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Sixty5 On Main opened to friends and family back in July but held its grand opening on Aug. 18. The restaurant is formerly home to Baumgart's but after a complete renovation the space is hardly recognizable.
The vast eatery is over 10,000 square feet, large enough to accommodate private parties and more than 100 dinner guests in the main room, where there is a stage for live music. Most recently the restaurant hosted jazz musician Wayne Batchelor and has live jazz and blues on the docket for weekends. There are also two party rooms, the Library and the Cave, which hold 60 and 40 people respectively.
The striking interior was the work of Dawn Hershko, who used local and antique furniture throughout the soaring space. Several wood tables, in fact, are made with oak sourced in the Hudson Valley.
The diverse menu, the creation of Chef Moshe Grundman, a French Culinary Institute graduate, is equally impressive, focusing on small plates and flavors from around the globe. Dishes are designed for sharing and brought to the table steadily throughout the meal. “Anyone who is going to come over here is going to find something they’re going to like because we have a big selection," said Grundman. "It’s international cuisine."
Grundman’s flare for seafood -- he previously worked as sous chef at Oceana in Manhattan -- is evidenced in dishes like tuna crudo, raw tuna complimented by orange and lemon juices and housemade labite cheese (the fish comes from Peter’s Fish in Midland Park, N.J), and the octopus carpaccio. Cooked, chilled, and pressed overnight, the octopus comes out as a block and is sliced very thin and served with chili and herb oils.
Another standout is the short rib fritters, braised and shredded by hand, then panko encrusted with sharp cheddar cheese and barbecue mayo.
At Oceana, Grundman worked with 30 to 40 local vendors, from oyster farmers in Long Island to produce farms in the Hudson Valley and New Jersey, and he is placing a similar emphasis on sourcing ingredients locally. Goffle Farm in Wyckoff, N.J., the fish market at Hunt’s Point, and produce from the local farmers’ market are among his local "go-to's."
Lest you think the attention is limited to the main plates, think again. Pastry Chef Choya Hodge, who Grundman admitted he "stole" from Maze by Gordon Ramsay in the city, brings his eclectic spin to the dessert menu. Apple millefeuille made with Granny Smith apples, puff pastry, feuille brick, and vanilla gelato are highlights, as are Hodge’s homemade gelatos and sorbets.
The motto, after, all, as written on the eatery's website is "Eat. Listen. Enjoy."
For more information, go to www.sixty5onmain.com/.
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