New Jersey Restaurant Review
Pelican Club
(Restaurant Closed at the End of the 2005 Season)July 2006 - Michael and David Craig, owners of the former Pelican Club and also proprietors of the Washington
Inn, have made their informal debut with Lucky Bones Backwater Grill - Go to review...
Marquis de Lafayette Hotel
501 Beach Avenue
Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey
(609) 884-3995
By The Artful Diner
Special to New Jersey Online
6/24/02
Note: July 2006 - Michael and David Craig, owners of the former Pelican Club and also proprietors of the Washington
Inn, have made their informal debut with Lucky Bones Backwater Grill - Go to review...
Note: 01/2006 - The Pelican Club will be re-opening in the building that was briefly Restaurant 1919, across from the Lobster House.
Note: 08/2005 - Chef Jurusz has departed, and this is the last season for this restaurant before the building is converted into condomiums.
The Pelican Club does a great deal to belie the old adage that the quality of a restaurant's cuisine may be assessed in inverse proportion to the splendor of its view. Occupying the sixth floor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the digs formerly inhabited by the Top of the Marq, this handsome establishment not only serves up a breathtaking panorama of the Cape May waterfront but some equally breathtaking cuisine as well.
Once the toast of this charming Victorian community, the Marq fell on hard times, and its fancy (and expensive) French fare was soon eclipsed by a host of casually chic eateries offering a plethora of variations on sleek and sophisticated New American cuisine.
But the lofty dining room has been restored to its former glory by brothers Michael and David Craig, also proprietors of the famous Washington Inn. Gone are the ponderous and dated decorative embellishments -- blue-padded chairs, cut-glass chandeliers, heavy curtains and valences that obscured the view -- as well as the wall-length mural of Cape May replete with blinking lights. The space is now infinitely more contemporary, boasting tasteful muted yellow walls, inverted cone-shaped lights, and a wine tower stocked with hundreds of vintages. Also prominent is the restaurant's namesake: wooden pelicans, carved by Lance Lichtensteiger of Surf City, as well as limited-edition pelican prints.
The New American fare with international flair, courtesy of executive chef Walter J. Jurusz, is just as snappy and up-to-date as the ambiance. A graduate of both Rutgers University and the CIA, Mr. Jurusz traces his of love of Cuban cookery to a stint at Havana 59 in Richmond, Virginia. And it only takes one bite of his signature dish, a moist and succulent grilled Cuban-rubbed pork chop ($21.95), to realize that this is one chef who knows his way around a spice rack. His seasonings are assertive yet sophisticated, and they surely succeed in tantalizing rather than traumatizing the taste buds.
Another signature offering is the luscious crab and shrimp cake served on a bed of mixed greens with an invigorating yellow pepper aioli ($9.95 appetizer/$24.95 entrée). This presentation, it should be noted, is typical of Mr. Jurusz's approach to his craft in general and the Pelican Club's menu in particular. There is just enough going on to engage the eye and the palate without overwhelming them; ingredients are not piled on indiscriminately, but they are kept in proper proportion and allowed to speak with their own deliciously clear voice.
The incomparable black bean soup ($5.95) should also be considered a sine qua non of your dining experience. Puréed to a silky smoothness and embellished with threads of chive oil, the infused spices generate just enough heat to tease the tongue without causing a full-fledged conflagration. The coup de grace, however, lies at the epicenter of the bowl: a single day boat scallop locked in the loving embrace of a crispy spring roll.
Entrées, in addition to the benchmark grilled Cuban-rubbed pork chop noted above, exhibit the same marvelous interplay of eclectic flavors and textures. The Prince Edward Island mussels, for example, have become a menu staple in a great number of New Jersey eateries. But here they are awash in an superlative Gorgonzola/basil/tomato broth ($19.95). "Broth" is something of a misnomer, however, as these plump and succulent bivalves swim to table in a creamy, soul-satisfying sauce that is, perhaps, a touch too rich and more properly enjoyed in its more diminutive appetizer incarnation ($8.95).
Finny fare is also handled with a deft and discerning hand. The peppercorn-dusted salmon ($21.95) arrived well done, precisely as ordered, and was set on a bed of haricots verts, white asparagus, and a velvety pillow of whipped potatoes, with a chive nage providing the consummating touch. The sautéed red snapper kissed by a delicate ginger-carrot sauce ($23.95) is also quite recommendable. And the perfect counterpoint is the accompanying spicy sweet potato cake. Once again, there's just enough heat to invigorate rather than incinerate.
Should you wish to indulge in more carnivorous pursuits, feel free to sample the excellent pan-seared filet mignon ($26.95) or the veal preparation of the day; in our case, tender seared medallions spruced up with roasted peppers, olives, imported feta cheese, and cream spinach orzo ($21.95).
Desserts continue the kitchen's good work and succeed in taking sometimes all-too-typical sweet endings one step beyond. The macadamia nut cheesecake ($5.95), for instance, is wonderfully rich and creamy and quite capable of standing on its own merit. But when it becomes engaged in a culinary ménage à trois with a sweet and sensuous coconut anglaise and tangy blood orange coulis, the result is nothing short of spectacular. Equally gratifying is the banana bread pudding ($5.95) lovingly embraced by caramel and chocolate sauces and crowned with an almond tuille. The sorbet trio ($5.95) makes a refreshing alternative for those who appreciate a somewhat lighter conclusion to their evening at table.
Bright, breezy, and less formal in tone than its venerable elder sibling, the Pelican Club continues to attract a large and loyal following of knowledgeable and enthusiastic diners. Not only does it provide patrons with Cape May's best view... but with some its best cuisine as well. Highly recommended!
Cuisine: New American with international touches
Hours: Open daily from 5:00 p.m. in summer; call for hours in the off-season
Credit Cards: All major
Attire: Smart casual
Smoking: Permitted in the bar/lounge only.
Reservations: Recommended; essential in summer
Parking: Onsite
Alcohol: License
Price: Moderate/Expensive
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
