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Sea Salt to be reborn at the Red Store in Cape May
News from the beach: Lucas Manteca is taking over at Cape May's Red Store.
Sea Salt to be reborn at the Red Store in Cape May
And now, in preparation for your weekend, some news from the shore: Lucas Manteca is leaving his position as chef of Cape May's tony Ebitt Room to concentrate on he and wife Deanna Ebner's crimson Cape May Point cottage, the Red Store (500 Cape Ave.), where I murdered a few cinnamon buns last weekend. Argentine-born Manteca is starting dinner service at the formerly breakfast-and-lunch-only Store this Monday, Aug. 13, representing a return to the days of intimate Sea Salt, the couple's acclaimed BYOB in Stone Harbor, where they also own the awesome Quahog's Seafood Shack. (Briefly, the also ran Hoof + Fin at 3rd and South.)
"When we [closed]...we always thought Sea Salt could be reborn under other names or locations," Manteca says. "We always talk about finding the right location, a destination place, somewhere apart from the popular summer towns but close enough for the ones that want that experience could get to us. We found the perfect place for that at the Red Store. Not comparing myself with El Bulli or Noma, but it has that feeling of when you get here: 'My God, what is this place?'"
Manteca is nothing if not quotable.
He's also a helluva cook, if memories from Sea Salt serves me right. It was there, and only there, I nibbled sawagani, little freshwater crabs Manteca flash-fried, salted like chips and served whole for snacking. Not sustainable, exactly, but definitely excitement sustaining. I still think about them from time to time.
"What [the Red Store] is going to be about, I am cooking. I am planing to do what I have being looking to do for a while, very personal, very me, simple, fresh local, good-for-you and affordable food, with a touch of complexity, great fun service in the most charming, romantic, quaint and quiet atmosphere."
The Red Store will serve dinner nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. The place is tiny, so definitely make reservations, which will be taken for the indoor dining room. Tables on the back patio will be first come first served.
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