Author: Matt Ingersoll

Matt Ingersoll writes about all things food and drink, covering new restaurants and following the most delicious foodie trends in the state. Reach him at [email protected].

In the kitchen with Matt McCormack

Matt McCormack is the new executive chef of the Granite Restaurant & Bar (The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-9005, graniterestaurant.com), which reopened in late October after an 18-month hiatus. Born and raised in Nashua, McCormack got his start in the industry early as a teenager — he worked his way up the ladder across several local eateries, like MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar in Nashua and the Mile Away Restaurant in Milford. When the Granite Restaurant reopened, McCormack was part of a team that worked under then executive chef Charlie Lavery, serving all new globally inspired and locally sourced dinner, dessert and brunch menus. He took over as executive chef shortly after Lavery’s recent departure and has now introduced his own menu — highlights include lamb Bolognese with handmade pappardelle and house lemon ricotta; red wine-braised short ribs and spaetzle with a black garlic sour cream; and mandilli di seta (“silk handkerchief” pasta) with Genovese pesto sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

My go-to item, and my favorite thing to have in the kitchen, is definitely the KitchenAid. … It has a very high capability to do a lot of different things.

What would you have for your last meal?

My last meal would be a raw beef salad. They do a raw beef salad at Central Provisions up in Maine, and I’ve gone there and ordered two for myself. It’s to die for.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Surf in Nashua. Their sushi program over there is fantastic. It’s the best in the city for sure, and it would compete with a lot of others in New Hampshire.

What celebrity would you like to see eating in your restaurant?

Growing up, I always watched Giada De Laurentiis, and I may have a crush on her. … She is amazing, so if I could have anybody come in to eat at my restaurant, it would be her.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I would say my favorite item … is the red wine-braised short ribs. It’s a dish that I’ve really kind of homed in on as a chef in the last few years, and it’s one that I know people are going to respond well to.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I would say farm-to-table and the locality and seasonality. … Using local farms is so cool because I think it’s a great engaging point for the servers to talk with the customer … so they get to know where their food is coming from, but they also feel like they are putting value into the economy in their area.

What is your favorite thing to make at home?

Making a cheesecake at home is the best. … My mom’s recipe is an Italian cheesecake that has ricotta and sour cream.

Halibut with saffron Israeli couscous
From the kitchen of executive chef Matt McCormack of the Granite Restaurant & Bar in Concord

For the halibut:
Maldon salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh squeezed lemon to finish

Sear halibut filets. Heat a large skillet on high for two minutes, then add extra virgin olive oil. Introduce the fish (in a single layer; do not overlap) and sear for three to four minutes. Gently flip over filets using a spatula and continue to sear for another two to four minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Finish with fresh lemon.

For the couscous:
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup minced shallot
⅓ red bell pepper, diced in small pieces
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
⅛ teaspoon saffron
1½ cup Israeli couscous
2 cups vegetable broth (more if needed)
1 Tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Introduce shallot, red pepper, garlic and saffron. Cook while stirring gently for two to three minutes, until the onions and garlic are translucent (not brown). Stir in couscous and stir for one minute longer, until evenly coated with oil. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, decrease heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes, until tender.

Combine zest, lemon juice, basil and extra virgin olive oil with the couscous, and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for two minutes while stirring — couscous should be tender and fluffy, not brothy and wet. If it is too dry, add two tablespoons of butter or broth.

Featured photo: Matt McCormack. Courtesy photo.

Tasty tapas

Luna Bistro coming to Salem

Luna Bistro will be Salem’s first tapas and wine bar, according to owner Kori Doherty, whose goal is to create a space with a relaxing vibe featuring good drinks, locally sourced shareable plates, live music, comedy shows and more.

“It’s going to be more of a night-out type of experience as opposed to just somewhere you would go to eat and then leave,” Doherty said. “The menu itself is all shareable plates, so there will be no entrees … and we’re probably going to have four to five different cocktails that will rotate. … I really want it to be a place where you can have a good glass of wine or a beer and a bunch of really good appetizers, maybe watch a show or listen to a band, and just not feel rushed.”

Short rib flatbread (left), created in Luna Bistro’s test kitchen. Courtesy photos.

