Starfish Brasserie: Inspiring, Sustainable, and Delicious

The Philosophy

Very few restaurants in the Lehigh Valley specialize in sustainable seafood-centric menus, a farm-to-table policy, and boast a fantastic bar area and drinks to boot.

Starfish Brasserie, located at the intersection of Broad and Guetter Streets on Bethlehem’s North Side, is that restaurant. The menu includes local ingredients at all possible opportunities, and the menu changes almost daily based on availability and the inspiration of head Chef, Kristofor Sandholm. 

Overfishing is becoming another contemporary global issue, which means that by calling themselves a sustainable seafood restaurant, Starfish has pledged to serve you quality seafood but of the kinds that are not endangered. Couple this policy with the farm-to-table tag and you’ve got yourself fine meal of well-treated food.

The Bait

A few weeks ago, I was thrilled to hear from Kris via Starfish on Twitter @Starfish_PA regarding a review opportunity. In exchange for a meal, I would do a review of the Starfish Brasserie restaurant. The opportunity was attractive to me for many obvious reasons, chief among them the fact that I had never been to Starfish but I had heard a lot about it recently. 

The Hook
My friend and I arrived at about 6 o'clock on a Wednesday, and three hours later, left happily satisfied. True to all that I had heard, the menu was fresh, farm-to-table, and a one-of-a-kind menu that not even the next day's customers would try.

For example, it's not every restaurant that features an olive oil of the day. Ours was a red pepper, garlic, and tomato infused olive oil that came with delicious bread (soft, fluffy inside and crust with a crunch). 

Next came the amuse-bouche (literally translated to mouth amuser) that consisted of a tortilla crisp topped with kalamata olive tapenade, a cherry tomato slice, and a mussel. I enjoyed the combination of these flavors, but I think it could improve even more with a tortilla more on par with the other ingredients. 

This is a good time to introduce our server, Mike, who was handling the many tables in the main dining room but took excellent care of us. He made good recommendations and was honest where he hadn’t tried things. After all, the menu does change daily. 

After consulting with Mike, we ordered three appetizers that piqued our interest. While Starfish clearly offers the standard shrimp cocktail and scallops, I was drawn to a few more inspiring appetizer choices. After all, how could I resist a salmon cake with asian noodles, smoked mackerel and artichoke hearts, and shrimp-stuffed grape leaves?

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Cous Cous
with a Pickled Beet Side

My favorite of those three was absolutely the smoked mackerel and artichoke hearts. The tart artichoke hearts had been marinated by red and white wine vinegar, creating a beautiful color pallete made more delicious with the perfectly flavored smoked pepper-encrusted mackerel. It was an incredibly simple dish but ingenious in its flavor combinations, a trait I’d say ran across most of Starfish’s fare.

Smoked Mackerel with
Marinated Artichoke Hearts and Arugula

Chef Sandholm also sent out another appetizer for us to try: Spanish octopus medallions threaded over a small skewer, resting on a bed of Mediterranean-inspired bulgar with parsley, red onion, scallion, and tomato. The octopus was absolutely cooked to perfection and lightly barbecue flavored, the bulgar slightly bitter by contrast.

Roasted Octopus served over
Mediterranean Bulgar Salad

The Entrees

The duck dish that my friend ordered was exactly the kind of meal I cook for myself regularly: a meat with sides of quinoa and red swiss chard. For this reason, I was less intrigued to order it but I was happy to sample duck, my favorite fowl.

That being said, my friend who has only recently been introduced to quinoa and swiss chard absolutely loved this dish. There’s a good reason why I can’t live without those ingredients. The duck was tender and the sauce was brilliant.

Duck with Quinoa and Red Swiss Chard

And for my entree, the trout served over red and white quinoa and beet medallions, accompanied by a carrot puree sauce. The trout was buttery but not heavy, and the skin was pleasantly crunchy and salty.

The trout and the beet medallions (that I presume were boiled) complemented one another like Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce. The carrot sauce was an ingenious addition to the flavors and the nuttiness of the quinoa balanced all of the above. What a combination bite. 

