“Patatas bravas,” fingerling potatoes with smoked red pepper sauce and “gambas ajillo,” garlic shrimp from Andalusia
Andalusia
A trip to Spain and Morocco by way of Carlisle
By Keely Childers Heany | Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer
On a clear day on Spain’s southern tip of Andalusia, you can see Morocco from the Rock of Gibraltar. The atmosphere and menu at Andalusia in downtown Carlisle reflects both cultures–from Moroccan tile work at a bar stocked with authentic Spanish wines to a palate ranging from simple Mediterranean preparations to flavorful North African dishes.
“People want flexible dining,” says co-owner Ross Morris. “They want to eat what they want, when they want. The beauty of tapas is that you don’t have to commit.”
Think small plates made for sharing, or tapas, like fried Marcona almonds, olives marinated in thyme and orange-infused olive oil, and other simple dishes of cheese and meats, where it’s all about the quality of ingredients. “The religion of Spain is jamon,” restaurant co-owner Ross Morris says with a smile, part joking, part serious. If you’ve ever had the real deal–imported Serrano ham and Spain’s classic sausage, chorizo–you know what’s up, and we’re here to tell you, you can get it at Andalusia (in about or under an hour drive from anywhere in the Susquehanna Valley, as opposed to a flight across the pond). The tour of tastes at Andalusia then leaps across the Straight of Gibraltar to dishes such as bastilla be djaj, a classic sweet and savory Moroccan phyllo pastry filled with chicken, onions, eggs and almonds, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Moroccan kabobs, soups and salads round out the offerings from this part of the world.
Of course, you can’t go to Spain (or Andalusia) without having the paella, one of the most popular dishes. Choose from three different kinds made to share: paella Andalusia, made with chicken, chorizo, rice and beans; paella de mariscos, made with seafood; or paella Valenciana (a special feature, call for availabilty) made with rabbit, snails, peas and white beans.
Watch the restaurant’s Facebook page for daily specials featuring seasonal ingredients—such as local padron peppers stuffed with Spanish tetilla cheese and served with a citrus, tomato and pine nut sauce—and drink specials like the blossom martini made with Mandarin Blossom Vodka, Saint Germain elderflower liqueur, violet liqueur, fresh lime juice and organic blue agave nectar.
“Our goal was to bring more people to this town,” says Morris, and Andalusia is doing just that. Co-owner Bob Otway confirms, a lot of people (tourists, people from Harrisburg, Lancaster and York) are traveling to dine in Carlisle, not only at Andalusia, but at their other authentic experience restaurants, Trattoria Piatto (for Italian), Café Bruges (for Belgian beers and fare) and Helena’s Chocolate Café and Creperie (for French inspired crepes and homemade desserts).
Andalusia | 26 North Hanover Street, Carlisle | 717-462-4141 | www.facebook.com/AndalusiaCarlisle Hours: Open daily from 4-9:30pm
Pour
Gallery Row’s New Dining Experience
By Julie Bancroft | Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Tucked inconspicuously behind its proprietor’s Artisans Gallery property, Pour’s narrow galley of rustic exposed brick punctuated by the clean lines of modern décor is bustling with energy fueled by its progressive vibe.
Conceptually, Pour encourages diners to “come and have new experiences,” explains General Manager Eric Garman, adding, “there is no right or wrong way to experience the restaurant.” He explains that though the exceptional wine list and charcuterie boards are the anchors of Pour’s dining concept, the restaurant truly offers a complete dining experience. Come in for beers and boards with your friends at happy hour, or choose to enjoy a full dinner from selections from the menu’s “Social Plates,” offerings such as steamed mussels, and “Pour Plates,” dishes like poached black cod and sweet pepper braised short ribs. Not sure which beer pairs well with the hot pork coppa? Never fear; the servers are exceptional at explaining the pours and plates, and tasting is never discouraged. When it comes to pairing food with a pour, the wine was never intended to overshadow the beer. Pour offers a carefully curated beer list—drafts and bottles sourced locally and from afar—that is starting to attract the attention of craft beer enthusiasts. While you’re there, send a brew to the kitchen crew for $2. Yes, they really do get them…but only at closing time.
Pour is the collective collaboration of proprietors Brian and Carolyn Kepner and general manager Eric Garman, all Central Pennsylvania natives who found their way back to the region after stints in Atlanta and Chicago, respectively. Executive chef Andrew Aho joined the team shortly before Pour’s doors opened, but not too late to incite culinary upheaval resulting in the current, but ever-rotating, avant-garde menu.
