Two popular restaurants in Jersey are joining forces for a special one-day event.
Casano’s Pizza Parlor, a much-loved spot in Rutherford that was featured in Dave Portnoy’s “Bite Pizza” series, will team up with Chef Robbie Felice’s unique Japanese and Italian venture, Pasta Ramen, on November 3rd.
This collaboration will unfold at Casano’s, owned by Dave Regas, which has a retro 1970s living room vibe—a tribute to his grandmother and her cherished recipes.
Celebrities often seen visiting the spot include Adele, Halsey, Bobbi Brown, and several stars from “Real Housewives of New Jersey” and “Breaking Bad”, among others.
The two chefs are set to create a fusion of Japanese-style pizza. A foodie commented that their partnership merges the traditional Italian-American atmosphere of Casano’s with Felice’s innovative Japanese-Italian style, leading to an exclusive and timely menu.
Pasta Ramen is linked to the Montclair Hospitality Group, which also operates Ani Ramen and Morimoto’s Chop House MM. Notably, “Iron Chef” Morimoto just opened OEN, an intimate 12-seat omakase restaurant in Montclair, which already has a lengthy waiting list.
Pasta Ramen had previously hosted a secret pop-up restaurant in a Soho hair salon earlier this year, as well as another pop-up in Las Vegas.
Portnoy rated Casano’s a 7.9 during his visit, trying out various pizza styles, including a New Haven-style pie.
Felice, a James Beard Award nominee, shared his thoughts on why they picked pasta and ramen for the innovative dishes: “Everyone loves pasta and ramen. Those are two names everyone can say. It’s fundamental and it screams what we do.” The menu includes offerings like cacio e pepe fritti and truffle porcini ramen.
Interestingly, while Italian and Japanese cuisines may seem quite different, Felice notes they often share common flavor bases, such as shiso, which blends basil and mint flavors.
