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Mother’s
ROBERT GORDON
OWNERS THERESA RUBIO AND Lenore Picariello have given Mother’s, a New Hope touchstone, a new look and
new direction. In deference to tradition, they’ve retained “Mother’s” as their restaurant’s
moniker. But they tacked on “Wine Bar & Restaurant.” And with good reason. In New Hope’s halcyon heydays,
when “Mother” was “a word that meant the world to me” in song, “Mother’s” the restaurant
meant the world to locals and visitors. Mother’s, Gerenser’s Ice Cream, Odette’s, St. John Terrell’s
Lambertville Music Circus staked out the territory that rapidly grew into a favorite daytrip for Philadelphians and Manhattanites
alike.
Mother’s was where locals gossiped at breakfast and daytrippers made a de rigeur trek for dessert. Those days withered as New Hope prospered and today’s
scene evolved, offering a full dining spectrum from fine to funky.
No matter, Mother’s has changed. It’s better suited to the times and should play well in the current
scene. Owners Therea Rubio and Lenore Picareillo are wine-lovers, not wine snobs. Down to earth, the duo’s wine lust
is exuberant rather than pretentious, and their agenda, not so hidden, is to pass that exuberance and fun on to their customers
and friends. Mother’s stages frequent wine dinners with Chef Cindy Shannon Coll (more on her later) helping to match
wines to her multi-course, well-conceived dinners. Mother’s also features a wine bar with an expansive list of fairly
priced wines by the glass for under $9. The expansive wine list allows the kind of comparison, experimentation and adventure
that’s stymied in most bars that offer only a few wines by the glass. Mother’s also offers “Wine Flights”:
three separate mini-beakers of wines of the same variety. The intent is to broaden perspective, deepen wine appreciation,
and — need I mention — enhance the food. To illustrate, a recent Burgundy wine flight consisted of a 2002 Joseph
Faevely (French), a 2003 Willamette Pinot Noir (Oregon), and a 2004 Schug Estate (Sonoma, California) — all for a cost
of $18.
The wine focus is all well and good. However, it is not a smokescreen for mediocrity in the kitchen operation.
The food’s the thing here. Mother’s has nabbed a talented chef who crafts menus that harmonize with today’s
rhythms and lifestyles. The weekend menu is different from the weekday menu — a touch that other restaurants should
consider. Diners are more apt to while time away dining and relaxing on weekends, so she upscales the menu. That’s
not code for up-pricing. The average weekend entrée cost is less than $2 more than the weekday average. However, in her thinking,
guests are more apt to imbibe wine and match different wines with each course when the alarm clock is on holiday.
Cindy has an impressive resumé. The CIA grad worked at the Café at Cedars and the Washington House in Sellersville.
She excels in small-plate conception and presentation. Her knack for pairing bright flavors shines throughout the menu. Duck
quesadilla scores on texture and taste. The creaminess of melted mozzarella and texturally superb flour tortilla frames the
flavorful array of duck confit, sautéed onions, peppers and scallions to perfection. The dish vies with Alison at Blue Bell’s
renowned analogue. A clever Bloody Marytype mix provides tangy kick to sweet crab in crab cocktail. Veggie jambalaya (yes,
Mother’s winks at the oxymoron — jambalaya is a dish based on jambon, French for ham) underscores the chef ’s penchant for delivering taste without overkill.
Cindy can also easily hearken back to her CIA, French-intensive apprenticeship. Almond raspberry baked brie à la française titillates with texture, vivid tastes and colorful presentation.
The rest of the weekday appetizer list sweeps the Mediterranean from antipasti through hummus while also offering good ol’
American fun food like beer-battered onion rings. The weekend menu beckons with seared sesame tuna and smoked trout. Tangy
chicken ginger wontons give a serious nod to the east.
The weekday entrée menu sparkles with a destination dish — pan-seared duck breast with mandarin orange
glaze oozing fruity zest into each bite. Tangy Asian slaw plays counterpoint to sweet barbecued pork tenderloin. Fresh tomatoes,
fennel and spinach add a tasty refrain to shrimp and lobster ravioli awash in gutsy tarragon and white wine sauce. Blackened
catfish and chicken saltimbocca highlight the kitchen’s ability to tantalize the palate with bright flavoring.
In addition, the menu offers vegan lasagna, filet of beef, grilled rib eye bruschetta (fresh tomato bruschetta
caps the rib eye), and other appealing, well rendered dishes.
The interior is airy, cheery and resort-ish.Wine posters and wine-related hangings adorn the walls. Besides
the main dining room, a large room is available for private parties. It’s a great space for a group wine outing. By
the way, contact the restaurant to get on the mailing list. That way, you’ll be apprised of upcoming events. Check for
upcoming events also on localwineevents.com.
You may want to check out Mother’s as a pause in the day’s occupation while New Hope trekking. That
way, you can examine the menu and sample some appetizers at your leisure.
I didn’t forget desserts,Most are not made on premises. However, the bread pudding is and it’s not
to be missed. Desserts constituted the calling card of the previous regime. Now it’s the wine — the wine
flights, the wine bar to complement delicious, reasonably priced fare — so, sorry Papa, but Mother’s got a brand
new bag, too.
P R I M E T I M E A & E S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 6
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