Eno Terra, Restaurant & Enoteca
Back To Restaurants >Located at the Kingston Lock on the Delaware and Raritan Canal in the historic Village of Kingston – nearly equidistant from New York and Philadelphia – Eno Terra is the central meeting place for lovers of good food and exceptional wine. Eno Terra is founded on the principle of regionalism, drawing from local farms and serving grass-fed meat and poultry. Eno Terra, in line with the philosophy “Eat Local, Drink Global” brings together the best of local and regional markets and pairs fine cuisine and fresh ingredients with the best wines from around the world.
Although the name Eno Terra is a linguistic cousin to other Terra Momo restaurants past and present – e.g. Mediterra, Novo Terra, Teresa, etc. – it also has its own special meaning. The Eno Terra name invokes the popular Enoteca – Osteria concepts familiar to European diners and wine lovers. An “Osteria,” in the classical sense, is a resting point for travelers and “food lovers.” “Enoteca,” the Italian word that precisely translated means wine library, has come to describe both shops and restaurants that keep, nurture or take care of wine.The Eno Terra name also draws from the Greek word “Enotria,” meaning land of vines. Eno Terra then, in the modern sense, is our best effort to name a meeting or resting point for lovers of fine food and wine.
Eno Terra is committed to local, seasonal and artisanal food and wine. Guests will find Eno Terra’s menu Italian in sensibility and technique, approachable, and inviting. The menu consists primarily of organic and local ingredients originating predominately from within 50 miles of Kingston, most of which are grown, shipped and prepared specifically for the restaurant. These ingredients form the basis of the menus for both the a la carte dining room and the Eno Tecca.
The a la carte menu can be enjoyed in three different ways: a traditional three-course meal; a multi-course meal progressing to an entrée; or a multi-course tasting menu on smaller plates. The chef’s presentation is uncomplicated and much of the food preparation is centered on the distinctly pronounced flavors of a wood burning grill fired by a combination of oak, cherry and apple woods. All of the dishes are designed to lend themselves well to wine pairing.
Wine and food are inextricably linked to each other – and as such, Eno Terra views each through the same philosophical lens. With an inventory ranging from 7,500 to 10,000 bottles, Eno Terra offers a world class wine list from vineyards around the world, focusing primarily on wines from Italy, France, Spain, and the United States (including local New Jersey vineyards). The Eno Terra name will also be commemorated with a private labeled Cava made exclusively by Castellroig Terroir Wines from just outside Barcelona, Spain. In seeking out small independent wineries with an emphasis on sustainable and organic agriculture, Eno Terra’s wine cellar offers a bottle perfect for any occasion or mood.
The principal of environmental sustainability is paramount to Terra Momo Restaurant Group and Eno Terra is a proud member of the Green Restaurant Association, an organization committed to helping restaurants minimize their environmental impact. Eno Terra separates garbage and gathers organic waste for compost, uses motion activated lights to save on energy, uses no Styrofoam products, and stocks the kitchen with bio-degradable to-go containers. Most importantly, with many ingredients traveling little more than the typical commute to New York or Philadelphia, Eno Terra not only ensures the freshness of its dishes, but reduces the restaurant’s carbon footprint.
Chef Bio: Christopher Albrecht, executive chef
Christopher Albrecht was born and raised in Central New Jersey. Growing up he spent most of his time either down the shore on Long Beach Island, playing baseball or immersed in the theater at Plays in the Park. It was the theater that instilled in him the appreciation and electricity for the nightly rise of the curtain. If he wasn’t at the theater he could be found on baseball diamonds all over New Jersey, eventually playing at the University of Southern California, where three years of varsity baseball would teach him the dedication and sacrifice needed for
success.
It was his time on Long Beach Island, however, that would lead him to his first cooking job at the Gourmet Mooring in Beach Haven, a busy seasonal Seafood and Steakhouse. Here Chris got his first taste of kitchen management, eventually working his way through the kitchen hierarchy.
Since then he has worked with some of the world’s most renowned chefs. After college, Albrecht returned to New Jersey to work with chef Richard Baulis at the acclaimed Mulberry Street Restaurant in South Brunswick, and was soon inspired to attend the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, graduating in October of 1996.
Albrecht then went to Manhattan to work at Danny Meyer’s world renowned and Zagat rated Gramercy Tavern. There he worked closely with “Top Chef” and James Beard award winner Tom Colicchio for three years, becoming the saucier. For the next three years he then studied with James Beard award-winning pastry chef Claudia Fleming, working his way to assistant pastry chef. As Claudia’s right hand, Chris worked directly with her to publish The Final Course, while traveling extensively to promote Gramercy Tavern and its chefs.
Chris then went on to participate as a sous chef in the opening of Colicchio’s innovative Craft Restaurant in New York City before assuming the role of executive chef at Craftsteak Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino for four years, ultimately overseeing the entire Craft operation including the Wichcraft Sandwich concept. Under his guidance Craftsteak in Las Vegas was named the Best New Restaurant, Best Steakhouse, and Best American Restaurant by Las Vegas Life magazine. It was also named Best Overall by the New York Times and Best Steakhouse in North America by Travel and Leisure magazine. Following his time in Las Vegas, Chris returned to New York City to open the eagerly awaited Craftsteak New York.
Chris has worked in charity and industry events such as the Masters of Food and Wine, Taste of the Nation, Bon Appetit Focus, and frequent dinners at the James Beard House. He has cooked with a veritable “who’s who” of America’s culinary celebrities such as Thomas Keller, Jean-Louis Palladin, Jacques Pepin, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton, and countless others. He has often been invited to lead cooking seminars, participate in panel discussions and give live demonstrations, and has appeared on numerous radio and television segments as well as in trade magazines.
Chris’s culinary style focuses on high-quality seasonal ingredients from small, family owned and operated farms and ranches, delivered at the peak of their flavor, and to then combine those ingredients with the attention to details, integrity and technique he has learned over the past twenty years.
Chris now seeks to bring more attention aimed at the farm-to-table connection and to making consumers, especially children, aware of “Who is your Farmer,” helping them understand how the important choices they make when they eat actually connect to form a very large circle. And by reducing the size of that circle, you can reduce your footprint, but more importantly, enjoy the benefits of nutrient rich, flavorful food, everyday.
Chris’s culinary performance, and Carlo and Raoul Momo’s vision for Eno Terra has been recognized by the New York Times as “Excellent.” Chris is also recognized by the James Beard foundation after his event at the Beard House in February 2011. Eno Terra is also one of four Certified Green Restaurants in the state of New Jersey.
Chris is the father of two daughters, Lily and Olivia.
