Bob Gordon, July 2014

DINING OUT

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It’s always a thrill to stumble upon an out-of-the-way eatery that merges small-town charm with big-city culinary offerings. However, we didn’t stumble upon this out-of-the-way foodie citadel. We knew about the Pass well before its arrival.

The Pass opened in May 2013 with the kind of fanfare accorded a chef-owner like Matthew Ridgway. A Johnson & Wales grad, Matthew’s CV includes The Fountain Room in The Four Seasons Hotel and Lacroix at The Rittenhouse, in addition to short stints in Paris’ internationally renowned, three-Michelin-star George V and Relais St. Victoire in Aix-en-Provence.

Matt had bowed out of the restaurant scene temporarily to set up PorcSalt in Philadelphia with partner James MacKnight. He focused on making high-quality local and sustainable charcuterie, pâtés, and terrines that mirrored those of France and Italy. Consequently his return to active kitchen duty at the Pass was heralded.

The Pass, located in pristine, small-town Rosemont, NJ, draws foodies from Philly to New York. Given Chef Ridgway’s ambitious cooking approach, the BYOB’s 4-course prix fixe is fair-priced at $49. There’s also a 6-course Discovery Menu for $74.

“Discovery” is an unstated theme at the Pass. The menu changes about bi-monthly both to reflect the current season’s bounty and Ridgway’s latest creations. Thus virtually every visit affords the chance for exploration and discovery that usually reaps a reward.

The four courses of the prix fixe are labeled “apertivo,” “second,” “third,” and “dessert.” Some random appetizers I’ve sampled over a few seasons are: Purely Farm Chicken Liver and Fried Oyster Jambonette, Jicama and Escarole Salad, Red Tail Venison Carpaccio, a “Winter Smorgasbord,” and Soft Scrambled Eggs with Perigord Truffles.

The Fried Oyster Jambonette features oysters clad in extraordinarily delicate breading with Jambonette for character and 3-vinegar sauce for zing. Pieces of skate wing moderate the crunch of jicama and escarole, which is dressed lightly with citrus and argan oil. Red Tailed Venison Carpaccio perks from citrusy grapefruit-orange salad, mild Annaheim pepper, and tonnata sauce. Soft scrambled eggs with a huge cap of Périgord truffles was somewhat cheeky and unusual for an appetizer, but the pairing lacked the clarity and brightness that distinguish most of the dishes here. The Winter Smorgasbord fanned six different artisanal charcuteries around a plate, each one exciting a different part of the palate. Should it appear on your menu, try it. Charcuterie is Matthew’s passion.

I’ve sampled a number of enjoyable entrées, like Baked Pacific Rock Fish in Fata Paper and Roasted Maple Leaf Farm Duck Breast. The former uses fata paper to wrap and retain the savory juices of the rockfish during the baking process. A scattering of edamame, tenderized while baking, are scattered atop the fish. Baby eggplant, pickled in lime, and shabu shabu sauce of soy, Worchester sauce, and coriander add range and spunk to a standout dish.

Among many other notable entrées are Crisped Steelhead Trout with lentils in a marinated beef vinaigrette or a wintertime favorite, Sautéed Muscovy duck breast.

Some standouts among the made-on-premises desserts are Pavlova cake (a light-as-air Russian treat) with chocolate sauce; bread terrine in sauce anglaise; honey semifreddo with zippy mango spuma and an outer shell of shaved white chocolate. My favorite remains Baba au rhum, confected with bitter chocolate spiked with Myer’s Dark Rum and candied chestnuts.

The ambiance is charming. Service is stellar. For the front of the house, Matthew nabbed the effervescent Steve Schiavo from Fond. I first met Steve when he won Philadelphia magazine’s “2011 Top Waiter” Award. His zest has not diminished, despite the Pass’ laidback, rustic setting with the big-city fare that makes it destination-worthy.

The Pass, 88 Kingwood-Stockton Rd, Rosemont, NJ 08556 (609) 961-1887  www.atthepass.com