A New Star Shines in Bethlehem
by: Lenora Dannelke

The historic Hotel Bethlehem offers a "new view on fine dining" with 1741 on the Terrace, a recently unveiled restaurant that features contemporary American cuisine and a panorama of the Christmas City - including the famous hilltop star.  The Moravian community's first house, constructed on the hotel site in 1741, inspired the name.

When Executive Chef William Murphy first saw the airy terrace, graced by three walls of soaring palladian windows and a vintage Mercer tile floor, he asked, "Why isn't this being used as the dining room?"  During a year-long process, Murphy - who, along with Executive Sous Chef Jeffrey Smith, was recruited from the notable Stephen Starr organization in Philadelphia - worked with the management team to re-envision the hotel's dining experience.  The elegant restaurant, however, merely sets the stage for the most important transformation: Premium cuisine that highlights seasonal flavors and local products.

Murphy, a Culinary Institute of American graduate who worked at The Four Seasons in the U.S. and Europe, is committed to sustainable agriculture - and relishes the abundance found in the Lehigh Valley.  Murphy's approach to cooking emphasizes quality ingredients and fresh, natural flavors.  Dishes such as the Scallop BLT - a pan-seared scallop on toasted brioche with oven roasted tomato and bacon Crème fraîche - illustrate his ability to re-interpret classic dishes and underscore a mantra of "simple and elegant."

Above all, 1741 on the Terrace represents value dining. "That was something really needed in this area," says Murphy, who supplements his a la cart menu with a 3 courses-for-$30 menu that changes weekly.

Pre-fix selections like crispy quail with a shaved vegetable salad and smoked paprika oil or stuffed Pocono trout with French lentils provide a deliciously affordable option for diners hungering for enticing new tastes.  "And it gives the chefs a chance to be creative," Murphy adds.

photo credit: Rob Upton