Tag Archives: Cafe Fresco

Harrisburg restaurateur plans west shore dining concept, slated to open in 2023

December 30, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

The new restaurant will open in the current home of Cork & Fork Osteria.

A Harrisburg restaurateur is bringing his talents across the river, opening a new Mediterranean-style restaurant on the west shore in 2023.

On Friday, Brian Fertenbaugh said that he, with his wife, Jen, plan to open a restaurant in the current location of Cork & Fork Osteria in Hampden Township.

“There are a lot of chain restaurants on the west shore and not enough good independent restaurants,” said Fertenbaugh, when reached by telephone. “We want to bring something better.”

Currently, Fertenbaugh runs both Café Fresco Center City and the Level 2 nightclub, which he will continue to own and operate. But he added that he’s been wanting to open a west shore restaurant for some time.

“I was born and raised on the west shore and know it really well,” he said.

Cork & Fork Osteria’s owners are selling the business to Fertenbaugh in a deal that will close on Dec. 31, according to the principals. The Osteria has operated at 4434 Carlisle Pike since 2016.

After taking ownership, Fertenbaugh said that he’d like to make some updates to the space and open up in the spring. The new restaurant will feature a “modern Mediterranean” menu with dishes featuring Italian, Spanish, Greek and possibly Middle Eastern flavors, along with a full cocktail menu, he said.

“This will be a totally new concept,” Fertenbaugh stressed. “I’m not bringing Café Fresco to the west shore.”

Cork & Fork downtown is not changing owners, and all Osteria gift cards will be honored at the downtown location, according to their ownership group.

It’s Callie’s Turn: Harrisburg restaurant veteran opens her own eatery, Deco Grab & Go

February 26, 2021 | by Diane White McNaughton

Callie Alvanitakis

After 20 years of working at other popular Harrisburg eateries, Callie Alvanitakis has found her sweet spot.

She has crafted a sweet menu featuring her star-attraction, “cinnie buns,” and a safe, pandemic-friendly style of service, catering to hungry diners who want to grab fast, delicious, nutritious food and go.

But her specialties are not limited to sweets. Her new café, Deco Grab & Go, also features fresh salads, homemade soups, sandwiches, smoothies, whole-grain bowls and much more, just across the street from the state Capitol.

The café’s name reflects her love for the glamour of the late 1920s and the then-ground-breaking decor of the modernist Payne-Shoemaker building at 3rd and Pine streets, where she has opened her doors. The site had been home to a gluten-free bakery, but has been vacant for several years, lying in wait for her artistic taste.

“Being that I’m an art nerd, I want to reflect that vision in my space,” she said.

Local artists are featured on the walls, and the venue’s clean lines complement the clean and lean food.

Deco Grab & Go debuted last month, and Alvanitakis readily acknowledges that it’s not easy opening a new business when the streets of downtown Harrisburg are eerily quiet and COVID-19 restrictions on seating, cleaning, masking and spacing still weigh heavily on restaurants. She has adapted to the times, with the experience and personality to make it a success.

She already knows the neighborhood well. Her resume includes stints at several downtown spots, including Fresa Bistro, Café Fresco and Carly’s. In fact, Carly’s was her first manager’s job, and she is pleased to report that they still use some of her menus, which include her trademark basil mojito. She said that she became a human “sponge for all that time,” absorbing knowledge about the industry and the market, before deciding, “It’s my turn.”

She said that she saw a void in the downtown’s breakfast and lunch offerings when Bagel Lovers in Strawberry Square closed, as did the Flamingo Café.

Her “staple” is her fragrant, warm cinnamon buns. She also serves bagels and bagel “sammies,” with bacon, egg and cheese, Greek, mushroom and ham and Swiss choices. All are complemented by the local favorite of caffeine-seekers, Elementary Coffee.

Authentic Greek influences show on numerous menu items, reflecting her heritage. She makes a breakfast sandwich featuring feta cheese and an olive spread, a Greek salad and grain bowls with a Mediterranean influence. She makes her own hummus, as well.

Her degree in fine art guides her décor. Deco’s interior currently features artwork by local artist Michele Hernandez.

“I didn’t choose this business—this business chose me,” Alvanatikis said. “It’s in my blood. I’m a Greek.”

