Tag Archives: Mangia Qui

Restaurant Reset: Harrisburg restaurateurs search for the right recipe to survive to better times

August 31, 2020 | by M. Diane McCormick

Scenes from Harrisburg’s Saturday Nights in the City outdoor dining event.

Their tacos would arrive soon—fish and el ranchero, served not in carryout containers but on real plates.

While Jerry Morris and Brian Dougherty waited, they recounted the restaurants they have patronized via takeout since March.

“We’ve done Dodge City steakhouse multiple times,” said Morris.

“Freshido,” added Dougherty. “Subway Café. Café Fresco. We’ve done Alvaro’s, because that’s right by our house. The Speakeasy.”

On this pleasant Saturday night, Morris and Dougherty, who live in Midtown Harrisburg, were dining al fresco at the eatery trilogy of Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Suba on North Street.

“So many restaurants are such an asset to the city that, if they close, they’re probably gone for at least several years before somebody comes in to take their place,” Dougherty said. “So, we know that we have to do our part.”

In the secret sauce keeping Harrisburg restaurants afloat during the age of COVID, loyal customers are key ingredients. So are financial reserves, government help and creative ideas connecting food and beverages to hungry patrons.

Adapting

In this atmosphere, agility is gold.

Steve Weinstock, owner of Stock’s on 2nd, credits a seasoned management team with bright ideas that bring in revenue: add-your-own-liquor signature cocktail cubes; Easter and Passover meals to-go that morphed into kosher Shabbat dinners; a food truck trundling into Harrisburg neighborhoods, so successful that a second is contemplated.

“I never thought in a million years I’d be running a food truck,” Weinstock said.

He admits to skepticism over the chef’s idea for livestreamed cooking demos, using ingredients packaged down to the tablespoon of salt. Now, the sessions have “a huge following” and could continue, post-pandemic, as quarterly events.

Mangia Qui’s partners had little time to “flip the script,” maneuvering through such technicalities as finding eco-friendly takeout containers, combining three restaurants’ menus into one, and developing sanitization procedures, said partner and chef Qui Qui Musarra.

How are they managing?

“We pray a lot,” Musarra said. “We’ve all become avid smokers. You just hope that somehow it all balances out.”

In mid-June, hallelujahs rang out as Dauphin County restaurants reopened at 50-percent capacity. In mid-July, hallelujahs turned to howls when Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration dialed back to 25 percent and required food purchases with alcohol sales.

Weinstock, like restaurateurs and journalists statewide, wants to see the data justifying such restrictions.

“I feel like our industry is getting singled out,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair.”

Musarra believes that Wolf and Health Secretary Rachel Levine are doing “a tremendous job.” It’s America’s resistance to precautions such as masks that are slowing reopening, she believes.

“Everybody could have been at 50 percent had everybody abided by the rules,” she said.

Up on Allison Hill, it’s a Wednesday at lunchtime, and socially distanced customers wait to order their Caribbean-themed comfort food at Rice & Beans Diner on 17th Street.

Business seems steady, in contrast to the pandemic’s first month, which “was horrible,” said Starlyn Rivera, co-owner with husband Jose Pichardo.

With only five employees, the restaurant’s minuscule federal Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan didn’t go far. And by the time Rivera applied for a city small business grant, the fund had emptied.

The restaurant, which the New Yorkers opened in early 2019, stayed open by trimming hours but not eliminating jobs.

“Our employees, they understand,” said Rivera. “We were open more for them than for even us. We’ll keep trying.”

PPP loans helped restaurants get over the initial plunge in business, but layoffs and hourly cuts remained on the menu. At Stock’s on 2nd, “staying afloat” means limiting hours, said Weinstock.

“Everyone wants us to get through it, so the staff is very understanding,” he said. “Some people are happy to have a few days a week versus six days, just to have something in their pocket.”

Street Food

Todd and Kathy Vander Woude, having dinner on a Saturday night, discovered a new perspective on 2nd Street’s eclectic architecture. That’s what happens when you’re sitting in the center lane of a street that normally carries thousands of vehicles a day.

