Successful start-up for Bull & Bear Tavern
Much earlier this year, Campark Liquor Store owner Jim Schroder turned
to Adrian Jankowski to blow up Max’s Deli, which Schroeder also owned,
and turn it into a more upscale restaurant.
In Woodbine, no less.
“Well, it’s in Woodbine but not really,” Jankowski says. “You can be
here in five minutes from Route 9. It’s not like we’re way out in the
sticks of Woodbine.”
Turns out Jankowski needn’t worry. People from Sea Isle, Dennis
Township, Upper Township, Middle Township and Woodbine have had no
problem finding the new Bull & Bear Tavern, which opened in late July.
“I talk with people when they come in so I know where we’re drawing
from, and as we continue to get the word out, I anticipate more people
stopping by from all over because we really are easy to get to,” he
said.
So let’s step back, then, now that we’re past the location-challenged
obstacle, to the idea to go upscale. Garrison’s started the idea in
Woodbine a couple years ago when they upgraded their pub’s interior and
went to more upscale dining. Now that Bull & Bear has joined the mix,
Jankowski said that can only be a good thing for the area.
“The more the better. It makes us more of a destination location. But
they’re more of a bar and we’re more of a full-scale restaurant that has
a bar, so there is a difference,” he said.
Jankowski is a graduate of ACCC’s Academy of Culinary Arts, and was a
chef for a cruise line and a restaurant in Philadelphia. He also has
experience in redesigning two restaurants, one in Philly and the other
in Ocean City, before coming to the Bull & Bear.
“The owner just told me to do what I needed to do (to make it
successful). So here, I was looking for a wide selection of food, a nice
bar, a good selection of wine and beer, and wide-screen TVs because we
want to push the sports. Basically, I wanted to give people something
nice to come to because there isn’t much around here,” he said. “I
wanted to make it fancy but comfortable at the same time.”
Jankowski also wrote the menu, and then hired chef John Crimins to add
the finishing touches before they opened. Some of his more well-received
dishes so far have been his rack of ribs (with a Georgia peach barbecue
sauce that he makes by boiling down peaches for hours before mixing it
into his sauce), the Steak and Cake, Chipotle Crab Cake, and the Chicken
Parmigiana.
“We were able to pull it off right in the middle of the season, and we
were slammin’ right from the start,” Crimins said. “It’s hard to open a
restaurant, let alone right in the middle of the busy season.”
“We had some things to iron out, no doubt,” Jankowski said. “But we
smoothed out the rough spots, improved the staffing and the training,
and we’re functioning much better now.”
Jankowski still dons a chef’s coat to help Crimins when the kitchen is
hopping, but he will eventually focus all his attention on the front of
the house.
“Adrian as a general manager has been dynamite. He’s probably one of the
best people I’ve ever had to deal with,” said Crimins, who’s been in the
restaurant business for 20 years. “We make a great team. We’re looking
to do really big things here. Yes, the location was a concern but it
turns out there was no need to worry. So far we’ve gotten a lot of
positive feedback, especially with the ribs. You should try them. The
meat just falls off the bone, and the wings are dynamite. They’re the
No. 1 jumbo (size) wings and they come with a choice of Jack Daniels
sauce, or hot or mild.”
Jankowski said now that they’ve past the first test of operating during
the height of the season, it’s time for reflection.
“We made it through the rush (of summer), and now we can take a look at
where we want to go from here,” he said. “The opening was great, but by
next summer we’ll be even better. Last night (a Thursday), we were
packed with locals, so that’s a good sign that we’re in September and
doing that well.”
“This is a real exciting time for us,” Crimins added.
Now they’re in the process of probably adding live entertainment during
the a weekday – a jazz night and acoustic night are being discussed –
and they will be adding two more 50-inch flat screen TVs to go with the
two they already have, and a Sunday Wing Day (25-cent wings) for NFL
football fans.
“We’re really just getting started. We’re really looking to do great
things here,” Crimins said.
Rob Seitzinger can be e-mailed at
seitz(at)catamaranmedia.com or you can
comment on this story by calling 624-8900, ext. 250.
Bull & BearTavern
Route 550
Next to Campark Liquors
Woodbine
861-2020
ON THE MENU
Opens daily at 11 a.m.
Serving lunch and dinner daily.
Happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday ($1.50 draft, half-price
appetizers)
Parking on premises.
Accepting Visa and Master Card.
Take-out is available.
Capacity is 80 seats. Private party rooms available.
Customer favorites
Appetizers: Chicken wings served in Jack Daniels sauce, hot sauce or
mild sauce (10 for $5.25, 20 for $10.25, 30 for $15.25); Mussels in a
variety of three ways, Black and Tan steamed in Yuengling Beer; Mussels
New England, Mussels Marinara (one pound of mussels served with French
baguette chips, $9.95); Roasted Chicken Quesadilla (Jamaican spiced
chicken with caramelized onions and cheddar cheese served with sour
cream and salsa, $7); Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad (served with red
onions, bell peppers, celery, crispy tortilla strips and ranch dressing,
$7.95).
Sandwiches/Burgers: Chipotle Blue Crab Sandwich (topped with lettuce,
tomato and chipotle mayonnaise, $6.95); Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich
(served with horse radish, cheddar cheese sauce on a seeded French
baguette, $7.95); Texas Tuna Melt (solid white albacore tuna fish salad
topped with cheese and tomato and then grilled, $6.95); Five Alarm
Peppercorn Burger (half-pound grilled beef topped with hot peppers,
Swiss cheese and pepper sauce, topped with lettuce and tomatoes and
onions, $6.95); Cheddar and Onion Burger (topped with sautéed onions and
cheddar cheese with lettuce and tomatoes and smoked honey mustard,
$6.95).
Entrees: Whole Rack Grilled St. Louis Ribs (glazed with homemade Georgia
peach BBQ sauce, served with fries, $16.95); Steak and Cake (eight-ounce
hand cut bacon-wrapped filet finished in a rosemary-cabernet demiglaze
served with one golden crab cake, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and
sautéed carrots, $20.95); Chicken Parmigiana (hand-cut and dredged in
Japanese bread crumbs – panko -- topped with homemade marinara, cheese
and served with pasta, $11.95); Chipotle Crab Cakes (two cakes served
with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and garlic string beans, $17.95);
Sautéed Silver Bass (topped with fresh chopped jumbo shrimp and butter
sauce, served with roasted orzo salad and roasted zucchini, $14.95).
Children’s menu: $5.95 includes choice of chicken fingers, macaroni and
cheese, grilled cheese, hot dog and mini burger, served with beverage,
fries or apple sauce, and dessert of two scoops of ice cream topped with
chocolate sauce.
Rob Seitzinger can be e-mailed
at seitz[at]catamaranmedia.com or you can comment on this story by
calling 624-8900, ext. 250.
Check out his Cape Cuisine food blog