Henry’s Salt of the Sea
ENTER Weathered barn board-lined walls and shingled canopies topping booths create Henry’s distinctive seaside shanty ambiance. However, top-notch food and spirits put a sophisticated spin on this rustic retreat, located in Allentown’s West End Theatre District. The long and narrow fifteen-table dining room — a laundromat in a former life — features a mid-rest-aurant performance-style galley kitchen adjacent to the dining-focused bar, where seats are often reserved weeks in advance. “You get dinner and a show,” says Krans, who entertains guests with his “culinary ballet.”
SAVOR Krans, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, attained substantial cooking chops through experience: Studying at LaVarenne, France, grounded him in Continental cuisine, Costa Rica and the Cayman Islands gigs deepened his affinity for seafood, and apprenticing to a German chef developed well-disciplined methods. These varied influences shine throughout the menu, from Veal Chop au Poivre and German Potato Pancakes to Curried Scallops Madras and Broiled Rainforest Tilapia. Working with independent fisheries brings freshness and sustainability to the table. One item, Lobster Française, has become a celebrated birth-inducing specialty: A dozen near-due-date patrons achieved motherhood shortly after consuming this succulent dish. “Maybe it’s the capers,” says Krans. “Who knows?”
SIP This full-service bar fulfills your every beverage wish, from good beer and fine wine to classic martinis and cocktails.
INDULGE Three-course dinner specials offered between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, provide an economical and time-wise pre-show dining option.
