PAUL F WESLEY
The Deck
by Frank D. Quattrone
Dining out these days can be a cornucopia of surprises—hopefully, most of them pleasant. That was certainly the case on our first visit to The Deck, the charming gastropub situated by the Delaware just behind New Hope’s vaunted Bucks County Playhouse.
From a table just inside the big picture window, we enjoyed a spectacular view of ice sheets rushing downriver the night before winter’s unexpectedly robust four-day snowstorm. At a healthy, safe distance behind us was a party of animated, mostly masked revelers (except for those who were eating or drinking), celebrating a most unusual event—the postponement of a wedding.
We asked Shannon Marie Watson, the high-spirited bride-to-be, to explain. Nodding warmly to her fiancé, Christopher Joseph Watson, sitting beside her, she said that they had planned to be married on this date, but that the rapidly approaching virus had forced them to change their plans. “We love The Deck so much that we decided to celebrate anyway! We’ll be married next year at this time.”
Quite a recommendation! We saluted the couple and soon discovered why they and their friends had become such devoted regulars. Speaking to genial masked General Manager Michael Mandato, we learned that The Deck originated modestly about three years ago in its present location. During intermission, theatergoers would habitually congregate on the small deck facing the river to chat about the production and the New Hope scene. It seemed only natural then to build a full-service restaurant on that spot. And so The Deck was born.
More delightful, though, were the warm and thoughtful service and Executive Chef Andy Naddeo’s surprisingly good menu. Although it bills itself as a gastropub, the level of the cuisine rises several degrees higher. Responding to a leading question, the longtime restaurant manager said, “What’s our direction? Well, it’s a high-volume restaurant. We try to meet the needs of our guests, who are often pleasantly surprised here. We provide elevated pub-style food that blurs the line between comfort food and fine dining. It’s an easygoing place—not too stuffy. We just try never to cut corners”
A modest but accurate assessment, in our view. Clearly, there was more here than met the eye—or palate! We could tell from our first course—unquestionably the best bowl of Beef Chili we’ve ever tasted. Chef Naddeo, a happy, extroverted sort who began cooking professionally just nine years ago, explained that he uses 100 percent grass-fed organic beef, simmered more than four hours in a short-rib stock, flavored with red onions, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and white beans with just a touch of jalapeños and topped with cheddar and sour cream. Nice and tangy. Not too spicy. Good enough to serve as our entrée!
Fortunately, there was more to come. Our pleasant masked server Laura then brought us a Roasted Beet Salad, featuring hearty roasted red and golden beets, complemented by herbed goat cheese and crispy shallots in a house-made Champagne vinaigrette (with the pronounced bite of the sparkling bubbly lingering on the tongue).
It was touches such as these that we found so impressive. The chef told us that he started out washing dishes at Palate, an acclaimed restaurant in Newtown helmed by Executive Chef Justin Kaplan. The 21-year-old was a fast and furious learner and soon rose to become Kaplan’s sous chef. “Justin helped ground me in the basics,” he said, “and taught me what fine dining could be like outside the city. It was there that I learned what good food can be and to maintain a standard of excellence. Our aim here is to do the simple things well. Then the rest will follow.”
With a menu ranging from the eight-ounce Deck Burger (featuring bacon, house bacon jam, roasted garlic aioli, and cheddar cheese on a brioche bun) and Chef Naddy’s personal favorite, braised Short Rib Tacos (with feathery green mizuna, roasted tomato salsa, lime crema, goat cheese, and watermelon radish), to Vegan Puttanesca (gluten-free garbanzo bean pasta, with olives, capers, red onions, and garlic in a house-made marinara), everyone from football lovers and date-nighters to hardcore theatergoers will find something here to suit their fancy.
Eve loves steak. I prefer seafood. We both came away happy with our entrées. Eve reveled in her 14-ounce, grass-fed New Zealand Ribeye Steak, served with smashing baked-potato-loaded fries. I was just as pleased with my moist Seared Salmon, served with the best root vegetable medley (braised red and golden beets, braised Swiss chard, turnips, radishes, and potatoes) I have ever tasted. The chef assured me that all the root vegetables are cooked separately before being assembled for this amazing dish. A little extra work in the kitchen clearly makes a difference.
Our dessert was a house-made, S’mores-like Chocolate Panna Cotta that capped a truly exceptional meal. Beverage Manager Madison Striluk’s wine recommendations (don’t hesitate to ask)—from California Chardonnay to Argentine Malbec—complemented the meal perfectly.
So do we plan to return to The Deck? You bet. Can’t wait. A hidden gem in New Hope’s burgeoning dining scene.
The Deck is located at 70 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938; 267-270-2989; www.bcptheater.org. Proceeds from the restaurant and bar benefit the nonprofit mission of Bucks County Playhouse. Open for lunch and dinner, with takeout and delivery options, Thursday through Sunday. Playhouse: 215-862-2121.