By Frank Quattrone
The scent of freshly baked sourdough bread permeates the air as you enter. The walls may be essentially bare, and the huge picture windows offer a splendid view of the Delaware surging past. But the loyal guests who frequent Charcoal, Yardley’s premiere BYOB, don’t care about the casual, comfortable décor or even the view. They come because the limited menu of fewer than two-dozen items offers them taste sensations they will rarely find elsewhere.
If the truth be told, our first dinner at Charcoal one warm summer night was one of the three or four best meals we’ve experienced in my twenty-five years as a dining columnist! And that includes visits to landmark restaurants such as Vetri, Le Bec-Fin and Lacroix Restaurant at the Rittenhouse.
East Asian philosophers might call Charcoal “The House of Divine Flavors.” And guests might easily deem chef/partners Mark and Eric Plescha “Einsteins of Culinary Arts & Technology.” High praise indeed for the brothers who own and operate this exceptional dining destination.
Their father, Anton (Tony) Plescha, who recently retired but still drops in to lend a hand when he can, was a major influence on his talented sons. Trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Tony opened several Marriott restaurants across the country and ran the popular Hot Shoppes in the region for years before opening his first restaurant, Anton’s Café. Mark and Eric studied business management at Bucks County Community College to complement their father’s mentoring and quickly developed their own distinctive style.
For starters, they make their own pastas every day from scratch. Mark Plescha says, “The pasta is a blank canvas, a way to play with flavors.” And the elaborate pasta machine they imported from Italy provides the technology to excel in their art. The noodle dish we enjoyed during our first visit is an excellent case in point. I ordered the Old Bay Spaccatelli, a short curved tube pasta, served in a zesty plum tomato sauce with lovage (a celery-like veggie) and topped with a generous fried soft-shell crab, one of my personal favorites — perhaps the best soft-shell crab dish I’ve ever eaten.
We also enjoyed a tasting portion of the Pleschas’ Sourdough Bucatini. Just as Old Bay seasoning infused the flavor of the previous dish, sourdough starter informed the bucatini, a spaghetti-like pasta with a hole through its center, served with cacio e pepe (a simple but flavorful cheese and pepper blend) and topped with smoke Parmesan. Magnificent!
Charcoal, which changes menus at least seasonally but sometimes every few weeks, was also offering Worcestershire Fusilli with herb-roasted chicken (from the highly regarded local Griggstown Farm) and mushrooms in a Marsala sauce, and Radiatori (a short chunky pasta) served with bacon Bolognese and arugula in a yolk sauce topped with Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese. Can’t wait for our next visit!
But before our pastas, Eve and I enjoyed tasting portions of three diverse yet equally distinctive starters. First up was Summer Cucumbers, a refreshing salad of crisp cucumbers, blueberries and charred radicchio in a light buttermilk dressing; Roasted Beets, served with celery and crispy farro (a healthy ancient grain) berries in a tonnato, a tasty sauce of pureed tuna, anchovy filets, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil; and, best of all—Grilled Octopus, absolutely the best I’ve ever eaten (including Venice, the octopus culinary capital of the world!). To quote Mark Plescha, it literally “dissolves in your mouth,” with a remarkable flavor sensation born of marrying kale, pickled pineapple, and lardo (pig fatback cured with rosemary, salt, and other spices) in a light caramel base. World-class!
After all this, we had room for just one more entrée, and it was a charmer, and one of Mark’s favorite preparations. It was Hanger Steak Oscar, served with crisp asparagus spears and jumbo lump crab meat with an elaborately executed black lime Hollandaise—another taste sensation.
Finally, we had to try a pair of the brothers’ legendary desserts. Here is where Eric shines. A longtime musical artist, Eric also finds creating great pastry a fine art. We enjoyed Charcoal’s signature hot cinnamon sugar Brioche Doughnuts, floating in a shallow pool of coffee caramel, and dug deeply into our dessert glass of richly layered Polenta Budino, with sweet polenta on the bottom, topped with chocolate mousse, toasted walnuts, and smoked salt! No wonder guests leave Charcoal with smiles on their faces.
Mark says that he and Eric, ably assisted by creative sous chef Jared Remer, “simply love food. We love to play off each other and experiment, and we like to think that each item on our menu is a home run.” Bridging the gap between a special occasion and everyday neighborhood restaurant, with reasonable prices and an unparalleled menu, Charcoal deserves its place at the top of any food lover’s list of dining destinations.
Charcoal BYOB is located at 11 South Delaware Avenue, Yardley, Pennsylvania 19067; 215-493-6394; www.charcoalbyob.com. Open for breakfast and lunch, Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.; and for dinner Tuesday through Thursday, 5 – 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 5 – 10 p.m. Reservations recommended, especially weekends.