Chef John Pukanecz is a renowned figure on the Lehigh Valley dining scene. He’s won awards, respect from his peers and has a loyal following at his West End Allentown restaurant, Grille 3501.
A local celebrity, for sure, but he’d rather you just call him John.
Grille 3501 describes itself as “sophisticated yet unpretentious” and that applies to Pukanecz, as well. He is both co-owner and executive chef, and for almost 15 years he’s been the man behind the swinging kitchen door, hard at work creating the dishes that are a fusion of Asian, French and Mediterranean cuisine.
Fifteen years is a lifetime in the restaurant business, so things are definitely clicking. When Grille 3501 opened in 2001 it created quite the sensation. Diners flocked there for a taste of something new and exotic in the transformed Trinkle’s Cetronia Hotel. Pukanecz signed on soon afterwards, and his signature cuisine has helped keep the place packed and atop many “best of” lists.
“Our vision from the very beginning has been consistency,” he says. “We want to put out a good product that looks good, tastes good and has different flavors than anywhere else.”
Pukanecz, a Whitehall High School grad, points to his roots in Classic French cooking at the Ballietsville Inn and Country French at Glasbern as inspiration for the menu at Grille 3501. “I was also reading a lot of Ming Tsai at the time and that’s where the fusion came from,” he adds. “We used French techniques, Asian and American ingredients, and combined everything.” It worked well, so they’ve continued on that route ever since.
In fact, Grille 3501 is the busiest it’s ever been. Maine lobster tail is the best-selling item, accompanied by scallion potato cake and baby bok choy in a brown butter sauce. Other popular choices are filet mignon with buttermilk mashed potatoes and red onion confit, seared rare tuna with Israeli couscous and carrot slaw, and king salmon with yuzu and lentils.
Yuzu? It’s a Japanese fruit with “every citrus flavor and aroma in one little juice,” Pukanecz says. Unusual ingredients like yuzu are what make his dishes stand out. “I try to put things on the menu that people don’t have,” he adds.
If Pukanecz could improve on anything, he’d be more diligent at becoming a farm to table restaurant, sourcing more locally grown products. He’s also working toward changing the menu on a more consistent basis, perhaps three to four times a year to keep it fresh. “We’re not trendy,” he explains. “We’re pretty established.”
Any drastic changes could create an uproar among the regulars who’ve come to expect nothing short of a five-star dining experience with every visit. Pukanecz says they see the same people over and over again, sometimes four to five times a week. “They come for lunch and dinner.”
And they come in large numbers for happy hour and half-price appetizers. The bar is always hopping with an eclectic crowd that enjoys the delicious small plates and the sophisticated drink menu with craft cocktails, a carefully curated beer selection and nice wines by the glass.
This summer, try to grab a table in the restaurant’s new loft area. The stylish two-story addition opened last fall and allows al fresco dining at sleek, wooden, high-top tables. Inside, there’s more seating on two levels. Second-floor tables come with a bird’s-eye view of the action at the four-sided bar below. There’s another view of sky and green treetops out of the two stories of retractable windows.
The space has a fun vibe. “People talk a little louder, get a little more rambunctious,” says Pukanecz. It’s a great space to meet and mingle, or host a private party for up to 75 people. Radiant floor heat and gas heaters on the outdoor patio keep things comfortable when the thermometer dips.
Whereas the dining area has expanded, Pukanecz and his crew of 12 continue to work arm-to-arm in a small kitchen near the back. He’s in there five days a week, having scaled back a bit from every day. “I’m an old man in a young man’s business,” he says. “You’re up and down, and in the oven and turning around. Your knees and your back hurt.” Still, he’s there behind the scenes, prepping and cooking and making sure everything gets done and looks good and tastes good.
Pukanecz has seen a lot of change in the Lehigh Valley, and embraces it. He says, “There are a lot more restaurants and a lot more people in the Valley and you see cars everywhere. I don’t care how many restaurants are around—there are plenty of people to fill all of them. On any given night, you drive up and down the streets and there are people everywhere. It is all competition and it breeds success.”
Try his recipes that follow, or book a table at Grille 3501. You’ll find the seared scallops with grilled watermelon and braised endive on the menu this summer.