Chef Aho explains the frequent menu rotation—the menu is printed weekly—as less about local and seasonal ingredients and much more about “freshness.” While some items on the small but imaginative menu are staples, like the duck fat fries—Garman claims regulars “may riot” if they were to disappear from the menu—and varying interpretations on pork belly, other dishes are small batch artistic endeavors that use only the freshest ingredients during peak growing seasons which are procured through Aho’s daily trips to Lancaster Central Market and a reliable network of local farmers. “Small works in our favor,” says Aho.
Aho ditched the three years he spent as an aerospace engineering major to later pursue a degree in culinary arts, a decision that resulted in the unlikely convergence of science and food. He introduces subtle molecular manipulations into his dishes, which are designed to enhance the flavor profiles and mouth feel of select ingredients. We sampled the dungeness crab salad, a summer menu feature reminiscent of a painter’s palette. A swipe of mango puree with hints of chili and citrus was dotted with a soy sauce pudding, while melon balls were compressed to fully infuse the zest of their marinade, lending a hint of refreshment. Pickled cucumber planks with nests of crabmeat met cool peaks of frozen coconut mousse for a deliberate temperature contrast. Finger limes provided a caviar-like citrus burst and the dish was delicately splintered with chili threads. The artful composition encouraged Pour’s motto, “explore your plate.”
POUR | 114 North Prince Street, Lancaster | 717-290-8080 | www.pouronprince.com
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 4:30pm–12am, Friday: 4:30pm–1am, Saturday: 3:00pm–1am, Sunday: 11am–10pm; Brunch served from 11am–2:30pm
Sidney Willoughby Run
Gettysburg’s New Contemporary Tavern
Text and photography by Cindy Kalinoski
Named for the nearby creek that played a role in the famous battle, Sidney Willoughby Run is Neil Annis’ latest venture. Chef Annis, known for his singular cuisine at Restaurant Sidney, decided to open “an upscale urban chic tavern.” The new venue, housed in the former Gettysburg Country Club, strikes a different note in the historic town, one less in harmony with the Civil War and more tuned to fresh, local 2012 fare.
Sidney Willoughby Run offers small plates in a contemporary bar area and on a terrace overlooking the club’s former golf course. But the plans for the new place are bigger than they appear, centering, surprisingly, around special events.
The 160-seat ballroom, a room with a fireplace that seats 50, and 16 acres of lawn—where he envisions tents, weddings, and more—are what captured Annis’ interest. What he needed now was a draw to make it more visible.
“I had to give the property an identity,” Annis says. “The tavern and outdoor seating allow people to walk in off the street and have a small meal but then notice the banquet space…and the grounds.”
But make no mistake: Annis is “very serious about the food.” He’s also serious about keeping it healthy, using cream and butter sparingly. Instead, intensifying the small plates are the fresh herbs he grows at the East Berlin restaurant—and the reductions he coaxes from local fruits and veggies.
Because it is in season, mint makes its way into the berry mojito, the summer runner beans, and the heirloom tomato-mozzarella salad (along with almond and vanilla). Freshly chopped chives and tiny bursts of watermelon add complexity to the chilled corn−blue crab soup.
Inspired by what’s available, Annis creates a long finish for a Peking duck breast with an intense sauce rich with blackberries and beetroot. His parsley-garlic nage (sauce) makes an equally vivid palette for poached escargot and wild mushrooms.
The new tavern differs in many ways from Restaurant Sidney: No bread, no amuse bouche, no mignardises (those little confections that arrive with the check). “You can eat something quite lovely here without having to have a full-blown restaurant experience,” explains Annis.
“You can have a glass of wine with a friend and have a little duck or a little piece of fish and be happy with that.” Not to mention the desserts and the herb-topped drinks.
Annis’ signature flair—deepening the flavors of the main ingredients to bring out their essence—has been fine-tuned by 30 years in the country’s top restaurants. Stints in Paris and the Netherlands haven’t hurt either. He calls it “being grounded in pedigree” so he’s not being creative just for the sake of being creative. “I elevate the flavors of everything so that when you eat something you’re really experiencing a lot of sensations.”
It’s easy to forget about these culinary surprises if you haven’t been to Restaurant Sidney lately. A visit to its new sister place, Willoughby Run, will refresh your memory.
Sidney Willoughby Run | 730 Chambersburg Road, Gettysburg | 717-334-3774 | www.restaurantsidney.com/willoughby-run Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 5pm–12am