Acasia
by Frank Quattrone
Hands down, it was probably the best meal we’ve had all year. Considering how often Eve and I dine out, that’s a supreme compliment. Guaranteed, it will not be our last visit to Acacia Restaurant, an unpretentious yet sophisticated BYOB in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
I’m sure we can credit Executive Chef Chris Voigtsberger’s culinary experience and passion for creating fine flavors for the excellent dinner we had. But it was also the articulate charm of his lovely wife and co-owner, Lauren, who agreed with me that Acacia’s aim is to serve “high-class comfort food” to customers who come first. “Chris and I believe that our job is to cook for people, not for ourselves. We want our guests to leave happy and to come back again and again.”
For a modest-sized restaurant that prides itself in showcasing the best of New Jersey’s fine produce, that boasts of a menu that’s 85 percent gluten-free, that has dedicated itself to what the co-owners call “uncomplicated excellence” in both the food and service, Acacia has adopted a winning formula for success.
Jersey native Chris Voigtsberger received his diploma in culinary arts from the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan just seven years ago. Cooking in the Big Apple, Chris completed his externship under Chef Daniel Humm at Eleven Madison Park, which now tops the chart in S.Pellegrino’s “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants”! That’s where Chris learned how a great kitchen works.
He earned his degree in business management from Fairleigh Dickinson. Lauren earned hers in hospitality and restaurant management from the same university. Classic “people people,” the young marrieds rarely fail to please. In just three years at the helm of the 22-year-old restaurant, they have established Acacia’s reputation as a genuine dining destination.
Our dinner in mid-April will show you why. Our appetizers included tender cornmeal-crusted Crispy Calamari, a crunchy delicacy spiced with avocado, toasted nori (edible seaweed), scallion, sesame, and pickled onion, with a pinchy bite of sriracha aioli, along with the visually stunning Pear Salad and Roasted Beet Salad. The former was a huge plate of field greens topped by dried cranberries, spiced cashews, and crumbled gorgonzola in a honey balsamic vinaigrette, while the latter was an equally impressive arugula-based salad with multi-colored beets topped with crispy grains, goat cheese, and balsamic yogurt in a lemon thyme vinaigrette. On the side was a cone-shaped basket stacked with hearty bread accompanied with a generous pat of honey butter churned by the chef himself. In the colder weather he churns vanilla butter for his guests.
The menu also lists four enticing “Seconds,” among them Cumin Lamb Flatbread topped with roasted lamb, red onion, lettuce, and tzatziki, and Beef Tartare, served with mustard, egg yolk, pita chips, and snap peas. But we opted, with no regret, for the excellent House-Made Crab Tortellini, served in a miso broth with scallion and soybeans, and the lighter-than-air House-Made Gnocchi, served with English peas, homemade whipped ricotta, and Meyer lemon butter.
Naturally, we took some home for a second meal, as we were eager to try the chef’s fine entrées. Eve chose the Half Griggstown “Brick” Chicken, named after a well-known local poultry farm. Served with rosemary potato, mushroom, and perfectly grilled asparagus in a delectable pan sauce, the chicken is pressed firmly under a brick to create a texture resembling that of steak. Delicious. My entrée was the understandably popular Jerk Spiced Monkfish, a mild-flavored if hearty fish served over a festive medley of dirty rice, scallion, red and green bell peppers, roasted mushroom, red onion, and mango salsa in a Jamaican jerk marinade.
On our next visit, we hope to try one or more of Acacia’s signature entrées — Crescent Farm Duck Breast, served with caramelized pears, charred cabbage, and quinoa in a balsamic reduction jus, and Pan Roasted Local Day Boat Scallops, served with black beans, blackened shishito (a mild sweet pepper), and tomatillo in a poblano salsa verde. There is much to recommend here.
The desserts are also made in house. We enjoyed the Chocolate Mousse Dome, housing chocolate brownie, whipped cream, and chocolate ice cream and served with sliced strawberries and mini meringue chips. Also available are sweet treats such as Vanilla Crème Brulee, Lemon Meringue Cheese Cake, Key Lime Pie Tart, and Carrot Cake with cream cheese icing and caramel sauce, served with vanilla ice cream.
Acacia’s sauces and dressings are gluten-free and the menu includes vegan options. Everything on the menu is made to order. And Lauren Voigtsberger assures guests that Acacia’s servers are fully educated in dietary needs and restrictions and will gladly accommodate customer preferences, including any substitutions available in-house.
Guests will enjoy their meal in a simple, earth-colored décor that features plenty of natural light and few flourishes to distract from the grand simplicity of a great meal prepared with Chef Chris Voigtsberger’s tender care and sincere passion for creating inventive American cuisine with distinctive, unforgettable flavor.
Acacia Restaurant is located at 2637 Main Street, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648; 609-895-9885; www.acacianj.com. Open for lunch Tuesday–Friday, 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., and for dinner Tuesday–Friday, 5– 9 p.m., Saturday, 5 – 10 p.m., and Sunday, 5–9 p.m. BYOB. Up to 10 tables alfresco dining. Available for private parties on-site and off-site catering. Reservations recommended on weekends.