Chefs
of the Triangle ANNA
BISHOP
ANDREA
AND BRENDAN REUSING, SILVIA PAHOLA
LANTERN,
423 W. Franklin
St., Chapel Hill. 969-8846. Most
restaurant kitchens are a dictatorship, with the chef’s authority unchallenged.
At Lantern, it’s more of a democracy. The sister-and-brother team of Andrea
and Brendan Reusing are chefs/proprietors, with resumes including executive chef
at Enoteca Vin (Andrea) and sous chef at Nana’s (Brendan). But Andrea Reusing
insists that Silvia Pahola is an equal partner in every sense but financial. The
partnership dates back to the time Pahola was chef at Acme Food & Beverage
and hired Andrea Reusing to work for her. Democracy
proves a winning formula. Lantern’s pan-Asian bill of fare — vividly
contemporary but too respectful of tradition to be called fusion —makes exciting
culinary news. On an evolving menu, crackling-crisp fried calamari is peerless
on seasonal greens. Steamed sea bass sparkles in a broth spangled with ginger,
scallions and black beans. Red-cooked pork is robust with the mingled aromas of
cassia, star anise and Szechwan peppercorn. They
make their own oversized fortune cookies with whimsical fortunes sure to put a
smile on your face, though by the end of a meal at Lantern, you’ll already
be grinning.
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