CALEB’S AMERICAN KITCHEN
CALEB’S AMERICAN KITCHEN
Bob Gordon, October 2014
DINING OUT
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A FEW TRIPS TO Caleb’s American Kitchen in Lahaska is convincing. Caleb Lentchner, the eponymous Chef-owner, has given this part of Bucks County dining a welcome, in the words of Chuck Berry, “shot of rhythm and blues.”
Caleb’s American Kitchen has moved into the location along busy Rt. 202 that was long occupied by Wildflowers, an eatery that, frankly, grew stale in its waning years. Caleb’s endows both the Wildflowers space and the region itself with new life. It’s open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That stoked schedule can spell burnout and slippage in quality. But it hasn’t. I’ve visited Caleb’s now in all the seasons to test its seasonally changing menu. The fare has remained good and reliable no matter the season.
I particularly like the dishes that tap Caleb’s creativity—dishes like Vegetarian Corned Beef & Quinoa. He mimics corned beef with seitan. For the pure gastronomic alchemy of impersonating meat’s taste and texture, Caleb’s is one of the best I’ve tasted. His process of pickling the seitan with caraway distinguishes the dish. The seitan-corned-beef possesses a delectable smoky undercurrent. Paired with nutty quinoa and spinach, it’s one of the finest vegetarian dishes I’ve ever had. Anywhere.
Rolling through the seasons: On the summer menu, mango, pepper, diced red tomatoes, and yellow cherry tomato enlivens barramundi, with sautéed spinach counterbalancing the fruity swirls.
Also on the summer menu is Lump Maryland Crab Mini Tacos: three delicate taco shells crammed with crab salad colorfully capped with avocado purée. On the winter menu, I enjoyed the South Beach Ceviche Mini Tacos: three taco shells clutch a savory cargo of ceviche, garbanzo beans, and cucumber slices. Three nuclear-hot chile slices border each of these items.
Braised Short Ribs Grilled Cheese is a simple but cogent pairing. Short ribs and aged cheddar are grilled together on crusty bread spread with pickled red onions. Opposite the quartered sandwich mounded at one corner of a large plate is a grove of pickled red onions that weave colorfully between long helix-shaped ribbons of cucumber. The pickling is more than garnish. Its sweet-sour pucker complements the sandwich nicely, and endows the familiar with a splash of excitement.
Maui Ahi Tuna Poke is a popular dish for all seasons. It’s served in a large martini glass filled with Hawaiian tuna, which has been marinated, minced and mixed with macadamia nuts. Ginger adds some zing. New England Lobster Rolls are three crispy brioche squares wrapped around columns of rich Maine lobster salad. The three brioche squares tower upward from deep green pesto in a beautiful, appetizing dish.
The sauce in Braised Texas Antelope Ragu and pappardelle was so soulfully delicious, it eased some of last winter’s pain. Ditto for last winter’s Sustainable Native Atlantic Salmon. The grilled salmon glinted atop a bed of spinach and quinoa pilaf spiked with basil. A slice of fresh grapefruit playing counterpoint to the sweet tastes of the other ingredients topped the salmon.
Over the years, I got to know Caleb at Marsha Brown’s in New Hope, where he, in large part, migrated from the kitchen to the front of the house. In our conversations (and his creations), I was impressed by his ideas and culinary ambition. He was imaginative and progressive. I also sensed he didn’t have full freedom to pursue and bring his own ideas to fruition. Now he does, and the results are what I anticipated. Caleb is committed to farm-to-table cooking. He is showing a yen for invention—and for inventing more vegetarian/ vegan choices. His son’s gluten allergy has spurred him into educating himself about gluten-free cooking and to venture into that frontier.
Caleb and his wife Carol have laid out a lovely, airy interior with plenty of table room and plenty of room between tables. And they’ve given some welcome diversity to a scene suffering from a long bout with the boogie-woogie flu.
Caleb’s American Kitchen, 5738 Route 202 (junction of 202 and 263), Lahaska, PA (215) 794-8588. www.calebsamericankitchen.com