In the Kitchen with Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Culinary creativity shines at this Margate hotspot by Sage Hurley

WHEN Tomatoes owner Karen Sherman- Rone met her husband Carmen, he was leaving his Italian restaurant called Carmen’s he'd operated in Ventnor since 1982. Twelve years later, the two opened Tomatoes on Ventnor Avenue, and by 2000 they moved it to its current bayside location at 9300 Amherst Avenue, Margate. The location is one short crosswalk away from a beautiful white dock

overlooking the bay. The sights and sounds of the restaurant’s surroundings are sure to please guests, but once they near the front door, all of their senses will come alive to the smell of meats and vegetables sizzling in the kitchen. The restaurant, named Tomatoes to reference the Italian nature of Carmen’s but with a connotation to the style of food the couple wanted to prepare. “We wanted to cook lighter and more innovative, with a focus on the integrity of the ingredients,” said Karen.

Chef John Cotte, local Atlantic City resident and Tomatoes chef of five years, combines Karen and Carmen's passion for light cooking with local ingredients by creating culinary delights in the kitchen. The menu is a mix of Asian, Italian, and Cuban cuisines, seafood and more. One of the recently added items is the Loko Moko and it’s inspired by a contemporary Hawaiian dish. “I dated a girl who is a Hawaiian native. She told me about the Loko Moko dish and told me you can find it

everywhere there, so I started making it for her. Karen wanted a new bowl that included the egg, so this was the perfect fit,” said John. John’s version of the Loko Moko includes sliced marinated skirt steak, jasmine rice scented with ginger, stir fry vegetables, and a fried egg. It contains an impressive list of ingredients that taste great by themselves but even better together. What’s even more impressive, however, is that nearly all of Tomatoes’ ingredients are locally sourced. “We try to make sure everything is as local as possible. All of the meats are from Philadelphia. A lot of our herbs and vegetables are from as close as Vineland. The owners are really good about keeping it sustainable and supporting local businesses," he said. John walks into his kitchen with a presence. Through the way he speaks to the crew about life, surfing, and the restaurant, it’s clear there is a positive culture throughout the kitchen.

“Welcome to my domain,” said John, as he began to prepare the Loko Moko. He started by putting the skirt steak on the stove, marinated it with a mix of pineapple juice and tamari, which is just like soy sauce, but gluten free. One of John’s priorities in the kitchen is making dishes enjoyable for customers with a gluten allergy. “We like to accommodate glutenfree people as much as possible,” said John. As the skirt steak sizzled on the stove, he pulled out a bottle of the marinade that he keeps on hand. “Smell this,” he said, excited to show off his sweet-smelling medley. The scent was like a Hawaiian teriyaki mixture, which adds a new level of taste to the already flavorful steak. Next to the steak he placed the pan of vegetables and the pan with the egg. He put a little bit of garlic and

drizzle olive oil into the pan then added the vegetables. It is apparent the extent to which John pays attention to detail when crafting his dishes. The vegetables were cleanly cut, and the carrots were made into the shape of flowers. “I always like the details. They say that people eat with their nose, but people really eat with their eyes. When people see a good looking dish pass by their table, I want them to look at it and say, ‘I want some of that!,’” said John. He proved his point by pulling out a dish of colorful microgreens to add as a finishing touch. As the vegetables cooked, John paid very close attention to the egg. “I don’t think there’s one thing that’s the most

important part of a dish. The flavor, ingredients, plating, and technique are all important. Without technique, you’re flying by the seat of your pants. Anyone can make a fried egg, but I can make a crispy one,” he said, removing his perfectly crisp fried egg from the heat. While the rest of the ingredients continued to cook, John reflected on his experience working at Tomatoes.

He has quite the resume of restaurants, including Philadelphia’s popular Buddakan and The Continental, yet he is five years strong at Tomatoes with nothing but exceptional things to say about the restaurant, owners, crew, and staff. “Karen and Carmen are great. I talk to Carmen about surfing more than anything

To read more, see the August 2019 issue of Ocean City Magazine.