a scattering of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. The nectar of the clams insinuates itself into the surface of the crust, giving every crunch exhilarating marine zest.

Roseland is known for serving huge portions. No one leaves without a handful of Styrofoam containers holding leftovers. Gary Lucarelli likes to see diners carry home his food. "They take it to their grandmother or aunt who can't get out," he beams, thinking of all the nice old ladies who have the opportunity to enjoy a Roseland meal at home. "Being in the [Naugatuck] Valley, we get people with good appetites,” he explains. “They come in and knock off a 'hot anti' then have their sauteed escarole and a sausage pie or a plate of ravioli." As he thinks of these good neighbors enjoying their big meals, he raises a wine glass in a one-word toast to all of them: "'Eat!' I say." He inhales the bouquet of the wine (which he makes himself), takes a sip, and repeats the toast that is his family's way of life and the soul of Roseland: "Eat!"

Pizza

Hot Antipasto

Special Garlic Bread

Tuna Pizza

Shrimp & Spinach White Pizza

Arugula Pizza

Shrimp Oreganate Pizza

Arugula Salad

Lasagna

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Calamari

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Bread

Lina's Dessert

Posted By Katie R on September 7, 2011 8:04 PM

I was introduced to Roseland almost 20 years ago by my ex-husband. Other than our son, it was the best part of our marriage! Okay, I am so kidding; however, I LOVE ROSELAND.

The food is always fresh and stunningly prepared. It is consistent and memorable. I have never ever had a dish there that I didn't enjoy with all my heart. Leftovers for breakfast are a must; with the plentiful portions, it's possible. The bread is as good as it gets.

No matter how often you go, they remember you. Such kind people who must be so proud of the food they make and serve. This place is a gem and anyone who has the gift of living nearby is blessed for how happy Roseland makes your heart, belly, and soul. Thanks, Roseland, I love you!

Pizza

Special Garlic Bread

Bread

Zuppa da Clams

Posted By Ed Mann on March 22, 2010 3:36 PM

Many say Roseland Apizza is "Nirvana in the Valley." With a cult-like following and good press, we had to try it. In a residential area, Roseland is hard to find. People speak of the charming, homey, family restaurant flavor. The interior is "old Italian pizza joint" or “country café” with many booths. Zero lobby or bar. You squeeze into a corner while waiting or clog the entrance/exit. People must run the gauntlet of those at the door to get on the waiting list or to leave. Arriving at 6:30, we waited, though they had empty tables in the next room. A waitress pointed and said, "That's your table." On it were three odd plates, three paper napkins, two regular forks and one salad fork.

The printed menu is sparse. Once seated it can be hard or impossible to read the chalkboard. Sparse, too, is the wine/beer selection. We ordered a $25 bottle of wine ($10 in a store!). They were out of some red wines. They offer nine reds and three whites. They offer some by the glass; six bottled beers and six on tap. Nothing fancy except draft Sam Adams.

A sliced boule of ordinary, cold bread was brought with cold butter. The bread was very cold in the middle. There was a long black hair cooked into the loaf. The zuppa de clams broth was super-salty and inedible. The $20 dish sat under heat lights so the clams were partly dried out and tough.

We wanted a shrimp with prosciutto pizza. The waiter immediately asked us if we had been there before. The pizza was going to be $42! The pizza was very much like in New Haven, with a thin, crisp crust. With 20-25 butterflied large shrimp and a little prosciutto on it, they were skimpy with at least the cheese and sauce. The pizza was quite good; the shrimp were obviously fresh.

The sausages with penne and marinara sauce were probably the best Italian sausages I have eaten. The high quality meat was chopped (not ground), and had a wonderful flavor. I was surprised the marinara had little visible oregano or parsley. They melted a very good cheese on top. For the price, and the voluminous amount of pasta, we felt they skimped on the amount of sausage. This came with a high quality salad. The house vinegar and oil was very good and applied in just the right amount.

We three dropped $129; no dessert and one bottle of wine! We poured our wine and weren’t offered anything else to drink when we ran out. They were slow to remove dishes and we never got clean plates, fresh forks, or additional paper napkins during the meal. One meager napkin apiece. You can’t charge tips to your credit card. What?

With prices equaling better New Haven restaurants, we thought we deserved more. The food may be made with good ingredients and some portions are large, but it’s expensive for a no-frills, low-overhead joint with “pizza joint” service.

Pizza

Shrimp and Prosciutto Pizza

Bread

Zuppa da Clams