DISH: DISEN-GAGE

by Nikki M. Mascali
Weekender Editor

DISEN-GAGE

Gage Restaurant and Bar (69 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre) is making a transition. The restaurant, which opened six months ago, was owned by Chef Gennaro Delle Cave and his sisters Anna Delle Cave and Grazia Reedy. Thom Greco, who owns the building, told Dish Tuesday that “Gage Restaurant, under the current ownership, is no longer there,” but the place would remain open, and that the new owners “are in there cleaning up and taking care of everything.”

“The (liquor) license is not going into escrow, it is not closing,” Greco said. “It will probably be closed down for a about a week before it’s up and running again under new ownership and new management. I can’t disclose names yet, but they’re people that have been in the industry for many years.”

Gage is the latest in a long line of establishments that have been at 69 N. Main St., including Hacienda Restaurant, Bazookas, Martini Ristorante and Bar, Aprilia’s Restaurant and Nono’s Restaurant and Bar, which closed in 2007.

TOUCHING BASE WITH BLUE

Dish touched base with restaurateur Dave Magrogan to see when we can expect him to open his Mexicali Blue in the former Molly Brannigans at 101 Adams Ave. in downtown Scranton. While he doesn’t have an exact date yet, Magrogan does expect to be open in some capacity for Parade Day, aka Saturday, March 13.

“We’re finalizing the liquor license now and have a little construction to do, which should take about a month,” Magrogan said.

Magrogan also owns Kildare’s on Lackawanna Avenue and the future Doc Magrogan’s Fish Market, which will be in Kildare’s former location at the Shoppes at Montage in Moosic, which he said will open April 1.

UGLY’S UNCERTAINTY

Big Ugly’s Sports Bar & Grill (165 N. Wilkes-Barre Blvd. in Wilkes-Barre), which is owned by former Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak’s father, is closed indefinitely. A handwritten sign that read “Closed until further notice” was posted on the door and signed “Mr. Skrep.”

Big Ugly’s opened in December 2005. The younger Skrep resigned from his position in December before he pleaded guilty in federal court of accepting a $5,000 bribe.

LAST OF THE WINE

Dionysus Downtown (244 Penn Ave., Scranton) has also closed its doors. Saturday, Feb. 6 was its last night open for business.

SILVER LINING

All in Good Taste at Center City (2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre) recently opened. It was previously known as the Center City Caf�. Owned by Mariella Confair-Lohman, the caf� is open weekdays 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Confair-Lohman’s son R.J. Confair is general manager.

“I want to be a part of building the city back up,” Confair-Lohman told The Times Leader last week. “There’s so much going on downtown, and we’re glad to be a part of it.”

FREE PANCAKES!

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery will hold its Free Pancake Day Monday, Feb. 15 from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. to benefit Give Kids The World, a 70-acre non-profit resort in Kissimmee, Fla., that helps create magical memories for kids with life-threatening illnesses.

Guests can enjoy a free short stack of Perkins buttermilk pancakes. Local participating Perkins are in Pittston (304 Route 315), Tunkhannock (615 State Road 6E), Bloomsburg (23 Ricky Ave.), Hazleton (50 State Route 93), Wilkes-Barre (1085 Wilkes-Barre Twp. Blvd.) and Scranton (1130 Ravine St.). For more info, visit www.perkinsrestaurants.com.

GROOVY LIBATION

Magic Hat Brewing Company of Burlington, Vt., has announced its newest beer: Vinyl. To celebrate the birth of the deep-amber lager, Magic Hat asked concert poster artist Jim Pollock to create Vinyl’s funky label. Pollock has designed posters for Phish, The Disco Biscuits and more. Vinyl is available in NEPA, so look for it at your local distributor.

BACON!

I’ve never been shy about my love for bacon, but J&D’s Bacon-Flavored Mmmvelopes take bacon love to a whole new level. Instead of an icky glue flavor when you lick these mailers, you’ll taste bacon, but as the company’s Web site says, “It’s not real bacon, mind you, so you won’t have to start storing your envelopes in the refrigerator.” Packs of 25 envelopes cost $6.99 and are available at www.jdfoods.net.

Plus, for the impending Valentine’s Day, J&D’s is offering a gift pack for $7.99 which includes J&D’s bacon-flavored lip balm with a pack of Mmmvelopes. The company’s billing the gift pack as “Bacon Flavored Kisses and Love Letters.”

Seriously, what’s not to love? w