The Vander Woudes were enjoying Saturday Nights in the City, when the city barricades streets, and diners order from servers or carry takeout food to tables set up by participating restaurants. Vander Woude, executive director of the Downtown Improvement District, and Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse came up with the idea, launched in early June.

Saturday Nights in the City helped restaurants close revenue gaps caused by emptied downtown offices during the day and diminished crowds in the evenings. An extra 22 tables outside help Stock’s make up—somewhat—for the diminished capacity inside.

“It’s the one night we can shine and do the amount of sales that we used to do when we were open 100 percent,” said Weinstock.

The Mangia Qui group turned its North Street block into a dream of Paris or Miami, complete with white tablecloths, red patio umbrellas and lights strung overhead. Customers love the getaway and the tableside service.

“It’s a reprieve,” Musarra said. “Even though we are in the street, people feel they’ve been transported someplace else.”

Restaurant owners know that Saturday Nights in the City is weather-dependent. Heat and summer storms dampen turnout. Even if it’s extended into the fall, as some hope, winter is coming.

Different Paths

Remember date night? Have dinner. Attend a show. Have drinks afterwards.

All a distant memory.

“That’s a hurt,” said Weinstock. “We have a large symphony crowd.”

Restaurants also took a big hit in crowd-based bookings—weddings, political and nonprofit fundraisers, catering. Mangia Qui’s clients are managing work-arounds, perhaps finding larger spaces for socially distanced catered events, or flipping weddings to their own homes.

Delivery services have also become a mainstay.

“If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you,” said Musarra. “We had people getting takeout and delivery who had never been to the restaurant. They’ve become converts.”

A few restaurateurs have decided to wait it out a bit longer.

Originally, The Millworks reopened in June. Then an employee tested positive for COVID, and owner Josh Kesler announced a temporary shutdown. When test results for other staff were slow to arrive, he suspended operations at The Millworks and his new Watershed Pub in Camp Hill until further notice—not a closure, but a hold.

“The bottom line for me is, I couldn’t ensure my staff’s safety, and if I can’t do that, I’ve got to put the brakes on it,” said Kesler. “We’re just going to take a little time off and get ahead of this experience.”

Fiscal reserves help Kesler pay those bills that keep coming. The Millworks complex of restaurant, brewery and artists’ studios will stay closed until multiple factors—negative test results among staff, sustained low virus numbers in the community, perhaps reliable treatments and vaccines—combine to assure “a more certain environment, health-wise.”

Veteran restaurateurs are survivors. Optimists, too. Kesler, a longtime booster of Midtown Harrisburg as a destination, sees The Millworks and its neighbors bustling again.

“I can’t wait for that to happen,” he said. “Eventually, it’ll be back to what it was before.”

Musarra and her partners don’t fret over how long they can sustain business.

“You have to concentrate on the positive side, because if you predict your own demise, then that’s what you work towards,” she said.

At Rice & Beans Diner, the pandemic has apparently slowed approval of a liquor license, but the hopeful orange notice beckons in the window. Rivera can’t say that business is okay, but she can say with a laugh, “We’re doing better.”

“We’re doing better because our customers, they are great,” she said. “They’re supporting us a lot. They understand. They can go in the restaurant, and if they like our food, then we’re glad the neighborhood is helping us.”

For more information on the restaurants in this story, please visit their websites and social media pages.

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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.”

Burg Blog: We Must Help

March 16, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Mangia Qui/Rubicon will be closed to patrons, but the owners are encouraging takeout and delivery orders.

This morning, at TheBurg, we had a meeting.

Over the past few days, it’s become clear that economic and social life is fast shutting down in the Harrisburg area due to the coronavirus contagion.

So, what does this mean for us? How will this impact our business? What changes should we make? And, mostly, how will we manage through this crisis?

I know that many other small businesses have had similar difficult meetings in the past day or two. For some, work will go on almost normally, though people may be forced to work from home or may need to balance their work and home lives more delicately, especially those with children.

For other people, especially owners of small, public-facing businesses, the meetings have been even more tense and the decisions harder.

Do you stay open or do you close? And, if you close, how will you survive until you can open once more to customers.

