Sparta chef brings food to community
By Rose Sgarlato
LAKE HOPATCONG — Upstream Grille, a restaurant and bar in Lake Hopatcong, is the latest creation from local chef Ken Salmon.
Salmon, more recently of The Mohawk House in Sparta, comes to the table with many years of experience, but this is his first go at owning a restaurant.
Along with his business partners John Song and Pat McKay, Salmon hopes to bring a new dining experience to Sussex County.
Opened last July, the Upstream Grille angle is to bring good food at reasonable prices using local products.
“I want to offer a diverse cuisine with lots of choices and cater to all kinds of clientele," said Salmon.
Salmon likens his cuisine to fusion.
“All of my past experiences come together. Working in Italy, New Orleans and New York City brings all those influences and is reflected in the menu,” Salmon said.
Upstream Grille is located on Rt. 181 in the former Warehouse Grill space and offers an eclectic range of appetizers, salads, pastas and entrees.
“House-made” is how Salmon describes his style.
“The bread, pickles, all the sauces are made from scratch, the food brings people in and has been well-received,” he said.
Signature dishes include Andouille crawfish and chicken gumbo, blackened salmon with a mango salsa, steak au poivre and pasta fagioli.
Salmon emphasizes a new twist conceptually but yet wants to make people comfortable. The bar menu has classics such as chicken wings and spinach and artichoke dip, but reinvented.
“It’s a good bar menu but not stuff that’s dropped in a fryer. Everything is made from scratch,” he said.
Also, Upstream Grille caters to vegans and vegetarians.
Salmon believes that the recession has caused some poor standards in the local restaurant climate, but he has an opportunity to capitalize on that.
“We are getting really good quality food, and there is a price value relationship to that,” said Salmon. “ We are not afraid of working harder to give a better product and better experience.”
So far he is pleased with the progress of the restaurant.
“The feedback is great. It makes me very happy what’s going on. We are different than everything else,” Salmon said.
The menu at Upstream Grille will see seasonal changes and expect some cosmetic changes to the restaurant’s décor in the near future.
“I am open minded, cooking is like music, it’s infinite. I am always learning and listening to the customer,” he said.
For more information call 973-663-2222 or visit www.upstreamgrille.com.