Page 27 - Indulge October/November 2014
P. 27
lle 3501 co-owners lready known for its fusion cuisine and elegant
John Trapani, left, libations, Grille 3501 has added an al fresco
and executive chef dining experience to its menu: The Loft at 3501.
John Pukanecz stand
in The Loft. “The craze is outdoor dining now,” says co-
owner John Trapani.“My business partner and
AI had already brought fine food to the Lehigh
Valley. Now we wanted to try the indoor/
outdoor idea, the way it’s happening in New
York and Philadelphia.”
A retractable front along the two-story, 50-seat Loft
“takes the bar outside when it’s opened up,” saysTrapani.
“It’s a four-sided bar when it’s open, three-sided when it’s
closed for inclement weather.”
High-top tables in the Loft, he says, are meant to
encourage mingling and conversation.
“Year-round, the space is fully climate controlled. We
equipped it with gas heaters to take the chill out of the air
even when it’s colder.”
The menu at Grille 3501 unites Asian, French and
Mediterranean elements, a distinctive combination
presided over byTrapani’s partner, executive chef John
Pukanecz. A veteran of several high-end executive chef
posts in the area, Pukanecz earned some big-time awards
before coming to Grille 3501 — among them, aTop
Country Inn designation from the
James Beard Foundation, Mobil’s
THE LOFT AT 3501 Four Star Award and the Best of the
Best Five-Star Diamond Award.
Grille 3501 itself has won
repeated regional awards — and
a clientele that remained steadfast
Dining al fresco at a Valley classic through restaurant-killing days of
the Great Recession.
“It’s fine food in a casual setting,”
Trapani says,“upscale, but not
necessarily white tablecloth.There
By Jack Romig really isn’t a dress code.”
The restaurant on Broadway in SouthWhitehall
Township also serves a sophisticated selection of drinks,
with martini variations a specialty.
Trapani says the expansion had been in the idea phase
for “about 12 years.” When things got underway late
last year, the project bucked headwinds from the start,
in the form of one of the harshest winters in memory. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 • INDULGE | 27
A hoped-for June opening date came and went with
construction crews still on the job. The first diners and
bar patrons were welcomed last month.
The menu for the Loft includes everything offered in
the original restaurant space, with some extras,“a little
more fun food,”Trapani says.
The Loft at 3501 is accessible from the original
125-seat restaurant and is available for private events.
Photos by Sarah Evans
John Trapani, left, libations, Grille 3501 has added an al fresco
and executive chef dining experience to its menu: The Loft at 3501.
John Pukanecz stand
in The Loft. “The craze is outdoor dining now,” says co-
owner John Trapani.“My business partner and
AI had already brought fine food to the Lehigh
Valley. Now we wanted to try the indoor/
outdoor idea, the way it’s happening in New
York and Philadelphia.”
A retractable front along the two-story, 50-seat Loft
“takes the bar outside when it’s opened up,” saysTrapani.
“It’s a four-sided bar when it’s open, three-sided when it’s
closed for inclement weather.”
High-top tables in the Loft, he says, are meant to
encourage mingling and conversation.
“Year-round, the space is fully climate controlled. We
equipped it with gas heaters to take the chill out of the air
even when it’s colder.”
The menu at Grille 3501 unites Asian, French and
Mediterranean elements, a distinctive combination
presided over byTrapani’s partner, executive chef John
Pukanecz. A veteran of several high-end executive chef
posts in the area, Pukanecz earned some big-time awards
before coming to Grille 3501 — among them, aTop
Country Inn designation from the
James Beard Foundation, Mobil’s
THE LOFT AT 3501 Four Star Award and the Best of the
Best Five-Star Diamond Award.
Grille 3501 itself has won
repeated regional awards — and
a clientele that remained steadfast
Dining al fresco at a Valley classic through restaurant-killing days of
the Great Recession.
“It’s fine food in a casual setting,”
Trapani says,“upscale, but not
necessarily white tablecloth.There
By Jack Romig really isn’t a dress code.”
The restaurant on Broadway in SouthWhitehall
Township also serves a sophisticated selection of drinks,
with martini variations a specialty.
Trapani says the expansion had been in the idea phase
for “about 12 years.” When things got underway late
last year, the project bucked headwinds from the start,
in the form of one of the harshest winters in memory. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 • INDULGE | 27
A hoped-for June opening date came and went with
construction crews still on the job. The first diners and
bar patrons were welcomed last month.
The menu for the Loft includes everything offered in
the original restaurant space, with some extras,“a little
more fun food,”Trapani says.
The Loft at 3501 is accessible from the original
125-seat restaurant and is available for private events.
Photos by Sarah Evans