Arguably, the greatest impact is on restaurants, shops and any place that is event-oriented.

People are responding in a multitude of ways.

This morning, Sara Bozich announced the cancellation of Harrisburg Beer Week, which was slated for late April. Also, the Millworks announced that it was closing until further notice. Midtown Cinema is closed, as are most arts venues.

Some places are making major adjustments, but trying to remain in operation.

So, as of this morning, Little Amps was doing only takeout from its State Street location. Elementary Coffee Co. shut down its North Street shop, but will happily deliver coffee beans right to you. Yellow Bird Cafe is encouraging takeout orders, as well.

Mangia Qui/Rubicon made the tough decision to close down their restaurants to patrons, but will offer curbside pickup and delivery. Would you like chef Qui Qui Musarra to cook for you specially? My answer is an emphatic yes.

Revolutionary War-era philosopher and author Thomas Paine once wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

No, this isn’t war, but it is a severe health emergency, now compounded by an economic crisis.

We’ve already been told how we can help mitigate the health component: social distancing, working from home. And now it’s up to us, as a community, to ensure that our small businesses survive this unfolding economic catastrophe. After all, not only do these businesses serve us everyday—and sometimes on a shoestring—but unlike larger corporations and chain stores, the owners often live right here. They’re our neighbors, too.

When this epidemic finally passes, we’ll need these talented, motivated people and their wonderful products to still be here with us, in our community.

So, please redouble your commitment to patronizing these businesses. If you don’t feel comfortable going in person—or can’t—you still can help by:

Ordering in. Many businesses are doing delivery themselves or through a delivery service.
Picking up. In the Harrisburg area, many businesses will deliver right to your idling car.
Taking out gift cards. Spend now, buy later. You know you’ll eventually purchase Urban Churn’s incredible ice cream or the Millworks’ farm-to-table fare. So, front-load it, helping the cash flow of your favorite businesses in the process.
Some businesses will take direct contributions. These especially applies to arts groups like Gamut Theatre Co., Open Stage, Susquehanna Art Museum and Theatre Harrisburg, among others.

There are probably a hundred other ways to help. Go to your favorite businesses’ websites or social media pages or call them to find out what you can do to help ensure their survival.

Harrisburg, we are all in this together. We have to weather this crisis and come out the other end in good enough shape to rebuild. We can only accomplish this by each one of us asking, “What can I do? How can I help?”

Lawrance Binda is co-publisher/editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

A sigh of relief along North Street as water returns and businesses reopen

February 11, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, Business Administrator Marc Woolley and Treasurer Dan Miller share a cup of coffee to celebrate the reopening of Elementary Coffee Co. following a water main break.

At Elementary Coffee Co., the water came back on early today and, with it, the doors swung open for the Capitol neighborhood café.

Up and down North Street, there may have been no one happier than owner Andrea Grove.

“I’m so relieved, I’m so delighted,” Grove said. “And now people are hearing and coming back in.”

Elementary opened a few hours late, at 9 a.m. after Grove heard from her neighbor, restaurateur Qui Qui Musarra, that water service had returned to the block.

The businesses, including Mangia Qui, Rubicon, Elementary and Roxy’s Cafe, had been closed since the water stopped running on Sunday, following a break in the 82-year-old water main early Sunday morning on the cozy street of restaurants and residences.

This morning, these businesses reopened, though Capital Region Water maintained its boil water advisory for an area bounded by North, N. 3^rd, Forster and Front streets (see map). Tanya Dierolf, CRW spokeswoman, said that the advisory would remain in effect until further notice.

The East Shore YMCA planned to reopen at 11:30 a.m., though without drinking water from fountains. CRW said that it also will provide bottled water to impacted customers in the neighborhood today at the YMCA from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Grove said the greatest problem was not knowing when water would return and, thus, how long she would be closed.

“It was terrible not knowing,” she said.

Likewise, Staci Basore of Mangia Qui/Rubicon expressed delight at being able to open, especially since her restaurants are booked for the coming Valentine’s Day weekend. Her restaurants won’t be open today for lunch but will reopen today for dinner service.