Trout over Beet Medallions,
Quinoa, and Carrot Sauce

It is interesting to note the variety of beets we tried throughout the evening. I'm sure this is partially because beets are very much in season in Pennsylvania this time of year. We tried the chef’s beets in a few forms: shaved and pickled with the grape leaves and then with the trout, both were flavored nicely. 

Sweet Endings

The only way I’ve found effective to describe the chocolate basil cake is to compare it to the combination of chocolate and cayenne. In both cases, there is an evident hint of spice that lingers after the bite, but with the basil there isn’t the heat, simply the spice. Mike told us that the batter has a much stronger basil flavor but when it cooks the basil adapts to a nice, subtle role.

The chocolate bar was like a cappuccino in solid form. Decadent yet rich, not overpoweringly sweet, and accompanied on the plate by elegantly painted sauces: a raspberry coulis, strawberry coulis, and cinnamon-flavored crème anglaise that reminded me of eggnog. The dishes were well crafted and beautifully plated on rather posh flatware.

Chocolate Basil Cake
and Decadent Chocolate Bar

Spirits

The evening cannot be summarized without a bow to the bartender. We sampled two of Starfish’s martinis, both spot-on suggestions by Mike. I first tried the White Cosmopolitan and my friend the Pomegranate-Mint martini.

The White Cosmopolitan was tasty and richly flavored. The Pomegranate Mint martini was refreshing and tart, with small mint flakes blended throughout, the kind of drink I’d have a hard time choosing between if it were up against Mojito on a hot, summer evening. Maybe both, I’d be willing to bet Starfish’s bartenders would make a good Mojito as well. 

The Starfish website also points out that they won the 2009 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence for their wine offerings.

Ambiance

At about 7:30 we heard the first chords of the live pianists’ performance from the bar. By the time we left around 9:15, a pleasant cacophony of piano, light drumming, and the sounds of the crowd that had gathered played in the bar area. 

It was clear that many people frequent Starfish on such nights to listen to live music and indulge on any of Starfish’s delicious cocktails, wine, and beer. We resolved to return at the bar at some point, which has a fantastic array of materials and colors in its lively décor. The quaint bar under dangling lights is surrounded by booths and small tables that enjoy the giant picture window view of Broad Street.

The Verdict

I would say that one of the things that impressed me most about Starfish is the Chef’s clear ability and experience with seafood. Everything we had was cooked to perfection, which is difficult to achieve with some of the particular fish and meat we sampled. Above all, none came near the feared “fishy” taste that can discourage many people from even trying seafood.

I also appreciate Chef Kristofor Sandholm's ability to create new dishes every day and understand his zest for innovating upon dishes and flavors. Keep on, but I hope near versions of some of my favorites from that meal are present on the menu the next time I return, for I certainly will. 

Consider me baited and hooked.

To see their menu and keep track of the nightly promotions, specials, and events: http://www.starfishbrasserie.com/


Starfish has an inviting interior atmosphere that sometimes you can't see from the outside. I found this video helpful in getting a little preview of the Starfish experience.

The final thing I'll say is that I'm more than happy to do a review of this type for any other restaurant that offers! It's a win-win. Contact me at imani.hamilton@gmail.com or on Twitter: @imanihamilton

Holiday Cheer in the Form of Cranberry Salsa: Recipe

How delicious does that sound already? It's so good that I almost feel like I'm divulging a family secret. But this is, in my opinion, one of the best party foods for the holidays, so this one's for every holiday party planner out there.

Cranberry Salsa is like the guacamole of the winter: better than your run-of-the-mill salsa, a slightly innovative chip dip, and plenty of potential varieties for you and your neighbors to compete over.

The brilliant color paired with blue and yellow corn chips adds a punch to any array of appetizers.

It's as simple as combine these ingredients in a food processor and blend:
12 ounces of fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup cilantro
1 medium red onion
1 garlic clove
1 jalapeno (or more depending on your spicy tolerance)

Deliciousness.

