Sip and savor locally produced wines and ciders at new downtown Easton tasting room – The Morning Call

Whether or not you’re trying to spoil mother on Mom’s Day, have a good time a current school graduate or simply meet up with associates over drinks, a brand new downtown Easton wine bar is open for all of life’s better-with-vino moments.

Cellar 159, providing Outdated World-style wines and ciders, opened April 1 at 159 Northampton St. The 37-seat tasting room is the primary satellite tv for pc location of Cellar Beast Winehouse, a vineyard and cidery that opened in Could 2021 within the Andreas part of West Penn Township, Schuylkill County.

The enterprise is operated by 4 companions with many years of winemaking expertise: Matthew Verify, co-founder and head winemaker; Karin Kozlowski, co-founder, hospitality supervisor and cider maker; Brian Crew, winemaker; and Erika Assise, affiliate winemaker and Cellar 159 tasting room supervisor.

The group’s winemaking philosophy revolves round interfering as little as potential with the fruit and permitting nature to rework the juice into wine.

For the wine, they supply West Coast grapes from Washington, Oregon and California. For the cider, they use native apples and different fruit from Scholl Orchards in Bethlehem, Hardball Cider in Higher Mount Bethel Township and Solebury Orchards in Solebury Township, Bucks County.

“We make French-inspired, Outdated World-style wine, which implies minimal intervention,” Crew mentioned. “No components make it varietal-correct and extra conventional.”

The Easton tasting room, that includes an industrial look with concrete flooring, ash banquette seating and a Caesarstone bar high, gives seven to 13 varieties of wine at any given time, together with well-liked varieties reminiscent of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, pinot gris, cabernet franc rosé and jeune bête (60% Syrah and 40% Grenache).

There are additionally round a half dozen ciders, together with lemon, lavender and “Gloves Off” (dry-hopped cider fermented with grilled pineapple utilizing a tropical IPA yeast), and native draft beer and cocktails crafted with native spirits.

The wines can be found by the glass, bottle or guided tasting, with the latter ($20) that includes one of many winemakers — who’re all educated sommeliers — taking you thru an academic wine expertise that permits you style a wide range of Cellar Beast’s wines.

“All of us educated on the Wine Faculty of Philadelphia, and so we may also help prospects determine what they’d like and likewise give causes for why they might or might not like sure wines such because the acidity ranges. At some wineries, their winemakers are hidden within the again, however we wish to be out entrance and interacting with our friends.”

Cellar 159, which additionally gives snacks reminiscent of hummus and a charcuterie board, is known as after the tasting room’s road deal with, whereas Cellar Beast is a nod to the companions’ journey of forming their very own enterprise.

“Within the wine trade, everybody begins on the backside, or within the cellar as we wish to name it,” Crew mentioned. “So, that’s the place we began — doing grunt work, and it was vital for us to replicate that. So far as the beast side goes, we’re a motley crew of human beings, however we got here along with the identical ardour. It makes us a novel beast, or sea goat as we’ve nicknamed it due to our brand.”

Cellar 159, which additionally options outside seating, is open 4-9 p.m. Fridays, 1-9 p.m. Saturdays and 1-7 p.m. Sundays. Data: 484-549-2159; cellarbeastwine.com.

Additionally in Easton, Takkii Ramen, a contemporary informal restaurant specializing in Japanese consolation meals, is planning to open two extra Lehigh Valley places — together with one with robotic servers and hosts — within the coming months.

The brand new outposts might be on the Slatington Farmers Market, 8281 Route 873, Washington Township, Lehigh County, and is anticipated to debut in early summer season; and 36 N. Third St. in downtown Easton, which is anticipated to open in late summer season or early fall, chef and proprietor Marco Lu mentioned.

Takkii Ramen, which opened its first location in November 2020 at 1042 Mill Creek Street in Decrease Macungie Township, is a sister model to Rakkii Ramen, which debuted in December 2018 at 328 S. New St. in south Bethlehem. One other space Takkii Ramen operates in Quakertown’s Trolley Barn Public Market.

Common Rakkii Ramen dishes, together with noodle-wrapped shrimp, spicy miso ramen and a sukiyaki rice bowl, carried over to Takkii Ramen. Nevertheless, a lot of the brand new model’s menu is comprised of contemporary creations, together with fried hen ramen and Takkii beef ramen.

“We’re additionally planning to have at the least two or three robots on the Easton location,” Lu mentioned. “The robots will be capable to take you to the desk and ship your meals like a meals runner. We have already got them in Doylestown, they usually work effectively.”

The 4-foot-tall robots, which have an auto-charging operate, function synthetic intelligence voice interplay that permits them to greet and work together with prospects; autonomous path planning that permit them to guide prospects to their tables in the very best route; clever trays that may inform when a supply has been accomplished; and 3-D sensors that assist detect obstacles. Data: takkiiramen.com.

From spicy miso ramen to candy strawberry milkshakes, The Canalside Cup, a longstanding walk-up restaurant at 1610 S. Delaware Drive in Williams Township, on Thursday announced that it will likely be opening for its 18th season in spite of everything. Its first day of enterprise for the season might be Friday, Could 13.