“It’s good, good, good,” she said. “We were so worried about Valentine’s Day, but now everything seems to be getting back to normal.”

For the latest information on the boil water advisory, visit the CRW website.

Businesses close, residents told to boil water as downtown water main break enters second day

February 10, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Capital Region Water crews work to fix a water main break on North Street.

A water main break in downtown Harrisburg entered its second day today, closing businesses and affecting several hundred residents.

Tanya Dierolf, spokesperson for Capital Region Water, said that she couldn’t provide an estimate when the repair would be completed and when the boil water advisory would be lifted.

“CRW is still working to make the repair,” she said. “[Timing] will depend on trying to complete the repair.”

The break of the 16-inch water main was detected early yesterday, with torrents of water streaming down North Street. CRW crews have worked around the clock since to fix the circa-1938 pipe.

Some 200 properties are affected along a swath of downtown Harrisburg stretching from Front Street to North Street to N. 3^rd Street to Forster Street (see map).

This area includes such businesses as Mangia Qui/Rubicon and Elementary Coffee Co., which are closed today, as well as the East Shore YMCA.

Mangia Qui co-owner Staci Basore said that her restaurants had to close because they have no running water at all. They began serving brunch yesterday, but then had to turn away about 60 people once water pressure ceased. Now, she’s worried about this weekend, as her restaurants are fully booked for the Valentine’s Day weekend.

“Businesses need to make a living out of it,” she said. “I can bring in bottled water to drink, but I can’t operate without a toilet.”

Similarly, Elementary Coffee Co. is shut down until the water comes back on. Owner Andrea Grove said that she’s concerned because her shop just opened a few months ago and is still gaining traction.

“It’s a huge tragedy for us and everything that we’re trying to build up,” she said.

Both Basore and Grove mentioned that their anxiety has been worsened by not knowing when service will resume.

“No one can tell us anything with any degree of certainty,” Basore said.

The break occurred directly in front of the YMCA, which had to shut down and cancel all classes and its daycare. According to the Y, bottled water and portable toilets have been brought in for its residential population.

Dierolf said that different locations have differing issues. Some buildings in the advisory area have little or no water, while others seemingly have full pressure. Nonetheless, all customers in the area should boil water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth and washing dishes until further notice, she said.

Dierolf said that the repair has taken longer than first anticipated because a valve needed to be replaced. Once the repair is finished, CRW must perform a series of water tests to ensure safety, which likely will prolong the advisory even after work has finished and North Street, between N. 2^nd and Front streets, has reopened to traffic.

“We appreciate everybody’s patience,” she said. “We’ll give you updates when we can.”

For the latest information, visit the CRW website.

This story has been updated to include comments from business owners.

It’s Elementary: Harrisburg roaster debuts coffee shop, remarkable renovation in Capitol district

October 28, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co., in her new shop in downtown Harrisburg.

When are you going to open?

Over the past year, Andrea Grove has been asked that question over and over, ever since word got out that Elementary Coffee Co. planned to open a standalone shop in a newly renovated building in Harrisburg’s Capitol district.

She finally has a definitive answer: today.

This morning, a steady line of customers streamed into the storefront at North and Susquehanna streets—many of whom had become friends with Grove and fans of her small-batch coffee over the past five years, since she opened a stand in the Broad Street Market.

“I’m so relieved,” Grove said, as she sat at the long counter that dominates the seating area. “It’s nice to finally be able to present something that we’re passionate about to the city of Harrisburg. It feels great.”

The exterior of the new shop.

Elementary sits at the seam of residential and official Harrisburg, and Grove expects to draw from both types of customers—neighborhood denizens and office workers.

She had been looking for a location in the area south of Forster Street for some time when, last year, two of the owners of Mangia Qui/Rubicon—Qui Qui Musarra and Elide Hower, drinking coffee at her market stand—told her that she should look into the building that was being renovated right by their restaurants.

“They were whispering to each other,” Grove said. “Then they said, ‘Andrea have you considered the space near us?’”

