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Trythis! Jake Rooney’s Schepezzio Seafood Stew (2 servings) • 2-3 oz. olive oil • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, roasted and sliced • 1/4 cup mild banana peppers, sliced • 1/4 cup tomatoes, diced • 1 Tbs. garlic, chopped • 1 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped • salt and pepper to taste Sauté above ingredients on medium-high flame for 2-3 min. Add: • 6 oz. fresh haddock or cod fish • 8-10 scallops • 4-6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined • 1/2 cup calamari COntinuED frOm PAGE 4 ten. They helped me a lot. Paula Champagne was just great to work with.” He opened eight months later than planned. “I was close to throwing the towel in.” But he ended up with everything needed to open his restaurant. This sharp-minded man knew a good thing when he saw it: a spot on the curve of Brooks Road and Route 28. “There were other restaurants, Bobby Byrnes and the Chuckwagon,” explains Peter. “Ours is the longest running one in this building. We’re part of the history in the neighborhood.” Peter rises early every morning and heads off to work with a smile on his face. “My wife, Paula, is an original Cape Codder,” he’s proud to say. “She comes from the Eldridge and Bassett families.” They got married at the restaurant; a wall collage shares their • 12-16 mussels, cleaned and debearded (Debearding means removing the outside thread on the mussel.) • 6-8 littleneck clams • salt and pepper to taste Lightly toss seafood and vegetables together. Add: • 1/4 cup white wine • 1/2 cup seafood broth or clam juice • 1/2 stick unsalted butter Shake the pan, don’t toss. Cover, cook the clams until they open. Add: • 1/4 cup baby spinach Put the spinach on top. Cover, cook for 1 minute longer. Shake pan. Serve with bread sticks or foccacia bread story. Peter smiles when he talks about his staff, which is near and dear to his heart. “The whole thing is about the team, not me. We have a real friendly staff. They make it happen.” He remembers those difficult startup days. “We opened in August and went right into off-season. It’s a transient area and hard to get good help.” But a year later, “Arthur (Anderson) showed up for a waiter’s position.” Peter laughs, “He really interviewed me. He’s the best cook on the Cape.” John Chisolm (Peter’s confidant) tends bar and is up for any request. “Can you believe he’s got a Babson degree and has been with me for 10 years?” Peter’s known around town as being a man of his word. He does what he says and sets off to make things happen. Take the restaurant’s new Stone- PLEASE SEE STonE, page 6 PRIMETIMECAPECOD.com 5
6 MAY 2011 Stone continued froM PAGe 5 grill. “We first saw it when Paula and I were honeymooning in New Zealand at a waterside restaurant,” he says. “It took us two years to get it here. It’s an exclusive at Jake Rooney’s and the only one in Massachusetts.” This Australia-based product may be slow to catch on in the States, but Peter wasted no time heating things up at Jake’s. “Stonegrilling is just a healthy way to eat. It locks in the natural juices and sears the food without burning. There’s less shrinkage and fat.” He calls it “a unique interactive experience.” The meat (or seafood) shows up at the table sizzling on a hot, volcanic stone. Its small dense surface has been sprinkled lightly with salt, which prevents the protein from sticking. “The patron cuts off a slice and lays it flat,” he explains. “It’s cooked to your own personal taste. The meat stays hot, juicy and tender. Once you taste it, there’s no going back.” Even people on American Airlines know what’s cooking in the Klaus kitchen. “Back in 2009, we were featured in American Way magazine for our lobster stew. It’s our signature dish,” says Peter. But does he really cook at the restaurant? “Absolutely,” laughs Arthur. “But the more he does, the less I do.” The chef calls their menu, “a scratch menu” with everything made to order. “It’s one of the largest menus on the Cape,” says Peter. The menu is filled with good all-American cuisine. The baked haddock and cod are favorites. “The salads are a meal unto themselves, crisp local produce with house dressings,” Arthur says. “And our ultimate cheeseburger – it’s like wearing construction boots, a real manly meal but some women come in and order it,” Peter says. It’s hard to believe Peter once scrambled to get people through the door. Now his establishment stays on the minds of his patrons. “We are the winter spot,” he says. “We have a tremendous group of local regulars. We’re known for the quality of our food. Our prices stay medium-to-low to attract people in all price ranges.” Peter does like to shake things up – perhaps, a little Keno or karaoke? “Thursdays are a big night at the restaurant. Fifteen to 25 teams show up to play trivia. The winners take home dinner gift certificates. It’s just great fun.” Peter loves to host a good party. You may even see a few celebrities sprinkled in the mix. His website shows him sitting with Harry Koenig, Jr. “He’s a real nice guy,” Peter says. Ed Lambert and Don McKeag, WXTK radio talk show hosts, signed their names above the fireplace. Cape Cod’s “first lady of jazz” Marie Marcus (known for her “nimble fingers”) played at many of their Sunday jazz brunches before she passed on. Pictures adorn the wall with patrons dressed for Halloween, Oktoberfest and other house parties. Peter’s reputation speaks for itself; he works hard and gives back. He auctioned off a 25-pound lobster for $2,200 to benefit a local family in need. He added a bit of trivia: “How do you age a lobster? Take the pounds, times four and add four. Our lobster was 104.” Was its fate to end up in a pot of boiling water? “The highest bidder chose. We set it free.” Peter cares about people and they seem to care about him. He remembers the day their 3-foot statue of Johann Sebastian Bach walked off the shelf. “It showed up at the front door one day with a red bow wrapped around it,” he says. “We’re glad to get it back.” Peter’s spare time, hobbies and work just blend together. “I’m interviewing new entertainment this week,” he says, which is fun and work combined. He has everything lined up: In the spring and summer, Geno stops by and tips his black fedora to good “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” Frank Sinatra. The Christa Dulude trio sets their strings to a contemporary tune. Peter’s patrons can dance to the house band, The Most. And for those Grateful Dead followers: “Once a month, the Big Rhythm Wine band plays at the restaurant.” Add to the mix five grandchildren along with his children and employees, and they’re just one big happy family. “I went off last week to see my grandson in a play, ‘Kiss Me Kate.’” A few nights later Peter and Paula were back at Jake’s having dinner alongside their patrons. “We’re just a family restaurant and bar. People can come in, sit up at the bar and always be comfortable here,” says Peter.
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