Community Corner

Central Kitchen to Open in Englewood Cliffs

New Englewood Cliffs eatery opening on Sylvan Avenue.

You may have noticed a few design changes taking place on the corner of Sylvan and East Palisade Avenue in Englewood Cliffs, the site of the old Royal Cliffs Diner. Central Kitchen, described as "a sleek Contemporary New American Restaurant with an Italian twist," is scheduled to open in early April.

Named for its central location, Central Kitchen will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner. Operating member Joe Sansotta said in a release, "I want to create a family-focused place serving the kind of food people like to eat today--familiar dishes and excellent quality ingredients at a great price."

On the breakfast menu are fresh squeezed juices, healthy sandwiches, yogurt, and Central Kitchen-baked delicacies. Lunch will feature a build-your-own salad concept where diners may choose from an array of ingredients to craft the perfect salad or wrap. CK Express will allow diners the choice of taking out breakfast and lunch.

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Essential to the restaurant's concept is creating a local flavor. To accomplish this, Sansotta is relying on family recipes to create Italian comfort food--meatballs, rice balls, homemade tomato sauce and spicy pork sausage. Supplementing this old-world culinary taste tradition is his commitment to supply the kitchen with local flavors from area establishments such as Englewood-based Balthazar bread and Riviera produce, cheesecake from Carousel in Nanuet, New York, beef from top-rated Pat LaFrieda Meats in North Bergen, custom-blended coffee from Arabica in Garfield, along with Lavazza Espresso. 

Commanding the kitchen is Chef John Walsh, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Walsh was part of the team that launched Manhattan's Gastro Bar, Executive Chef and Director at Wyndham Gardens Hotel, and Chef to Chairman/CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch. Abdou Belmaachi is Central Kitchen's General Manager.

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Central Kitchen will feature a lively Happy Hour offering specialty cocktails, craft beer and a wine list balanced with old-and-new-world selections. Weekends will offer live entertainment at the bar after 9 p.m.  

During warm weather season, outdoor dining will be available on its terraces.

Central Kitchen is located at 717 East Palisade Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, (201) 503-0104


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