Friendly people, outstanding Caribbean/Mexican food at General Zapata

General Zapata
15 E. 4th Street, South Side Bethlehem
(610) 625-0090

Heading back to Spark after an early-evening meeting, I decided to veer left at the Minsi Trail bridge onto Fourth Street and head through the South Side of Bethlehem to see if any new restaurants had opened. After all, I had 2-3 hours of work ahead of me. Doing it on an empty stomach was unthinkable.

I immediately noticed General Zapata on the north side of the street near Nawab. I peered in a large picture window and saw a handful of tables and tasteful décor. The temptation of Caribbean-Mexican fusion food was too compelling to pass up. The BYOB restaurant has 8 tables and seating for 25. An earthy brown-orange color scheme exuded warmth, as did the wood floors and wall shelves displaying pottery and ornate brown bottles.

Caribbean-Mexican fusion is somewhat of a misnomer. General Zapata offers Caribbean/Hispanic food and Mexican food, not a combination. (Though a “jerk chicken taco” experiment would be worth trying.) Nine combination platters offer a selection of traditional Hispanic foods, such as fried pork chops, onion steak, roast pork and fried chicken, each served with rice and beans or pigeon peas and small side salad.

I made roast pork adobo at home the previous weekend, so to compare I landed on the roast pork with plantains ($10.50). An ample (but not overwhelming) serving of gently seasoned pulled pork was fork tender and moist, yet not mushy. (My roast at home was very good, but I’m obviously lacking some technique.) A mound of rice with beans in a bowl was straightforward and satisfying. The plantains (tostones) were ethereal – some of the best I’ve had. They overcame plantains’ typical starchiness and greasiness and instead provided a crisp-tender and light accompaniment for the meat and rice. Served with a creamy mojito dipping sauce, they were sublime.

General Zapata’s menu exhorts: “Try our famous hot sauce.” I complied, pouring copious amounts on my rice and beans. Good move. The tomato-based sauce had spicy notes and a citrusy, piquant finish that would have been ideal on Mexican food.

Speaking of which, the a la carte menu has nearly two dozen Americanized Mexican options, including tacos, burritos, flautas, tostadas and enchiladas. Considering that the owner, Rick Garcia, cooked at the one-time Mexican standby Zapata’s (hence the name), the Mexican foods are likely to be delicious. Garcia claimed that people routinely drive in from New Jersey for a bag of tacos. (They can save money on Taco Tuesday, when a second taco is only $1.)

A post-meal conversation with Garcia established that General Zapata’s is worth supporting. He and his family cook all the food from scratch and from traditional recipes. They use quality ingredients and supplement the herbs and spices with ample quantities of old-fashioned pride – something you cannot get from a homogenous chain. Restaurants like General Zapata add true flavor to the Lehigh Valley’s dining scene.

Read another review of General Zapata from Susan Gottshall at The Morning Call.

Mediterranean in Tilghman Square

Thanks to Tyrone Richardson at The Morning Call for an update on Lazeez a new Mediterranean restaurant scheduled to open mid-November in Tilghman Square, just off 309 and Tilghman (near Josh Early Candy). The scanned menu looks relatively straightforward -- nothing breakthrough.

Also, I'll be posting a review soon of my excellent experience last night at General Zapata, a Mexican-Caribbean place on the South Side of Bethlehem. (In the meantime, it wouldn't be a mistake to try Taco Tuesday there tonight -- buy one taco, get the second taco for $1.)

Sushi in Nazareth

I don't make it up to Nazareth much at all, so I'm going to share verbatim a comment from Mrs. Right about a new sushi place:

There's a new sushi restaurant that opened in downtown Nazareth (Hana Sushi at 6 Belvedere St.) We tried the lunch special and were pleasantly surprised. We brought friends for dinner another night and were impressed - the selections were fresh, creative and delicious. It's a small place, but beautifully designed and decorated. The owners have clearly put an effort into this little venture and we'd love to see it thrive. We're glad to have found such a little gem so close to home. We'll definitely return, and soon.

Newly opened Thai take out, South Bethlehem

Charly's Thai Restaurant
610-866-3490

Two guys from Spark stumbled across Charly's today on the Southside of Bethlehem on 4th Street between the core business district and the Sands. Evidently, it officially opened about 15 minutes before they stopped in. They were customers #3 and #4. It's take-out only. They gave thumbs up to the chicken satay and fried rice. (I sampled the peanut sauce -- a bit thin, but pleasantly sweet and delicious.) Other offerings include spring rolls, pad Thai (of course), tom yum kai (Thai soup), grilled chicken and Thai chicken salad.

According to the menu, buy more than $10 in food and you get soup for free. That might be challenge: entree prices range from $2.95 to $5.95.