And like the ancient Greeks, she is not daunted by tragedy.

“It’s a crazy time to open a restaurant, but I view it as an opportunity right now,” she said.

Alvanitakis has adapted to the pandemic by being “lean and streamlined.” She cross-utilizes as many ingredients as possible, serving food that is super-lean and super-fast.

“It’s healthy, fast, nutritious—things people want,” she said.

She keeps contact with patrons to a minimum.

“I’m very safe when it comes to COVID, but people still need to eat,” she said.

In the future, she may attempt to offer a catering menu and take on larger-scale events.

For new fans and old friends, Alvanitakis is cooking up plans to offer dinner meal kits, so that time-crunched city residents and commuters can pick up everything they need to go home and serve a fast, fresh dinner to their families. She is imagining such items as vegetable lasagna for four to six people. Customers can just pop it in the oven, and dinner is served.

“I realize many people are working two jobs,” she said. “I want to provide options for people.”

There will be some indoor seating, but most will remain takeout post-pandemic, she said. She does expect to have some outdoor tables when the sun and warmer temperatures make a comeback.

Until then, it’s happily soup time at Deco Grab & Go.

“It’s nourishing, warm, and the way I make soup, it’s like a meal,” she said. “It’s rich and hearty.”

She offers such favorites as chicken and broccoli, lemon chicken with spinach and chicken corn soup. Her plan is to offer two homemade soups a day.

“That is where I shine,” she said.

Deco Grab & Go is located at 240 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Takeout Turnabout: Harrisburg Restaurant Week morphs into “Takeout Month.”

September 1, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

Cafe Fresco is one of the Harrisburg restaurants participating in Harrisburg Takeout Month.

Only in 2020 could “Restaurant Week” involve a month-long celebration of takeout.

Tuesday kicks off “Harrisburg Takeout Month,” organized by the nonprofit Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (DID). It replaces Harrisburg Restaurant Week, in its 12th year in the capital city.

“Obviously 2020 is a really weird year, so we were thinking about how best to reconfigure Restaurant Week so that restaurants and diners could feel safe both eating and serving,” said Sydney Musser of the DID. “We decided the best and safest way to reach people was through takeout.”

Area residents are encouraged to try new restaurants by ordering takeout from Harrisburg’s eateries. The DID will be highlighting a different city restaurant every day in September via their social media channels, to showcase what Musser calls a “great diversity” in culinary options.

“It’s a brilliant idea by the DID,” said Devan Drabik of Explore HBG. “With the restrictions in place for capacity, I know restaurants are struggling to make ends meet. They desperately need people to order takeout to pay their staff and keep the lights on.”

Pizza, the OG takeout item, is powering Knead Slice Shop through the pandemic.

“We’re about 30% below where we thought we’d be at this point,” said Jennie O’Neill, Knead co-owner. “With no office workers in town for lunch, we’ve had a tremendous amount of support from the neighborhood, and that’s kept us at a good level of business to make it through.”

She’s cooked up a new promotion in conjunction with Takeout Month—a family meal that includes a large order of knots, salad and a large plain pie, for $30. Knead also offers online ordering and curbside pickup.

Some Harrisburg restaurants, including Café Fresco, offer free 15-minute parking for takeout pickup—handy for the morning and afternoon hours. Parking in most of downtown Harrisburg after 5 p.m. is free.

“Everything on the menu can be made to-go—breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Brian Fertenbaugh of Café Fresco. “Our cashew chicken and broccoli is a popular takeout item that travels well, and our to-go cocktails have also been very popular. Alcohol is normally 40% of our sales, so we’ve had to restructure our business.”

Karaage, Japanese fried chicken appetizer, from Cafe Fresco

Café Fresco’s to-go cocktail menu includes specialty martinis, including an espresso martini. Like Knead, Café Fresco is offering family style meals for the month of September.

Many city restaurants are following suit and taking takeout up a notch.

“We keep evolving to adapt to the changes. We recently became a kosher restaurant, which has brought in a lot of new customers,” said Kristin Messner-Baker of The Vegetable Hunter. “We have been doing cocktails to-go and our boutique brewery’s crowler sales have gone up a lot, because everyone always loves beer whether there’s a pandemic or not.”

