By Myles Ma
Dennis Foy, the new owner of the Lawrenceville Inn, is a chef and a painter. In fact, before he purchased the restaurant, which opened Nov. 1, he had retired to his Point Pleasant home to paint full-time.
Many of his paintings hang next to the tables in the restored 1892 farmhouse. But while he questions whether food is art, he recognizes that he needs to do both to be happy.
“Both of the processes are necessary elements of my creative need to express myself,” Foy said.
Foy, 50, describes himself as a demanding perfectionist, though he notes that he is open to compromise. That nature is reflected in the way he cooks.
He never cooks on an open flame. Everything at the Lawrenceville Inn is cooked over even heat, which Foy argues makes each dish more consistent.
Whatever can be handmade, is handmade, whether it is pasta or pastries.
“Not a lot of people do that, because it’s a process,” Foy said.
Foy describes the cuisine as farm-to-table organic sustainable food, and he takes advantage of the nearby farmland. He gets apples from Terhune Orchards, veal from Lancaster County, Pa., eggs from Cherry Grove and seafood from Point Pleasant. He plans to start a 10-acre vegetable garden in Ringoes.
“The best way in which you can control every aspect is literally from the ground to the table,” he said.
Based on what’s available, Foy changes the menu almost every day. And if something’s not up to par, Foy will yank it, even it means fewer portions. He believes it’s better to serve a few portions of a good dish than to have enough mediocre food to last the night.
Though the menu is in constant flux, and the restaurant has only been open two months, there are already hits, like the cream of mushroom soup. The Classic Cassoulet Toulouse, a Foy signature dish, with peasant origins, is a slow-cooked bean stew. Dishes are imparted with rustic touches; whole cloves of garlic are included in the fettuccini carbonara.
Foy is in love with the house itself. He said he tried to give the Inn a more modern feel, but the restaurant still looks and feels very much like a home.
“You come into this environment, and its very welcoming and warm,” he said.
Foy has worked in restaurants since he was 14, and over his long career, he has cooked for every state governor since 1976. He still lives in Point Pleasant with his wife, who is a co-owner of the restaurant.
The Lawrenceville Inn is located 2691 Main St. and is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. For more information or to make a reservation, call (609) 219-1900.
Dennis Foy prepares an apple tart with a handmade shell and apples from Terhune Orchards at the Lawrenceville Inn, Dec. 9, 2009. (Staff photo by Myles Ma.),
