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Arca (Italian - Lincoln Park, New Jersey)

andyclemente7

Arca is a relatively new restaurant in Lincoln Park, New Jersey, formerly known as the 202 Italian Bistro, and let me tell you, this place is unbelievable! Arca used to be a church, and the interior and architecture of this place are outstanding, especially seeing how this restaurant transformed. I came here with my family not too long ago for my dad's birthday, and we decided to go for Happy Hour as it is from four to six p.m., and they have excellent deals on food and drinks. They have a full Happy Hour menu with big food and drink portions and sizes, so you are getting a bang for your buck here!

Limoncello Martinis are always the move

I started with their 'Limoncello Martini,' which came with citron vodka, limoncello, simple syrup, and fresh lemon with a sugar rim. I loved everything about this drink, as it had a lot of lemon flavor, was sweet, and was super strong! I tasted every flavor and ingredient in the drink, which was excellent because, with some cocktails at some restaurants, some of the ingredients are lacking or cannot be tasted as much.

Name something more perfect than this Lychee Ginger Martini? I'll wait...

I ordered a second drink and had the 'Lychee Ginger Martini, which had vodka, lychee, domain de canton (ginger-flavored liqueur), sour mix, and fresh lime. This cocktail was very refreshing, delicious, and strong with a ton of lychee and ginger flavor. If you are looking for a good cocktail buzz, you will get that at Arca, as they do not skimp out on drinks, lol. Plus, the cocktail glasses are also a bit deep, so you get a good amount of your beverage in the glasses.

Ordering the Calamari here is a MUST

Moving onto food, my family and I started with the 'Bistro Calamari,' and this is a hit here and was also a huge menu item at 202 Italian Bistro. Everything from the old restaurant is now at Arca. However, they have added some additional menu items. The calamari here is amazing, as it is fried with balsamic reduction, a hint of cajun spices, and a garnish of tomatoes and scallions. The calamari was so good and does not miss. Everyone devoured the entire bowl!

Truffle oil & pecorino romano do great on wings

The other menu item we got was the 'Bistro Wings' tossed in truffle oil and pecorino romano. Anything with truffle on it is already a win for me! The flavoring on these wings was phenomenal as there was a lot of meat from the chicken and flavor from the truffle oil and cheese.

Who can say no to burrata?!

On top of that, we also ordered the 'Burrata,' which came with balsamic drizzle, asparagus, and beets in a pesto-like sauce. Burrata is always amazing, and this one did not disappoint! It was creamy, and just melts right in your mouth every time!

Short Rib & Tacos do go hand-in-hand

In addition, we also had the 'Ribs Tacos,' which are braised short ribs and were pretty good. The meat was succulent and juicy, plus we could say no to tacos?!

Craving this Orecchiette Bolognese right now

Well, that was only round one of food because my family and I ordered a second round since Happy Hour was not over yet, lol. So ordering more food only made sense. The next dish we ate was the 'Orecchiette Bolognese,' which came in a homemade meat sauce with a scoop of ricotta cheese. The pasta was beyond tasty, and the meat sauce was magnificent. I could have eaten a whole bowl of that no problem, lol.

The Arca Burger is beyond delicious

The next menu item we ordered was the 'Arca Burger,' which came in a special Arca sauce with coleslaw on a brioche bun with fries. The burger was juicy and cooked to perfection, and the sauce and slaw were both a nice bonus to the burger. Plus, the fries were crispy and golden goodness.

Lots of flavors and spice going on here with these peppers

Last but not least, my family and I got the 'Shishito Peppers,' and they were fried and tossed in truffle oil and pecorino romano. The peppers tasted exactly like the wings, except instead of chicken wings, these were peppers instead. Also, they were a bit spicy and had a kick to them.


Happy Hour is Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so if you are interested, make sure you get to Arca during one of those days and times! Besides Happy Hour, this place is only open for dinner, so if you want to check them out, dinner is the time to go. In addition to that, they are open every day, except for Mondays. Arca also hosts parties and events and offers party packages with the choice of one of three menu packages and a beverage package. More information can be found on their website. Arca in Lincoln Park is the restaurant to try because you will not be disappointed by the food, drinks, ambiance, and service!


Rate: 10/10

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