55 Main
The menu reflects a broad range of culinary influences at this casual spot for fine food.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008 2:23 PM EDT
By Kate and Tom O'Neill
FLEMINGTON is best known as the site of both the Lindbergh kidnapping trial and as a shopping outlet. But in recent years, it also has become a dining destination. Matt's Red Rooster Grill, Fusion and – six months ago – 55 Main have brought panache and fine dining to the heart of town. 55 Main is the creation of chef-owner Jonas Gold, a native of Flemington who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and cooked at the Harvest Moon Inn and the Fox and Hound Tavern before opening his own restaurant last October. He aimed to create a casual dining spot with fine food. He has achieved that and more. 55 Main is a true American bistro with food of character and refinement served without pretense, at reasonable prices.
The appetizer choices illustrate Chef Gold's ambitions and abilities. The menu description of each is tempting. You may consider, as we did, ordering them all and making a meal solely composed of appetizers. The selection reflects a broad range of culinary influences, with a noticeable tip of the toque to Asia and Mexico: grilled shrimp with Thai sweet chili and mango salsa or duck pot stickers with Thai coconut sweet chili sauce.
French influence can be seen in the crisp warm goat cheese served with roasted beets. Fried oysters and calamari are glazed with toasted sesame and served with butternut squash and apple wood bacon hash and a maple bourbon aioli — a veritable United Nations of fusion. Ravioli ($8.95), a serving of four, are stuffed with short rib beef, accented with a pinot noir reduction, sprinkled with cheese scented with shaved truffles and served with caramelized carrot purée.
The blend of savory and sweet was magnificent, the long-cooked short rib meat deeply flavored and the carrot puree thick, sweet and rich. Crab cakes ($12) are a frequent appetizer special. The three croquette-sized crab cakes are made with lump crabmeat with no discernible filler — just a hint of thyme, minced red bell pepper and red onion — fried to a deep golden brown and offered with a Thai-influenced sauce, with hints of coconut and mango.
The focus here is on the food. The clean architectural lines and spare design of the long, narrow room; the single black and white poster and small, simply framed black and white photos with a restaurant theme, and the large white china plates and platters make the priorities clear. Through the restaurant's storefront window, diners at the front tables will enjoy the view of Flemington's attractive Main Street and the landmark Union Hotel. A comfortably upholstered banquette runs down one side of the room and a dozen or so tables for four are lined up along the other wall. The shiny wood floor, bisected by a dark runner, leads to the kitchen.
The choice of entrées is notably stronger on meat dishes than seafood, but it displays a cosmopolitan range of antecedents. Braised Kurobuta pork is served osso buco style with toasted pecan and sweet potato risotto. Wasabi–seared yellowfin tuna comes accompanied by gingered sticky rice, a sauté of Asian vegetables and dipping sauce. If a list of classic American bistro food exists, it must include the skillet-roasted half chicken served here with pan gravy and macaroni and cheese. We saw one of these entrees arriving at an adjacent table, and it looked spectacular delivered tableside in its black frying pan.
Pan-roasted duck breast is served with foie gras, dressed with a demi glace of port wine, and accompanied by zucchini, Yukon gold potato hash and dried figs. Ordered medium rare, the duck breast was a gentle pink inside and fork tender. Its taste was refined, not gamey, enriched by the foie gras. Basted in olive oil and garlic, the cod was oven-roasted, with a half dozen small clams in attendance, and topped imaginatively with four white anchovies served tempura style. Inside the crisp, fried exterior, the Spanish-style anchovies retained their tart, vinegary taste and balanced the richness of the cod. The dish was served with spinach, lightly sauteed in olive oil.
Desserts are all made in the kitchen here. On offer are flourless chocolate cake, apple crisp, creme brulee, and other treats. The pecan tart is served atop a caramel sauce with a generous dollop of creme anglaise. The molasses-flavored filling bound together the crunchy pecans for a satisfying combination of tastes and textures. The light lemon tart, served with a strawberry, is as smooth on the palate as it is charming to the tastebuds.
Service was friendly and informed after a brief awkwardness on arrival. No one was on duty at the maitre d’s counter and the bustling wait staff took no notice of us. After a few minutes the hostess emerged from the kitchen and showed us to our table. More time passed before our server came to the table. We had to ask for our wine to be opened, and then for a cooler for the bottle of white. She served us fresh-baked rolls sprinkled with poppy seeds and accompanied by a small pot of whipped butter. A card on the table describes the night's specials, and the server explains them further as well, a thoughtful touch and much preferable to a mere recitation.
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