If you have not discovered Mabel, the first full-service restaurant at the thriving Bell Works campus in Holmdel, what are you waiting for? Named in honor of Alexander Graham Bell’s wife, Mabel is the second restaurant from innovative chefs Laura Brahn and Grace Crossman, who are known for Cardinal Provisions, a popular brunch spot in Asbury Park.
Mabel, which offers coastal European-inspired cuisine and a bar, will celebrate its one-year anniversary at Bell Works this November.
As many Jersey Shore residents know, the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex functioned for 44 years as a research and development facility, but restructuring of the Bell System eliminated the need for the complex and, in 2006, the building was put up for sale. Today, the Bell Works campus has been reimagined as a large-scale, mixed-use building that includes space for offices, retail establishments, entertainment, hospitality, a fitness center and more. Bell Works hosts conferences and events, and you might even recognize the complex as the fictional headquarters of Lumon Industries from the Apple TV+ series “Severance.”
Mabel, which serves brunch, lunch and dinner, is a destination restaurant with something tantalizing for every palate. The evening we visited, we were especially pleased to see the wide range of offerings.
There is a Raw Bar section of the menu from which we selected a half dozen Fresh Shucked Oysters ($20) The six good-sized bivalves were served with a piri-piri cocktail sauce and horseradish mignonette sauce, making for a tasty appetite awakener for the dishes to come. That same section also provided us with Scallop Crudo ($28). The colorful plate included leche de tigre (“tiger’s milk,” a Peruvian marinade made from fish trimmings, lime juice and various spices), ground cherries, pickled red onion and cilantro. The artful presentation invited a taste, which then led to the quick finishing of the plate. Very good and recommended.
The Small Plates area of the menu tempted us with Pulpo ($20). Grilled dayboat octopus was plated with romesco sauce (a Spanish sauce made from roasted red peppers, nuts, garlic, tomatoes and vinegar). This made for an accompaniment that was sweet and smoky, which enhanced the flavor of the tender, faintly sweet octopus.
Happily, we did not exit the Small Plates section without also choosing the Strip Tease Artichoke ($23), which was served with a dish of caper relish and a dish of garlic yogurt. The name alone drew us in, but the dramatic appearance of the large upright artichoke centered on the plate was truly unique and visually captivating. Indeed, we stripped the leaves off and dipped them in the sauces to enjoy them fully. Recommended.
A Pasta Special of the night, Spring Pea Scarpinoco ($20), had festive twists of fresh, lemony pasta stuffed with spring pea puree, served with spring pea shoots and crispy bits of prosciutto and a light pea and lemon-infused sauce. It was a unique and very tasty pasta that we had not seen elsewhere. If it is on the menu, do not hesitate to order it!
There were several choices in the Mains section that we were drawn to. Fish + Chips ($29) was elevated to special status with large pieces of beer-battered local white fish (cod, in this instance), thick-cut french fries and malt vinegar mayo. The fish was properly crispy as were the fries, so the dish was very enjoyable. We were happy to have ordered it.
Listed simply as a Burger ($25, plus $4 if you wish to add bacon), an 8 oz ‘’Mabel blend” with red onion, pickles, sharp cheddar, aioli, gem lettuce, sesame seed bun and served with hand cut fries was a nice step above the usual burger and enjoyed immensely by one of my guests. A good choice for meat lovers.
The kitchen did a nice job with the Coq Au Vin Blanc ($34), which was made with Bell and Evan’s chicken, accompanied by a mushroom, herb, Dijon, and pomme puree. The chicken was moist and perfectly cooked; authentic French “comfort food!”
There were some side dishes on the menu and we were drawn to the Roasted Sicilian Cauliflower ($14). Simply done with currants, pine nuts, parsley and olive oil, it was a nice addition to our meal. Don’t miss it!
Although there were a number of other interesting items on the menu, dessert called to us. Strawberry + Rhubarb Clafoutis ($12) with chantilly cream was creamy and sweet. Clafoutis is a classic French dessert, usually made with black cherries and baked in a custard. This version, combination of strawberries and rhubarb, was a novel and enjoyable variation.
Lemon + Elderflower Tiramisu ($14) arrived with house-made savoiardi (lady fingers), elderflower liqueur, lemon curd and blueberry. Much lighter than the usual tiramisu, it was a good finale to our evening.
There is a list of wines available with a short but interesting selection of wines by the glass. A Renaissance Sancerre ($18) was a good choice for a white to pair with the appetizers, as was the San Mitre Cuvee M ($13), a southern Rhone white blend.
Yes, the setting is a novel approach to high-quality dining, but Mabel pulls it off nicely. Once seated in a cozy corner of the vast space, the food becomes the star of the experience. The service was warm and friendly. If you are in the mood for a good dinner with thoughtfully prepared dishes, in a unique setting, this is a very good choice.
101 Crawfords Corner Road,
Holmdel
mabelatbell.com
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, writes about food, wine and restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.