During Takeout Month, The Vegetable Hunter is offering weekly vegan specials, plus beer specials. September releases include a pumpkin espresso stout and a cherry Brett. The eatery is also offering dessert specials and recently added delivery partners such as Grub Hub and Uber Eats.

Takeout isn’t everyone’s jam. At Note Bistro and Winebar, owner Ruth Prall said her menu doesn’t translate well “into styrofoam.” And she notes the “excessive” cost of takeout packaging.

“We’ve actually been doing pretty well, weather permitting of course,” Prall said. “We happen to have a pretty sizable outside area, so as long as it doesn’t rain we can manage to make up for the deficit inside. I’m trying not to think or fret too far into the future—I’m confident we will come up with some creative ideas if need be.”

For takeout inspo, Musser and Drabik encourage area residents to explore their organizations’ websites. The DID’s website maps 68 restaurants within the district; Explore HBG’s website features 75 city eateries.

“I would remind people to think about where they’re spending their dollars during this time,” Drabik said. “It’s the mom and pop restaurants, the unique small places that we treasure that we should support.”

For more information, see harrisburgrestaurantweek.com, the DID’s restaurant guide and Explore HBG’s restaurant listing.

Quarantine Cuisine: A simple meal, until we meet again.

April 30, 2020 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

This is a strange and dark time for all of us. I suspect we all have our own ways of coping with anxiety and fear during the long hours at home.

I once read a quote from someone who said that she “inherited worry along with the family silver.” Well, that is me. But I have found solace in my kitchen, the place I retreat to for most of my waking hours. I putter around, read favorite cookbooks over and over, and recall happy times with family and friends.

We have gotten some “takeout” from our favorite Harrisburg restaurants, hoping that it helps them just a little bit. We will continue to do so. But mostly I have been cooking, often with a combination of what I have stashed in the freezer and what I snatched off the shelves at the grocery store. We have also made brief trips to the farmers market late on Friday afternoons. But my obsessive-compulsive meal planning has gone out the window.

I have been looking for recipes that call for simple ingredients, fewer ingredients and those that result in leftovers for lunch. I found a pasta recipe from chef and cookbook author, Lidia Bastianich, that seemed perfect. It is called “farfalle della bisnonna” or bowties with cabbage and meat sauce.

I had most of the ingredients on hand but liked it because so many substitutions are possible. Any type of sausage or ground meat will work, as will dried thyme instead of fresh, and regular cabbage instead of Savoy cabbage, which the recipe calls for. It was delicious for dinner and for several lunches, as well.

Bowties with Cabbage and Meat Sauce

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casing
1 small onion, cut into chunks
1 medium carrot, cut into chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
½ head Savoy (or any) cabbage, cored and shredded
3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound bowtie pasta (farfalle)
½ cup grated Parmesan or grana Padano cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large deep skillet and heat gently over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon until browned, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, celery and thyme in a food processor and pulse to make a chunky paste. (You could use a blender or an immersion blender with the chopping attachment. Or you could even chop the vegetables finely by hand.)
Once the sausage is browned, add the vegetable paste to the skillet and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle with the dried pepper flakes. (Add a lot if you like it hot and spicy.)
Make an empty spot in the pan with a spoon and add the tomato paste. Let it “toast” for a minute or two and then stir it into the vegetables.
Pour in the white wine and let it simmer until almost reduced, about 3 minutes.
Add the shredded cabbage and the broth and cook, covered, until the cabbage is wilted, about 20 minutes.
Uncover to thicken the sauce until the cabbage is wilted, about 10 more minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
When the bowtie noodles are cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon or “spider” and add them directly to the sausage mixture.
Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce, adding a little extra broth if necessary.
Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve.

This is a healthy and comforting dish. You can use it as a “template” of sorts to change it, using cubed chicken or pork instead of sausage. If there is no cabbage stashed in the fridge, maybe you have some broccoli. The “process” will be the same.

I will continue to cook in these sad times. But many days I dream of our “date nights” in Harrisburg: dinner at Note Bistro and Wine Bar with Daniel making the most beautiful martinis in town; eating Qui Qui Musarra’s wonderful fish soup at Mangia Qui; and chatting with Tyler at Café Fresco’s crowded bar. I miss afternoon coffee at Little Amp’s outdoor tables at 2nd and State streets on warm days. These, and many others, are the places that make Harrisburg so special. I am praying for all of them that we see them “on the other side.”