In early 2018, Harrisburg attorney Matt Krupp and a partner bought the tumbledown building that once had housed a French restaurant called the Coventry. It had been vacant for 25 years, its roof had caved in, and most people had long ago marked it for the wrecking ball.

Krupp, though, had other ideas, buying the building from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority and mounting a 1½-year rebuilding project that yielded two upstairs apartments and the downstairs retail area now occupied by Elementary Coffee.

Grove loved the location, and soon the build-out began, led by architect Chris Dawson, contractor Misha Kaschock and a team of local craftspeople.

“Misha nailed it,” Grove said. “I think this space is such a testament to what he can do.”

Elementary’s Ryan Spahr takes an order from customer Jeff Johnson.

While Grove began serving coffee today, she has yet to begin roasting in the space, which should start soon. Until then, she’ll continue roasting at the Broad Street Market, and, market patrons–don’t fear–she is retaining her stand there, as well.

Otherwise, Grove wants to shape the new location into a true community space. From time to time, she will feature local music, local artists (first up, Katiie Reynolds) and participate in 3^rd in the Burg. In fact, her “grand opening” will be during the next 3^rd in the Burg on Nov. 15 and will feature cider from Gardners-based Big Hill Ciderworks and beer from Harrisburg’s Zeroday Brewing Co., which also is brewing a collaboration coffee beer with Elementary.

Soon, customers will have some delicious food options to go along with their coffee, including pastries from Harrisburg’s Raising the Bar and bagels from Lancaster-based Harvest Moon Bagel Co.

Due to its location, the shop is likely to become a popular place for meetings, and the folks at StartUp Harrisburg already were huddled around a table this morning, marking perhaps the first business meeting there.

“We’re thrilled to see Andrea’s hard work pay off in this beautiful space,” said StartUp co-owner Adam Porter. “Her focus has always been on serving others, and she can do that seven days a week now.”

In her new shop, Grove watched in real time as her long-held vision came true: people at tables sipping her coffee, patrons lined up at the counter, the Elementary team taking orders and her roasting equipment in back, waiting to get switched on.

“For us, this seemed like a very safe, secure and manageable location,” Grove said. “It is allowing us to realize our potential and hopes and dreams.”

Elementary Coffee Co. is located at 256 North St., Harrisburg. Hours are Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Elementary is also located in the brick building of the Broad Street Market during market hours. For more information, visit their website.

Fun in the Burg: Over 9 years, a small arts event has grown into a celebration of city, community.

October 31, 2018 | by Diane McNaughton

Broad Street Market during 3rd in the Burg.

Friday at 5 p.m. is the workweek’s golden hour.

You’ve endured the rigors of the grind, running on caffeine and stress, and then… freedom. TGIF.

In the capital city, there’s a double shot of thanks on tap on the third Friday of every month.

That’s when Harrisburg rolls out its greatest hits reel: new gallery openings, hot new bands, custom cocktails, novel exhibits, gourmet specials, door-buster sales. The lights stay on longer in venues throughout the city, the crowds descend, and businesses put their best foot forward.

Akin to First Friday celebrations, “3rd in the Burg” runs year-round and allows folks to dial down the breakneck pace of the work week and stroll through the streets of the capital city, relax with a fine cocktail and gourmet dinner and mingle with friends, artists and musicians.

Nine years after 3rd in the Burg debuted, it’s getting an exciting refresh: a new logo, a new brochure with a map, a litany of new sponsors, a revamped website and a stronger social media presence.

“3rd in the Burg has operated rather quietly, like clockwork, for years,” said Larry Binda, editor-in-chief of TheBurg, which organizes the monthly event. “We want to raise its profile a bit and emphasize its association with TheBurg, since few people seem aware that we lead it.”

Opens Your Eyes

In recent years, the Broad Street Market has arguably become the heart of the action during 3rd in the Burg. However, the celebration extends broadly throughout Midtown and downtown, and typical participants include The Millworks, the Susquehanna Art Museum, Midtown Cinema, Home 231, Midtown Scholar, Zeroday Brewing Co., Right on Reily, Cork & Fork, Mangia Qui and the Vegetable Hunter.

Nor is it just for young hipsters, millennial professionals, state workers or the uber-artsy.

