I took mom and Justin out to Buona Sera in Red Bank for their birthdays. His was last week and mom’s was much belated. We had a wonderful time. For appetizers, we shared the stuffed artichoke and Octopus Arrabiata-- this was one of the best dishes I’ve ever had, no exaggeration. The sauce had pancetta, onions, and hot cherry peppers and was just perfect. The octopus was so tender. I couldn’t stop eating it. I can’t say enough how awesome this was. I was expecting some chewiness but there was none. It was large enough to be an entree and if we knew how substantial it was, we probably would not have ordered a second app. The artichoke was good, though I wish there were more breadcrumbs. No complaints on the size, though.
Drinks: Bombay Martini for me, Rob Roy for mom, Chardonnay for Justin.
For entrees, Justin had Chicken Paillard (grilled chicken with mixed greens), mom had swordfish over risotto and topped with spinach, and I had Chicken Giambotta. The menu said it was made with pork chops and I asked if they could substitute chicken breast and also to make it extra spicy, which they did. Everyone loved what they had. Mine was amazing. The heat level was sweat-inducing due to the whole hot cherry peppers and the sauce was rich and flavorful.
I also want to note two things: the image of my dish is deceiving. It was a HUGE portion. Like over-the-top with the amount of chicken. Also, the original Pork Giambotta was $40. When they made mine with chicken, I saw on the bill that they only charged $28. This was a pleasant surprise as I was expecting to pay the original price.
We all took home leftovers (including the appetizers) but dessert was in order for their birthdays. There was no singing 
but there were sparklers (and a Sambuca for me-- BF had espresso). Service was excellent and perfectly timed. Thank you so much Buona Sera for an amazing night.