Menus & Medicine: “Grub for Scrubs” brings restaurant meals to healthcare workers

April 17, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Support for healthcare professionals working on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis has taken the form of social media hashtags and signs in windows, but now it’s coming hot from the takeout box.

Local Harrisburg design company andculture and its startup accelerator, Catamaran, began a new food delivery initiative on Wednesday putting meals in the hands of healthcare workers at UPMC Pinnacle.

“We have a lot of friends and colleagues working in health care,” David Hickethier CEO of andculture said. “It’s a really challenging service they’re providing.”

Appropriately named “Grub for Scrubs,” the project uses partnerships with local restaurants such as Café Fresco, Premier Caterers, Stock’s on 2nd and Sturges Speakeasy to provide for essential workers at both Harrisburg Hospital and UPMC Pinnacle Community Osteopathic.

Each time $1,000 is raised for a restaurant, meals will be provided. Donors can give specifically to the restaurant of their choice or to a general fund. They have already raised over $2,000.

The deliveries will be made through coordination with UPMC to ensure safety policies are met, Hickethier explained.

“Our team of caregivers is working around the clock to ensure the health and safety of our patients and each other,” said Andrea Potteiger, vice president of Nursing Operations at UPMC Pinnacle. “A hot meal gives us time to step away from the frontline, replenish and recharge. It really means a lot.”

In addition to essential healthcare professionals, andculture’s goal is to assist restaurants struggling during the crisis, Hickethier explained.

“One day, they’re up and operational, the next they are shut down,” he said. “We thought, maybe we could help both groups in our community.”

Adam Sturges, owner of Sturges Speakeasy, was happy to be part of the Grub for Scrubs project, knowing it would bring awareness that his restaurant is still open for takeout. But the main reason was that he knew firsthand how it would help others, as his wife is a registered nurse.

“We want to show our appreciation for staff down at the hospital,” Sturges said. “They’re the ones dealing with the worst of the situation right now.”

Hickethier hopes that more restaurants will get involved and is especially looking for a few bakeries and coffee shops to join the mission. In fact, Harrisburg’s Elementary Coffee Co. just signed onto the effort.

andculture plans to continue the program for one to two months, or as long as they see the need.

“The community has got to pull together and we’ve got to find ways to support each other,” Hickethier said.

andculture is located at 614 N. Front Street, Harrisburg. For more information or to donate, visit https://grubforscrubs.com/.

Simple Is Best: A recipe that’s small on time, big on taste.

August 30, 2019 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

As readers of this column know, I love to cook and I love to cook for friends. But as time has passed in my culinary life, I am taking advice from one of my favorite cookbook authors and TV chef, Ina Garten.

While Ina makes beautiful food, she is a strong proponent of making entertaining easy—fun to do and not drudgery. She suggests easy nibbles before dinner like nuts and olives and simple desserts like a fruit-and-cheese tray or chocolate-dipped strawberries. She insists that, if a weekday dinner takes more than 30 minutes to prepare or a dinner party more than two hours, she is just not doing it.

I like that. Gone are my days of roasting veal bones for a demi-glace, making a lemon soufflé with candied violets on top or a molded tomato aspic. (Does anyone actually know what these things are anymore?)

So, I gathered together a few recipes from here and there: the salmon from a “Taste of Home” cooking magazine (it has quickly become a favorite), roasted cherry tomatoes (no idea where I got this one), and wasabi mashed potatoes (inspired by Café Fresco in downtown Harrisburg.) These three, combined with a green vegetable, have “rescued” me for quite a few company dinners. All are easy to prepare (even for a weeknight) and make a lovely presentation on the dinner table.