Doherty has teamed up with executive chef Mark Filteau, a local industry veteran, to help design and finalize Luna Bistro’s menu. Filteau, of Hudson, previously served as the executive chef of NoLo Bistro & Bar inside the former Stonehenge Inn & Spa in Tyngsboro, Mass. He has also worked culinary stints at the Atlantic Grill in Rye and the Wentworth by the Sea in Portsmouth.

“We connected. He really liked my idea and he’s had tapas experience,” she said. “He’ll also be working on taking care of the specials and handling the kitchen and the staff in there.”

The food menu, Doherty said, is broken up into multiple categories from meat and seafood options to dips, spreads and flatbreads, all designed to be shared among guests.

“Everything is going to be made here, nothing frozen,” she said. “Everything is also going to be locally sourced as much as possible. … We’ve got some duck and goose on there, some arancini, mushroom tarts, roasted chickpeas, [and] short ribs, which are one of my personal favorites.”

Craft beers will also be local, mostly sourced within New England. Doherty said she hopes to offer a mix of popular options and lesser-known brews that people are willing to try.

“We’re going to do beer flights and wine flights,” she said, “and wine and beer nights as well, so we’ll bring in vendors from different breweries and wineries, they can come in and talk about them and then they’ll be paired with some of the tapas that we have for that night.”

At just over 5,000 square feet, Luna Bistro has a capacity of 136 seats dispersed across all kinds of arrangements, from a traditional dining area with booths and tables to a lounge area near the performance stage with couches and a fireplace. More seating areas will be available at the bar next to a wall of televisions, as well as on a large newly built outdoor patio.

“The stage is where we’ll have acoustics, and we’re going to do pianos on Sundays, so it’s more of a low-key, classy vibe,” Doherty said. “Outside is where we’ll do the bands.”

Luna Bistro
An opening date is coming soon. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

Where: 254 N. Broadway, No. 101, Salem
Anticipated Hours: Monday and Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 3 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays for private events and functions (hours may be subject to change).
More info: Find them on Facebook and Instagram @lunabistro.tapasbar

Featured photo: Pomegranate pistachio crostini, created in Luna Bistro’s test kitchen. Courtesy photos.

Flavors of Jalisco

Los Reyes Street Tacos & More to open in Derry

Jose Reyes of Manchester comes from multiple generations of street food vending in Mexico — his father, grandfather and brother all continue to serve birria, or slow-stewed meat, on the streets of Reyes’s home state of Jalisco. With more than a decade of combined kitchen experience across multiple local Mexican eateries, from La Carreta to Puerto Vallarta, Jose Reyes and his wife Isabel are now honoring his family’s tradition with their first restaurant as owners.

Los Reyes Street Tacos & More, on track to open soon at the Hillside Plaza in Derry, will offer simple flavors of authentic Mexican street food, Isabel Reyes said.

“We didn’t want to just be ‘Los Reyes Mexican Restaurant.’ We really want to be known for our street tacos,” she said. “We’re going to have a menu section of different salsas and … they’re all going to have a little description and their own amount of kick to them.”

Co-owner Jose Reyes’s brother, father and grandfather are street vendors in Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico. Courtesy photo.

The eatery will operate in a mostly fast casual type of environment, with an open kitchen near the front and an advanced online ordering system expected to be implemented. Street tacos, quesadillas, burritos and bowls will all come with a variety of filling options, like carnitas, grilled chicken, chorizo, barbacoa beef, haddock, shrimp or sauteed veggies.

Other menu options the couple has in store include a Southwest chicken salad; Mexican street corn, either roasted or unroasted with lime, cotija cheese and a special cream sauce; and sopes, which Isabel Reyes described as being topped similar to tostadas, featuring refried beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream and the desired filling, but with a fried masa, or corn, base.

Co-owner Jose Reyes’s brother, father and grandfather are street vendors in Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico. Courtesy photo.

Birria, Isabel Reyes said, is most commonly served on a plate in the form of goat meat. You won’t find goat on their menu, but you will be able to try quesabirras, inspired by the traditional stew and featuring beef, onion, cilantro and a side of consommé, or the stewed broth.

“It’s slow-stewed, so basically it’s cooked for six to eight hours until it’s very tender, and then it’s mixed in with different spices,” she said. “The consommé is basically the same stew that helped cook the meat, so we give you that to dip it in and it gives it that extra flavor.”

