When chef Kevin Kohler opened French bistro Café Panache in Ramsey, there were very few fine-dine BYOBs in Bergen County. "You could count them on one hand," he said.
To have survived thirty-five years in what is well known to be a tough work-hard, earn-little business and to have your restaurant continually rated as one of the top restaurants in New Jersey, well, you needn't count very high: Kohler is pretty much alone. Café Panache received a 4-star review from The Record soon after it opened; 3 stars from The New York Times; and 3-star reviews twice from New Jersey Monthly, which has named it several years in a row as one of the state's Top 25 Restaurants.
"Can you believe it?" asked the 63-year old, when reached by phone at MEVO farm in Mahwah, where most every morning you can find him picking the herbs, fruits and vegetables he needs for that day's meal. (Kohler began harvesting produce from local farms way before farm-to-table dining became so fashionable.) "Thirty-five years. I can't believe it."
Kohler was planning to throw a big bash to celebrate the restaurant's 35th anniversary this Ju, but COVID-19 put the kibosh on that.
"This is no time for a party," he said.
It is however a time to reflect — and appreciate what you have.
ARCHIVE: Chef Kevin Kohler marks 30 years at Cafe Panache
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Last week, after keeping his 88-seat restaurant closed for more than four months due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kohler opened Cafe Panache for outdoor dining. And of course, he did it his way. It's not your picnic-table, plastic-fork, paper-napkins limited-menu alfresco dining. It's crisp white tablecloths, plush leather chairs, fine china and no-holds-barred full menu plein-air dining. The menu features his signature dishes including duck confit with citrus-ginger gastrique (it made its debut in 1985); his can-never-take-off-the menu house-made filet mignon ravioli with truffle butter (1990) and his panko-crusted halibut over black forbidden rice (1990).
"I'm surprised by the amount of support," he said. "I forgot how many people like me." Kohler added, "I'm loving being back. I'm getting cards from people with checks in them. Just a lot of acts of kindness."
Kohler said he's not sure restaurants like his could make it today. "You need the liquor and you need the bar space," he said. "The future is not going to be what I'm doing. It's going to be more Chipotle-style. I'm lucky I have such a loyal supporting clientele."
Cafe Panache is at 130 E. Main St, Ramsey; 201-934-0030 cafepanachenj.com/
Esther Davidowitz is the food editor for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up for our North Jersey Eats newsletter.
Email: davidowitz@northjersey.com Twitter: @estherdavido
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Cafe Panache, one of the first fine-dine BYOB restaurants in Bergen County, turns 35 - NorthJersey.com
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