It's near the Valet Tailors, which happens to be one of the best tailors in the region. Time to take some clothes in for altering.

Brazilian concept coming to 9th/Hamilton

From a news release from the City of Allentown. Hope they're able to make it a step up from Rios in Nazareth, which I find acceptable but not as impressive as Brazilian concepts I've been to in Philly and Atlanta.

Brazilian Steakhouse Coming to Allentown

A Brazilian steakhouse called “Made in Brazil” is coming to the Holiday Inn in Center City Allentown. Mayor Ed Pawlowski, hotel manager Cathy Minnich and restaurateurs João Roquetti, Antonio DeMattos and Eduardo Welter made the announcement this morning at the Holiday Inn.

“These three gentlemen reside in Bethlehem, Easton and Nazareth and I couldn’t be more elated that they have chosen Allentown as the place for their business venture,” said Pawlowski. “I can’t wait for them to get started.” The target opening date for the 200 seat restaurant is October 31.

According to Minnich, the restaurant opening is a partnership of the hotel and the restaurateurs. They will share the kitchen, with Made in Brazil operating the room service, lunch, dinner and lounge business and the hotel doing the meeting and banquet business.

“We’re here to stay,” said Welter. “We want to be the best restaurant in the Lehigh Valley. We will serve flavorful, abundant meals while providing friendly and tremendous service.”

According to Roquetti, the restaurant will offer Brazilian-style barbecued meats and service. “Waiters will travel the room carving meat from their skewers and placing it onto guests’ plates. Our guests will not leave hungry.”

The menu will include steaks, chicken, seafood and other top Brazilian dishes. There will be a wide selection of international wines, typical Brazilian drinks and other alcoholic beverages.

The city is assisting this development with a Restaurant Row Incentive Grant of $37,000 and a Citywide Business Opportunity Loan of $40,000. The funds come from the repayment of loans made to previous recipients. The Restaurant Row Incentive Program is administered by the city with the goal of encouraging the development of full service dining restaurants serving lunch and dinner in the downtown business district.

Roquetti says of the 25,000 restaurants in Pennsylvania, only nine are Brazilian, with the majority located in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. “City staff has been very helpful,” said Roquetti. “They introduced us to the owners of the hotel. We quickly realized that this is the place to be. We intend to attract residents and visitors from across the Lehigh Valley to this location.”

The restaurant announcement or grand opening is the third in the city in the last 20 days.

--30--

Four Aces? I'm game

Four Aces Grill
13th and Hamilton, Allentown

As noted in an earlier post, Four Aces is now open in Allentown. I heard from several sources -- and read in Morning Call articles and ads -- that it served a variety of food including offbeat meats like ostrich and bison. Coincidentally, I asked Beyond Scrapple readers two years ago if they knew of anything more exotic than goat in the Lehigh Valley. I guess Four Aces has the response, albeit delayed.

My family and I ended up there after unsuccessful stops at Morton's (in the former LoBaido's on 8th/Gordon, closed for family emergency) and Black Orchid (moved to East Side, I've been told). As an aside, I was distressed to see Morton's signage touting "food with a Southern flare." I hope that the misspelling is not a warning signal, so to speak.

Back to Four Aces. The restaurant was about half full on a Saturday evening at 6:30. We selected a table on the awning-covered front deck -- a nice, sheltered vantage point to enjoy the cool summer breeze and watch the incoming storm roll in. The decor is tasteful; mostly muted, earth tones with assorted artwork on the walls -- definitely a step up from the Rock Around The Clock Cafe that previously inhabited the space.

The eclectic menu featured a wide variety of dishes of various persuasions. It's tough to characterize the cuisine by ethnicity. Instead, I'd call it "adventurous." That's the theme and it works.

We started with three appetizers: calamari, jalepeno poppers and salmon cakes. The calamari were deep fried, but were served with a curry-like dip that was a nice complement for the squid. The petite salmon cakes (3) were sauteed perfectly to golden brown and finished with sauce that I cannot recall now other than it was a perfect complement. The poppers were homemade -- not the institutional variety filled with cheese product. Fresh, spicy jalepenos were stuffed with tiny shrimp, andouille sausage and cheddar cheese, then breaded, deep fried and served with a creamy lime sauce. Luckily, they were too spicy for my wife; I got to enjoy three of them.

For entrees, I could not resist trying the ostrich burger. Seasoned with Moroccan spices, studded with pine nuts and topped with an apricot, it was one of the most original burgers I've tasted. (For the record, I place the taste of ostrich somewhere between turkey and ground beef.) The handcut fries were a perfect accompaniment. The other members of my family ordered caesar salads topped with chicken, which arrived with the head of romaine intact and freshly grilled. The kids found the charring a bit odd, but overcame their concern once they tasted it. Nicely done.

