Restaurant

The Wishing Well, going strong since 1936

November 29, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

On a tract of old farmland not far from the Saratoga Race Course flourishes a venerable restaurant, which has passed its good name along to generations of owners and even the mother of a Kentucky Derby winning racehorse. The Wishing Well restaurant in Wilton, N.Y. first opened for business in 1936. Nearly 40 years later, Robert and Brenda Lee purchased the property and relaunched it in May 1968. In that time, the pair, and now their son Robert Lee, created…

Read More Read More

In a Vienna state of mind

November 14, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

Matt Prince was 19 when he opened his first bar at Hofstra University. The Long Island lounge called Bogart’s became so popular that the hospitality maverick opened a second and third location before selling them in a succession of sweet deals, the last about 10 years ago. The idea at the time, back in 2007, was to pursue a new lounge venture with former NY Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, and retire from the hospitality grind to raise his three…

Read More Read More

There’s a new Monument in Charlestown

October 25, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

Not far from the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, Mass. begins a quiet revolution in neighborhood fare. With its rough-hewn accents of wood, and a bright red, wood-fire stove at its center, four veteran restauranteurs from Boston opened Monument Restaurant to bring comfort stables & family friendly hours to a neighborhood hungry for the basics, but with flair. “Every decision we made, from the menu to the look and feel of the place, was made for the neighborhood and community…

Read More Read More

Old rooming house restored to past glory

October 18, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

As a schoolboy, Curtis Bashaw fell in love with his dormitory and its glorious history. The storied structure in Cape May, N.J., burned in the historic fire of 1878, was rebuilt, renamed The Virginia Hotel, and catapulted onto the society pages of numerous publications as the glamorous old girl played host to the rich and famous of the day. But by the time Bashaw roomed in his quarters at the once-glamorous spot, the 24-room venue had long ago fallen out…

Read More Read More

All the brew pub’s a stage

October 9, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

The Portsmouth Brewery is like a stage for general manager and self-described “hospitality lifer” Brennen Rumble. It’s a place that comes alive the second the doors open, or, as in Rumble’s imagination, the curtain goes up. Patrons are greeted with warmth and a smile, and soon find themselves transported from their daily cares in to a microbrewery that entertains—it even introduces its patrons to one another if they wish— and offers lively discussions, fun events, and daring and delicious brews….

Read More Read More

Fired up for suckling pig, a Spanish tradition

September 25, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

On any given day in a 14,000 pound, wood-fired oven from Spain, suckling pig roasts for hours at the Bellmónt Spanish Restaurant of Florida. The savory aroma fills the Coral Gables kitchen with tradition as recipes and methods dating back to 18th century Madrid come alive in the hands of entrepreneur restauranteurs Sergio Catalina Bellmónt and his wife Claudia Romero. “It was our mission to have traditional cuisine on our menu and to cook in the wood-fired oven we brought…

Read More Read More

Four generations of good eats

September 15, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

From the days of horse-drawn carriages and hand-cranked telephones, Inman Square in Cambridge, Mass., has been remaking itself. But no matter how tangled the streets have become with cars and cyclists vying for space, or how many businesses come and go, a delicatessen founded in 1919 by an Eastern European immigrant remains; rooted in the heart of the square. “We’re a fourth-generation business started by my great-grandmother Ma Edelstein,” says restauranteur Gary Mitchell. “She was a pioneer who grew her…

Read More Read More

Fame in the food biz, one star’s secret

September 6, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

Long before she rocked a Dr. Pepper aioli with shallot rings and microgreens on popular TV show Top Chef Masters, California cooking star Suzanne Tracht found a way to make magic with simple ingredients, and with a twist. The longtime owner of the famous Jar Restaurant in Los Angeles, Tracht says her approach to cooking is much like the challenge she faced on Top Chef in 2013. “When you’re cooking in a busy kitchen, the first thing you have to…

Read More Read More

Sports café is a technical knockout

August 21, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

TKO Malley’s Sports Café in Scituate, Mass. has been winning round after round since they entered the culinary ring back in 1994. “It’s a knockout restaurant with knockout views and knockout food,” says General Manager Rich Lenahan. But the fun, food and ambience of the 140-seat restaurant on the harbor did not just happen by chance. It has honed itself into a lean, mean fighting machine. One that stands the test of time, competition and other challenges. Lenahan explains in…

Read More Read More

Service is key to happy foodies

August 11, 2017 Susan Salk Comments 0 Comment

Everyone’s a critic in the world of food service. Or a hobby chef. Or a foodie. Keeping those sophisticated, even somewhat demanding taste buds happy, is what inspires Peter Raimondi to lead the charge to provide great food and service at eight hotels within hospitality industry leader, Highgate. As the Complex Director of Food & Beverage at Park Central Hotel, the buck stops with Raimondi for every bar, restaurant, and in-room dining experience at locales from New York and New…

Read More Read More