“There’s something for everyone,” said Kelsey Tatge, the 3rd in the Burg coordinator who often attends with her “West Shore mom” for dinner at Café 1500, Pastorante or Cork & Fork.

It’s family-friendly, dog-friendly and safe, too, she emphasized. And, after 5 p.m., parking is free in much of downtown.

To see the rapidly growing list of sponsors, just turn this magazine over. The ad for 3rd in the Burg was first placed on the back page nine years ago, and it has remained in that coveted spot since.

Devan Drabik, director of Explore HBG—a new sponsor—said it is “a celebration of not only the arts, but of the creative minds in the city, including the adaptive re-use” of so many buildings, including The Millworks and the Historic Harrisburg Association’s ongoing renovation of its bank building.

“Having TheBurg involved has been a tremendous blessing to 3rd in the Burg and the businesses involved,” Drabik said. “Since they took leadership of 3rd in the Burg, there has been a continuity of anchor businesses participating and an outpouring of new venues wanting to be involved.”

When Binda brought his friends from the nation’s capital to the state capital’s citywide art walk and bash, they were pleasantly surprised by the culture here. Their one challenge: Binda saw so many people he knew, they never ventured far from the Broad Street Market and Little Amps. His friends started calling him “mayor.”

Lots to Do

The reunion of old friends and the attraction of new tourists is part of the beauty of Harrisburg’s signature cultural event, as energy reaches critical mass.

Sydney Musser, of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, said they timed their “Art in the Box” event, featuring artists painting 14 utility boxes, with 3rd in the Burg.

“3rd in the Burg is great because we can highlight all parts of Harrisburg,” Musser said. “Harrisburg is a small city, but it still has lots to do and check out, and this opens your eyes to that fact. It makes Harrisburg shine for those living here and those visiting.”

Tara Chickey, art director at The Millworks, said that the restaurant/brewery/art venue is often elbow-to-elbow during 3rd in the Burg as they schedule show openings with the event. An added draw is that “95 percent” of their artists are in their studios that evening, so patrons can meet them and chat.

“Harrisburg is a walkable city,” Chickey said. “This lets us connect the downtown with Midtown and Uptown.”

It also supports the “buy local” movement, she said.

Vivian Sterste said her fine arts gallery, Vivi on Verbeke, has been participating for several years. Located a stone’s throw from the Broad Street Market, she opens her cozy studio/gallery free of charge every month for a dose of unique pottery, vibrant paintings and more.

“We bring a warmth and camaraderie to our community on 3rd in the Burg,” Sterste said.

Even the downtown McCormick Riverfront Library is joining the party this year. Marketing Assistant Christina Zeiders said that, on Nov. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m., the library will hold “Date Night.” Attendees can bring their significant other or friends for food and crafts. They can choose either a pint glass or wine glass to decorate, at no cost to participants.

“Last summer, we began opening Saturdays as well as two evenings a week,” said Lisa Howald, new branch manager. Starting in September, they opened their doors late for 3rd in the Burg.

“We kicked off with ‘Bad Art Night,’” she said. “Participants had a great time making the worst art they possibly could in competition for a terrible trophy.”

In October, they hosted “Escape the Library,” an escape-room-style challenge. And, in the coming months, they plan to have live music, book bingo, mini-golf, snacks and more.

About Community

3rd in the Burg started in late 2009 when several local gallery owners wanted to launch a First Friday-type event to attract art-lovers to their venues. They approached TheBurg to be a founding member and media sponsor.

In the beginning, businesses and galleries had to pay a fee, which limited participation. After the original galleries closed, a steering committee asked TheBurg to take the reins completely. The first change made by TheBurg: eliminating the participant fee and attracting sponsors to offset the cost of the prominent, back-cover ad.

“The fee, although modest, was a huge barrier to participation,” Binda said. “After we eliminated it, everyone wanted to be part of 3rd in the Burg.”

Venue participation immediately jumped and, most months, 40 to 50 galleries, museums, restaurants, bars and other places now join in.

