Caleb's
by Frank D. Quattrone
Breakfast Quesadilla. NOLA Bananas French Toast. Maui Ahi Tuna Poke. Santa Cruz Fish Taco Trio. Lancaster Chicken Thighs. Crispy New England Lobster Rolls. If this were an informal culinary quiz, how would you connect the dots? If I added Thanksgiving Roast Turkey Sandwich to the mix, would that solve the puzzle? Would that tantalize your taste buds and encourage you to take to the road and head for Lahaska? That’s where you’ll find Caleb’s American Kitchen, a mainstay on the New Hope-Lambertville dining scene since 2013.
And if your taste for travel and great regional American food has been thwarted by too many months of home cooking, you owe yourself a visit to Caleb’s, where co-owners Carol Ann Della Penna, who handles marketing and publicity, and Executive Chef Caleb Lentchner have created a warmly inviting dining haven celebrating regional American cuisine at its finest.
And why would a classically trained chef with degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management from Johnson & Wales and Florida International University, who has served in some of New York’s finest hotels and restaurants, choose to put his own spin on American food —especially after helming the kitchen at Marsha Brown’s prestigious Creole restaurant in New Hope for eight years?
It’s simple enough. After enjoying the flavor of French and Italian for so long, Caleb had a longing to return to the melting pot that defines American culture. So he has fashioned a menu featuring the bounty of Bucks County as well as nearby farms in Pennsylvania and New Jersey — even choosing olive oil from California rather than Italy.
It’s such an outstanding menu that Eve and I, on a warm summer afternoon, decided to try some highlights from Caleb’s menus. We started off with an order of Breakfast Tacos, those soft California-style corn tortillas laden with scrambled eggs, feta cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, black bean salsa and cilantro pesto (with roasted potatoes on the side), and the chef’s vaunted deep-dish Quiche of the Day, a fluffy wonder of asparagus, ham, and Swiss cheese, topped with a sweetly carved flower of watermelon radish—an irresistible flourish that complements Caleb’s unique culinary technique.
Needless to say, we only tasted these breakfast treats, to save room for the feast to come. Next, we tried one of Caleb’s signature dishes, the lunchtime favorite Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich, a Dagwood-worthy mound of house-roasted turkey breast cradled in Vermont cheddar with arugula and cranberry mayo between two slices of thick raisin walnut bread from Le Bus. It was served with crunchy house-made chips and delightfully pickled green beans, a new taste sensation for Eve and me. There was enough left over for a complete meal the next day.
Before our entrée, we enjoyed what Caleb calls the most popular dish on the menu— Crispy New England Lobster Rolls, a Maine lobster salad wrapped nori-style (a rare non-American departure) in a crispy brioche crust.
Next came what we expect will be one of the highlights of Caleb’s Fall menu—Crispy Duck Leg splashed with a blueberry basil reduction encircled by a ring of roasted fingerling potatoes, wild boar sausage, and a mélange of yellow squash, green beans, and radish. Another outstanding American dish.
Restaurant manager Dan Hanrahan, whom we had met years ago when he served as a manager at Joseph Ambler Inn, approached us gingerly to ask if we had room for dessert. How could we resist? So we shared Dan’s highly recommended Blond Brownie Sundae, with refreshing vanilla ice cream topped by a salted caramel sauce and house-made whipped cream.
We heard laughter at a nearby table behind us and asked the couple if this was their first visit. They said, “Oh no, we come here a few times a week, sometimes twice in the same day!”
We asked the chef his secret. He said, simply, “I care. You can’t take your eyes off the ball. I enjoy challenging myself and reinventing dishes, like the pickled green beans. I like giving guests what they want and listen carefully to what they, as well as my excellent staff, have to say about the menu. People are more willing to leave their comfort zone because they know I haven’t disappointed them.”
Carol Ann Della Penna explains other reasons the restaurant continues to thrive. “Guests also love our weekly Friends of a Farmer Specials, where we recognize the fresh ingredients of the phenomenal local farms we patronize. And they enjoy our popular B(uild) Y(our) O(wn) Burger Night every Tuesday.”
Finally, to thank their loyal guests for their continued support, the co-owners have introduced the “Locals Early Bird Menu.” Every Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday evening from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and every Friday and Saturday from 5 to 6 p.m., they offer an attractive three-course dinner — for just $28.
Now we know the secret(s) to Caleb’s success. Naturally, we too vowed to return.
Caleb’s American Kitchen is located at 5738 US-202 (where it intersects with Route 263, adjacent to Peddler’s Village), Lahaska, PA 18931; 215-794-8588; https://calebsamericankitchen.com. Open Tuesday–Sunday for Breakfast, 8 a.m.–noon; Lunch, 11:30 a.m. –2:30 p.m.; and Dinner, 5–9 p.m. Locals Early Bird Menu and Tuesday BYO Burger Night also available (see above). Reservations recommended. Open for outdoor dining in its extensive tent. Available for curbside pick-up, large parties.