New Ingredients, New Look—Same Solid Cuisine

Part art gallery, part “farm fresh” tableau and part restaurant, Luke’s Kitchen is a little bit like the culinary version of a fashion show. Despite how you dress it up (or down, as the case may be), at the heart of the matter is owner Rod Hernandez, a chef, who consistently puts out solid, contemporary cuisine.

Luke’s Kitchen serves a $42, three-course prix fixe menu only, with additional “supplements” for those who wish a culinary upgrade ($7-12 more for mains and $3-4 more for desserts).  The menu changes regularly since Hernandez likes to incorporate “the best, freshest ingredients available on the market on any given day.”

Dinner at Luke’s Kitchen (which was named after Hernandez’s son) starts off with a basket of assorted, savory rolls and toffee-colored, sweet butter seasoned with soy sauce. The butter is certainly an unusual fusion flavor choice, and one that diners seem to love or hate, depending on which type of rolls are being sampled at the time. Despite whichever camp you fall into, one thing’s for certain: Hernandez has got his patrons buzzing right from the get-go.

Luke’s Kitchen offers a complimentary, daily amuse bouche. On the evening I visited, I received a fried wonton filled with pesto goat cheese. The tasty morsel was topped with a balsamic vinaigrette and accompanied by a single, halved red grape.

Next up were two appetizers: Roasted Shrimp, which was marinated in lobster roe and served with Granny Smith apples, shaved fennel, and a juniper vinaigrette, and Smoked Salmon with Sweet Pea Pancake, which had a dressing made of yogurt, horseradish, olive oil, and lemon. The salmon also featured cucumber, tomato, and a saffron-infused whitefish caviar.

The presentation of both starters was beautiful. Although, it’s hard to knock Hernandez’s gorgeously prepared shrimp, I must admit that the elements of the dish seemed at odds with each other. The licorice taste of the fennel didn’t compliment or enhance the seafood, and the diced apple bits were hard to incorporate on the fork, making it difficult to combine all the components into a cohesive experience.

The smoked salmon appetizer, however, more than compensated for the shrimp dish’s shortfalls. The heavily smoked fish contrasted nicely against the cool, cucumber-yogurt foam and the plate’s interesting, spongy pea cake—all adding up to a stand-out flavor and texture combination.

The main courses were on target as well. Luke’s Kitchen serves its American Red Snapper with roasted asparagus, baby Yukon potatoes, grape tomatoes, and an olive oil balsamic glaze—all in all, delivering a light, “clean” taste.

Hernandez is more adventurous with his Pork Chop Oaxaca, however, which is accompanied by a delicious medley of roasted mushrooms, haricot verts, bacon and fried sweet plantains and yucca. The slight bit of bacon is a brilliant touch and adds just the right amount of richness to the vegetables and the lean, generously portioned pork. Hernandez’s chocolate mole sauce had a nice, smoky heat that goes well with the rest of the well thought-out plate.

Locals swear by the Roasted Half Chicken (served with mashed potatoes, haricots verts, garlic, and a savory, oregano jus) and the Roasted Sea Scallops (served with cepe mashed potatoes and asparagus topped with a black truffle vinaigrette, $10 supplement). According to my server, “if those items were taken off the menu, there would be mayhem.”

Ice cream tops the dessert list at Luke’s Kitchen. The cinnamon-white pepper ice cream is especially outstanding, followed by the Tahitian vanilla variation. I found the Flamed Brandy Strawberry Tarte a bit uninspired and goopy, however the fluted Chocolate Lava Cake was spot on and washed down well with the restaurant’s individual French press coffees made from organic, fair trade, bird-friendly beans.

Like the food, the décor changes almost seasonally. Depending on the type, size, and number of canvases hung, Luke’s Kitchen can take on a dark, overcrowded ambiance to a light, airy minimalism. Currently, the walls are adorned with the work of Judy Fleischer and a new collection by a different artist is expected to be displayed in September.

Service at Hernandez’s establishment is friendly, attentive, and professional. The staff is so personable and open, in fact, that they have no problem guiding patrons to the bathroom—which is actually a necessity, since it’s located through the dishwashing station, past the slop sink, in the kitchen. The set-up is more than a bit strange. The last thing one expects is to see dishes being scraped into the trash and Hernandez whipping up someone else’s meal mere feet from the Lilliputian restroom. Had I known, I would have cleared my own dishes on the way to wash my hands. Granted, I’m no architect, but there must be some way to separate the bathroom from the kitchen.

Hernandez has a lengthy culinary resume and experience at several top-rated restaurants, including the Rainbow Room, Lutèce, Le Cirque 2000, Mercer Kitchen, and Alain Ducasse. While I would have expected a bit more ingenuity coming from one with such an impressive background, Hernandez’s excitement and enthusiasm for cooking is crystal clear. Regardless of what Luke’s Kitchen looks like or where the bathroom is located, you are sure to enjoy the meal.  

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Luke's Kitchen

175 Maplewood Ave., Maplewood

(973) 763-4005

Tues-Sat: 6-10 pm

Private breakfast and lunch functions available (10-35 guests).

Prix Fixe only, BYO. All major credit cards accepted.