Bosfa Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Old Tappan

Bosfa Review

Initially this review was only going to be about how good the food was. And how the service was great and the staff was very attentive. I was going to address that the restaurant had gone through a renovation and it looks even better than it did before. I wanted to praise how I had such a wonderful experience and I’m looking forward to coming back soon. But I can’t. I can’t because I had gone back this time to enjoy the food but was confronted by a situation that could have been handled much differently. My family and I arrived at the restaurant and were greeted by a waiter who kindly offered us to seat anywhere we felt comfortable. We chose our table and began to settle in. As we were looking through the menu my son who is two and a half years old decides he wanted to go towards a couch that the restaurant had sitting in a small corner. Our table happens to be right in front of the couch/sofa. I was too busy trying to order food for the family but with my dad peripherals I did see my son try to climb the sofa and my six year old daughter right next to him. My son was not even five seconds on the sofa and a gentleman approached us to say that the sofa is meant to take photos with and not for kids to climb on. He was afraid that the sofa will get damaged because my son had his shoes on. I proceeded to tell my son not to go near the sofa and he remained at the table the rest of the time. Here’s my thing. I get it if my son got on the sofa and started jumping on it, possibly damaging it or making a scene and causing a commotion for people in the establishment to be disturbed, but he didn’t even make a sound nor was he on the sofa long enough to even scratch it. He was just getting on the sofa like any other child would. My son is barely thirty pounds. At most, any kind of damage could have been removed by a simple wet wipe. And it wasn’t even like we came into the restaurant from a rainy day or we were coming from a muddy hike in the woods. From that point on I couldn’t even enjoy my evening because it was ruined. The worst part is I find out that the gentleman who had addressed the issue with my son was one of the owners of the restaurant. I’ve been in and around the restaurant industry for over twenty years. I’m a huge foodie and love the restaurant scene. I have never made an issue with a child because they are not to blame. Unless of course if they are running around the restaurant like it’s a playground and disturbing other paying guests then I will kindly address the issue because there are hot dishes/soups being brought out by the servers. I wouldn’t want them getting hurt. They are just being kids. And being that I’m a parent myself I know that if the parent doesn’t take the initiative to discipline their child, then you can step in if you must. But in this case I wasn’t even given the chance because there wasn’t an issue that needed to be dealt with yet. I even said to him that he should place a sign saying that kids should not stand on the sofa or even go on it if that’s the case. He replied to me that he could not do that (obviously because then it would no longer be considered a "family restaurant"). He was unapologetic and reacted with a sense of, "This is my place, who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do" attitude. He then brushed me off as he walked back towards the kitchen after a limp handshake to end the conversation. I’m not saying I won’t be going back to this restaurant because of my experience this time around. The food was fantastic, the staff there are always nice, and the recent renovations are a good touch. But I feel that the owner of this establishment needs to do better. And to be clear, I waited till my family was done with our meal, paid the bill, and left a twenty percent tip like I always do before speaking to the owner Francesco because I didn’t want to ruin their evening as well. Definitely wasn’t looking for a free meal as that was not the problem. The one star review is NOT for the restaurant, but for the owner....

At the illustrious Bosfa Italian Restaurant, where every detail sings of refinement and splendor, my culinary journey began with the appetizer of Eggplant Stacks. Each layer of this delight was a triumph of texture and taste, with the eggplant slices impeccably grilled to a delicate crispness. They were adorned with a velvety balsamic sauce that danced with just the right hint of basil, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors that tantalized the palate.

For the entrée, the Summer Spaghetti with Chicken was nothing short of a masterpiece. The pasta, cooked to a perfect al dente, was embraced by a light yet flavorful sauce that celebrated the essence of summer. The tender chicken, subtly seasoned, complemented the pasta beautifully.

To cleanse the palate and cap off this exquisite meal, the Pistachio Gelato was an ideal choice. The gelato was a revelation, with its creamy, nutty richness and a balance that was both indulgent and refreshing.

Bosfa Italian Restaurant, with its unwavering commitment to culinary excellence, proves once again that fine dining is an art form where every dish is a testament to both tradition...

I have been to Bosfa 4 times. 2 times it was terrific, good service, friendly people good food. Once it was just ok, the waiter ignored us we had to ask for him food took a while to come out but we all agreed every restaurant is entitled to not being great every so often. On Mother’s Day we went to Bosfa with 7 people. The service was awful, our waiter left/quit after taking our order and we never saw him again. My 95 year olds Father-in- Law orders Chicken Parmigiana every time we go out. They served it on a plate no pasta on side, we asked the waiter sent over where was his Angel hair we asked for. They informed us they were busy and could not make his Pasta!!!! An Italian restaurant that won’t serve pasta with Chicken Parmigiana for a 95 year old man who has ate in this restaurant 3 times! But some of the other dishes all came with pasta. Then to make matters worst, a mistake was made on the bill, over charging us, quite a bit. We were asked how much we felt we were over charged and handed cash! We talked to the table next to us as we left who told us they would never go back. We will NEVER return to this place...