FIRECRACKER SALMON, ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES AND WASABI MASHED POTATOES

Ingredients (salmon)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger (sometimes I use the ginger paste I find in the grocery store)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
4 salmon filets (6-8 ounces each)

Ingredients (mashed potatoes)

4 very large yellow gold potatoes
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces half and half or 1 12-ounce can whole evaporated milk
Wasabi powder (I start with about 1 tablespoon and then add more to taste. It can get hot.)
Salt to taste

Ingredients (tomatoes)

2 pint boxes cherry tomatoes (I look for “fat” ones and choose the mixed variety of red, yellow, and orange if I can find them.) Remove stems.
Olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Handful of chopped fresh basil

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients for the marinade.
Pour ¼ cup marinade in a large Ziploc plastic bag. Add the salmon, seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes along with the remaining marinade.
Drain the salmon and discard the marinade in the bag.
Place salmon, skin side down, on a greased sheet pan with sides.
In a bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle a little coarse sea salt and the chopped basil over them.
Arrange the cherry tomatoes on both sides of the salmon on the baking sheet.
Place the salmon and tomatoes in a 375-degree pre-heated oven and roast for about 30 minutes. But watch carefully. Remove when the salmon is nicely browned and tomatoes softened and slightly collapsed.

While the salmon is roasting, cook the yellow gold potatoes in boiling salted water until soft. Drain, mash and beat in the butter, cream or milk, and wasabi powder to taste. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Arrange the roasted salmon in a long row on a platter and place the roasted tomatoes on both sides. A few fresh basil leaves tucked here and there looked pretty. Sprinkle the sliced green onion over all.

Serve the salmon and tomatoes with the wasabi mashed potatoes and a green vegetable. Broccoli, green beans or asparagus work well.

So now, as the weather begins to cool this month, you have a lovely, easy to prepare meal for company. No need to roast veal bones. Invite everyone!

Nick Laus honored by HBG restaurant community; funeral arrangements announced

June 12, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Nick Laus in front of one of his restaurants, Cork & Fork. Photo by Waxman Photography.

An artist. A visionary. A risk-taker.

Those were among the words used today to describe Harrisburg restaurateur Nick Laus, who died suddenly early Saturday.

Brian Fertenbaugh met Laus 10 years ago, becoming general manager of Level 2, a nightclub that Laus had opened. Fertenbaugh then became manager of Café Fresco Center City, later buying both establishments.

“He was a mentor and a friend,” he said. “He had the vision and the ability to execute, which not many people in our industry have.”

Harrisburg’s tight-knit food community has been in mourning since Saturday, when word began to spread that Laus, 59, had died unexpectedly. An innovative, serial entrepreneur, he started restaurants as varied as Café Fresco, Home 231, Cork & Fork and Burger Yum, in addition to the nightclub, Level 2.

A viewing, funeral Mass and burial will take place on Friday just outside of Harrisburg city (see below for the full obituary).

Fertenbaugh said the news of Laus’ passing shocked those who had worked for him, and many gathered on Saturday night at Café Fresco to share stories and toast the man who had helped so many start and advance their careers.

Laus, Fertenbaugh said, brought a new type of dining to Harrisburg, a more upscale, yet still accessible and affordable product, along with an obsession with customer service and the overall dining experience. He often went on scouting trips to larger cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., to learn about trends he could bring back to Harrisburg.

“Nick saw things in a different way,” he said. “He had the ability to put together the total package, where you have great food, atmosphere and a style that’s popular.”

Food photographer Ali Waxman worked with Laus for the last seven years. He said that Laus spared no effort or expense to ensure that his food looked as good in pictures as it tasted in his restaurants.

“He was such a talent, a visionary,” said Waxman. “He wasn’t afraid to take risks with ideas or concepts.”

He also wasn’t afraid to take risks with people, Waxman said. Laus was able to spot talent in a bartender or server, elevating them and even preparing them to own their own establishments.

“He saw talent in people that others couldn’t see,” Waxman said. “And he gave them opportunities to become managers and even owners.”

Restaurateur Qui Qui Musarra was one of the first to honor Laus on Saturday, sharing her grief with the online community soon after learning of his death.

Today, Musarra and her partners, Staci Basore and Elide Hower, released a statement expressing their sense of loss.

“We here at Mangia Qui, Suba and Rubicon tip our hats to the generosity of spirit he has shared with us,” they said. “He will be greatly missed.”

They added that, often, the public doesn’t witness all the hard work and even anguish that goes into making a restaurant a success.

