DISH: New Good Fellos, same values

by Nikki M. Mascali
Weekender Editor

‘NEW’ GOOD FELLOS, SAME VALUES

The Tony Stella name has been removed from Good Fellos (1901 Route 315, Pittston). According to its operators, Tim Black and Joe Ginthner, the restaurant’s general manager and executive chef, respectively, the name change occurred last month. The restaurant was owned by John Stultz, who passed away in late December. Ginthner believes Stultz’s son, Anthony, will take over ownership.

Regarding the removal of Stella’s name, the chef said there was “a conflict of interest between the owner and Mr. Stella himself, and both had decided to part ways, and Tony moved on to new adventures.”

Ginthner and Black have some new adventures of their own planned for the restaurant, which will remain Good Fellos.

“Our identity for the past 17 years under Tony Stella’s Good Fellos has been Italian fine dining, upscale, if you will,” Black said. “We’re going to try to appeal to a broader range of clientele.”

Ginthner and Black will do that via the $29.95 all-inclusive, early-evening tasting menu that started last week, which will be available from 4-6 p.m. The menu will change weekly. The current menu features appetizers eggplant rollentini, butternut squash gnocchi, three-cheese bruschetta or pappardelle con vongole (pasta with fresh Little Neck clams, spinach, tomatoes, garlic and white wine), entrees chicken puttanesca, veal rollentini, filet mignon risotto or shrimp alla Milanese and desserts tiramisu, creme brulee, strawberries zabaglione or homemade cannoli.

“It’s something we want to be able to offer that’s more affordable for the clientele that thinks they can’t come here because of high prices,” Ginthner said. “We want to try and wash that away and base it on the fact that everyone can come here and have an enjoyable meal.”

Black shared that they look forward to doing events in the future in the bar area after dining hours and on the deck once the weather breaks. Good Fellos will also continue to be a catering and meeting-place facility.

“The main focus is it’s still going to be the exact same service, the same exact quality of food — none of that will ever change — but (we’re) just bringing about new ideas. We’re opening the doors to a newer market,” Ginthner said.

For more info, call 570.654.7771

NEW JERSEY COMES TO MOUNT AIRY

Teresa Giudice, mercurial star of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” will visit Mount Airy Casino Resort (44 Woodland Road, Mount Pocono) Saturday, Jan. 22. Giudice will host a free signing of her cookbook “Skinny Italian,” from 2-4 p.m. and a related dinner from 6-8 p.m. inside Le Sorelle Cucina. Cost to attend the dinner is $59 and includes a copy of the book. The restaurant will also offer a special “Skinny Italian” Prix Fixe Menu after 8 p.m. for $39.

“One of my passions is cooking, and these are all recipes I learned from my mom,” Giudice told Dish last week. “They’re traditional, authentic recipes that I wanted to have as a memoir for my daughters and put it all in a book — and I wanted to share it with the rest of the world.”

“Skinny Italian” hit No. 5 on the New York Times bestsellers list following its release last May, which “was amazing, it was really overwhelming,” Giudice said.

Her favorite dish from the book is Teresa’s Favorite Tagliatelle, made with white and spinach tagliatelle with peas and ham. “I just love it.” In the background, one of her four daughters could be heard exclaiming, “It’s my favorite, too!”

The “Skinny Italian” dinner will consist of bruschetta and stuffed-mushroom appetizers, fennel salad, the tagliatelle and a choice of steak pizzaiola, veal piccata, garlic shrimp or swordfish with capers and lemon. Dessert will be fresh strawberries and sambuca.

Giudice will release “Skinny Italian’s” follow-up, “Fabulicious!: Teresa’s Italian Family Cookbook,” May 4.

“I hope this makes it to No. 1, you’ve got to stay positive, right?” she asked. “I’m glad that everybody loved the (first) book and enjoyed all the recipes. It makes me feel good because I’m really proud of it.”

Giudice found the hardest part of writing a cookbook was “hoping everyone would love it — and deciding which recipe to put in the book and which ones to cut out, that’s why I’m doing a second one,” she added, laughing.

For more info or reservations for the dinner events, call 877.532.0340.