The former location was a 2013 Open Table top 100 restaurant in the country.
Area diners welcomed the grand re-eopening of Coltello Ristorante with open arms last weekend, as the popular eatery celebrated the beginning of a new era in Hamilton.
The award winning restaurant--which won the 2013 Open Table top 100 restaurant in the country in 2013 -- opened with the same culinary staff intact.
Coltello Ristorante's new home is adjacent to The Grove liquor store on Route 156 in Hamilton's Yardville neighborhood.
The return was facilitated by proprietor David Boyer, a patron who wanted to help bring it back after it lost its lease in the Chesterfield village of Crosswicks in 2014.
Returning to the fold is Executive Chef John Tavlaris, a 2004 graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Portsmouth, NH.
Coltello Ristorante recently re-opened at a new location in Hamilton. Tavlaris -- who cut his teeth as a sous chef at places like Wolfgang Puck's Jai in La Jolla, Calif. -- is back to creating the dishes fans of the old restaurant crave, with some new tricks up his sleeve.
Seated at a table during a rare moment of downtime this past Sunday night, Tavlaris took stock of the dining room, many customers from the old crowd, with a smile.
"Tonight went really well," he said. "It's good to see a lot of people that I haven't seen in a while."
The Italian/Mediterranean Coltello dishes, made from fresh ingredients with a varied menu that included fish, poultry, veal and pasta, were a huge draw, Boyer said.
The former location was at times booked six weeks in advance for reservations for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Boyer said.
The new restaurant is spacious and can comfortably seat 85, with a fully stocked bar featuring craft beers from local breweries is also located in the rear of the restaurant.
Boyer said he took care to make sure the restaurant is also "kid friendly," and pays special attention to patrons with specific nut allergies.
Boyer has added another dimension for Tavlaris and his staff-which includes Sous Chef Marco Polizzi.
Unlike the old restaurant, Tavlaris is working with two kitchens, with one line working on appetizers and the other on the entrees. He also has "complete freedom" to create in the kitchen, Tavlaris said.
"I have so much more space," Tavlaris said. "This is next level."
Tavlaris is now joined by Paul Bieri, providing fresh baked bread, rolls and desserts. There is no dessert menu; the options are displayed on a tray for patrons to choose.
"We'll be changing the desserts all around," said Bieri, who brings 50 years of baking experience to the table, including stints in Germany, Paris and locally at Mastori's Diner in Bordentown.
So far, the most popular dishes ordered include the pork belly, fig jam pickled apples appetizer and the Grigstown Parm Chicken.
Also flying out of the kitchen-the pork chop served with sweet potatoes, broccoli and bourbon maple glaze. There are some new twists to the menu as well--lamb meatballs with Morrocan tomato sauce and Coriander is a family recipe, Boyer said.
The restaurant--which currently employs 32 people and is still hiring -- prides itself on cutting and preparing its own meat and sausages and incorporating local ingredients into the recipes. Boyer said a menu refresh is already in the works, as the choices will change "every three to five weeks."
Also on the agenda-Boyer is looking into doing a "dessert night," and is exploring the possibility of opening up the restaurant for lunch.
In March, the restaurant will host wine and beer tastings on Monday and Tuesday nights. The current hours are 5-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4-10 p.m. Sunday.
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