INSIDE DISH

in wine-growing regions, she says. Think like this: “The salty, briny bites typical of Spanish or Portuguese tapas, the rich gaminess in French and German food or the bright acidity and freshness of Mediterranean cuisine,” says Hansche.

The goal here is to bring food and wine together in ways that really excite the palate. It’s a refreshing attitude, considering that wine (and wine bars) have a reputation for snobbery and exclusivity. Kabinett, however, dispenses with such old-school ideas. There are wines from all over the world. I got stuck on the Moric Hausmarke Rot Blaufränkisch MV (that’s multivarietal), a biodynamic wine whose flavors become more complex the more they interplay with food.

These wines have stories to tell. Hoy and the staff are happy to tell them, and they want you to be able to afford to hear them, too. About 10 or so of the 100-plus bottles are available by the glass. They’ve taken great pains to not overly mark things up. “We want people to have a life-changing, profound wine experience, not feel like they took out a mortgage to enjoy wine,” says Hoy.

The emergence of a place like Kabinett comes when the era of egocentric and overwrought dining experiments is having its moment of recognizance (NOMA closing, the film The Menu, etc.). Here, you won’t find food that’s unrecognizably and necessarily esoteric. There’s plenty to love at first bite; no persuasion needed. You might recognize steak tartare on the menu, but its presentation is distinguished by crunchy house-made prawn chips. You’ll recognize a cauliflower head, but maybe not the presentation, whereby the cauliflower boasts layers of flavor, is rubbed down with a Persian spice mix and situated on top of a swoosh of labneh, along with pomegranate arils and fennel— fronds included. The beef cheek is succulent and breaks off the fork with ease, thanks to a 12hour braise. A sunchoke purée and black trumpet mushrooms add earthiness, and perfectly blistered cherry tomatoes offer a welcome hit of acidity and brightness. You don’t need steak when you have a dish this umami-forward. Don’t miss dessert; let’s just leave it at that.

In short, everything here is approachable even if you aren’t sure. Ask questions; the servers are happy to explain what’s happening on the plate.

People are surprised and loving what they’re ordering, says Hoy. “I don’t think there’s a dish on the menu that hasn’t been well-received.” The kitchen is stoked, and brings forth tons of ideas that the team collaborates and brainstorms together on. Kabinett is likely to maintain a careful balance; new dishes will surface but not necessarily at the expense of yanking stuff that works.

Things are little different at Kabinett in other ways, too. If you didn’t know it beforehand, you’d see it right away on the menu with the first item: “Pay it Forward.” At $15, it’s a donation to local food pantries and school initiatives, a continuation of the communityminded approach they took at Tucker. Employees are paid a fair wage along with health insurance. There are two coexecutive chefs, Paige Robinson and Jacob Watson, each with ample and admirable culinary experience. The business is set up, as Hoy explains it, so that at some point in the future they can hand half of the business over to employees in a cooperative model. The pandemic has brightly illuminated a long-known

Kabinett Wine Bar & Garden

125 Northampton St., Easton 484.545.7670 kabinettwinebar.com

Hours

Wed. & Thurs.: 6–11 p.m.; Fri. & Sat.: 5 p.m.–midnight; Brunch: Sat. & Sun.: 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (No dinner service on Sunday.)

Reservations: Absolutely recommended for Friday and Saturday via Resy (accessible through their website), with more room for walk-ins on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Parking: Street parking; garage parking

What To Order

fact: the hospitality system is broken. But Kabinett aims to make improvements.

“We’re a mission-driven business determined to change the conversation around hospitality, an industry historically plagued by inequity, abuse and low wages. We’re trying to create a fairer and more sustainable model: paying above a living wage, providing health care and benefits to our full-time staff and pooling gratuities equally between the front and back of house,” Hansche explains. How does this look for patrons? “It’s all hands in,” says Hoy. “Everyone can help everyone.”

One last thing. If you’re looking for a slower pace and an experience to savor, show up for brunch. Hoy admits it’s his favorite service, a sentiment that’s not universally shared by restaurant owners or chefs. “People come in and it’s leisurely, they go home and have a nap, maybe, but they’re in a good place to go enjoy the rest of their day,” he says. Sounds pretty sweet.

Regardless of whether it’s day or night, however, it’s very easy to feel that way when you close Kabinett’s door behind you.

Bread service (don’t miss!), the “krauted” beets are as delicious as they are beautiful, braised beef cheek (we’ve already discussed its finer points), steak tartare, whole roasted cauliflower, crispy new potatoes with house cultured butter, and anything else, really.

Special Events

Wine and dinner pairings on the last Thursday of the month (inquire within!), and much more to come.

NOTCH MODERN KITCHEN & BAR

5036 Hamilton Blvd., 610.351.8222, notchmknb.com

Modern American with an Asian Twist. Lunch & dinner.

$$

938 Lifestyle Center, Whitehall, 610.264.2194, poconobrewery.com

Authentic wood-fired pizza, imported meat and cheese boards, Lunch & dinner.

$$$

2934 Seisholtzville Rd., Macungie, 610.845.2010, savorygrille.com

A culinary gem housed in the historic Seisholtzville Hotel, Savory Grille takes gives back to a time when fine dining was an

$$

525 Jubilee St., Emmaus, 610.928.0641, switchbackpizza.com

Neapolitan pizza using local ingredients cooked in their Italian Lunch & dinner.

$

2246 W. Liberty St., Allentown, 484.221.8765, tavernonliberty.com

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of beer.” Check out other location in Reading called The Liberty Taproom. Open seven days a week.

$$$

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.7100, topcutsteak.com

Classically inspired cocktails, exquisite wines and USDA prime steaks in a 1940s style rooftop atmosphere. Dinner & late night.