Watch Chef John Pukanecz in action
Tune into The Chef’s Kitchen on RCN-TV Channel 4 or, for Service Electric subscribers, Comcast Network’s Channel 27 every Thurs. at 5 p.m. during the month of August to see his tips and techniques to create this recipe.
Seared Sea Scallops
with Grilled Watermelon, Peewee Potatoes, Beech Mushrooms, Endive and a Watermelon and Yuzu Reduction
Potatoes
8 peewee potatoes, washed2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oilsalt and pepper to taste
Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt and pepper, roast in oven at 375°F for about 12-15 minutes, or until tender.
Endive
1 head Belgian endive, sliced lengthwise1 Tablespoon butter2 Tablespoons sugarsalt and pepper to taste
Place butter in a sauté pan on medium-high heat; add endive, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
Mushrooms
1/2 cup beech mushrooms2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 Tablespoon diced shallotssalt and pepper to taste
Sauté mushrooms on high heat with olive oil and shallots, season with salt and pepper after mushrooms are tender.
Watermelon
2 slices of seedless watermelon1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oilsalt and pepper to taste
Brush both sides of watermelon with the oil, season with salt and pepper, place on a hot grill and grill on both sides until caramelized.
Watermelon Reduction
8 ounces watermelon juice3 Tablespoons yuzu juice (you can substitute lemon or lime juice)2 Tablespoons butterdiced truffle (optional)
Place juice in a saucepan and reduce by one-half, add yuzu juice, remove from heat, swirl in butter, add diced truffle.
Scallops
4 to 5 large sea scallops2 Tablespoons canola oilsalt and pepper to taste
Place the oil in a sauté pan on high heat, season scallops with salt and pepper, sear on both sides until nice and golden brown.
Tuna Tartar
Tartar
3 ounces sushi-grade tuna, diced1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro4 Tablespoons diced tomato2 teaspoons chopped chives8 thin slices of seedless cucumbersalt and pepper to taste4 Tablespoons ginger-lime vinaigrette (instructions and ingredients to follow)
Combine all ingredients except cucumber slices; toss gently in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper. Arrange cucumber slices on chilled plate, serve tartar on top, and drizzle with more ginger-lime vinaigrette.
Ginger Lime Vinaigrette
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger1/4 cup fresh lime juice1/4 cup rice wine vinegar1 egg yolk4 Tablespoons sugar1/2 cup canola oilsalt and pepper to taste
Place ginger, vinegar, lime juice, sugar and egg yolk in a blender and blend until smooth. With blender on, slowly drizzle in the oil and add salt and pepper.
Chili-Seared Shrimp
and Corn Brûlée with Tomato Bacon Jam
Corn Brûlée
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen1 cup heavy cream3 eggs1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon4 Tablespoons sugarsalt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 325°F, combine corn and cream in saucepan and cook on medium-high heat until corn is tender—about 15 minutes. Place mixture in a blender and blend for 10 minutes, strain into a mixing bowl. Whisk in eggs, salt and pepper, and herbs. Pour in a loaf pan and cover with aluminum foil, place in a water bath and bake until just firm about 35-40 minutes, cool in refrigerator. Remove custard from loaf pan and cut into any shape you like, place on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with sugar and place under the broiler until the custard is warm and the top is caramelized, serve immediately.
Tomato Bacon Jam
1 1/2 cups sugar1 1/2 cups rice wine vinegar1 cup grape tomatoes10 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked (reserve bacon fat)1 teaspoon smoked paprikasalt and pepper to taste
Combine sugar and vinegar in a sauce pan and cook on medium-high heat until reduced by one-half, add grape tomatoes to mixture and cook until the tomatoes are tender and the skins split open—about 15 minutes. Add bacon, bacon fat, salt and pepper and paprika and cook for another 8 minutes. Place in blender and blend until smooth, chill and serve.
Chili-Seared Shrimp
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili Sauce1 teaspoon smoked paprika1 teaspoon chili powder1/4 cup chopped cilantro1/4 cup white wine5 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Combine first 5 ingredients in mixing bowl, add shrimp and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. Place in sauté pan on medium-high heat, sauté shrimp until cooked through, about 4 minutes.