From The Farmhouse to Table

http://thefarmhouse.com

This is one of many beautiful, historic Pennsylvania farmhouses, but in its recent years this quaint homestead has been given a new life as one of the most wonderful restaurants in the Lehigh Valley. 

I have been wanting to go to The Farmhouse for over a year since a group of friends went last year and told me I absolutely had to try it. The Farmhouse is proud of its locally sourced ingredients and seasonal menu. My friend and roommate Karlee has been many times and decided to take me there for my birthday dinner.

Because The Farmhouse was at one time a home, the interior ambiance is balances classy with comfortable in a charming way. We were seated at a round table in what was probably originally the drawing room, near two enchanting old windows, teal-washed walls, and pretty little paintings. The living room and another set of spaces near the rear of the building had their own colorations and ambiance as well. The basement hosts a lounge and bar area that is also very simply elegant and looks like a cozy place to spend one of these chilly December evenings. From what I gather, it is a good place to sample from The Farmhouse's extensive beer and wine lists.

I started the evening with a glass of red wine that I enjoyed very much: the Lemberger 2009 from the Lehigh Valley's own Vynecrest. Sweet yet not too sweet, dark but not smoky, and not too many tannins. Find this wine and others on their website: http://www.vynecrest.com/

Next, of course, came the appetizers. The small plate Sea Bass Ceviche served over seaweed salad & toasted macadamia nuts was phenomenal. I am a fan of ceviche and find myself ordering it somewhat frequently, in part because I enjoy how much variety there is. 

I have never tried a sea bass ceviche and certainly never had one that involved seaweed salad, so I was impressed by how well the seaweed salad contributed a slightly tart, bitter flavor to the seabass, a role typically reserved for red onions and citrus flavors in a standard ceviche. It was presented with a few sauces and also came with cute little toastlets. Very, very happy with that appetizer.

For the entree, I ordered the Pan Roasted New Jersey Pheasant, served over a warm organic wild rice salad, seasonal vegetables, and morello cherry sauce. It had caught my attention when I was looking at the menu, partially because Pheasant is somewhat rare to find on a menu. I enjoy ordering things that I can't get everywhere. 

The pheasant wasn't life-changing; pheasant is a difficult bird to do well. It's a gamey meat, a little tougher, and there's gristle. Consequently, my dish had some excellent bites when it included the best parts of the meat, but others were not as good. 

That being said, if they bottled the morello cherry sauce, I would stock it in my pantry. As I said to my friends when I finished the dish, I felt like I had a love affair with my entree. At first, I wasn't entirely impressed, but some bites of the best of the pheasant meat were absolutely wonderful, and I'm sure that's why it does still deserve a spot on the menu.

My friend Karlee has been to The Farmhouse three times to order the Roasted Black Sea Bass (with pancetta, beluga lentils, seasonal vegetables, and a hazelnut sage vinaigrette) while it's been on the menu because she loves it so much. I had a bite and was thoroughly impressed. Perfect consistency, a very clean palate of flavors and a few that I couldn't quite identify (probably the hazelnut, I love it when that happens), and a very complimentary use of the lentil, which I don't think is the easiest flavor to showcase.

I was visually stalking a couple who sat at the table near us when we arrived because the porkchop that was brought out to the gentleman looked fabulous and I was at that time deciding between the pheasant and porkchop. He enjoyed it, and our waitress said it was one of her favorites, so perhaps I'll have to return to try, although I don't have long because it's the tail end of this seasons' menu. Perhaps I'll have to live vicariously through my dining neighbor forever.

And finally, dessert. The Chai Cheesecake with cinnamon whipped cream was calling my name and I would be willing to say it's one of the best desserts I've ever had. The slightly tart cheesecake flavor combined with the chai spice was brilliant. I would stop by to order this dessert on a whim.

Overall, a wonderful evening appreciating the good things in life. Karlee knows me well enough to know that any restaurant in an architecturally interesting place, a comfortable charm, and a menu with fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients will make me a happy birthday girl.