Binda noted that 3rd in the Burg receives no public funds, which distinguishes it from many First Friday-type events in other cities, nor is it a moneymaker for TheBurg.

“We basically donate staff time to it,” he said. “But we like providing this service. It’s become important to the fabric of Harrisburg.”

Importantly, it both brings people into Harrisburg for the evening and, for residents, acts as a community gathering, as locals use the night to congregate, chat and share a meal.

“It’s not just for tourists. The people who live here participate,” Binda said. “It’s a communal gathering. You see neighbors talking to neighbors.”

Tatge agreed.

“Everyone says ‘hi’ to each other,” she said. “It makes you feel like you are a part of something. I’m proud of it.”

In the end, 3rd in TheBurg is a natural extension of TheBurg’s mission, Binda said.

“We want to serve and foster community,” he said. “The Harrisburg area can be a contentious place, and we like to think that 3rd in the Burg is when the entire community can come together.”

So if it’s the third Friday, and the crowds throughout the city are big and happy, this must be Harrisburg.

3rd in the Burg takes place the third Friday of each month throughout downtown and Midtown Harrisburg. This month, 3rd in the Burg is on Nov. 16. For more information, see the brochure in this month’s issue, go to www.thirdintheburg.org or visit the Facebook page.

Two Words–No Plastics: Harrisburg-area businesses have joined the movement to eliminate plastic straws.

October 31, 2018 | by Missy Smith

Seasonal cocktails at Rubicon using eco-friendly straws.

Perhaps it was the photos of sea turtles and waterfowl dying after ingesting plastics. Maybe pictures of the great Pacific garbage patch did it.

Locally, you only need venture down to the Susquehanna River to see plastic bottles bobbing in the water and plastic wrappers caught in clumps along the riverbank.

Whatever the motivation, over the past year, many people and organizations have decided to curb their use of single-use plastics, and that includes Harrisburg-area restaurants and businesses.

Earlier this year, Qui Qui Musarra announced that all three of her restaurants—Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Suba—had eliminated plastic straws. The restaurants now offer only paper straws by request. Each restaurant also offers recyclable beverage napkins, in addition to the eco-friendly takeout containers and bags that they have offered since opening.

Co-owner Staci Basore said that the drive towards plastic-free products came from reflection about the massive environmental problem we face with plastics consuming our landfills and oceans.

“People are spending more time eating out than eating in—often with food coming in plastic or throwaway containers,” she said. “Moreover, [a large majority] of all plastic ends up in landfills or the natural world. We have a plastic problem which produces obvious environmental and health impacts.”

Over at the Broad Street Market, Fudgeolutely has also rolled out paper straws, as well as recycled-paper, compostable cups printed with the catchy phrase: “May your cup runneth over with KARMA.” Owner Jessica Kost said that the decision to pull back from plastic use at her confectionary started with thoughts about her own plastic consumption.

“The more I read and learned about the dangers of plastic pollution, the more I felt pulled to take action against it,” she said. “This journey began with the purchase of a reusable, stainless-steel straw for personal use, so I can say, ‘No straw, please,’ when dining out. This prompted a lot of conversation on the topic and, ultimately, propelled me to take the next level of action with my business.”

Kost has also implemented glass-jar packaging for her newer treats, like toffee and nonpareils, and continues to hunt for plastic alternatives for her fudge packaging.

Fudgeolutely’s across-the-street neighbor, The Millworks, also has taken strides recently to ditch plastic. The inspiration for Chef Lance Smith came from loyal customers and staff, who provided him with feedback about the environmental ramifications of consuming single-use plastic.

“We then researched the subject and determined there is no reason we need to serve a straw with every single drink,” he said. “And, when requested, we would provide eco-friendly straws.”
Start Somewhere

Indeed, the spotlight has been on plastic straws this year. But will the movement make enough of a difference in the broader plastic consumption issue?

Basore believes it is a great first step.

“It may seem as though the quarter-of-an-inch diameter straw is the least of our worries, but the fight has got to start somewhere,” she said.

Perry Wheeler, global seafood communications and outreach manager at Greenpeace USA, agreed that the small act of cutting back plastic straw pollution will have a trickle-down effect.

