Settimo Cielo

Located in the heart of Trenton, this ‘seventh heaven’ offers reasonably priced, fine northern Italian cuisine.

By: Kate and Tom O’Neill
   Settimo Cielo (Seventh Heaven) is in the heart of Trenton, near the War Memorial, the Marriott and the State House — an historic district enjoying something of a renaissance. The restaurant, which opened last October, offers fine northern Italian cuisine, with some standout dishes. Service is polished and well paced, the ambience pleasant, and the prices so reasonable that you’ll probably do a double take as you study the menu.

Settimo Cielo

17 E. Front St.

Trenton

(609) 656-8877



Food: Very good

Service: Helpful, professional, well paced

Prices: Starters (salads and antipasti) $5-$9; pastas $12-$14; entrées $12-$18; side dishes $5-$7; desserts $5-$6

Cuisine: Northern Italian

Atmosphere: Gracious, old-world, relaxed

Vegetarian and Vegan Options: Salads, pastas or by special request to the chef

Hours: Lunch/Dinner: Mon.-Thurs: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Dinner: Sat. 4:30-10 p.m. Closed Sundays.

Essentials: Accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express; full bar; no smoking; wheelchair accessible (one step at front door). On-street parking and public deck across street.

Directions

    The restaurant occupies the space long filled by a landmark, Commini’s restaurant and bar on East Front Street. The only feature of the old establishment that remains is the splendid art deco barback, which has been refinished to a warm luster. Diners enter through the bar and are seated in one of two large dining areas, with widely spaced tables. The brown-stained woodwork, light ochre walls, somber, patterned carpeting and formally dressed wait staff create a tranquil, old-world atmosphere. More lighting, overall, might create a more simpatico ambience, but for now, the hum of conversation from other tables establishes a congenial atmosphere. The opera on the sound system helps as well.
    When we recently visited the restaurant, Henry Mendez, the manager/head waiter, was the primary server for our table of four, as he had been on several other occasions. He is knowledgeable and professional, and he is backed up by a well-trained team. Service is continually helpful and well-paced. Mr. Mendez recited a list of eight to 10 specials for the evening. They included the classic Italian soup, pasta in brodo, as well as mussels in red or white sauce, and veal scallopine. While Mr. Mendez gladly responded to questions about the specials, a printed list of nightly specials would prove helpful.
    The wine list is brief, and the restaurant plans to expand it. At the moment, it offers three Italian whites ($22-$30), four California whites ($24-$30), four California reds ($20-$32), and nine well-selected Italian reds ($20-$100). Despite the limited scope, we were pleased with our selections: a crisp Pighin Pinot Grigio ($27/
bottle) and a berry-rich Monsanto Chianti classico riservo ($43).
    From the list of five appetizers on the menu, we tasted three: carpaccio ($6), melanzane ripiene ($6) and calamari fritti ($7) as well as a satisfying special salad composed of arugula, mango and caramelized pecans ($9). The plating of the carpaccio was deceptive in the dim light: the thin slices of filet mignon were draped over a mound of arugula, instead being arrayed around the plate, in the usual style. The sweet, high quality beef was a nice contrast to the crispy, tart arugula and salty shaved Parmigiano cheese. The dish was united by a simple olive oil dressing. The eggplant slices were rolled around a filling made of blended creamy ricotta and spinach. The golden-
fried calamari were tender and came with a tomato dipping sauce, energized by a bit of hot pepperoncini, as we’d requested.
    Chicken in a rich Dijon mustard sauce ($12) was a special, with the chicken tender and deeply flavored by the sauce. From the regular menu, the fettucine salmone ($12) was as simple as it was delicious. The house-made pasta was tossed with moist chunks of salmon, a bit of mascarpone and accented with oregano Chicken paradiso ($12) seemed an apt choice for dining in Seventh Heaven: bite-sized morsels of chicken, sautéed and served with plump artichoke hearts and mushrooms in an intense sauce, built on the rendered juices of these well-matched ingredients. The grilled chop, one of five veal selections, was straightforward and superb. Served medium rare, it was meltingly tender and complemented by a light sage sauce. Sweet-potato-and-corn croquettes, light as a soufflé, and fresh steamed green beans were served family style on a single platter to pass and share. They proved a fine accompaniment for all the entrées.
    The menu offers a wide choice of entrees: 10 pastas, including ravioli in a tomato cream sauce and rollantini with mushrooms, spinach and ricotta. Chicken dishes include pollo campagnola with roasted peppers and sausage, and there’s a grilled sirloin steak for $24.
    The desserts, made on site, included several we would like to have tried, but moderation called for saving some for a future visit. Awaiting that time are tiramisu, gelati, espresso-flavored crème brulée and zabaglione with strawberries. The custardy ricotta cheesecake was bland, but the amaretto ice cream cake was sweet and voluptuous. Decaffeinated coffee ($2) was nutty and fresh and decaf espressos ($2.50) were dense and frothy.
    Mr. Mendez offered a variety of complimentary after-
dinner liqueurs, from which we selected a limoncello that was a bracing conclusion to the meal — sweet and tart with a burn of alcohol.
    The arrival of Settimo Cielo is well timed. With the closing of Utopia, another fine dining establishment in the area, this increasingly vibrant neighborhood of the Capital City has lacked a first-rate restaurant. Mr. Mendez in the front of the house and Chef Eduardo Rivas in the kitchen lead a proficient team that provides an enjoyable experience for lunch and dinner.