Milford House
by Frank D. Quattrone
Long regarded as one of the region’s premier seafood restaurants, the Milford House, under new management for the past two years, has rededicated itself to the mission of providing guests with an outstanding seafood and dining experience. In 2015, the restaurant, then known as the Milford Oyster House, was named New Jersey’s Best Seafood Restaurant in the Zagat Survey. Under the stewardship of co-owners Tom Kulnis, the executive chef, and his wife, Rosie Tangtrakul, who tends the front of the house and the restaurant’s day-to-day business, the Milford House is in exceptional hands to fulfill that mission.
Tom, who started cooking when he was in college, once worked as a chef for the Oyster House. And Rosie, whose father, Timmy Tangtrakul, shepherded Lambertville’s acclaimed Siam restaurant for more than thirty years, brings the warm friendly personality Siam was known for to the new venture.
Rosie calls the relationship between her husband and father something special. “After my dad, who is now retired, closed Siam, he helped us open the new restaurant. He and Tom cooked side by side and had the greatest time developing the menu. They retained some Oyster House favorites and added their own touch. There are still oysters a-plenty on the menu, raw, broiled, grilled, and fried. And we bring in fresh seafood three times a week. And for those who prefer meat, our beef is free-range, lean, juicy, and tender.
“We also decided to make the restaurant a little more comfortable, more casual,” she continues. “We still use white tablecloths and we’ve retained an aquatic theme.” True enough. The charming restaurant is a nice blend of old stone walls with others adorned by pleasant seaside and sailing paintings, available for sale by local artists. There are attractive pinhole lanterns overhead and a popular aquarium where speedy and slumbering fish hold sway adjacent to a quaint stone fireplace. And its location, not far from Upper Black Eddy across the Delaware River, is ideal.
During our first visit, Eve and I were greeted warmly by Ploy Tangtrakul, Rosie’s cousin, a veteran of Lambertville’s Siam who works at the Milford House on weekends. She said, “I feel fortunate to be part of a restaurant family and to work so closely with Rosie.” The bar, manned by Oyster House holdover Chris Plunkett, a raconteur with a lively sense of humor, is also a fun place to visit.
But guests obviously come for the menu, and here is where the Milford House shines. Tom Kulnis, who says he learned his profession “at the school of hard knocks,” has profited from many fine mentors. He started working at a Point Pleasant restaurant for his uncle, a chef trained at the Culinary Institute. After stints at Turnersville Inn and the Oyster House, Tom had fine-tuned his timing and refined his culinary skills. He says, “They all taught me something, but I’ve learned more from Rosie’s father than anyone else because he was French-trained, and he knows the culinary traditions of the East and the West.”
Our meal began with some delicately fried oysters, followed by Clams Casino, a flavorful blend of diced clams mixed with garlic butter, bell peppers, onions, bacon, and bread crumbs. We also tasted Tom’s excellent signature Chilled Pea Soup, laced with cream, mint and lemon crème fraiche.
But our entrées were among the best we’ve enjoyed in some time. Eve reveled in her delicate broiled flounder stuffed with crab meat and topped with a Champagne Hollandaise. But my favorite dish that evening was the chef’s memorable Shrimp and Pasta, a wonderful arrangement of tender shrimp, anchovies, fresh basil, and homemade marinara over capellini, one of the best pasta seafood combinations I’ve tasted in years. Side dishes include honey-glazed root vegetables, sweet potato frites, and house-cut French fries.
Other noteworthy items on the menu (can’t wait for our return visit!) include “Lighter Fare” such as the chef’s Korean Fireburger, an eight-ounce gochujang-marinated angus beef patty spiced by ponzu mayo on a Kaiser roll; Cajun Fish Taco, featuring the grilled catch of the day, served with salsa de veija, jicama coleslaw, black bean spread, and sliced avocado in a corn tortilla; and the intriguing Duck Pie, a light pizza topped with shredded duck confit, mushrooms, leeks, and hoisin sauce. The Vegetarian Mushroom “Burger,” a blended mushroom mix patty topped with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and garlic mayo on a Kaiser roll, also looks enticing.
The chef, who gets most of his produce locally, from Phillips Farm, Sweet Valley Farm, and others, says he loves “flavors that are precise, that stand out on their own merit. I cook what I myself like to eat and trust Rosie’s taste too. She’s a big help,” he laughs. All desserts (we enjoyed the Lemon Blueberry Tart) are made on the premises by Pastry Chef Michael McGovern, a graduate of Philadelphia’s Restaurant School.
Tom says, “We’re just here to give you a good night.” Rosie agrees, and says, “We like to see people linger.”
The Milford House is located at 92 Water Street, Milford, NJ 08848; 908-995-9411; www.milfordhousenj.com. Open for dinner daily, 5 p.m. to close; and for lunch, Friday –Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Full-service bar.