“The hope is that these bans and actions on straws make people think more critically about all of the plastic in their lives,” he said. “It’s important that corporations don’t stop taking action after addressing plastic straws, because it’s not enough on its own. It’s our hope that this movement continues to gain momentum and secures significant victories on phasing out all types of throwaway plastics.”

But what about people who need to use plastic straws? Many with disabilities, especially with limited jaw control, depend on them to stay properly hydrated and nourished, and paper straws and biodegradable options tend to fall apart.

Wheeler said that, while the plastic-free movement effectively highlights how pointless single-use plastic straws can be, it overlooks a segment of the population for which they are necessary.

“Early straw bans ignored this and did not bring all impacted communities to the table to think through solutions to the issue and what sort of viable alternatives currently exist or not,” he said. “That is really critical for bans on single-use plastics moving forward. We feel strongly that the corporations that churn out single-use plastics that pollute our environment for lifetimes or more should be at the forefront of investing in potential alternatives to single-use plastics.”

A realistic approach could bridge the gap between where we are now and where we want to be environmentally. Businesses may want to consider stocking a small number of plastic straws for those with specific needs, until more eco-friendly options are available. But, the major point here is addressing excessive and unnecessary plastic use.

“Overall, companies realize that they can’t just maintain the status quo with single-use plastics and remain viable,” Wheeler said. “Consumers are applying pressure like never before, and corporations are forced to respond.”

Smith said that limiting single-use plastic turned out to be a pretty easy decision for The Millworks, as sustainability is a core value that the farm-to-table restaurant was founded on.

“It makes sense for us do our part in any way we can,” he said. “Almost all of our to-go food packaging is biodegradable or eco-friendly, and we are working to have all of these materials eco-friendly within the next couple of months.”

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA.

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.

Bringing It Back: Long-blighted buildings marked for renovation in downtown Harrisburg.

March 28, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

The blighted exteriors of 254 and 256 North St., Harrisburg.

There’s an old saying in real estate that one should try to buy the worst property in the best neighborhood.

By that measure, Matt Krupp would seem like a savvy buyer, as he recently purchased two terribly blighted, yet well-located and widely recognized buildings in downtown Harrisburg.

On March 14, Krupp, the Dauphin County prothonotary, closed on the purchase of 254 and 256 North St., and, this week, began the long process of clearing out and stabilizing the Civil War-era, brick-and-clapboard buildings.

Krupp lives just across the street from them and, decided that, since no one else seemed interested in taking on the costly rehabilitation, he would do it. So, he purchased the two buildings from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority, which owned them for nearly 11 years, for $34,300.

“If you go up and down North Street, these are the only remaining, boarded-up buildings on the block,” he said. “It got to me living next to them for four years.”

The buildings sit on an otherwise-charming, tree-lined block, home to such restaurants as Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Home 231, and just down the street from the state Capitol complex. Nonetheless, they’ve been vacant for decades, marred by graffiti, holes, shattered glass, peeling paint and boarded-up windows.

The two, two-story buildings, which together total about 3,000 square feet of interior space, have first-floor commercial areas with apartments on the second floor and parking in the rear. The corner building at 256 North St. once housed an upscale, reservation-only French restaurant called The Coventry, which closed around 1990. The Redevelopment Authority took possession of the buildings in 2007.

“Because of where they sit, I was surprised that nobody had bought them after all this time,” Krupp said.

Amid piles of trash, one of the buildings still shows signs of when it was a French restaurant, more than 25 years ago.

Krupp expects a two-year turnaround for the project. The first year, he said, will be devoted to shoring up the structures to ensure they’re safe and dry. Much of the renovation work will take place the second year, he said.

He said that he doesn’t expect any changes to the buildings’ historic uses, with expectations that a small business, such as a law firm or lobbying firm, will take the first-floor commercial space.

David Morrison, executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association, applauded the purchase, saying that HHA was about to place the buildings on its annual “Preservation Priority” list, as they were considered endangered.

“This is great to finally see,” Morrison said. “They’re high-profile buildings on a street that gets a lot of visitation.”

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