Anthony Mastroianni watches the wines his customers bring into his newly opened BYOB 39 West American Bistro in downtown West Chester. As former owner of Cosimo Restaurant & Wine Bar in Malvern, which had an unprecedented 40-tap cruvinet system, he can’t help but notice. And he loves what he’s seeing.
“I can tell by the wine people bring in here that these are people who are excited about food,” he explained. As he reconnects with a restaurant scene that has taken off since he departed for Malvern in 2006, Mastroianni finds himself both once again at home and newly excited for an untold future. “We’re really happy to be back.”
From 0 to 60 in 30 Days
The restaurant’s narrow and cozy space on the first block of West Gay St., which sits just before Fairman’s skate shop, belongs to his family, who purchased it in 1999 as an investment property. At that time they used the space to open the popular New York Sandwiches, which had its heyday with bountiful soup and sandwich selections. But as Mastroianni explains, “Sandwich life was my mom’s vision.” He set out to pursue his fine dining passion with Cosimo, and the 39 West Gay Street location in turn hosted a series of other restaurants, including its most recent tenant, Mexican restaurant La Bamba.
With the sudden closing of La Bamba in mid-November, Mastroianni knew had to act quickly if he wanted to replant himself in West Chester. Between November 16 and December 15 of 2016, he, his family and staff transformed the space into something fresh, chic and truly inviting.
“I was able to tap into some resources to open a restaurant that doesn’t seem like it just opened,” Mastroianni explained. In particular, he called on two of his cousins: one, a restaurateur in Albany, New York, and the other, a full-time executive chef and corporate partner at the Borgata, joined forces to help Mastroianni set up and train the staff.
The result is a look, feel and menu that are polished and relaxed.
Menu Design
39 West’s seasonal lunch and dinner menus are both streamlined and interesting, well suited for a fine dining BYOB. Mastroianni enjoys the freedom and fun that the “American Bistro” category allows him with his menu design. He incorporates international flavors and farm-fresh ingredients and has emphasized comfort food for the winter season.
Appetizer standouts thus far include the tuna tataki and maple glazed pork belly, as well as “Grandma M’s Meatballs,” a family recipe including homemade marinara.
Four fresh salad options include a straightforward Caesar as well as Burrata with arugula, beets, prosciutto and aged balsamic.
As for the customers’ entree favorites, Mastroianni reported, “There’s been a really good balance.” Goat cheese stuffed organic chicken breast, grilled Atlantic salmon with white bean ragout, a bone-in pork chop with horseradish potatoes and brussels sprouts and BBQ bacon-wrapped meatloaf all top the list. Mastroianni also points to the wok-fried cod as an entree he’s excited to offer.
The lunch menu is inspired by what Mastroianni’s family once served in New York Sandwiches and, to his pleasant surprise, many of the hot sandwich wraps from that menu are now top sellers. 39 West also offers lighter fare combinations that allow lunch diners to customize soups, salads and half-sandwiches du jour, such as a brioche slider with BBQ pork and cheddar.
Mastroianni is adjusting to a recent influx of midday and afternoon takeout orders with plans to adjust his hours. “I don’t want to have a time when we close. I don’t want to say no to anybody,” he said.
As for who’s doing the cooking? “Everybody. Everybody in the back of the house is involved and learning.”
Full Circle
In a building full of memories, 39 West is a fresh and fitting enterprise for the Mastroianni family, who will welcome a new baby this month. “We’re sitting where the corned beef warmer used to be,” Mastroianni said, looking around and recalling the original New York Sandwiches.
He and his wife worked to design a warm and tranquil setting with reclaimed wood tables, greige walls and punches of fresh greens, turquoise and earthy browns. The walls are adorned with paintings by West Chester artist James Lee Burk, who was once an upstairs tenant. “I used to watch him paint snow,” Mastroianni recalled.
And while he’s meeting many new people, Mastroianni has a feeling of pride in reconnecting with familiar faces. The sense of community speaks to him as someone who’s been in the business since 1983, when he was “a little kid working at a pizza place in the Exton Mall.” Most of his customers so far have been acquaintances and friends, including other West Chester restaurant owners, and he’s happy to be working with vendors he knows personally.
A Fine-Tuned Dining Experience
Mastroianni measures success by tuning in to customer responses. Just as he observes the variety of wine his patrons bring in, he’s watching the plates that return to the kitchen for cleaning. “I look at the plates coming back, and I think we put a lot of food on the plates, and they’re coming back empty.”
His attention to detail and focus on customer satisfaction ensure that 39 West American Bistro will be an establishment that continually fits right into the superior West Chester culinary arena.
As he embarks on his first year, Mastroianni is focused on simplicity and excellence. “Good food doesn’t have to be complicated,” he said. And with such an expertly designed menu, peaceful ambience, attention to detail and motivated, talented staff, he’s sure to prove his theory correct.
Find 39 West American Bistro at 39 W. Gay Street in West Chester; phone: (484) 983-3719.
- Interior photos: Leigh Green
- Remaining photos: 39 West American Bistro
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