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.9399, torrerestaurant.com

Classic Mexican cuisine with a modern twist in a fun, familyfriendly atmosphere. Enjoy Happy Hour gathered around the Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.

THE TRAPP DOOR GASTROPUB $$$

4226 Chestnut St., Emmaus, 610.965.5225, thetrappdoorgastropub.com

Upscale food in a fun, relaxed atmosphere with an extensive craft Brunch, dinner & late night.

$$

1528 W. Union St., Allentown, 610.432.1522, unionandfinch.com

A casual American bistro serving lunch and dinner six days a Brunch, lunch & dinner.

WHITE ORCHIDS THAI CUISINE $$

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.7499, whiteorchidsthaicuisine.com

Authentic Thai cuisine in a contemporary and relaxed dining atmosphere. Signature seafood dishes, house specialties and classic Thai entrées. New bar and lounge area. Lunch & dinner.

$$$

2249 Walnut St., Allentown, 610.439.1203, youellsoysterhouse.com

Sea to table since 1895. The region’s destination for fresh seafood order from our curbside menu and shop our retail offerings at

Wed.-Sat. 4:30-10pm Sunday 1-8pm

Favorite Fine Dining & Special Occasion

4330 Lehigh Dr., Walnutport, 610.760.3207, acamiapa.com

Unique, homemade, Italian cuisine made with fresh flavorful ingredients; served in a family-friendly atmosphere. Lunch &

85 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, 610.865.9600, apollogrill.com

Bistro-style restaurant encouraging a grazing dining experience. Comfortable, friendly, sophisticated and lively. Lunch, dinner &

EVENT CENTER $$$

4431 Easton Ave., Bethlehem, 610.691.8400, bluegrillhouse.com

From a party of four on the covered outdoor patio to a party of 400 in the newly renovated event center ballroom, blue delivers with prime steaks and seafood, a sprawling wine list and impeccable Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.

BOLETE RESTAURANT & INN $$$

1740 Seidersville Rd., Bethlehem, 610.868.6505, boleterestaurant.com

Bolete is a fine dining restaurant where the team’s care and passion for what they do is evident in each carefully and skillfully prepared dish. Brunch, lunch & dinner.

Chop House at Wind Creek $$$

77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, 877.726.3777, windcreekbethlehem.com

A modern, upscale twist on the classic American steakhouse. Chop House at Wind Creek is the place to dine in the Lehigh Valley— serving only-the-best steaks, seafood, signature creations and handcrafted cocktails. Dinner.

CORKED $$

515 Main St., Bethlehem, 610.625.9463, corkedwinebar.com

Up beat/high energy Vegas-style wine bar & steak house located in downtown Bethlehem. Offering 32 wines by the glass, 24 tap beers, 1 great menu. Lunch, dinner & late night.

DADDY’S PLACE $

650 Northampton St., Easton, 610.438.4442, daddysplaceeaston.com

Mediterranean Lebanese Cuisine, freshly baked bread, 1,100 craft and import beers and full bar. Lunch & dinner.

DIMAIO’S ITALIAN RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA $$

27 Main St. Shoppes at Hellertown, 610.838.8004, dimaios.net

Family owned since 1985. Serving southern Italian Cuisine. Known for home-made bread, Chicken Francese, DiMaio’s Creamy Clam sauce and NY style pizza. Lunch & dinner.

EDGE RESTAURANT $$$

74 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, 610.814.0100, edgerestaurant.net

An all-scratch kitchen “combined with a fun, relaxed atmosphere, you get edge.” Lunch, dinner & late night.

THE FLYING EGG $$

451 Main St., Bethlehem, 610.691.5100, theflyingeggbethlehem.com

Boutique diner serving breakfast all day & lunch in the heart of Bethlehem. Breakfast, brunch & lunch.

INDIGO 52 $$$

52 S. Main St., Nazareth, 610.365.2026, indigo52.cafe

100 percent gluten-free, dairy-free restaurant serving creative fresh-local cuisine made from scratch, by reservation only. Breakfast, brunch, lunch & dinner.

JUMBARS $$

1342 Chelsea Ave., Bethlehem, 610.866.1660, jumbars.com

Great food. Great atmosphere. Everything made fresh to order. Desserts are delectable! Breakfast & lunch.

MITZI’S TABLE $

3650 Nazareth Pike, Bethlehem, 610.730.1670, mitzistable.com

Retro dining—all day brunch—classic comfort food kicked up with regional and ethnic specialties. Breakfast, brunch & lunch

SOCIAL STILL $$$

530 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, 610.625.4585, socialstill.com

Full plate American-fusion restaurant, craft distillery, craft beers, local wine and tasting room. Lunch & dinner.

SURV RESTAURANT $$$

1800 Sullivan Trl., Easton, 484.544.0624, surveaston.com

Dual-concept restaurant with a New American menu and wood-fired pizza. Dinner.

THREE OAK STEAKHOUSE $$$

323 Northampton St., Easton, 610.559.5510, threeoaksteakhouse.com

Classic American steakhouse with an extensive wine list and beautiful destination decor. Dinner

TWISTED OLIVE $$$

51 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, 610.419.1200, twistedolivebethlehem.com

A casual, bistro-style restaurant with a world twist serving creative, casual cuisine, along with house-made infused cocktails. Lunch & dinner.

YIANNI’S TAVERNA $$$

3760 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem, 610.410.9300, yiannistaverna.com

Authentic Greek restaurant specializing in the clean flavors of the Mediterranean and seafood. Brunch & dinner.