The Allen Street Grill – reimagined

STATE COLLEGE — When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and area businesses were forced to close their doors, the owners of the Allen Street Grill in downtown State College got to work.

Those same owners gathered members of the local media at the 100 W. College Ave. location on Sept. 25 to give a first look at the new digs.

“We’ve been taking advantage of the time, while we went through the long closure, while the business was impacted,” said Jeff Sorg, CEO of Pat Croce & Co.

“We thought it was the right time to reimagine the iconic ASG.”

The physical appearance of the restaurant has been updated and brightened. The original wooden bar with its brass rail is intact, but a new white marble bar top has been installed.

New artwork is a plus for visitors and the fresh panels in the ceiling of the porch have made it easier to hear a conversation.

The floor-to-ceiling windows remain on the porch — always a favorite choice for seating.

The owners have replaced the porch roof, added new equipment in the kitchen, new green tufted booths, and architectural lighting. They have done all this with the historic nature of the restaurant in mind.

Visitors will still recognize what they appreciated about the building in the past.

The ASG has a long history in State College. From the porch, locals and returning alumni have a perfect view of the Penn State University campus and people walking by. The restaurant opened in the early 1970s as a place for an upscale experience, both in ambiance and in food.

In the 1980s, the restaurant, the Allen Room, became the Allen Street Grill.

In October 2019, Sorg and the company’s president, Michael Croce, bought Hotel State College, which consists of seven businesses including The Corner Room, Bill Pickle’s Taproom, Zeno’s, Chumley’s, The Basement Nightspot and a 10-room hotel. Croce and Sorg are Penn State alums and were eager in June to undertake the renovations they had in mind for the Allen Street Grill.

Sorg said he is very excited to have Karen Nicolas, a State College native, join them as the new head chef at the reinvented ASG. Nicolas would return to State College to visit family during the 20 years she worked in famous kitchens, such as Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan, Aureole in Las Vegas, Equinox in Washington, D.C., and Harp & Crown in Philadelphia.

The restaurant in Villanova, Main and Vine, permanently closed because of the pandemic. Nicolas held the title of culinary director there. Sorg had seen her in Villanova and offered her the position of chef for the ASG.

“I started menu development in June. We wanted to stand out and be a little different from some of the other restaurants in State College,” said Nicolas. “I did six to 10 meals each week to choose the dishes. I wanted the menu to be approachable, but I also wanted to add a little bit of sophistication. I think my focus was on good products and good execution.”

She said it was a perfect time for her to come back to town.

“Chef Nicolas created a menu that is flavor-forward and creative in composition,” the owners wrote in a press release. “Diners can expect an American menu that borrows from both Western and European influences. The menu is seasonally driven and executed with proper technique in mind.”

While the partnership with Spats has ended, there are still top-quality seafood dishes on the menu with the ASG’s special touches. Some of those dishes are fisherman’s stew with sea bass, shrimp, clams, Calabrian chili, fregola sardo pasta, or the rainbow trout with wild rice, bacon, green beans, almonds and dill sauce.

“I am not a pastry chef, so I had to go to friends for more ideas,” said Nicolas

She said she has come up with some amazing desserts after trying about 15.

“The desserts are playful with hints of nostalgia and yet sophisticated at the same time. I want the guests to have a memorable experience from start to finish,” she said.

Becky Burger, general manager, has worked in the restaurant industry for 16 years and calls it “home.” She was eager to point out the improvements to the porch.

“Our regulars are going to love it and newcomers are going to keep coming back,” she said.

At the bar, Chris Peters is the beverage coordinator. He said he is passionate about biodynamic and organic wines.

“I’ll offer a lot of different wines from a number of the smaller wineries, where the growers do not use pesticides and there are no additives used,” said Peters. “I am using wines from Europe and Australia, as well as those from America. I use wine that is from the same processes perfected over centuries.”

The beer program, according to Peters, will have a quality and style for everyone.