Chef John Walsh with several of this Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
A healthy aura is said to signify a sound body, mind and spirit.
That’s what Brian Fertenbaugh and his wife Jennifer had in mind when they recently opened Aura Modern Mediterranean, their new restaurant at the former Cork & Fork location on the Carlisle Pike.
“It means good, or positive energy, which is what we are attempting to achieve here,” Fertenbaugh said.
When guests walk through the doors, they immediately understand what that means, from the bubble lighting to the Mediterranean-style tile, palm trees, blue-hued booths and walls and tapestries, which are evocative of ocean waves. The mood is definitively peaceful.
“We took soundproofing measures to cut down on the noise factor as well,” said Fertenbaugh, crediting his friend, interior designer Kim Holl, for helping bring his concept to life. “We work really well together, and she has great ideas that helped take my vision and make it into reality.”
Fertenbaugh, who owns Café Fresco Center City and Level 2 in Harrisburg, said that he was casually looking to open a restaurant on the west shore, initially choosing the former VRAI location in Lemoyne before the deal fell through. He then was approached by the investors at Cork & Fork, who offered a larger space, accommodating 100 diners inside, 44 outside and 15 at the bar.
“I ended up loving the space, and it played into the vision I had of dining on the Mediterranean coast,” he said.
Fertenbaugh entered the restaurant business at age 18, working at Pizza Hut. He moved on to Gullifty’s, starting as a busboy and eventually working every position in the restaurant, he said.
When he left Gullifty’s, he bartended for 15 years before going into management at Level 2 for legendary local restaurateur, Nick Laus.
“When Nick approached me with an offer to buy, I couldn’t pass it up,” he said.
Fertenbaugh said that he’s attracted to what the faint of heart steer clear of—a fast-paced, chaotic environment.
“Sure, it can be challenging at times, but I find this intriguing, and that’s what drives me,” he said.
Stellar
For Aura, Fertenbaugh said that it was important to choose a cuisine that would fill a niche in the area.
“We have plenty of Mexican restaurants and pizza places around here, but Mediterranean cuisine is lacking in this area,” he said.
Executive Chef John Walsh gains inspiration from the Iberian peninsula, France, Greece and northern Africa in order to create the Mediterranean vibe, with an emphasis on fresh vegetables, seafood and meats from the regions.
Tapas include dishes like baba ghanoush served on toasted ciabatta, red beet and goat cheese hummus on flatbread and white bean bruschetta. Small plates, plucked from the sea and perfect for sharing, include baby octopus, calamari and tuna tartare. Mains feature dishes like stuffed branzino, seared monkfish, oven-roasted chicken and dry-aged New York strip.
For those interested in more casual fare, Chef Walsh makes full use of the Earthstone oven to create pizzas topped with ingredients like Iberico pork, pepperoni, sausage and aged provolone, all of which are lightly charred and full of flavor.
Ronda Lawrence lives nearby in Mechanicsburg and said that her favorites are the beef carpaccio and the tuna tartare.
“All of the menu items I’ve tasted so far have been stellar, and my husband loves the pizzas,” she said, adding that she enjoys the outdoors seating now that the weather is nice. “It’s my new favorite restaurant.”
Michael Glaser, of Camp Hill, added that he is impressed with the service.
“The inside is beautiful, and I was astounded as to how well prepared they were on opening day, from the kitchen staff, to the servers, everyone has been on point from day one,” he said.
Some of Glaser’s favorites include the lamb kebabs, the charcuterie board and the Spanish-rubbed shrimp served atop homemade pasta.
“It’s a great date place,” he said.
Fertenbaugh said that he’s delighted to be located along the extremely busy Carlisle Pike and is looking forward to what the future holds.
“We’re in a great location, especially considering that luxury apartments behind us will be soon finished,” he said. “I think this is just what the west shore needed.”
Aura Modern Mediterranean is located at 4434 Carlisle Pike, Camp Hill (Hampden Township). For more information, visit www.auramodernmed.com.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
