Fornelleto, located in the Borgata in Atlantic City, is one of my top 5 Italian eateries in the US. That's right, top 5. I've never had a bad dish there. The service is always stellar and you can't beat the ambiance, for upscale casino dining. After walking down a winding stair case (carefully in four inch heels), you find yourself in the bar area, which is a great alternative if you don't have a reservation. Fornelleto offers several dining rooms, each surrounded by a wine cellar.
Truthfully, it is hard to tell people what to eat at Fornelleto because everything is so damn good. My four fellow diners allowed me to order for the table (one of my favorite things to do), which is an easy task at a place like Fornelleto. The only minor disappointment for the night was that the Osso Bucco was not on the menu.
Order family style at Fornelleto if your dining companions are cool with it because this Italian food is meant to be shared. That, and you'll have a tough time narrowing down what to order. The portions are generous so keep that in mind as well.
Fornelleto offers an extensive wine by the glass and wine by the bottle menu. There are wines from every region and at a somewhat reasonable price points (given you are at the Borgata in AC and at a high end restaurant).
On this visit, we were served by the charming Guissepe, who even plated our pasta and dessert course, ensuring our delicious meal did not wind up on our party clothes. Guiseppe was attentive throughout our meal, ensuring our respective wine, cocktail and water glasses were always replenished. Guissepe was quick with suggestions, ensuring we ordered the right amount of food for the table (and smartly guiding us with his dessert recommendation).
What to Eat:
Start with the garlic whipped ricotta. The creamy, homemade ricotta is served with slices of Italian toast but it tastes just as good with the focaccia bread Fornelleto provides. The hint of garlic in the freshly made ricotta makes Fornelleto ricotta superior to most. The portion is large and can easily be shared among four diners.
For an entree, the Chicken Parmigiana. The chef perfectly executed the ratio of chicken, breading, sauce, and cheese. The moist white meat is lightly breaded and then coated in a sweet tomato sauce and finally topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This is a great base for those intending to consume a large amount of alcohol while in AC.Next go with the Spaghetti Chitarra. Instead of meatballs, we asked for rock shrimp, which was immediately accommodated. I am a big believer of having pasta with chicken parmigiana. This pasta works on its own or with the chicken parm. The homemade chitarra noodles are tossed in a light and garlicky tomato sauce.
Guiseppe was able to convince us to order the Dark Chocolate Budino (as you can imagine, it did not take much convincing). The budino, a somewhat moussey pudding, was topped with a hazelnut butter crunch and was placed on top of a hardened chocolate crumble. The scoop of marscapone cream on the side perfectly lightened up the rich dark chocolate flavors.
Looking for a break from the black jack table? Fornelleto will make sure you leave full and happy,
Your foodie friend
Insider tip: Make a reservation! That might not seem like much of a tip but once you have a reservation, you are more likely to be able to move the time around to accommodate your schedule then if you do not have a reservation at all. Fornelleto books up. Sure the Borgata offers other restaurants but all are a distant second to Fornelleto.
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