N.J.’s hottest French restaurant comes with an Italian twist. You should escargot. | Review

Italian food runs in the Rallo family’s blood.

Victor Rallo opened his first restaurant with his father in Point Pleasant when he was 21. The family now operates Birravino in Red Bank, Undici Taverna Rustica in Rumson and Pastavino across the Hudson in Staten Island.

But when Victor’s son Jake wanted to join the family business, he was thinking less chicken parm and more coq au vin.

 ”When you look at Monmouth County, there’s so much Italian in the area,” Jake Rallo told NJ Advance Media. “We wanted to bring that Balthazar, French brasserie-style restaurant that’s iconic in New York City to the suburbs.”

That vision translates to a menu rooted in French cooking like escargots, steak frites and French onion soup paired with a polished but approachable dining room designed for both casual nights out and special occasions.

Victor and Jake opened River Pointe Inn in Rumson in January of 2024. Led by executive chef Josh Laurano (who once earned a Michelin star at La Sirena in New York) the transition to French cuisine was seamless thanks to lots of research and a shared passion for classic French techniques.

“We really pulled together a menu and beverage program that is super diverse,” Jake Rallo said. “You can go on a Monday night and grab a burger and a beer and be happy, or you can go there on your anniversary and get caviar and donuts or a porterhouse.”

The Jersey Shore is indeed awash in marinara — béarnaise sauce, not so much. River Pointe Inn is a smart but daring pivot for a family that knows Italian food in a state that loves it. French food is prestigious, but less approachable and more expensive.

The real test of course is the food — and that’s precisely where River Pointe Inn shines. Let’s dig in.

The good

River Pointe Inn offers both lunch and dinner menus, with French fare like escargots, steak frites, ratatouille and steak tartare, alongside daily specials. The menu also features raw oysters, fresh fish and a variety of sides, burgers and sandwiches, making it approachable for any occasion. Both menus change seasonally with a few staples remaining.

The drink menu is equally impressive, with handcrafted cocktails, martinis and an extensive wine list designed to complement the French-inspired menu. My server recommended the “Salt Air” martini ($21) with a salty foam that was refreshing, tangy and a little savory.

The meal began with the beets and cream ($19), a striking dish of roasted golden beets tossed in a tangy sumac vinaigrette, artfully arranged over a creamy bed of stracciatella with a generous sprinkle of spiced peanuts and mache (small, leafy greens). The milky, simple taste of the cheese and nutty crunch paired beautifully with the earthy, lightly spiced beets, created a dish that was as bright in flavor as it was in presentation. There aren’t many Italian influences here, but I’m glad this one made it through.

Caviar is synonymous with French food but the tiny, briny fish eggs are having a culinary moment beyond brasseries. Restaurants across New Jersey and beyond are putting fish roe on everything from burrata to latkes, or simply doing caviar bumps off their hands. River Pointe Inn found its own creative vessel for the dish — caviar and doughnuts ($59). Yes, caviar and doughnuts. No, it’s not what you think.

The intriguing plate arrives with a small tin set over ice with a mixture of shallot sour cream and egg yolk topped with Osetra caviar (roe from Russian sturgeon). On the side are eight mini potato and chive donuts, an unexpected but playful pairing that immediately grabs attention. The warm, savory donut with a scoop of the cool, salty caviar mix was indulgent without feeling overly opulent. This was a smart and innovative way to serve the luxurious delicacy.

Escargots ($23) is one of the most intimidating but nonetheless delicious cornerstones of French cooking. Yes, snails.

River Pointe Inn takes these little gems out of the shell and soaks them in milk to tenderize them before baking with a healthy amount of garlic and harissa with a coating of breadcrumbs on top. The plate is then served alongside two small crusty baguettes. The sauce was the star here, bursting with a subtle spice and garlicky flavor that enhance each piece of the soft, mild meat. The baguette was a nice addition to soak up the rest of that luscious sauce. While this is a common way of serving escargot, River Pointe Inn added its own twist by adding spicy harissa — a wise choice for another level of flavor.

If you’ve never had escargots, there’s no better place in New Jersey for your first time than here.

Steak frites ($52) is another timeless French dish that is also enjoying a renewed moment in the American culinary zeitgeist. River Pointe Inn executed this wonderfully. A Black Angus hanger steak (prepared medium at the server’s suggestion) came sliced on the plate topped with a generous pat of maitre’d butter — a French compound butter with lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. The juicy, tender steak was served with their housemade twice-cooked French fries that were satisfyingly crispy and seasoned.

Chicken au poivre ($42) is another French standard featuring pan-seared chicken served with a creamy peppercorn sauce, a classic French sauce often served over steaks. The restaurant took a pan-seared frenched chicken (skin on, bone out) and laid it above crisp haricot vert, silky celery root puree and shiitake mushrooms with a pour of the peppercorn jus on top. This dish reminded me of an elevated fried chicken and mashed potatoes dish — flavorful and comforting.

Pasta is not a staple of France — but the Rallo family’s Italian roots make it lesss surprising the River Pointe Inn’s champignon gratiné ($34) is on the menu. The layered pasta dish weaves together bechamel, mushroom duxelles and gruyère, with a generous base of Marcona almond romesco anchoring the plate. Every spoonful delivered melty cheese and deep mushroom flavor aided by a swipe of that smoky sauce.

The meal was rounded out by their chocolate cake ($21) and carrot walnut cake ($20). That might sound simple, but these desserts were anything but. The chocolate cake featured 12 layers of a decadent cake and velvety chocolate ganache with a side of whipped cream. The moist carrot walnut cake was equally indulgent — layered with warm spices, rich cream cheese frosting and dotted with toasted walnuts. Each cake was balanced rather than being overly sweet.

The bad

There were no culinary letdowns at River Point Inn. But the French delicacies come at a cost — literally. This place isn’t cheap.

Starters regularly push past the $20 mark and entrees are between $30 and $50. The tasty cocktails can also make the price tag climb quickly. While the quality largely justifies the cost, it’s a place diners will want to budget for. You can just come in for a burger and a martini, but the full dinner experience here undoubtedly a splurge.

The vibes

River Pointe Inn is small in size but ownership optimized the space in a very charming way.

There are two dining areas. One room is by their 18-seat bar with various booths to sit smaller parties with dim lighting, giving a city, speakeasy vibe. The other dining area is called the “Hearth Room” and has several tables, bright natural lighting and a fireplace — fit for much larger parties.

Thoughtful details tie the space together from warm wooden seating, exposed brick wall, simple but elegant table settings to dried floral arrangements that add texture without overwhelming the rooms.

The waitstaff were knowledgeable about all the dishes and drinks, while also being attentive throughout the whole meal.

The bottom line

River Pointe Inn proves the Rallo family’s expertise extends well beyond Italian food and is very welcome addition in a county drowning in Italian cuisine. The family set out to do something different — and they succeeded.

“It was just a culmination of dining at a lot of our favorite restaurants in Manhattan and around the area,” Jake Rallo said. “Pinpointing certain design aspects that we like, things that we didn’t like, and slowly piecing everything together.”

Instead of leaning on the comfort and familiarity of red-sauce staples, the family took on the more technical, sauce-driven precision of French cuisine where presentation matters just as much as the flavor.

That approach shows across the menu from the delicious drinks, remarkable starters, exquisite entrees to the delightful desserts. Seasonal menu changes keep the experience feeling fresh, while the confident execution proves the research and work paid off.

Yes, 2026 is young. But my meal at River Pointe Inn is the leader in the clubhouse for the best of the year. It’s a welcome addition to the Rumson and an excellent entry point into French cuisine.