By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
Manville’s new restaurant the Millstone Grille on North Main Street is another place to enjoy some dining at reasonable prices. The Millstone Grille opened a few months ago and is getting the diners coming in.
Sam Abolata and his business partner, Frank Cotroneo, are the owners and are combining their food to make one great place.
”I sold this place, Mia Sorella, before and I sold it to Frank Cotroneo, my partner,” Mr. Abolata said. “They were here LaBionda for about a year. Then we decided to go partners 50/50. I came back and I sold my other place in Peapack,” said Mr. Abolata.
Mr. Abolata said he had two other restaurants one in Bernardsville, Mia Sorella, and Bella Cucina in Peapack. He sold both restaurants and returned to Manville.
According to Mr. Abolata, there were a lot of others looking at the restaurant but Mr. Cotroneo chose Mr. Abolata because he knew he had been in the area for 10 years. Mr. Abolata owned Mia Sorella for 10 years, owned Grub Hut for three years and then bought the current building in 2001 and moved Mia Sorella into it. The restaurant was remodeled after Mr. Cotroneo bought it and renamed it LaBionda, so the decor remains the same for the Millstone Grille.
The new name comes from the nearby Millstone River. “I wanted to do an American name and with the Millstone River in the back here, that’s how I came up with the Millstone Grille. We changed the whole concept from straight Italian to American Italian with a Mexican flair to it and the prices went down, too,” Mr. Abolata said.
They make homemade pastas and homemade burgers and offer chicken, seafood and steak. Specialty dinners that stayed on the menu include the popular Chicken Sorella, a chicken tenderloin with sausage and sun-dried tomatoes in a white wine garlic sauce, Pappardella Alla Russo, a homemade pasta with peas and prosciutto in pink vodka sauce, and Zuppa di Mare, a seafood mix of mussels, clams, salmon, shrimp and calamari in a light plum tomato and clam broth are all still being served. A few new items like the Millstone Burger now are on the menu.
”Business so far so good, it is picking up. There is a banquet room, happy hour every day and music on Thursday nights,” Mr. Abolata said.
”I’m back here again and I will do the best I can,” said Mr. Abolata.
Millstone Grille is open seven days a week, Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m. You can walk in for dinner or to make a reservation call (908) 595-1599. Visit them on the web at www.millstonegrille.com.