We ordered a creme brulee for dessert and found it average.

The service was a bit slow and inefficient. (For example, the waitress brought us waters two at a time rather than using a small tray to carry four. Too many trips back and forth.) I think they're still working out the kinks. But it's BYO, so if you're looking to relax a bit and enjoy conversation with friends, bring a bottle of wine to share and don't rush it. It's worth the wait.

I spoke to the owner, who said he's looking for sources for kangaroo and alligator. I like where he's heading. He's taking a concept that no one else is trying and he's doing it well. I wish him the best.

7th Street restaurant news

According to the Seventh Street Now blog, the former LoBaido's at 8th and Liberty has been transformed into Morton's, which I heard has a soul food/Southern cuisine. (Anyone been there?) Also, La Mexicana Grille is undergoing a facade facelift, which I witnessed during my trip there this week. (Somehow, I avoided getting paint chips in my hair.) It's good to see the 7th Street corridor gradually being transformed into an ethnic restaurant row with several establishments -- including Winston's (Jamaican) and Casa Latina (Hispanic) -- offering outdoor dining.

Authentic Mexican options abound in Allentown

With the Mexican chain "On The Border" about to open in Allentown's new Airport Square center, I thought it would be an ideal time to review existing options for Mexican food in the city. After all, chain restaurants are OK if you like consistency and predictability, but authentic restaurants are a bit more of an adventure.

La Mexicana Grille -- 7th and Gordon
Just stopped in this week for lunch. Plain but non-cliche decor. Food was outstanding. I had a torta, the traditional Mexican sandwich with lettuce, pico de gallo and avocado slices. One half faetured marinated sirlion steak (surprisingly tender) and on the other half, chorizo (just enough kick.) At $4.50, it's probably one of the best sandwich deals in town. My friend Rob had a chicken enchilada with mole. We're both big mole fans. (To you noobs, that's pronounced mole-ay and has nothing to do with birthmarks.) La Mexicana's mole was well balanced with a deep chocolate aroma that belied its suprising lightness. Dinners are equally impressive. Then again, their poblano sweet potatoes make anything beside it even better.

La Placita Mexico -- 12th and Turner
My favorite place for tacos. Choose from chicken, beef or chorizo. They'll heat it up on a griddle, sprinkle it with fresh cilantro and quesa fresca (and minced onions, I think?) and put it between a double layer of corn tortillas. They also have a selection of soups and other small plate items ideal for lunch or sharing. Our friend who grew up in Mexico for 18 years of his life says it's his favorite place in the Lehigh Valley. How can you go wrong with that recommendation?

Amigo Mia -- 545 Cleveland St (near Good Shepherd)
The original Mexican in the city -- and to many, still the reigning champ. It's open only Wednesday and Friday evenings, I believe. It's a small place -- a reconfigured row home. I've had exceptional bean burritos and some of the best refried beans anywhere. Fare is standard Mexican -- don't expect anything exotic or fusion. But if you're eating more authentic Mexican food, you're probably south of the Rio Grande. Note: they don't accept credit cards. And I think they have a small bar, so you can get your favorite Mexican beer or cocktail. (The two other locations above are BYOB.)

In the end, it depends on your risk-reward tolerance. Service in the smaller restaurants can be spotty. Menus have misspellings. The decor didn't start on the drawing board of an interior designer. Parking for all three is on-street. But for a real experience, they're tough to beat. For me, it's all part of the experience.

Quick bites

Two items of note:
1. Replying to a previous post about LoBaidos, Amanda shared that LoBaidos and the chef Bernie moved to an industrial park across from St. Lukes North. His new place is called Bernardo's. Anyone been?
2. I was notified last night that Four Aces on 13th and Hamilton had a soft opening. I was unable to make it, but hope to stop by soon to try the various exotic meats and other foods. If you want to try it and save some cash (who doesn't these days?), I found a $3 coupon on line.

Happy eating this weekend. I'll be doing a little damage at Musikfest, where the ethnic food selection is a little disappointing. Best bet for authentic food: Holy Infancy near Plaza Tropical for outstanding Portuguese.

Bizarre meats coming to Allentown

Like ostrich, alligator and bison? Or at least curious to try? You won't have to go far in about a month. A new restaurant called Four Aces (I hope I heard that right) is slated to move into the former Rock Around the Clock Diner on 13th and Hamilton. That's all I know at this point. But here's hoping for some elk and wild boar. Aside: Mr Bill's deli at the Allentown Farmers Market carries a selection of exotic meats in the open case freezer to the right of the sausage counter. I've seen several styles of ducks, quail, pheasant, squab, boar and ostrich. I'll have to pull a random meat out of the case the next time I'm feeling inventive.