Let's Eat
Simply Fondue
70s party fad is back with more style and flavor, but it’s still just as fun
By Lorenda Knisel
Staff Writer
June 27, 2007
HAMILTON
TOWNSHIP – That ’70s trend of dipping bread
cubes, fruits and other foods in a cooking pot
filled with cheese, chocolate or oil is back,
but it has been elevated to a new level of chic.
Fondue – in
many unique incarnations – can be enjoyed as an
appetizer, entrée and dessert in one five-course
sitting at the hip Texas-based restaurant chain
Simply Fondue, which opened its doors June 15 at
the Hamilton Commons on the Black Horse Pike in
Mays Landing..
Owner Andrew
Reichel, who grew up in Ventnor and lives in
Folsom, decided to open the local restaurant
after visiting a Simply Fondue in Texas with his
wife and liking what he saw.
“I didn’t want
to open a fondue restaurant because it’s
trendy,” said Reichel, who has a background in
running franchise restaurants on the boardwalks
in Atlantic City and Ocean City since he was a
teenager.
“I opened it
because I realized it was so different from
anything that my area had before. I just want to
be dramatically different. And I think I’ve
achieved that. I want it to encompass the most
unique dining experience in all of South
Jersey.”
Fondue has
come a long way since its humble Swiss
beginnings when isolated alpine villagers relied
on provisions of stale bread and hardened
cheese, which could be melted over a fire.
Simply Fondue has raised the simple meal to new
creative heights.
Cheese now
comes in mouth-watering flavors such as
Mediterranean – a blend of sharp cheddar, beer,
tomato pesto, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes
served with fresh breads, vegetables and Granny
Smith apples.
For an entrée,
meats such as honey-almond chicken,
pecan-crusted mahi mahi and teriyaki sirloin can
be cooked with a tempura batter in peanut oil
(with no trans fats or cholesterol) or in a
flavorful broth like the Thai coconut or the
Bayou Cajun. Dipping sauces are served on the
side, including yogurt curry and honey mustard.
A variety of
chocolate fondues are offered – such as Bailey’s
Irish Chocolate and Reese’s Peanut Butter Fondue
– for dipping angel food cake, jumbo
marshmallows, triple-chunk brownies, maraschino
cherries and much more.
Reichel said
he tries to use organic foods whenever possible,
preferably from local farms.
The spirits
are just as important as the food at Simply
Fondue. There is a martini bar that offers 30
signature martinis. The bar is also set up for
cooking, and customers can order from the entire
menu. The Blueberry Martini is one of the most
popular cocktails, made with fresh blueberries
from Hammonton farms.
“Since we
neighbor Hammonton, which is the blueberry
capital of the world, we have perfected the
Blueberry Martini,” the owner said.
In addition to
martinis, there is a large selection of domestic
and imported beers, wines, champagnes and
sparkling wines.
“Wine pairings
are essential to this restaurant,” Reichel said.
“I have worked extensively with wine
distributors and local wineries to try to
emulate the popular wines of this area.”
He said he
plans to buy from local wineries, and trains his
staff in pairing food with wine..
The restaurant
has a cozy ambiance characterized by fine art,
dim lighting, velvet curtains and a mixture of
jazz and jazz fusion drifting through the air.
Palm trees grace the parking area. Reichel calls
it a “Midwest, eclectic, nouveau kind of decor.”
The communal
dining inspires socialization. There is a warm,
friendly buzz in the air, due in part to Reichel,
who can generally be seen mingling and checking
up on his customers.
“At Simply
Fondue, it’s all about customer service,” he
said. “We provide the highest level of service
from the moment they walk in the door to the
moment they leave.”
The restaurant
is available for private parties and corporate
events. Reichel said he will design a menu to
fit a specified budget, or allow guests to order
from the extensive menu. He recommends
scheduling in advance.
For regular
dinner, reservations are recommended. Also look
for a cheese, chocolate and martini happy hour
coming soon.
For more
information log on to
www.SimplyFondueMaysLanding.com, call (609)
677-1600 or e-mail
info[at]simplyfonduemayslanding.com.
Photos submitted and by Lorenda
Knisel
Customer Favorites
Lobster Extravaganza ($55 per person)
bottle of house wine and 10-ounce
lobster tail when ordered for two;
includes choices of cheese fondue
appetizer, gourmet salad and chocolate
fondue for dessert.
Spicy
Pepper Jack Cheese Fondue Appetizer
($15) Monterey Jack cheese, fresh
peppers, beer, garlic and spices served
with an assortment of fresh breads,
crisp vegetables and luscious Granny
Smith apples.
Spinach and Strawberry Salad ($7)
Strawberry wedges and baby greens tossed
in a sweet cider dressing and topped
with sliced almonds.
Campfire Chocolate ($8 per person) Rich
milk chocolate, melted jumbo
marshmallows and crumbled graham
crackers toasted and swirled served with
cheesecake, angel food cake, jumbo
marshmallows, triple chunk brownies,
maraschino cherries, strawberry halves,
banana chunks, fresh pineapple slices,
Rice Krispies squares and cinnamon-sugar
balls.
Almond
Joy Martini ($9) Crème de cacao, Malibu
rum and cream, served with coconut
shavings on the rim.
If You Go
Simply Fondue
Hamilton Commons
4215 Black Horse Pike
Mays Landing
Phone (609)
677-1600
Open 5 to 10
p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 to 11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, and 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday
To comment on
this article e-mail
Lorenda.Knisel[at]catamaranmedia.com .
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