Pumpkin Patch
consignment shop in tune with the season
BY GLORIA STRAVELLI
Staff Writer

GLORIA STRAVELLI Pastry chef Suzette O’Brien has opened Gourmet Picnic on River Road in Fair Haven to showcase the culinary offerings of her catering business.

Suzette O’Brien’s homemade pies were a big seller at the Red Bank Farmers Market.

"I sold hundreds of pies at the market," said O’Brien, who will soon begin baking the scrumptious pies at Gourmet Picnic, her new cafe and catering kitchen in Fair Haven.

"I can’t wait to smell the aroma of pumpkin pie baking in here," she said.

Open just three weeks, O’Brien’s cafe, at the corner of Fair Haven and River roads, is just one of a new crop of small, independent businesses quietly inserting themselves in the business community in Red Bank and surrounding towns.

GLORIA STRAVELLI Stacie Rivera of Red Bank can spend time with son Jonathan, 16 months, while launching a consignment boutique for children’s clothing and accessories, The Pumpkin Patch, Red Bank.

All have high expectations in the face of a poor economy.

"It’s growing every day; the response has exceeded my expectations. I didn’t expect it to be this busy this soon," said O’Brien, a pastry chef who learned her trade working in professional kitchens over the past 20 years.

Before starting on that path, she turned out the famous doughnuts and crumb buns at O’Brien’s Bakery in Atlantic Highlands.

"I’ve already had customers who’ve asked me, ‘Are you going to start making the crumb buns again?’" said the Atlantic Highlands resident.

GLORIA STRAVELLI Sisters Elin and Norma Contreras cook many of the authentic dishes available at their family’s new Red Bank restaurant El Salvadoreño.

Until the aroma of pie wafts through the café, customers can choose from an array of muffins, breads, bars, brownies, cakes and tortes all baked on the premises.

Wedding and birthday cakes are a specialty of O’Brien’s, who said she learned to appreciate the art of cake decorating while watching her mother ice cakes for family occasions.

"She used to make really elaborate cakes for the love of it," said O’Brien, who recalls sugarplum confections atop her own birthday cakes.

A catering kitchen at heart, Gourmet Picnic is a showcase for the sandwiches, salad platters, homemade soups, quiche and prepared foods turned out for catering orders, but which are also available to walk-in customers.

GLORIA STRAVELLI Dianne Montana and husband Henry, Jackson, have opened Java Moon Cafe, a coffeehouse and cafe in Shrewsbury.

Dishes are fresh and wholesome, but aren’t ordinary fare, she said.

"This is food you’d want to eat every day, not everyday food," O’Brien said. "We can do very elegant and fancy. I do lots of nice service, presentation. The store reflects that, but people just want good food every day or everyday food done well."

Prices range from $1.50 for a croissant, to $7.25 for a sandwich on focaccia bread, to $4 for a pint of butternut squash soup.

The Fair Haven location positions Gourmet Picnic in the epicenter of a large and expanding customer base, said O’Brien, who has catered intimate, elegant dinner parties as well as weddings and corporate functions.

Gourmet Picnic which has outdoor seating, is open Monday-Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The prolonged economic malaise actually presented Stacie Rivera the perfect opportunity to launch The Pumpkin Patch, a consignment boutique for children’s clothing and accessories that opened last week at 16 Wallace St. in Red Bank.

"This is the perfect time for consignment," the owner said. "The economy isn’t good and parents want their children to be dressed nicely."

The timing was also right in the Red Bank resident’s life.

The mother of Jonathan, 16 months, and Madeline, 7, gave up a brokerage career to be a stay-at-home mom.

When space on Wallace Street recently became available, Rivera moved her boutique from its short-term location on Newman Springs Road in Shrewsbury.

"This is my dream come true," she said. "I grew up in Fair Haven, and ever since I was little, I always wanted to have a store in Red Bank."

The Pumpkin Patch is chock full of new and like-new clothing and shoes for boys and girls in sizes ranging from newborn to preteen. In addition, the shop carries equipment like strollers, playpens, cribs and toys in like-new condition, and some maternity clothing.

According to Rivera, much of the clothing on consignment has never been worn and labels include Carters, Gap, Ralph Lauren and Baby Lulu. Clothing prices range from $3-$12.

Appointments are necessary to bring clothes in for consignment, and Rivera is selective, accepting only spotless clothing. Sale proceeds are split 50/50, and The Pumpkin Patch’s extended consignment period runs to the end of each season.

The shop is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and has easy access to parking in nearby lots. A parking spot at the rear of the store is reserved for those with appointments to bring clothes for consideration for consignment.

Known for its plethora of choice restaurants, Red Bank gained a new eatery and an international accent with the opening of El Salvadoreño at 38 W. Front St.

With so many choices, new restaurants have to make their mark, but the owners of El Salvadoreño also must educate diners who are adventurous enough to try a new taste but aren’t familiar with Central American cuisine.

Norma Contreras is holding down the dual role of managing the 49-seat restaurant and introducing diners to pupusas, platano maduro and albondigas guisadas.

"We have customers who come several times a week and try a new dish each time," said Contreras, daughter of restaurant owner Reyes Medina.

Each member of the Medina/Contreras family pitches in to cook the native dishes for lunch and dinner, which are served Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Complete lunches and dinners begin at $10.

For java junkies, a new coffeehouse/café is a welcome addition on the Red Bank-Shrewsbury border.

Java Moon Cafe opened recently at 431 Broad St. Owners Dianne and Henry Montana have completely renovated a former fast-food building, giving it a celestial theme and an eclectic breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. The lunar sign definitely dominates, with MoonWaffles, MoonWalk sandwiches, MoonGarden salads and MoonCycle pastas, plus other "stellar" stir fry, seafood and meat entrees ranging around $15.95.

A franchisee of the original Java Moon Cafe in Jackson, the coffeehouse aspect of Java Moon features Java Moon Hot Eruptions including coffees, flavored coffees, teas and chai, as well as Moon Glacier Freezes.

The cafe, which seats 110 diners, even has concocted its own brew, Java MoonShine, a blend of green teas, available by the pitcher.

Java Moon Cafe is open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.