For dessert, Los Reyes will be offering items like churros and xangos, or cheesecake chimichangas. They’re also partnering with Dulces Bakery of Manchester to source their tres leches, or cakes soaked in three different types of milk that are then topped with homemade whipped cream and served in refrigerated single-portion cups. They come in a variety of flavors.

Drinks will feature selections of both domestic and Mexican imported beers, along with some local craft brew options, and flavors of agua fresca, a light fruit drink popular in Mexico.

Isabel Reyes said food specials will likely be added to the menu on a rotating basis.

“We may add new plates or new desserts maybe every three months or so, just to throw something out there and change it up,” she said. “We have a lot of ideas, and [Jose] loves to try to learn new and different things.”

Los Reyes Street Tacos & More
An opening date is expected to be announced soon. Visit their website or follow them on social media for updates.

Where: 127 Rockingham Road, Unit 15, Derry
Anticipated hours: Monday through Saturday; hours TBA but will be open for both lunch and dinner service (closed on Sundays)
More info: Visit losreyesstreettacos.com, or find them on Facebook @losreyestacosnh or on Instagram @losreyestacos_nh

Featured photo: Isabel and Jose Reyes, owners of Los Reyes Street Tacos & More. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

The Weekly Dish 22/02/24

News from the local food scene

• Last call for LaBelle Lights: LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111) is closing out its inaugural LaBelle Lights outdoor light display with a special Mardi Gras celebration on Friday, Feb. 25, and Saturday, Feb. 26, when there will be themed food and drink items available for purchase, as well as beads, Zydeco music and more. These will be the final two dates of the season that LaBelle Lights will be open on the winery’s golf course — the festive outdoor light show has been open since just before Thanksgiving and very quickly exceeded expectations with thousands of visitors in just the first month alone, owner Amy LaBelle told the Hippo in December. Plans are already underway to bring LaBelle Lights back to the winery next winter. Tickets to either of the last two dates this weekend are $15, and the hours are from 4:30 to 9 p.m. each evening. Visit labellewinery.com/lights to purchase tickets.

• Festival of wines: Speaking of Mardi Gras, there’s still time to get your tickets to A Mardi Gras Wine Festival, an event presented by St. Thomas Aquinas Church that’s happening at the Aquinas Center (26 Crystal Ave., Derry) on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening is expected to include samplings and bottles for purchase from several New Hampshire-made wineries, including Zorvino Vineyards of Sandown, Appolo Vineyards of Derry and Flag Hill Distillery & Winery of Lee. There will also be live music, raffles, games, a door prize, food and more. Tickets are $40 per person or $70 per couple and can be purchased online or over the phone. Visit stthomasderry.org, find the event on Facebook or call the church office at 432-5000.

• Go Greek: Join St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St., Manchester), for An Apokreatiko Celebration, another Mardi Gras-themed event, happening on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 7 to 11 p.m. inside the church hall. There will be a variety of hors d’oeuvres available, in addition to a cash bar, Greek and American dancing, and a live performance from Greek DJs The Salonica Boys. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased either in advance or at the door. Children under the age of 12 receive free admission. In the coming months, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral has other upcoming drive-thru events planned, according to its most recent newsletter, including a lamb shank dinner on March 19, a fish dinner on April 17 and a gyro event on May 21. Visit stgeorgenh.org or call the church office at 622-9113.

In the kitchen with Reni Mylonas

Reni Mylonas of Danville is the owner of Agape Cakes and Confections (agapecandc.com, find her on Facebook and Instagram), a homestead business specializing in custom cakes, cupcakes and assorted Greek pastries using family recipes. A self-taught cake decorator, Mylonas started baking around the age of 9. She also gained experience working in a few local bakeries along the way prior to starting Agape, named after the Greek word meaning “love,” in 2020. In addition to custom-decorated wedding cakes, she accepts orders through her website for a variety of homemade Greek pastries for local delivery, from baklava to braided tea cookies, and she’ll usually offer specialty items around each holiday. Mylonas is also working toward opening a storefront in Raymond — Agape Cakes and Confections is on track to open in the Cozy Corner shopping plaza on Route 27 this April and will feature a weekly case of cupcakes, cookies, Greek pastries and other grab-and-go treats.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It would probably be a precision scale. That’s like my best friend in the kitchen.

What would you have for your last meal?

Probably pasta. I can eat pasta in a million different variations, and I would never get sick of it.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Nick’s Place in Raymond. Everything that I’ve had on their menu is absolutely amazing, and their atmosphere is so warm and welcoming. … I love their fried seafood and also their roast beef sandwiches.

