The Brothers Moon

This Hopewell establishment offers a celestial ambiance and thought-provoking, eclectic food. By day a classic lunch spot, by night it undergoes a fine dining transformation.

By: Antoinette Buckley

The Brothers Moon

7 West Broad St., Hopewell

(609) 333-1330

Fax (609) 333-1410
Food: Very Good

Service: Very Good

Cuisine: Eclectic

Ambiance: Casual with a celestial theme

Prices: Moderate

Hours: Lunch: Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Dinner: Tues.-Sat. 5-9:30
p.m.; Brunch: Sun. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Closed Mondays.

Essentials: Major credit cards accepted; BYOB; no smoking; wheelchair
accessible; reservations recommended for lunch and dinner.

Directions

   THE quaint little town of Hopewell has long been starved
for restaurants. The Brothers Moon, opened six months ago, has helped satisfy
that hunger. Since it is one of maybe two full-fledged restaurants along the
small stretch of Broad Street, it seems as if it has set out to be the answer
to all of Hopewell’s dining needs.
   By day, it is a classic lunch spot offering salads, soups,
quiche and inspired sandwiches that range from $5-$12. White-linen covered
tables are squished into half the space available. The other half, separated
clumsily by a wall, is a take-out counter that features fresh breads, cheeses
and showcase standards like potato, chicken and tuna salads, pasta salad, grilled
chicken and a grain salad of the day.
   For dinner, The Brothers Moon undergoes a fine dining transformation,
with prices in the $20s for most entrées. While the food is captivating
and mostly delicious, I can’t get past paying those prices and knowing there
is a deli counter and cash register on the other side of the wall.
   There is a good side to keeping things casual, however. Children
are welcome. A separate kids menu is not offered, but a plain pasta dish designed
for kids is happily prepared and special requests are usually honored. Our
special request of steamed mussels arrived at the table beautifully done and
set in an impromptu broth that made the adults at the table envious.

"Chefs
Chefs


Will Mooney (left) and Gilbert Hodge Jr. outside the Hopewell restaurant.

Staff photo by Mark Czajkowski

   A celestial decorating theme supports the restaurant’s name
and contemporary nature. While the theme is not a new one, it reliably creates
a perky space. There is no artwork to be found in the restaurant. The interest
lies in midnight blue half-walls featuring textured swirls offset with beautifully
sponged gold paint. Table settings sparkle with brilliant cobalt blue candleholders
and matching drinking glasses that sport gold moons and stars.
   Will Mooney is the driving force behind the restaurant. Head
chef as well as co-owner with his wife and brother, Mr. Mooney has a knack
for pairing elements on a plate in a way that veers from the traditional. The
dinner menu is filled with thought-provoking selections. Sprinkled with healthful
choices and a good showing of organics, vegetarians and vegans will have no
trouble here. There are plenty of inspired meatless and dairy-less options.
The Caesar salad, labeled confidently as "Caesar My Way," is done without anchovies.
The vegetarian trio ($17), consisting of spinach and quinoa cakes (from a South
American grain), risotto- and lentil-stuffed tomato, sautéed greens
and shiitake, is quite popular.
   A skimpy appetizer of seared tomato with crab salad and fresh
basil ($11) teamed opposing temperatures. The warmth of the slightly cooked
sweet tomato on the bottom emphasized the cold in the scoop of mayonnaise-based
crab salad creating an interesting, but not particularly addictive, mix. An
overzealous amount of red onion took over an otherwise delightful crab salad.
   A more successful appetizer layered smoked mozzarella with
sweet, seasonal tomatoes ($7) amid a generous drizzle of pesto. An unconventional
setting in a dessert pastry tart offered a different twist to a classic combination
that might have been mundane on its own. Fresh locally grown greens on the
side were dressed with exceptional homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

"Marybeth
Marybeth


Hill sets up tables.

Staff photo by Mark Czajkowski

   Penne rigate, done with bits of tomato, firm chickpeas and
spinach in a barely-there parsley pesto ($15) was simplicity at its very best.
It was light and savory, with enough substance to keep it gripping. Hearty
shavings of Parmesan dropped on top made the dish.
   Straightforward rack of Australian lamb au jus ($28) displayed
hearty pink slices that were tender and flavorful with an edge of gaminess.
The dish’s sides were more striking. The potato gratin that accompanied was
a sophisticated version with paper-thin slivers of potato layered with delicate
amounts of Gruyère cheese and cream. An excellent tomato provençal
consisted of a sweet plum tomato split in half, hollowed out and stuffed with
a crunchy, well-seasoned breading incorporating garlic and herbs.
   Lemon-crusted shrimp ($24) were dipped in a citrus-infused
crispy bread coating that could have been better seasoned. The shrimp rested
on "mashed" potatoes. They were more like crushed potatoes that lacked fluidity
and got a lot of flavor from an accompanying caramelized onion and prosciutto
relish that provided the whole dish with a slight sauciness. Although my dish
was pleasant, I still longed for my second choice, an evening special described
as a vegetable barley stew with shrimp and steamed mussels. A neighboring diner
who ordered it revealed it to be a hit indeed.
   We marveled at every dessert. Rich chocolate mousse ($6)
wowed us, served in a tall champagne glass topped with fresh berries and garnished
with sugar cookies in the shape of little stars. Banana bread pudding ($7)
with maple walnut syrup and whipped cream could not be left unfinished, and
a chocolate peanut butter tart ($7) was pure decadence.
   The wait staff impressed with its efficiency and knowledge
of the food, especially for a young place that is still developing its personality.
The Brothers Moon has enriched the town and works well in conjunction with
other spots like The Off-Broadstreet Theater around the corner. Hopewell is
fortunate that The Brothers Moon has come along.
For directions to The Brothers Moon, click here.