PRINCETON: Refurbished Mediterra re-opens for dining

By Lauren Otis, Staff Writer
   Over time, even a good thing needs an occasional nip and tuck. After 14 years serving downtown Princeton its signature Mediterranean-inspired fare, Mediterra restaurant has undergone a significant renovation and is again open for business at 29 Hulfish St.
   ”It was long overdue,” said Carlo Momo of the renovation, which required Mediterra to be closed for about three months. With his brother Raoul, Mr. Momo runs Terra Momo Restaurant Group, including Mediterra, Teresa Caffe and Witherspoon Bread Company in downtown Princeton and Eno Terra in Kingston.
   ”It needed not just a bath, it needed to get repaired,” Mr. Momo said of the restaurant’s upgrades. “You just couldn’t do it with a weekend shutdown.”
   Construction of the Hulfish North housing project taking place behind the restaurant would have forced it to shut down for several weeks anyway, and with January and February being historically slow times for restaurants, the decision was made to go forward with the upgrade, Mr. Momo said.
   Much of the refurbishment is in the restaurant’s kitchen. Although patrons won’t see it directly, they will appreciate it in the new tapas and other offerings on Mediterra’s menu, Mr. Momo said.
   The bar area, dining rooms and bathrooms all have been redesigned as well, with the redesign overseen by his wife, architect Leslie Dowling, Mr. Momo said. Ms. Dowling originally painted the dining area’s mural, and she repainted it as part of the upgrade, he said.
   Among the changes are the introduction of a system of sliding glass walls that can close off parts of the restaurant and bar, accommodating groups and parties, Mr. Momo said.
   Mr. Momo said he is very pleased with how the changes turned out.
   To give the public a peek at the new Mediterra, there will be an open house “grand re-opening celebration” tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, from noon to 3 p.m., Mr. Momo said.
   For a $10 admission fee, attendees to the open house will get to tour the redone kitchen and sample new creations emanating from it as well as updated versions of Mediterra staples such as paella. Wine and coffee will be served, with live jazz music, too. A portion of the proceeds from admission fees will go to the Arts Council of Princeton, Mr. Momo said.
   For information or to make reservations at Mediterra, call 609-252-9680 or go to www.terramomo.com.