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.
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.
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?
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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.
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| Duck with Quinoa and Red Swiss Chard |
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.
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| 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.
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 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.
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| 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.
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 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.
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
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