According to owner Lyell Scherline, developing the concept for Jay's Local was a collaborative effort between his family and the students of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Department at Muhlenberg College. “Our location is directly across the street from the college, so we knew the students would be frequenting us once we opened,” he shares. “Hearing horror stories about the restaurant business from practically everyone I know, it was important to pinpoint what the students and local neighbors wanted on the menu of an off-campus eatery so our customers would like what we serve.” Scherline explains that students split into groups as part of a course assignment to research business concepts, menu items and food preferences from both the campus and West End Allentown community. “The outcome of the students' presentations assisted in not only our menu at Jay's Local, but our hours of operation, commitment to affordable prices, all-day breakfast, high speed Wi-Fi for studying, several snack, healthy and vegetarian options and locally sourced products to showcase the great nearby farms and small businesses that enhance the Lehigh Valley food scene.”
As for the name, Jay's Local is in honor and memory of Scherline's father, whom he describes as an attorney, entrepreneur, philanthropist and all-around friend to anyone he ever came in contact with, and who fell in love with the Lehigh Valley upon moving to Allentown with Scherline's mom, Lorrie.
Scherline says he's always been an adventurous eater, but opening Jay's Local really allowed him to play around with ingredients in a creative way and introduce new ones he's discovered through his travels. “Our customers are interested in new menu items and specials so we focus a lot of our attention on exclusive weekend offerings,” he says.
Here, Scherline is sharing the recipe for the Gourmet Campus Bagel, which was introduced as a weekend special at Jay's Local and quickly became one of the eatery's most popular items after adding it to the menu full-time. What makes it so special? Some might say it's the aioli. “We really enjoy making homemade sauces. One sauce we always wanted to put our own spin on was aioli,” explains Scherline. “We were waiting for the right opportunity, and this breakfast sandwich was it.” To differentiate it from other aioli sauces, they added a dash of fresh roasted garlic and a hint of dill pickle juice to make it super flavorful. “This bagel sandwich has more flavor than any breakfast sandwich I've ever had before,” he says.
Order it with their most popular drink, The Local Freeze, made with banana, Nutella, Four Monkeys' cold-brew coffee and vanilla ice cream. “We blend it smooth, then top it with whipped cream and house-made caffè mocha sugar crystals.”
2301 W. Liberty St., Allentown | 610.351.3100 | jayslocal.com
Serves four
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1 Tbsp. dill pickle juice
- 8 pieces turkey bacon
- 8 pieces asparagus
- 8 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp. oil or butter
- 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 fresh bagels
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Garlic Dill Pickle Aioli
In a large bowl, add mayo, garlic, parsley, pickle juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients until smooth with a whisk or immersion blender. Transfer aioli into squeeze bottle or serving bowl and place in fridge.
Asparagus
Wrap a piece of turkey bacon tightly around each piece of asparagus. Place on a foil-covered baking sheet and cook for 10–15 minutes at 350 degrees until crispy. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Eggs
Heat large pan on medium high heat on stovetop. Crack eggs in a large bowl and scramble. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour eggs into oiled or buttered pan. Once eggs begin to cook, fold eggs over similar to an omelet. Use a spatula to separate the eggs into four separate servings that will fit on four bagels. Flip the eggs so they cook on both sides. Add one slice of cheddar cheese to each serving. Once cooked through, keep warm until ready to serve.
Bagel
Toast bagel to desired darkness. Transfer to plate.
Place portion of cheese-topped eggs onto bottom half of bagel. Top with two pieces of turkey bacon-wrapped asparagus in the shape of an "X". Spread desired amount of garlic dill pickle aioli onto top half of bagel and place on top of turkey bacon.
Note: Jay's Local uses thick-cut smoked turkey bacon since it's leaner and a bit healthier, but feel free to use any bacon or breakfast meat of your choice. If you like spicy, add a few drops of hot sauce into your aioli or on top of your eggs. Jay's uses sharp white cheddar from Conebella Farm in Elverson, but any cheese is great on this sandwich.
Published as “Beyond the Menu” in the March 2023 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
