—It was a lot colder when we first told you about Mike Stollenwerk and Felice Leibowitz’s plans to open The Little Hen, a French bistro, in Haddonfield. Fast forward a few months and the team behind Two Fish just down the street has opened their second, albeit decidedly less fish-focused, restaurant in town. As planned, the restaurant has an open kitchen where chef de cuisine Brandon Pavlovich will cook Stollenwerk’s roster of French classics for the precious 18 seats in the space (that number should expand a tad once they get al fresco dining set up). Stollenwerk and Leibowitz participated in the restaurant build-out, with the chef himself building the tabletops and kitchen rail and Leibowitz’s own illustration informing the final sign design. Make your reservations quickly, and prepare to be patient—between local anticipation and the restaurant’s snug size, there might be a wait. The Little Hen, 220 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield; 856-528-2282
—This isn’t so much about any new restaurant opening as a new reason to head to long-established Jersey restaurants: as of Thursday, June 14, the “Anthony Bourdain Food Trail” was officially “opened” for business, with official plaques at each stop welcoming nostalgic tourism and requisite selfies from fans of the late, great New Jersey chef. The New Jersey eateries that will be included on the trail are Hiram’s Roadstand in Fort Lee; Kubel’s in Barnegat Light; Lucille’s Country Cooking in Barnegat; Frank’s Deli in Asbury Park; Knife and Fork in Atlantic City; Dock’s Oyster House in Atlantic City; Tony’s Baltimore Grill in Atlantic City; James’ Salt Water Taffy in Atlantic City; Tony and Ruth Steaks in Camden; and Donkey’s Place in Camden. The food trail came about as a result of a bill by New Jersey State Assembly members Paul Moriarty, Angela McKnight, and Carol Murphy. Famed chefs and longtime Bourdain friends Eric Ripert and Jose Andres announced in a video on Ripert’s twitter account that the late chef’s birthday, June 25, will now be “Anthony Bourdain Day,” and asked those celebrating to post on social media with the hashtag #BourdainDay. (If you do travel the chef’s dedicated food trail, expect extra co-travelers that day.) Anthony Bourdain Food Trail, 10 restaurants.
In the Works:
—Funky Indian fast-casual joint Curry Up Now started as a food truck run by husband and wife team Akash and Rana Kapoor out of the Bay Area, rapidly growing into multiple trucks and brick-and-mortar restaurants. And this year they’re set to expand in a big way, with a few more spots in California, three in Atlanta in the works, and even one in our very own state of New Jersey. The location in Newark’s business district is one of five planned Curry Ups in Jersey, set to open sometime early this fall. The menu does vegan and vegetarian as well as carnivore dishes, all Halal. The menu ranges from playful takes on Indian staples like Itsy Bitsy Naan Bits and Deconstructed Samosa, classic street food like Pani Puri, and their (now famous) Indian burritos. Curry Up Now, 58 Halsey Street, Newark; no phone yet.
—Brothers Barbecue from New Windsor, NY, will open this fall in the now shuttered former home of Macaroni Grill on Route 17. The restaurant is named for owners (and brothers), Jamie, Gavin, and Chris Farella. The brothers are Hudson Valley natives, but they fell hard for barbecue during family vacations to Beaufort, North Carolina, eventually taking themselves on a cross-country ‘cue trip to suss out their own style. (Their mother, who once owned a restaurant in London, taught the brothers to cook.) Beyond daily-smoked meats and a sizable whiskey list, expect things like collards, mac n’ cheese, and other tidbits like fried pickles and southern fried green tomatoes. Brothers Barbecue, 900 Route 17, Ramsey; no phone yet.
—It might be a nationwide chain, but MidiCi operates with “certified pizzaolos,” and they’re bringing that small scale attention to detail to a new location in Cherry Hill. The new spot at the Cherry Hill Mall will be New Jersey’s first taste of the Cali-based Neapolitan pizza restaurant. The focus will be pizza (the menu balances traditional Italian pies, modern flavors, and the requisite vegan/veg options), all of which are cooked for about 90 seconds at 1000 or so degrees. But there’s also a short list of small plates (Burrata Caprese, House Meat Board), a dedicated Wood-fired Calzones menu, even a Drinks Menu with all kinds of Italian sodas. MidiCi, 2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill; no phone yet.