In March, Deb Kozik, the stand’s proprietor of 17 years, introduced that The Canalside Cup was in transition as she sought to promote the enterprise. Nevertheless, she just lately determined to proceed working the eatery, recognized for its greater than 50 forms of soft-serve ice cream, together with crème de menthe, maplenut, pistachio and teaberry, in addition to savory picks reminiscent of burgers and gyros.

“… It’s been a curler coaster trip that has taken me to make this resolution with prayers being answered, and plenty of good needs that has introduced me full circle,” Kozik wrote on the enterprise’ Fb web page. Data: facebook.com/TheCanalsideCup.

A closing bit of excellent information for Easton space foodies: Tony’s Pizza and Restaurant, which operated for about 15 years at 200 Foremost St. in Tatamy, on Monday opened at its new, bigger area at 3417 Sullivan Path in Forks Township.

The Sullivan Road area beforehand housed DeLorenzo’s Italian Restaurant, which closed in 2019.

Tony’s new location, a couple of mile east of its unique spot, accommodates greater than 100 prospects, about double its earlier seating capability, proprietor Tony Burriesci mentioned. Different upgrades embrace new furnishings; a freshly painted deck; and an expanded kitchen, serving extra dinner specials on weekends.

The Italian eatery’s new location additionally incorporates a bar, serving beer and wine with cocktails coming quickly, Burriesci mentioned. Data: 610-438-5517.

Staying on the subject of Italian meals, Molinari’s, recognized for its premise-made pasta and different genuine Italian delicacies, is about to reopen with some modifications Thursday at 322 E. Third St. in south Bethlehem, in accordance with the enterprise’ web site. The restaurant has been quickly closed since November because of staffing points.

Shifting ahead, there might be two ticketed seatings — one at 5 p.m. and one other at 7:30 p.m. — Thursday via Saturday, the restaurant famous.

Every seating will accommodate a most of 30 friends, with the early seating having a most period of two hours in an effort to give workers sufficient time to organize for the subsequent seating.

The ticket value covers the meal solely [additional menu items may be available]. Drinks, tax and gratuity are additional.

“Additionally we’re leaning even deeper into our Italian roots,” the restaurant introduced. “The menu will include three to 5 programs. Every course can have two decisions. We’ll do our greatest to speak the menus forward of time. Keep in mind, in most of Italy you eat what nonna made that day.”

Molinari’s 3.5-course opening dinner, $45, will function a 3rd course of raviolo (honey pepper ricotta, arugula, garlic, spec and crème discount) or linguine pesto (basil pestu, burrata, sun-dried tomatoes and spiced nut crumble). Add-ons of pork tenderloin or baked Prince Edward Island mussels, $10 every, additionally might be accessible.

“For these of you who need a bit extra spontaneity, then it would be best to go to on a Monday,” the restaurant introduced. “Road Meals Mondays will function the perfect of Italian road meals. Stroll ins solely. No revealed menus. You’ll have to go to to search out out what’s being served that day.”

Molinari’s, occupying a 3,000-square foot area at Third and Polk streets, was opened in late 2011 by proprietor Fran Molinari. Data: molinarimangia.com.

On Bethlehem’s North Aspect, Colombian Mex Restaurant, providing conventional Colombian delicacies, opened April 29 at 107 E. Union Blvd., co-owner Rose Hernandez mentioned. The renovated area beforehand housed Viva Cafe, which closed final yr.

The 14-seat Colombian Mex Restaurant, operated by Hernandez and her husband, Manuel Espinoza, serves hen specialties reminiscent of breaded hen and hen with rice; seafood dishes reminiscent of crimson snapper, shrimp in garlic sauce and seafood casserole; and meat choices reminiscent of carne asada, churrasco, grilled pork chops and bandeja tipica (grilled beef, pork pores and skin, egg, corn cake, candy plantain, rice, beans, avocado and sausage).

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A wide range of breakfast platters, $6.50-$12.25, embrace a calentado completo (blended rice and beans with scrambled eggs, sausage, corn cake and steak).

“Our beef and hen empanadas have been very fashionable,” Espinoza mentioned. “Persons are additionally actually loving our arepa con queso, that are corn truffles with cheese, and our bandeja tipica plate, which is a mix platter of rice, beans, chicharron, avocado and extra.” Data: 610-419-1253.

I’ll end with an Allentown walk-up eatery that’s closed till additional discover following the demise of its proprietor.

Bacon Bagels and 4th Road Tacos, serving bagels, Mexican favorites and extra at 239 N. Fourth St., made the announcement on the business’ Facebook page.

“It’s with a heavy coronary heart that we announce the passing of our proprietor Leo Martin,” the submit reads. “We thanks a lot for the limitless assist throughout this tough time of heartache and ache. The household actually appreciates all of your type phrases.”

Martin, age 40, suffered an surprising tragic demise at his place of work on the night of April 27, in accordance with his obituary.

Retail Watch, showing each weekend, retains observe of retail and restaurant information within the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com.