For their photo gallery, menus, and a little history: http://thefarmhouse.com

Succulent Grilled Lamb Skewers

This recipe is from The Greek Cookbook by Tess Mallos, a cookbook from a neighbor of ours who is known to serve excellent lamb dishes.

I asked for the cookbook last summer when we were preparing for a dinner party grill-out in hopes of finding an excellent lamb kabobs recipe, and I certainly did.

The absolute key to this recipe, and I've decided to making lamb in general, is the marination time. This summer, I marinated the lamb over night and when we made this recipe about a week ago, we let it marinate all day. Moral of the story, the longer the better.

Marinade proportions for one leg of lamb, which should be cubed before marinating:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• any other herbs you enjoy: basil, parsley, mint, etc.

I think I probably ended up doubling or tripling this marinade for making a few lamb skewers to allow the meat to be submerged in marinade. To this end, don't be timid with any of the amounts above and feel free to improvise to really get the most out of the flavor and marinating time.

After marinating for several hours or overnight, thread the lamb onto skewers (metal is best for the grill, wood will also work).

Here is where the option of indoor or outdoor grilling presents itself. Last summer we seared the lamb on the grill, leaving it partially rare and it was absolutely mouth-watering. This time of year, no one wanted to be the one stuck grilling in gloves, so we used the griddle and broiled it in the oven. I would say the grill was ideal but both are wonderful.

I won't make any assumptions about how people like their meat cooked, so I'll leave it at cook it to your desired temperature. 

That being said, I would highly recommend the seared lamb (if the meat is fresh and of high quality) that leaves it somewhat rare inside, because the meat is so wonderfully flavored from swimming in the marinade for several hours.

Go Local With Your Cuisine: Groceries, Restaurants, and Lifestyle

www.buylocalpa.org

I found this website today and wanted to share it because it makes it easy to find fresh, local food in the Lehigh Valley. 

Support the farm-to-table movement, restaurants and retailers that offer food from within 100 miles, and most importantly, your local economy.

Sound like a lot? It's not, this site makes it easy: http://www.buylocalpa.org/lehighvalley 

The site will help you locate retailers, restaurants, farmers' markets, wineries, breweries, and the originators: farms that offer local Lehigh Valley food.

Want to learn more about the farm-to-table movement? 

http://www.farmtotableonline.org/

Question: Why eat food from within 100 miles? 

http://100milediet.org/

Answer: To be a localvore: 

http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/definitions/Localvores-Localtarians

And from FoodRoutes.org, how to accomplish this: 

http://www.FoodRoutes.org/howtobuylocal.jsp

Arugula Salad with Grapes, Gorgonzola, and Apricot-Fennel Dressing

This is a recipe my mom procured from a friend after being served this salad, an excellent indicator of the dish's credibility (and I might add these particular friends who have great taste in most things). Recipe unseen, she had to have it.

Fortunately, our friends were more than willing to share this gem of a recipe and gave us a copy from their Cook's Illustrated Cookbook.

It's an easy recipe to put together and has wonderful flavors. I love the apricot jam and fennel, I think these ingredients are less intuitively matched with the other flavors here, which is why this is somewhat of a show-stopper salad. The kind of salad someone will ask, "What is in this?!" And my mom did.

The dressing is key to the flavors of this salad. Combine the following:

• 4 teaspoons apricot jam
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

The Dressing

Next, chop the fennel fronds (leafy greens) to amount to about a 1/2 cup.

If you have a fennel bulb, dice it into small pieces and include them as well.

Add the fennel to the dressing 15-20 minutes before serving, you don't want it to wilt too much.

Finally, combine dressing and fennel with:

• 1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup gorgonzola or blue cheese
• 8 cups arugula

Grapes, Dressing, Pecans, and Fennel from Mom's garden

Toss and serve. You may not think it looks like much but your tastebuds will beg to differ...this salad possesses an elegance of simplicity.