Easton: Megs and Mads (November 2012)

Steven Schwartzinger has been in and around the restaurant industry for 20 years. The dream to open his own restaurant had been on his mind for a number of years when Schwartzinger and his wife, Shannan, moved to Forks Township seven years ago and jumped at the chance to start a community restaurant in neighboring College Hill. 
Their Cattell Street location was formerly home to Josephina’s at Cattell’s. But a new vision and menu are breathing life into the College Hill restaurant, which opened Dec. 16.
Flavor: Schwartzinger calls his menu American — not the stereotypical meatloaf and apple pie deal — but a melting pot of cultures and influences. His menu features Asian, Italian and French dishes, but Schwartzinger doesn’t want to limit himself to one cuisine. The beauty of the diversity is on the menu — osso buco listed alongside vegetable lo mein.

“It’s fine dining food in a casual atmosphere,” says Shannan Schwartzinger. “It’s American food done right.”

View full sizeExpress-Times Photo | JOE GILLA plate of the restaurant's Beef Short Ribs -- boneless, tamarind blazed short rib with creamy grits and stir fried vegetables.

Feel: Tables bedecked in linen and candles give the 47-seat restaurant a cozy and intimate vibe. But both owners are quick to say that though the menu speaks fine dining, the restaurant is all about comfort.

“It’s not the fine dining stigma where you have to dress up for good food,” Schwartzinger says.
“It’s casual but not pub food,” Shannan Scwartzinger adds.

What’s in a name? The restaurant is named after the owners’ daughters, Megan and Madelyn, and is family-friendly.

“(It’s) where Mom and Dad can come in and have a steak and salmon, while the kids aren’t forgotten,” Schwartzinger says.

The kids menu is covered in games to keep kids busy and has classics such as pigs in a blanket, mac and cheese and popcorn shrimp.

View full sizeExpress-Times Photo | JOE GILLSalad of Baby Lettuces has mixed greens, Humbolt Fog Chevre dried cranberries, candied walnuts and truffle honey at MeGs AND MaDs Casual Dining.

Food extras: Desserts are made in house, save for seasonal cakes made by the Cake Box Ladies. (Currently they’re serving a rum raisin spice cake with cream cheese icing and creme anglaise.) Soups change frequently and feature favorites such as Manhattan oyster and clam chowder, potato bacon, lentil and sweet sausage and split pea.

Restaurant ethics: Schwartzinger says he wants customers to leave satisfied, stressing quality over quantity.

“It’s good food versus turn-and-burn service,” he says.

He aims for the balance of affordable prices but still delivering a good, quality product.

“I think people are surprised,” he says of their first wave of customers. “This place has changed hands a few times, so people don’t know what to expect. I want people to feel they’re getting a good value.”

View full sizeExpress-Times Photo | JOE GILLMeGs and MaDs' Warm Apple Tart features puff pastry, Dulce de Leche gelato and candied walnuts.

Insiders eat: Salad of Baby Lettuces (mixed greens, Humboldt Fog Chevre, dried cranberries, candied walnuts and truffle honey) — $7; Fried calamari (tubes and tentacles, cherry peppers with marinara and chili-lime aioli) — $9; “Scarole” (escarole with cannelloni beans and sweet Italian sausage, served home-style with grilled Panella bread and shaved parmesan) — $8; Chicken Milanese (French breast with button mushrooms, sauted spinach, mashed potatoes and a brown butter sauce with lemon, garlic and parsley) — $17; Beef short ribs (boneless, tamarind-glazed short rib with creamy grits and stir-fried vegetables) — $22; Horseradish-crusted salmon (panko and horseradish-crusted Wild King salmon, Yukon gold potato with leek and asparagus hash, with a lump crab butter sauce) — $19; Long Island duck breast (pan roasted with roasted turnips, Brussels sprouts and a spiced port reduction with preserved figs) — $21; Pecan Gateau (warm coffee cake with pecan streusel, caramel sauce and Tahitian vanilla ice cream) — $7; Chocolate molten cake (served with raspberry sauce, whipped cream and sel gris) — $7.