By Pat Tanner
Jim Nawn, proprietor of Agricola eatery in Princeton, announced that he and Josh Thomsen, executive chef of Agricola, have decided to mutually part ways. “Over two years ago, Chef Josh and I partnered in opening a very successful restaurant for Princeton. I learned and benefitted a great deal from him over that time, and while I am sorry to see him go, exciting new opportunities lie ahead for both of us,” said Nawn.
Chef Thomsen will be taking on a new challenge as executive chef at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Florida. Replacing him will be Crawford Koeniger, formerly executive chef at Washington House in Basking Ridge. Chef Koeniger joined the Agricola team in January. He has worked in Princeton before with Chris Albrecht, then moving to open Washington House.
Peacock Inn offers special anniversary pricing
Can it really be five years already since the completely renovated and re-imagined Peacock Inn debuted? Yep. May 17 marks the exact occasion, and the restaurant is celebrating with special deals on executive chef Manuel Perez’s brunch and dinner fare. Brunch, from 11 am to 1 p.m., is offered at $20.10 (get it: 2010?) for two courses (usually it’s $32) and dinner that night, from 5 to 9 p.m., will see all entrees priced at $20.10, without any exclusions. Since these typically go for $34 to $49, this is quite the steal. Ditto for a select group of cocktails and glasses of wine, which will be had for $5.17 (5/17: get it?) each.
At least that was the original idea: celebrate on May 17. When reservations for that day were snatched up in no time flat, the folks at the restaurant decided to reprise the offer the following Sunday, May 24. For reservations for that day call (609) 924-1707.
More changes in the kitchen at Eno Terra
When Eno Terra’s high-profile opening chef, Chris Albrecht, left the restaurant last year, brothers Carl, Raoul, and Anthony Momo of the Terra Momo Restaurant Group took several months before choosing 30-year-old chef Mike Metzner to replace him, which they did in December. But Metzner has already departed, having returned to a former place of employment, Restaurant Nicholas in Red Bank. Taking over as executive chef is long-time Terra Momo chef Terry Strong, who has been with the group since 2000. When Eno Terra debuted in 2008, he became chef de cuisine there under Albrecht. Then in 2011, Strong took over the reins at Mediterra, but is now back at the Kingston restaurant.
Cooking in the Wild at Cherry Grove Farm
Lawrenceville’s favorite cheese and dairy farm, which offers popular monthly classes on making homemade ricotta and mozzarella, is teaming up with chefs from Heirloom Kitchen, a cooking school and kitchenware boutique in Old Bridge, to offer a hands-on class in campfire cooking on May 3 at the farm. All meat and dairy used will be Cherry Grove Farm’s own for the special menu that Heirloom Kitchen chef Chris Burgess has planned.
Although the two enterprises have collaborated before — the ricotta/mozzarella is in the regular rotation at Heirloom Kitchen — this represents the first “field excursion” to Cherry Grove for the cooking school folks. The class will be held on the farm’s public space, which features picnic tables next to an asparagus bed and a farm cottage.
The “Cooking in the Wild” class at Cherry Grove Farm, Route 206, Lawrenceville, starts at 2 p.m. and runs about 2.5 hours. Space is limited to 15 students. Cost is $85/person. For details and to sign up, visit www.ourheirloomkitchen.com.
Witherspoon Grill has new cocktail hour(s) menu
They’re labeling it Cocktail Hour, singular, but the newly introduced food and drink offerings at the bar at Witherspoon Grill can be had not just one, but three hours each weekday — from 3 to 6 p.m. Chef Christian Graciano has developed a set of seven enticing small plate options that range from $3 to $6.
To wash them down in style (but with a similar eye to budget-consciousness), drink specials include select draft beers for $3; select wines by the glass for $4; and select cocktails for $5. These last include mojitos and sangrias.
Pat Tanner blogs at www.dinewithpat.com. She is a long-time food writer and restaurant critic based in Princeton. Born and raised in Newark, she is one of seven children in a food-obsessed Italian-American family.
