Haute cuisine in the Hub City
The forces behind three savvy New Brunswick restaurants discuss menus and inspiration
[Excerpt:]
Stage Left sets the stage in New Brunswick
"The key to our success is drive," said Francis Schott, who owns and operates Stage Left with Lou Riverio and Mark Pascal. "We work very hard to deal with local farmers who grow our tomatoes, corn and strawberries. We make it our business to buy the finest seafood, poultry, beef and lamb."
Known as "The Restaurant Guys," Pascal and Schott have their own radio show. They broadcast 11 a.m. weekdays on New Brunswick's WCTC 1450 AM.
"I met Francis while attending Rutgers," Pascal said. "We were always great friends. I graduated thinking I was going into the statistics business, while Francis attended grad school. He had planned to enter political science. We always talked about going into business together. We had restaurant experience, so it was only natural we became partners. We were in our mid-20s when we opened Stage Left."
"Our menus are market-driven," Pascal said. "We go to the Union Square Green Market at least once a week and travel to Hunts Point Market for our seafood. What we can't get from markets in our area, we overnight from all over the world,"
A wine list of more than 1,000 bottles ranks Stage Left among the area's best restaurants, and the menu is also outstanding.
Topping the list of appetizers is a mixed green salad with goat cheese, French green beans, Parmesan cheese and roasted pecans. Crescent Farms duck confit with herbed barley, spinach and sherry, and a chilled Maine lobster with fennel, apple, pecans and vanilla tarragon emulsion are also popular.
Entrees feature house-made Merguez sausage and lamb chops with Barker Farms heirloom vegetables and sage jus, a wood-grilled filet mignon with wilted spinach, potato gratin and cabernet reduction, and a pistachio-studded, organic, free-range chicken breast topped with an arugula pistachio pesto. A dessert of bread pudding with hibiscus sauce and ice cream and a blueberry financier are fine examples of how to end an exemplary meal.
If you want to go
Location: Stage Left, 5 Livingston Ave., (732) 828-4444
Hours: Lunch, noon to 2:30 p.m. Friday only; dinner, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
FYI: Call for reservations. Major credit cards accepted. Jackets required. Handicap accessible. Valet parking Tuesday to Saturday and for special events. Within walking distance to the train station. Taxi service available 24 hours. Private rooms designed for smaller gathering are equipped for audiovisual presentations. Accepting reservations for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Twenty-percent gratuity added to the check for parties of six or more.
It's all about family at Catherine Lombardi
Mark Pascal is Catherine Lombardi's grandson. To honor his grandmother's legacy, he and Francis Schott opened a restaurant in her name.
"My grandmother cooked with the best ingredients," Pascal said. "She had a small garden in her yard. She would grow her own tomatoes and prepare her own sauce, and she'd be sure she'd have enough to last through the winter. She also had a beloved fig tree. We didn't have figs all year round, but in the three months or so that we did have them, the taste was spectacular.
Pascal said his grandmother cooked with patience and a lot of love.
"We try to do the same at Catherine Lombardi," he said. "Our chickens are organic and free-range. They come to us from local farms. We use only farmers to grow our produce. We grow more than 8,000 pounds of San Marzano plum tomatoes, which are used in all of our sauces. Our heritage pork comes from farms across the country. Gentleman farmers throughout the state grow all of our vegetables. During January, we take time to plan what our farmers will grow for the following spring."
As visitors peruse the dining room, they take time to look at the framed photos of the Lombardi family. From Grandma Catherine's earliest days to her grandson's wedding, you're able to follow the Lombardi lineage.
One way to explore this restaurant is to plan a Sunday visit with the family. Start with a round of salami, cheese, peppers and olives, a bowl of fried calamari with roasted garlic aioli and spicy marina sauce and a tray of house-made fresh mozzarella with roasted peppers and basil.
Entrees include manicotti with marinara sauce, lasagna with meatballs and sausage, eggplant Parmigiana and chicken scarpariello with sausage, peppers and lemon. In keeping with the family atmosphere, order a tray of Mrs. Palmisano's cookies and zabaglione with fruit.
If you want to go
Location: Catherine Lombardi, 5 Livingston Ave., (732) 828-4444
Hours: Bar opens 4 p.m. Lunch, noon to 2:30 p.m. Friday only; dinner: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
FYI: Major credit cards accepted. Handicap accessible. Reservations accepted for large parties. Smart casual dress. Valet, parking lot and street parking. Accepting reservations for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Through Christmas, Catherine Lombardi will be open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.
Original article location: http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006612060347