Semolina Restaurant — Restaurant in Red Bank

The ambience started it all off. Simple, unpretentious and homey. Then add an enthusiastic staff and I was happy even before the first dish arrived. And our waiter knew every dish inside and out as if he had prepared each one himself. Listening to him spend time at a table who where not foodies patiently explain the entire menu in great and passionate detail was outstanding.

And then the food. Layers of flavor over subtle textures and more layers. The Fennel appetizer with orange was an amazing blend of acidic and sweet. And the Burrata with a mushroom puree was stunning in both simplicity yet intense earthy essence.

We then had a intermezzo course of Saffron Linquine with PEI Mussels and Lobster Pasta with an Arriabata sauce. Both were delicious and balanced all the components exactly the way that nature intended. The spicy red sauce, usually presented Fra Diavolo style, was much much more. Spicy but in a way to complement the lobster not overwhelm it. And the exquisitely roasted garlic in the Saffron Linguine brought a subtle touch of heat the the otherwise sweet and savory pasta. And both were cooked to the special toothiness delight.

The entree of Chestnut Agnolotti with Fried Sage and Prosciutto was nothing short of amazing. The balance again excellent where every flavor swirled without any one taking over. My Pork Chop over a jam braised red cabbage and creamy celeriac was an exposition in hearty food with a dynamic back flavor of complexity. Juicy, thick and so tender I almost did not need a knife. Again, a spectacular course.

It was almost a shame to have to move on to dessert.. But wow.. It was difficult to decide if we liked the Caramel Budino with sea salt and cocao soil or the Egg Nog Panna Cotta with Fig jam better. Both disappeared in a blaze of competitive spoon action.

Bottom line. 5 stars. With the constant menu turnover, the farm to table freshness, this...

The owner/chef at this restaurant has lost his mind. He is very unstable. My husband and I had dined at Semalina several times, over the years that

I and always had a great experience. However the last visit, was a huge disaster. We are very well aware of the restaurants Policy of not seating until the entire party is present. We got there at our reserved time, to find our table not ready. The very inexperienced hostess did not handle the situation. Instead, the loose canyon who calls him self a chef, literally threw us out of the restaurant.

Months have passed and I had made a reservation for this coming Saturday March 5th for my mothers 84th birthday. I just received a call from the unstable owner telling me that I was never allowed back into his restaurant. He was cursing, yelling and totally out of control. The man has issues.

My next stop is the Red Bank police station to file a formal complaint. He was out of line in August and he was out of line today.

Red Bank has many fabulous restaurants. I would avoid Semalina at all costs as it is not worth a physical alteration with the unstable owner. I tried my best to explain the situation, but the owner essentially came back at me snd would note even listen to reason. My biggest concern is that he never bothered to check how many times we frequented his restaurant. Mishaps happen, but I truly believe this man is not working with a full deck. It’s a shame, because the rest of the staff is possible very kind. Maybe the owner should seek out help, or better train his young ladies That run...

If you're looking for a dining experience that combines lackluster service, mediocre food, and a dash of extreme arrogance, look no further than Semolina.

Let's start with the service, which I can only describe as a steaming pile of garbage. It was as if the staff had collectively decided that customer satisfaction was an optional extra. Not to mention how rude everyone we encountered was.

As for the food, "mediocre" would be an overstatement. The taste was forgettable at best, and downright disappointing at worst.

However, what distinguishes Semolina from the myriad of culinary letdowns is its owner, who embodies arrogance and stands as a stain on the entire hospitality industry. Following our dining experience, he refused to honor a recently purchased $150 gift card, asserting it had already been used – an impossibility backed by our receipt and a clear paper trail. Rather than attempting to rectify the situation, the owner chose to compound the disrespect toward our party. Having paid our bill, the $150 gift card became an unfortunate loss at this juncture... Nothing short of fraud committed by the restaurant.

Semolina is a prime example of how a dining experience can go horribly wrong. The trifecta of abysmal service, uninspiring cuisine, and a delusional owner create an atmosphere that is, at best, forgettable and, at worst, cringe-worthy. Save yourself the trouble and explore the countless other dining options that Red Bank...