“The public perception of people involved in the restaurant industry, especially owners, is typically of success and contentment–many times belies the private truths of one’s life,” they said. “So it was with Nick Laus–a professional, a colleague and a comrade-in-arms.”

David La Torre of the Cork & Fork investor group emphasized the impact that Laus had on dining in the Harrisburg area.

“He was more than a restaurateur,” La Torre said, in a statement. “He was an artist who has left an indelible mark on the central Pennsylvania restaurant scene.”

In fact, several restaurateurs emphasized Laus’ influence and impact.

“Once he decided to open downtown, Harrisburg was never the same,” Fertenbaugh said.

Laus’ greatest legacy, said several restaurateurs, was his eagerness to help to others. That sentiment is reflected in his family’s wish that, to best honor his memory, people should not send flowers, but perform “a random act of kindness.”

Obituary for Nick Laus

Nicholas “Nick” Joseph Laus, age 59, died on June 9, 2018 in his home. He was born in Lima, Peru, and immigrated to the United States at a young age, where he became a U.S. citizen. Nick graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School in 1978. He is the son of Doris Soce and brother to Anita (Laus) Chilmaza, her husband Armando Chilmaza, and his brother John Laus.

Nick leaves behind his beloved daughter, Chanelle Laus, who he cherished, and a loving family of nieces, nephews, aunts, cousins and godchildren. He loved his dogs, Rocco and Bruno; they were his constant companions and could often be found patrolling tables at his many restaurants.

For more than three decades, Nick developed a reputation as a visionary in the central Pennsylvania restaurant industry, creating some of the most well-known and popular eateries. His many creations include Cork & Fork, Café Fresco and Home 231, which are still amongst the most frequented dining establishments in the Harrisburg area.

Perhaps an even greater legacy than his business accomplishments is how Nick treated people in his life. He mentored and touched many — believed in them. He often paid it forward and thought nothing of buying the groceries for everyone in line ahead of him. That was Nick. He cared so much for so many. As Chanelle has said: “He was extraordinary, loyal, and strong. He was stern but always kind. He was funny, loved hard and expected little in return. To those who he loved — he gave everything.”

Funeral services will be held on June 15, 2018 with family greeting friends for a viewing at Neill Funeral Home, 3501 Derry St., Harrisburg, from 9 a.m. to noon. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:30 p.m. by Father Neil Sullivan at St. Catherine Laboure Church, 4000 Derry St., Harrisburg. Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, 116 South Oak Grove Rd., Harrisburg.

In lieu of flowers, Nick’s family asks that his friends pay it forward by performing a random act of kindness. Through such acts, Nick’s legacy will live on.

Restaurateur Nick Laus has died, opened numerous eateries in, around, Harrisburg

June 9, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg restaurateur Nick Laus died suddenly earlier today, numerous sources have confirmed.

Laus, 59, grew up in the restaurant business, getting his start at the family-owned Italian Pizza and Subs on Derry Street in Swatara Township.

After a brief career hiatus, he returned to the food business, opening Café Fresco on Paxton Street in 2002, then debuting a second location in downtown Harrisburg three years later.

Laus would go on to open the dance club, Level 2, above the Harrisburg location and, a few years later, started Home 231 on North Street in Harrisburg.

Several years ago, Laus sold Café Fresco, Level 2 and Home 231, turning his attention to a new enterprise, Cork & Fork, an Italian trattoria at State and N. 2^nd Streets. More recently, he opened the gourmet hamburger restaurant, Burger Yum, in downtown Harrisburg, and a second Cork & Fork location in Camp Hill.

“The Cork & Fork family is devastated by the loss of our dear friend, Nick,” David La Torre, of the Cork & Fork investor group, said in a statement. “He was more than a restaurateur. He was an artist who has left an indelible mark on the central Pennsylvania restaurant scene. We will continue to carry on his vision for Cork & Fork. We are thinking of his family at this difficult time.”

TheBurg would like to express our sympathies to the Laus family and to his friends, staff and colleagues.

Please click here for funeral arrangements.

3 Weeks Later: Free parking earns favorable reviews from HBG restaurateurs.

April 25, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

The heart of Harrisburg’s downtown restaurant district.