What is your favorite thing that you’ve made for a client?

I think my personal favorite thing … was actually my first very large wedding cake that I did. It was a huge three-tiered cake that was probably 80 or 90 pounds and it fed 150 to 200 people, which is a lot more than what I’m used to, and it was beautifully decorated with gorgeous orchids. … I’m always up for a challenge, and so it was really rewarding to execute their vision and make it a reality. I was beyond happy with how it came out.

What celebrity would you like to bake for?

I’m a huge sucker for cooking shows. I’d have to say Bobby Flay is my No. 1, and then Anne Burrell or Alex Guarnaschelli. … Their talent is just so amazing to me that it would make my entire life if they had something that I made.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

Cake popsicles. They are a fun spin on cake pops, only a lot bigger and in a popsicle form, so decorating-wise you can do a lot more with them.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

For the past two years I’ve been learning how to do homemade pasta. I love the art and the technique behind it. … Working with the different shapes is almost like working with clay, just kind of building each individual piece.

Homemade chocolate ganache
From the kitchen of Reni Mylonas of Agape Cakes and Confections, agapecandc.com

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chocolate chips of choice

Pour the heavy cream into a small pot and let it simmer on medium heat. Place the chocolate chips in a metal bowl (do not use glass). Once the heavy cream has reached a boil, pour over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for three minutes without stirring. After the three minutes are up, whisk until the chocolate is incorporated. Set aside and let it cool before using. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and enjoy on fruit or for use in cakes or cupcakes.

Featured photo: Reni Mylonas. Courtesy photo.

African and Caribbean flavors

Gumaa’s Bar & Grill opens in Manchester

A new family-owned restaurant in Manchester is offering traditional African and Caribbean meals like oxtail stew, jerk chicken, goat meat and fried tilapia, in addition to all kinds of comfort options, from wing appetizers to burgers, macaroni and cheese and collard greens.

Gumaa’s Bar & Grill opened last month in the former Saigon Noodles space on Lincoln Street, just outside of downtown in the Queen City’s Kalivas Union neighborhood. The eatery serves lunch and dinner six days a week, according to manager Estella “Maya” Gumaa, whose mother, Aiesha Elmuhager, as well as her siblings and children, all have a hand in helping out.

“I come from a big family … and my dream was always to open a restaurant one day, because I’ve always loved to cook,” said Gumaa, who lives in Manchester but is originally from South Sudan. “I’ve been looking for a place for almost four years … and when this opportunity came along, I said, ‘You know what? Let me just jump in.’ My family has been very supportive.”

The restaurant’s menu incorporates dishes common across many African nations, as well as islands in the Caribbean. For plated entrees, there’s oxtail stew, curry chicken, goat meat, and whole marinated and fried tilapia. Each comes with a choice of two sides per order, like white or spicy rice, beans, fried sweet plantains, french fries, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens.

Harder-to-find options the eatery has served out of the gate include spicy okra stew and cow feet.

“The cow feet we prepare more like a soup … so we put it in a bowl and you can eat it just like that with a spoon, and some people like to have it with white rice on the side,” Gumaa said.

Beyond the traditional delicacies, Gumaa’s Bar & Grill does also have a variety of other familiar comfort foods available a la carte. The wings, for instance, feature several sauce flavors like Buffalo, barbecue and jerk, while other items have included chicken, beef or vegetable samosas, mozzarella sticks, barbecue ribs, chicken tender baskets, and shrimp, chicken or steak kebabs.

The restaurant has indoor seating and a full bar that Gumaa’s younger sister, Hillana Kodi, oversees. Gumaa said she hopes to add more items to the menu in the coming weeks and months.

“I’m starting slow right now, but gradually I’m going to add more … to make it a little bigger,” she said. “I want to add fried chicken, and maybe a lamb stew or fried lamb. … I also want to try to add things like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken alfredo.”

Gumaa’s Bar & Grill

Where: 342 Lincoln St., Manchester
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, noon to 1 a.m. (closed on Mondays)
More info: Visit gumaas.com, find them on Instagram @gumaas603 or call 232-4154 to place a takeout order. Ordering is also available through DoorDash.

Featured photo: Chicken and shrimp kebabs. Photo courtesy of Gumaa’s Bar & Grill.

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