Juniper Commons: Getting the '80s down

Step off the elevator onto the third floor of the SouthStar Lofts at Broad and South Streets during most workdays and you may be greeted by cooking aromas and, to add a touch more cheese, the strains of Lionel Richie.

Behind the door of one apartment is the office-slash-test kitchen for Kevin Sbraga's forthcoming restaurant, Juniper Commons.

When Juniper Commons opens on SouthStar's ground floor - and the target is mid-December - Greg Garbacz, the chef de cuisine, and Francis Hagan, the sous chef, will have a full kitchen, including a custom 5-foot hearth for spit-cooking of chicken, hogs, lamb and fish.

But for now In the apartment kitchen, on an ordinary home stove and with limited counter space, Garbacz and Hagan are reviewing and refining the dishes that will be offered at Juniper Commons, whose inspiration is rooted in the 1980s. Sbraga grew up in his dad's South Jersey bakery, and the '80s love songs and pop (Whitney Houston, Chicago, Wham!) are his soundtrack.

From a culinary standpoint, Sbraga explains, it was an interesting period: big portions, few frills, the beginnings of vertical food.

Sbraga and Garbacz bought a box of back issues of Gourmet and Bon Appetit and began researching. On a trip to Austin, sitting in the lobby of a Hilton with time to kill, the two hashed out a menu, including manicotti, roasted meats sliced to order, broiled salmon, eggplant Parm, seafood tower, and tableside Caesar.

All will be riffs on the oldies; a Top Chef winner would not simply re-create something you would have ordered at the Rusty Scupper at NewMarket.

Sbraga was particularly intrigued by the salad bar still offered at The Pub in Pennsauken, a childhood favorite. At Juniper Commons, patrons will be able to order various salad bar dishes and a waiter will serve it all on a platter to be assembled at the table.

Each dish must be tested and refined, the steps broken down so that line cooks can execute and plate them. Garbacz also keys each ingredient and quantity into a spreadsheet that calculates costs.

Sbraga said that moving from two to three restaurants - Sbraga, The Fat Ham, and Juniper Commons - ramped up his company dramatically. He said he dropped 50 grand alone on computers and related technology.

When I stopped Wednesday morning, Nov. 12, Sbraga was on the computer, ordering gravy boats, creamers and other smallwares.

Garbacz and Hagan were in the galley finishing the sauce for the salmon, which will be served with a simple, fresh three-bean salad (sorry, Hanover) and a mustard sauce.

After a bit of dithering, Sbraga, Garbacz and Hagan agreed that a bit of heavy cream added the necessary richness to the sauce, which was built on a white-wine reduction.

After clean-up, Garbacz and Hagan returned to Sbraga's flagship restaurant at Broad and Pine Streets to prep for dinner.