NJ Dining Guide: Review of American Bistro

American Bistro

24 Washington Avenue
Nutley, NJ
973-235-0505
Fax: 973-667-8660

Review
Star Ledger - Cody Kendall

Click Here for a Review in the Bergen Record.

"The modest storefront facade, four TV's in the bar and folksy servers give no hint of the artful culinary treats awaiting discerning patrons at American Bistro.
Sure, you can order fried calamari, shrimp scampi, or veal marsala; they're practically required in this neighborhood. But what about crawfish and shiitake mushrooms in a brandy cream sauce or a perfect made-on-the-premises creme brulee. Such surprises are what set chef/owner Kenny Mahon's enterprise apart from others of its type and draw out-of-towners as well as the local regulars.

Pink tablecloths and flowers soften the plain, narrow, 58-seat dining room adjacent to the bar, which has room for 20 people. The real ambience is created by the food and an unexpectedly comprehensive wine list that offers an impressive number of choices for less than $25 -- and many for under $20.

Mahon, a dishwasher at the time, got his start at the stove the night the chef walked out.

"I wound up cooking," said the kitchen-trained Mahon, who went on to hone his skills at Esty Street in Bergen County and the Lion's Rock in New York.

He has a number of specialties, including the outstanding seven-layer potatoes, a blend of sweet and white potatoes cut thin enough to read through, then baked with cream, maple syrup and brown sugar. I wouldn't have minded eating this for dessert.

The enormous crawfish and mushroom appetizer had just the right touch of brandy in its delicate sauce. This dish offered eye-appeal, too, with a dainty crown of puff pastry. Equally as attractive was the smoked whiting salad. The mound of fish enhanced by olive oil and lemon wedges got its exclamation points from roasted red peppers, slices of red onions and wrinkled black olives.

The good flavor of baked artichokes topped with golden bread crumbs was subtly brought out with a sauce of butter, white wine and lemon.

Another simple yet effective dish, the shrimp and broccoli rabe salad, starred eight enormous, perfectly cooked shrimp. The vegetable was no slouch in a supporting role, its bitterness tamed by red and yellow peppers, garlic and red onion.

Mahon also offers tripe, not seen very often in these parts, as well as blackened sea scallops over escarole and rock shrimp Arrabiata among the more unusual appetizers.

Nearly all of the entrees are $18 or less, with a few available for $15, emphasizing once again American Bistro's emphasis on value. One of those, the chicken a la casa, is bounteous enough for two, filled with large hunks of sausage as well as chicken, cooked with peppers, mushrooms, onions and potatoes. Balsamic vinegar adds piquancy that gives the dish a special luster.

A simple pan-roasted monkfish served over sauteed escarole and white beans, stood on its own without frills, as effectively as the artichokes had.

By far the most expensive dish on the menu is a veal chop. The excellent meat was served on a huge platter with an abundance of crisply browned sliced potatoes, mushrooms, peppers and onions that amplified its taste. The portion was huge; there is no skimping here.

There are always several pastas, including five black lobster ravioli with pink vodka sauce and a rigatoni Romano brightened with veal meatballs, mushrooms and mascarpone cheese.

Desserts are a combination of items made by Mahon and sweets that come from bakeries. In addition to the creme brulee, a textbook version of this custard covered with a heavy sugar glaze, Mahon also produces the cannoli and a warm apple strudel dusted with powdered sugar. Unlike the more traditional strudel, which involves layers of pastry, this rendition simply enclosed sweetened apples in a pastry shell, but it was every bit as effective. It was presented in high style with chocolate sauce drawn on a leaf pattern atop vanilla cream.

Don't let the humble looks of American Bistro fool you. It offers quality in addition to quantity for a very reasonable price, as well as an opportunity to try some original food."

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