Steamed Edamame Dumplings from Zest Bar+Grille
Steamed Edamame Dumplings - Shiitake mushrooms and lemongrass scallion broth
Zest Bar and Grille opened in Southside Bethlehem roughly five months ago, and it's from John Trapani and John "JP" Pukanecz, the owners of the long-running and much-loved Grille 3501 in Allentown. Imagine a similar menu, but with its own personality that seeks to embrace the energy of the neighborhood. And oh, an absolutely stellar view.
However, in order to take in that view, you need to do something that’s a bit unfamiliar to most restaurant-goers in the Lehigh Valley: You have to get on an elevator. It’s a bit disorienting, almost as though you are going to a doctor’s office or a workplace. But instead, you arrive at a spiffy new space—you can practically still smell a note of newness hiding among the aromas of seafood and other savory things.
Zest is smartly designed to optimize the view of Southside Bethlehem, with retractable windows, tables that are window height and a variety of seating areas to accommodate almost any need, from a cozy duo to a larger group or even a small meeting or event. It boasts an all-year-round balcony (heaters help)—it’s a rooftop restaurant, one of only a few in the region.
As the story goes, according to Anthony Trapani (John’s son), he was finishing his business degree at Lehigh while living in Bethlehem, and the conversation emerged kind of organically. “I never thought I would do this,” he says, in reference to working in the restaurant business, despite having worked in it since he was 14. An unfulfilling internship told him otherwise. “I realized I needed to not be doing the same thing every day,” he says. Hello, food industry!
“I thought, this is the perfect time to get into the South Side, with all the development and expansion going on,” he says.
It happened quickly. More specifically, from birth of the concept to full-fledged realization, it took about a year, he says. And that even includes walking around a construction site in hard hats. For Anthony, it’s been an immersive process. “I’ve been involved in every aspect of the building. I’ve seen it from framing until now. It’s been really fulfilling,” he says.
Chef Justin Cogan of ZEST Bar+Grille
Chef Justin Cogan
The kitchen is run by Justin Cogan, who worked at Grain and Cosmopolitan and, most recently, at Grille 3501 for two years before coming to Zest. The food is best described as New American, which is kind of culinary shorthand for saying a little bit of everything. There are many dishes general manager Greer Dalpe describes as “approachable,” but then also some chef faves, too, such as bone marrow, fried cauliflower that doesn’t lean Middle Eastern but instead, Asian, and a dish with rabbit, a lesser-used protein by most restaurants in the region. Asian, French and Italian ingredients, dishes and preparations thrive, without a doubt (dumplings, foie gras and risottos, for example), but also “American” items such as burgers, brisket and jumbo lump crab cakes. A range of creative salads, many of which lean French in their feel, are available, too—look for the one with shaved asparagus, if it’s still on the menu when this is published. The lobster risotto is both light and fresh-tasting—risotto can so easily feel heavy on the palate. The steamed edamame dumplings with shiitake mushrooms in a lemongrass scallion broth happen to be both vegan and delicious. And we are only getting started—these are all just appetizers. The entrées include just about every protein you can think of, whether it’s tuna, chicken, veal, sea scallops (with risotto and a rosemary-lemon vinaigrette—it’s a favorite already), filet mignon, pork cheeks, duck and so forth.
The menu, which will change seasonally, definitely feels related to Grille 3501, in both subtle and overt ways. Dalpe explains that a few items were imported from the Allentown restaurant, and there’s a section of the cocktail menu called “If It Ain’t Broke,” which features the top four drinks from Grille 3501. But two items—the crab and mango spring rolls, with a coconut curry remoulade, and the crispy chicken dumplings (cucumber jicama slaw and soy yuzu sauce)—are straight-up duplicates. “We wanted to have some things we knew were home runs,” she explains.
Inside Zest Bar+Grille
As one might expect of a doubly new experience—a brand-new restaurant in a new building—Zest is garnering a lot of attention. The first year of a restaurant is a big test—of its staff, its kitchen, its clientele, its patience, its concept. But it is also a big draw. The menu can please a diverse group of diners, the drinks list is not loaded with all the usual suspects (except the aforementioned imports) and you won’t want for a craft beer. The crowd is varied, says Dalpe. There’s a dinner rush, without a doubt, but after that thins out on the weekends, it becomes kind of a scene, she says. “People are coming here as a night out. You should see the shoes. People are getting dressed up. There’s something dressy about the entire place,” she says. (I’m convinced it has at the very least something to do with the view and arriving by elevator.)
Dalpe, who has a degree in food and beverage management from Johnson and Wales University, has long been fascinated with restaurants. “It’s just in me. I have always loved to go out to eat,” she explains. There’s a transformation that takes place when you leave your house to go out to eat. It’s a deliberate act, one that usually requires some planning—or a healthy dose of serendipity, depending on your world view. “When you walk into a restaurant, you’re not having a bad day,” says Dalpe. You enter a fabricated space, someone’s version of reality, for an hour or two. The colors, the sights, the smells—the whole sensory experience of escaping and engaging in a new world for a short period of time is certainly something that brings people off their couches and into restaurants.
Zest gives us yet another reason to make that choice.
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Sea Scallops from ZEST bar+grille
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Shaved Asparagus from Zest Bar+Grille
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ZEST bar+grille
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Zest Bar+Grille
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ZEST bar+grille
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Prickly Pear Margarita from ZEST bar+grille
Zest Bar+Grille
Hours
Mon.–Thurs.: 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Fri.: 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.; Sat.: 4–11 p.m.
Parking
Zest is adjacent to a parking deck, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a spot.
Reservations
This place is very new and therefore drawing people to its tables like magnets, so it’s wise to reserve for the weekends.
Payment
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Cash
What to Order
The menu is varied and anyone who’s been to Grille 3501 will see some familiar items, such as the crab and mango spring rolls and the humorously titled section of the drinks menu: “If It Ain’t Broke.” Those items include martinis ranging from the 3501 and Cucumber Mint to French Pear and Espresso. According to general manager Greer Dalpe, people are digging the lobster risotto, which is light and clean tasting, and the scallops entrée—both happen to contain elements of risotto.
Special Events
Happy Hour takes place Monday through Thursday from 4–6 p.m., and Fridays from 3:30–6 p.m., exclusively at the bar. Draft craft beers and select wines by the glass are $5; the featured martini is $6. Select apps (including, yes, those crab and mango spring rolls, along with truffle Parmesan fries, fried cauliflower and some other snacky things) are all $7.
The Rooftop at 306 S. New St. | Bethlehem | 610.419.4320 | zestbethlehem.com
