Published July 9, 2021

On a humid Tuesday evening, my dad and I decided to catch up over dinner. My dad recommended we visit an Italian restaurant in Oakland, New Jersey — Cucina 347 Pizza & Ristorante.

We turned left and drove into a large parking lot with two strip malls. Cucina 347 sat on the farthest corner of the building past a Taco Bell, jeweler, and hardware store.

Since it was around 5pm we parked right in front of the entrance. We entered and waited at the hostess stand. The right-hand wall featured a painted brick sign of the restaurant’s name, which was mirrored on the wall of the dining room. I could already tell by the branding and atmosphere that I was going to like this restaurant.

The pizza counter and kitchen sat beyond the hostess stand. A young waitress with glitter nails came to grab menus. She told us to sit wherever we liked.

Cucina 347 | Interior Design

My dad — having eaten at Cucina 347 before — walked parallel to the takeout counter, to the back corner of the restaurant where there was even more seating.

We sat at the first wooden table. I took a seat on the brown and blue booth that ran the length of the room. This side of the room could sit ~42 people with the combination of 4 and 6-person tables.

Two sliding doors on my right, separated me from the front dining room. So far we were the only guests for dinner.

Our waitress brought us menus — extra large, laminated, double-sided menus with clean print and categorized choices. I was surprised to see a selection of gluten-free options on the back page!

While the seafood options looked tasty, the variety of chicken and pasta dishes caught my eye. Selecting an appetizer took no time, so we ordered our drinks and the apps, and continued discussing the entrees.

Our waitress brought our drinks (with red striped paper straws!) and a bread basket.

By now, an elderly pair of ladies sat at the farthest table in the corner and opened bottles of wine. Many people came in to pick up pizzas and takeout orders. I could see them lined up by the hostess stand.

Appetizers

Pan-Seared Octopus | $16.00

It wasn’t that long before our appetizers arrived. The plating and colors were impressive and I was excited to dig in.

Without peeking at the menu, can you guess what this octopus is overtop of?

I was thinking polenta, grits, maybe potatoes (though that would be a strange combination)…

Y’all, it’s cauliflower. Cauliflower! — The creamiest, buttery-rich cauliflower I’ve ever eaten. It was decadent. I have no idea how Cucina 347 made this cauliflower so lovely but it was a creamy, neutral base for the octopus.

Our appetizer had 8 pieces of octopus. They had beautiful brushes of charred color from cooking. I know the menu said these were pan-seared but they tasted smokey, as if they were cooked on a grill.

The octopus was tender and cooked perfectly. I have never had octopus as good as what Cucina 347 served. I highly recommend you try this appetizer. Paired with the juicy roasted red peppers., peppery arugula leaves, and a delicious drizzle of olive oil, this appetizer was a 10/10.

Day Boat Scallops | $17.00

The day boat scallops arrived on a long narrow board. I loved the presentation!

Each scallop perched on top of a bread slice. They were steaming, freshly prepared from the kitchen.

The champagne cream sauce stirred with peppers poured over the sides of the crispy bread. The appetizer was light, the scallop perfectly cooked — tender and juicy. I added some of the basil and fresh lemon juice as well. A perfect pair to start the meal.

Entrees

Chicken Margherita | $23.00

My dad ordered the chicken margherita over angel hair pasta. This dish had a layer of eggplant, chicken, ricotta cheese, prosciutto, sliced tomato, and fresh mozzarella. 

The summer tomatoes in this dish were sweet and light. I could taste the prosciutto and the ricotta the most. I wondered if the ricotta was homemade.

This was a large portion with two chicken breasts and a mound of pasta. My dad wrapped a little bit for the next day. He said he would order it again.

Chicken Romano | $23.00

I couldn’t decide between the chicken romano or the chicken dominick. In the end, I chose the romano because pink sauce is one of my favorites.

I also put my chicken over angel hair pasta. My dish had chicken breast encrusted with Romano cheese in a pink sauce with diced tomato and chopped spinach.

Jersey tomatoes were in season, so my cubed pieces were bursting with bright flavor. With the crispy chicken “cutlets” and fresh spinach, this was a light yet filling dish. I wrapped mine and brought it home for lunch.

Dessert

By now it was closer to a regular evening dinnertime. Two couples joined the dining room. The takeout for the pizza counter was still busy. I wondered if Cucina 347 delivered.

To wrap up our meal, we had to try dessert and coffee. Cucina 347 offered the classic desserts — cannoli, chocolate lava cake, tiramisu, and cheesecake. Y’all know I love tiramisu, so that’s what I ordered.

Tiramisu | $8.00

Based on the shape and freshness, I would say that the tiramisu was homemade. My first spoonful was bold and strong. The espresso flavor was amazing and the textures were thick and rich.

The cookie layer was thoroughly soaked with espresso and that’s what made me think that this was homemade and not defrosted from a premade dessert. I would order the tiramisu again.

Cappuccino | $4.95

~$5 seems to be the standard price for a cappuccino regardless of the size of the mug. This mug was short and wide, but I think volume-wise, it probably held the same amount as a standard mug.

Cannoli | $4.00

My one critique is that the cannoli should be renamed on the dessert menu to “mini cannoli.” There is no way that this baby cannoli should be $4 when a standard cannoli at other Italian restaurants is $5-and-change.

Now, was the cannoli fresh with a crisp shell? Yes, 10/10. Cucina 347 seems to fill them fresh to order. But, this was a surprise to see this baby cannoli when you’re expecting an average sized shell.

My Recommendations

Overall, my first visit to Cucina 347 Pizza & Ristorante in Oakland, New Jersey is a 10/10 for the following:

• Decor and Design

  • I adore the industrial and modern space. Cucina 347 feels warm and uniquely branded since they do not use traditional Italian imagery. I like that the space is divided into two dining rooms with ample seating.

• Service

  • Erin was our waitress for the evening. She served all of the tables in the dining room for the evening while we were there. I enjoyed her prompt service, dinner recommendations, and timing. She always checked in to see if we needed anything and was thoughtful to think ahead and provide us with napkins, cheese, and water without us asking.

• Food

  • From the plating to the ingredients themselves, I loved everything about our meal. The appetizers were unique and unlike any dishes I’ve had elsewhere at Italian restaurants. I loved the large dinner portions and use of fresh veggies. My dessert was decadent and tasty. I will definitely return to Cucina 347 in the future.

Have you been to Cucina 347?

Do you have a favorite New Jersey restaurant that you’d recommend I try? Tell me about it below in the comments!