Three weeks ago, when free evening parking kicked in for downtown Harrisburg, restaurateurs weren’t sure what to expect.

Would free dinnertime parking make any difference—would it bring customers back? Or would it be a false hope, a pricey lead balloon?

The early reviews are in, and they’re encouraging.

“The two past weekends, we’ve showed strong numbers—much stronger than before,” said Nick Laus, owner of two downtown restaurants, Cork & Fork and Burger Yum.

Beautiful spring weather may have contributed to the flock of diners, Laus said, but he believes some of the credit lies with the free daily parking after 5 p.m., which began on April 2, from State Street to Chestnut Street.

“I do believe it has helped,” he said. “It’s brought people back downtown.”

Down 2^nd Street, restaurateur Steve Weinstock told a similar story, reporting an increase in business for his establishments, Stock’s on 2^nd and Carley’s Ristorante.

“It’s been a couple of weeks, and we’ve definitely seen an increase in happy hour and early dinner,” he said. “Customers are thrilled about it (parking).”

The issue, Weinstock said, is more complex than patrons simply not wanting to pay $2 an hour, the previous rate for street parking from 5 to 7 p.m. Some customers, especially older ones, were uncomfortable with the digital meters, he said, while others were scared off by the possibility of a $30 ticket.

“I think it’s more the issue of dealing with the machines and the aggressive ticketing,” he said.

Next door, Brian Fertenbaugh, owner of Café Fresco Center City and Level 2, agreed that the issue has been bigger than needing to pony up a few bucks to park. He believes that people found the meters to be intimidating and difficult to use compared to simply pulling into a space in a surface lot in the suburbs. The mobile app was supposed to help solve this, but it’s proven to be unreliable, he said.

“It’s just been inconvenient,” he said. “Now that it’s convenient to park on 2^nd Street, I believe it’ll turn around.”

Still, it may be awhile before people permanently shake off three years of bad publicity and bad experiences, he said.

“I think it will take some time,” he said. “I feel like downtown Harrisburg will become an option again.”

Todd Vander Woude, executive director of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, said he heard positive things among his members at a recent board meeting. His group led the effort to raise the $270,000 necessary to pay Park Harrisburg/SP+ for the loss of revenue during the 5 to 7 p.m. timeframe for a year, contributing $50,000 towards the effort.

“I would have to say that everything is going well,” he said. “As we get into it a little bit more, we’ll have to see what difference it makes number-wise.”

Laus and Weinstock both said that they hope the negative narrative surrounding going downtown has eased as the parking barrier has been removed.

“It really affected us for three years,” Laus said. “Now, this last couple of weeks, judging by the numbers, people are really coming back.”

Plate Date: Feta, a knife cut and a star turn for Tanner Waxman

July 31, 2017 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Photo by Waxman Photography.

Tanner Waxman relaxes on the couch of his dad’s photography studio in Hershey, a lock of his signature blue hair escaping from the side of his baseball cap as he shares a few details about his unique opportunity to appear on a popular Food Network cooking show.

It turns out that landing a slot on “Chopped, Junior” wasn’t Tanner’s first shot at fame.

“I did some Skype interviews for ‘Food Network Star Kids’ and learned not to pair radishes and peanut butter,” said Tanner, an impish smile spreading across his broad face.

His mother Tijen offered a little more information.

“He was the youngest one to compete at the time, and we got really far in the process,” she said.

As for the odd food pairing, Tijen suggests that they might have been looking for something more like a slaw, rather than a mixture. The timing was less than ideal anyway. The family was in the process of moving their business and dealing with the aftermath of a flood.

“The initial competition would have required us to be in Los Angeles for three weeks,” Tijen said.

The experience, although short-lived, was nonetheless valuable in giving the student an edge when the next opportunity presented itself.

Tanner and his dad Ali volleyed back and forth how the idea for “Chopped, Junior” came about and exactly how many Skype interviews were involved. But both seemed to agree that the first shot at fame was good practice for the second. Tanner tried again and, this time, beat out 3,000 other hopefuls for a slot. Afterwards, the real work began.

Ali, who specializes in food photography, reached out to friends willing to share their knowledge and help young Tanner prepare for his debut. Café Fresco Chef Travis Mumma rose to the challenge.

“He was very hands on,” said Ali.

