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The Star Ledger
Matt's Red Rooster
Sunday, August 14, 2005
By Cody Kendall
There's more than one Matt involved with Matt's Red
Rooster Grill. Culinary Institute of America roommates
Matt McPherson and Matt Green teamed up to open this
delightful restaurant last fall, adding instant flair
to Flemington's dining scene.
McPherson, whose previous gigs included Hamilton's
Grill Room in Lambertville and the Sea Grill in Manhattan
tends to work the front of the house. His partner,
who ran Napa 29 in California and was also employed
by the Four Seasons in Boston, spends more time in
front of the wood-burning grill that dominates the
downstairs dining room. The grill is at the heart
of what the restaurant does best, making fine meat
and seafood even more flavorful.
The establishment is located in an artfully converted
two-family house with a welcoming, wide front porch.
"We always had a dream of opening a place together,"
said McPherson. Although both men are young (McPherson
is 28 and Green is 30), they shared a clear-cut vision
of what they wanted to achieve.
"Our message is that we are trying to do upscale
food without the fuss of having to come in a suit
and tie. It's a very casual place with a high-end
menu. The big thing here is comfort," said McPherson.
That means you can wear a T-shirt and shorts if so
inclined; it doesn't mean the restaurant is serving
comfort food. No, the offerings have the kind of panache
you would never have found at Grandma's table. While
the sophistication level is high, everything flows
together without the use of eccentric ingredients
or combinations that put a strain on the palate.
Very often, there is just one key element to brighten
up a dish. A green applePinot Noir reduction adds
a fruity sparkle to cedar plank salmon ($22) and peach
jus does the same for a house-smoked double-cut pork
chop ($23), while sweet corn salsa amplifies the appeal
of the Griggstown Farm rotisserie chicken ($20).
There are more multifaceted offerings, too, though
none ever gets so complicated that the main ingredient
is shouted down. Grilled scallops ($12) are great
on their own, but even better in an appetizer that
also includes avocado, tomato, capers and brown butter
to provide more dimensions to the succulence of the
seafood, which still comes shining through. Rack of
lamb ($33) is jazzed up with 10 spices, ranging from
cumin and coriander to fennel and allspice, giving
this tender meat a whole new taste. It's actually
a bit of an adventure, with an aroma that has an impact
equal to its flavor. Yellow squash, zucchini and red
pepper add a streak of color, and the mashed potatoes
are wonderful.
Sun-dried tomato tapanade balances the pesto-glazed
Hawaiian butter fish ($25), adding a touch of excitement
to the smoothness of the sea. A New York strip steak
($22 single-cut, $44 double-cut) exemplifies the power
of the grill. The cut is wonderful, but the expert
grilling technique is what puts it in the "memorable"
category. Bearnaise sauce serves as a mere flourish.
Summery soups ($6.50) hit the mark, with a lightness
appropriate for the season that doesn't diminish their
depth. The corn chowder is sweet, the cream of wild
mushroom earthy and the gazpacho with shrimp and scallop
ceviche both refreshing and nourishing. Take the option
of having smaller portions of all three for $7.50.
You won't regret it.
Salads ($7) are worthwhile at Matt's, especially the
grilled Romaine, which spent just enough time on the
fire to have a slightly smoky flavor. A creamy Parmesan
dressing finishes this off with a cool touch. Candied
pecans and honey juxtaposed with a roasted shallot
vinaigrette make the house salad special.
Though portions are large, no dish is bigger than
the mammoth cioppino ($25), with mussels, clams, calamari,
shrimp and other ocean denizens jostling each other
in a just-spicy-enough tomato lobster broth atop pasta.
Desserts ($7) did not impress us as being at the
same level as the rest of the meal. They felt a bit
heavy after all we had eaten. An apple-caramel cheesecake
had a bit of a lilt, but I would have liked to see
more creative and less-weighty choices than a peanut
butter torte or a brownie.
Although the restaurant does not have a liquor license,
if you forget to bring a bottle of wine, management
can offer you choices from Hunterdon County's Unionville
Winery under a New Jersey wine license arrangement.
Servers are bright and pleasant, with a "can-do"
attitude that demonstrates good training for the most
part. At one point in the evening, however, things
got a little ahead of the staff and we had to ask
for flatware to replace what was taken away with the
plates for the previous course.
The restaurant is a hot ticket, which, as too often
is the case, also means that it can be noisy. During
peak hours on a busy weekend night, this isn't the
spot for quiet conversation. But Matt's Red Rooster
is fun, with a young, fresh feel, and its lively food
is definitely worth repeat visits.
MATT’S
RED ROOSTER GRILL
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