Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2008
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Manna Is Heaven-Sent
No need for a sandwich board to proclaim the splendors of Manna in Margate. Just talk to a few departing patrons
With word-of-mouth like that, no wonder Manna’s a hit in downtown Margate. With the motto “Feed Your Body, Nourish Your Soul,” the restaurant at the juncture of busy Ventnor and Jerome avenues offers superior New American cuisine in an intimate, friendly setting. Make your reservations now.
Restaurateurs John and Victoria Merlino met in the kitchen at Mojo, where he was executive chef. They married and had three children, and opened at the Margate location in December.
The Merlinos deliberately limited the menu, offering nothing but their favorite dishes. Among them: a “true organic” herb-marinated Amish chicken breast, served with grilled romaine hearts and prosciutto in a caramelized onion-balsamic dressing; jumbo lump crab cakes with chipotle aioli, mango salsa and crispy plantain chips; and the smoky char-grilled flank steak: 12 succulent ounces in a soy-Dijon marinade, accompanied by creamy garlic spinach and gratin potatoes.
“We put new twists on old classics,” says John, also the former top chef at Sails. For the traditional tomato bruschetta, he substitutes a wild mushroom variety. Big, crusty slices of bread are piled high with sautéed crimini and shitake mushrooms, then spread with Boursin garlic herb cheese, topped with parmigiana and reggiano cheeses, and drizzled with truffle oil and a balsamic reduction.
The traditional Cobb salad gets a new spin here too, served up with sharp cheddar cheese, tortillas and a smoked tomato dressing (made with tomatoes from the Merlino’s own garden).
In season, John recommends the white Scottish salmon in peach bourbon barbecue sauce served with rice and red mustard greens (a creation of cook Dan McManus), or deep-fried, panko-crusted goat cheese, served with citrus-marinated pears, cashews and golden raisins on baby arugula.
Our favorite was the wasabi two-pepper shrimp, a truly heavenly blend of sweet-tart shrimp and cold chopped salad in walnut-bleu cheese dressing.
For dessert, it’s homemade all the way, from Victoria’s banana cake to delicious mini-pecan pies made by John’s mother, Chris Philippou. The dessert menu, too, changes in season: during the summer, the Merlinos raided local farmer’s markets to get the ingredients for peach raspberry upside-down cake.
Manna’s cherrywood tables, black-draped alcoves, orange velvet banquettes and pendant lighting make for a decor that is “modern, but not cold or uncomfortable,” says Victoria; with fat white candles on mirrored sconces, lots of orchids, and a baby grand piano at the front door, the effect is fresh and welcoming.
“For us, the love of food turned into a love of service,” says John. “We like seeing people enjoying themselves.”
With a menu like this, enjoyment is inevitable. Ask anyone.
CHEF’S CORNER
Our Paella
Manna's paella eschews the crusty bottom of standard paellas. That said, it is rich and tomato-y, with a top note of saffron.
1/2 cup raw peeled and chopped chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage)
10 clams
6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup cooked and picked chicken thighs
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. saffron
2 cups cooked Arborio rice (packed)
1/2 cup plum tomatoes, peeled and julienned
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup clam juice or shellfish stock
1/2 cup jumbo lump crabmeat
salt and pepper to taste
12 inch heavy bottom sauté pan or
paella pan with lid
Place pan on medium heat. Brown chorizo. Drain some fat. Add clams, shrimp, chicken, garlic and saffron. Cover for two minutes, allowing ingredients to steam. Add cooked rice, tomatoes, white wine and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook until just about all the liquid is absorbed and clams are open. Add more stock if it’s too dry. Add crab and stir. Serve hot.
Suggested wines: Rioja Reserve red or Rueda white.
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