Tanner chimed in, adding, “He said, ‘cut that celery, cut those carrots.’”

Chef David Mills, who works as a culinary instructor at HACC, also spent time with Tanner.

“We met about once a week for two months to prepare for the competition,” said Mills. “He showed a lot of promise, and whatever I asked him to work on, he came back knowing exactly how to do it.”

Deep Cut

By October, 11-year-old Tanner had absorbed what he needed to know to compete on the show. He packed his bags and headed out to New York’s Chelsea Market for filming, joined by his biggest cheerleaders—mom, dad and 18-year-old sister Didi.

There, the budding young chef joined three of his peers to compete for the grand prize of $10,000 in an episode titled, “Three-Ring Kitchen,” based on a circus theme.

The show began with a bang as the children ran excitedly around the kitchen to gather ingredients for an appetizer using corn dogs, avocados, corn on a stick and circus cookies, while judges Ryan Guzman, Geoffrey Zakarian and Sunny Anderson chatted in the background. Buttoned-up Zakarian, whom Tanner found a bit intimidating, took a ribbing for claiming to never have consumed a corn dog.

“Geoffrey likes his corndog with a little dollop of caviar,” joked host Ted Allen.

With his fun sense of humor and confident stage presence, Tanner stood out early on with colorful commentary.

“If I were in a circus, I’d definitely be a strong man because of these guns,” he said with a grin, while pointing at his biceps. “I’m the definition of a circus because hey, I’m cool, and who wouldn’t want this in the main show,” he quipped, gesturing towards his blue Mohawk.

The lighthearted background banter among the judges suddenly turned serious when they realized that Tanner had cut himself while slicing an onion to make guacamole. Tanner shared his feelings about the setback with the audience.

“I’m freaking out,” he said. “This is a huge disadvantage right now. I don’t have much time left.”

Producers consulted with Tijen on the situation.

“They told me it was a really deep cut, and he could opt for stiches at the hospital, and they could call an extra, or they could glue it on the set.”

Tijen was torn, but in the end, decided to trust the medics enough to allow them to glue the finger. The crew then broke for a 90-minute lunch, and Tanner resumed cooking, finishing his dish in a mere 20 minutes.

Tanner’s corn dog taco with guacamole and a sweet and spicy sauce won over the judges, who especially liked that he used feta in the preparation.

“That feta saved my butt,” Tanner said.

For round two, the three remaining chefs were given hamburger sliders, heirloom tomatoes, pretzel rods dipped in chocolate called “Tiger Tails” and purple-hued “jester” potatoes.

“I have no idea why they call them ‘jester’ potatoes, they’re not really that funny,” said Tanner, shrugging his shoulders.

The ingredients proved to be a challenge for Tanner, thwarting his effort to make it to the third round. Zakarian said he was hoping that he would do “something more with the burger” and also objected to the tiger tail “icing” Tanner used in the preparation of his dish. Nonetheless, his superb plating skills piqued the judges’ curiosity, which provided Tanner with the opportunity to give a shout-out to his dad and explain how he learns various techniques by tagging along on his father’s photo shoots.

No Hurry

According to Tanner, one of the most challenging parts of the experience was keeping the information under wraps for months before the episode aired. Once the cat was out of the bag, however, the excitement was palpable. More than 100 students and members of the community turned out to support Chef Tanner at a viewing party held at the Hershey Middle School.

“It was a lot of fun,” said proud mom Tijen, who takes pleasure in fostering her children’s hopes, dreams and creativity. “I teach them to stay present, don’t overthink things, to love and trust themselves, and they will be OK, no matter what.”

These days, Tanner and his father are joining forces in an entrepreneurial endeavor.

“We came up with an idea called PB&J Plus,” said Ali. “Basically, it’s using his creativity and my photography to market a product which will combine ingredients like pretzels and potato chips with peanut butter.”

For Tanner, who has since turned 12, there’s really no hurry to decide what he wants to pursue as an adult, although he’s currently toying with the idea of becoming a lawyer due to a desire to help people. When questioned about his next cooking endeavor, he grins, looks over at his parents and hints that his cooking chops might come in handy someday.

“I’ll cook for someone, when I get a girlfriend,” he said.

Author: Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

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