Meritage American Bistro has created a Bergen County dining experience centered on gracious hospitality, superlative cuisine, sophisticated yet comfortable surroundings, and outstanding value. Meritage Bistro is a Manhattan-like, hip restaurant in a suburb setting serving a fusion of healthy, Mediterranean - European - American cuisine and at value-oriented prices.

Former Chief Operating Officer At Manhattan's Café Des Artistes Starts His Own American Bistro in Northern, New Jersey

Northern New Jersey, August 1st, 2010- Meritage-American Bistro was created and founded by Orlando Santana. In the past few years, Mr. Santana was the Chief Operating Officer of both Café Des Artistes in Manhattan and Antipasti Ristorante in Westchester and helped to catapult these restaurants to the forefront of culinary national recognition.

As the owner of Meritage American Bistro, Orlando has created a dining experience centered on gracious hospitality, comfortable surroundings, and outstanding value. The former space of the Mexican restaurant, Blue Moon, in the Old Tappan Mall has been transformed into a quaint and comfortable bistro. the architecture is hip, contemporary and casual. In this suburban Bergen County, northern NJ setting diners will enjoy sophisticated cosmopolitan cuisine and at value oriented prices. "People in New Jersey have a myriad of choices when dinning out." remarked Mr. Santana, when asked about his new venture. "We pride ourselves on style, service and attention to detail and truly want our guests to feel welcome and appreciated." "It's all about the food and the customer" Orlando's love of the hospitably industry is the basis for the restaurant's motto -"You're not a customer, you're our guest," "we want our outstanding cuisine and our valued guests to take center stage".

 Orlando believes diner's experience should be memorable, so he hired Kelvin Fernandez to be the executive chef at Meritage Bistro. Chef Kelvin merges the subtle flavors of Italy, Spain and France with an American flair. Kelvin, a he Culinary Institute of America graduate has worked under the Michelin Star chef Georges Masraff of the celebrated Tavern on the Green, Marcus Samulesson of Aquivit, Alfred Portale of the Gotham Bar and Grill and most recently the executive chef of Antipasti under the famed chef of Rick Laakkonen (Budda Bar-Tao). When Laakkonen left Kelvin assumed his post as the executive chef. Orlando born in Hoboken, NJ, has a business degree from University of Colorado in Bolder. Originally Orlando followed a career path toward accounting like his father chose but his passion for great food and love of people steered him to the hospitality industry.

At an early age Orlando could be found in some of Manhattan's most prestigious restaurant kitchens and then progressed to front of the house management. At age twenty-four he was general manager of Ciao Baby; followed by careers at of the four star restaurant of Weehawken, New Jersey's Arthur's Landing. In 2001, Orlando was the corporate food chief of operations for Operation Sail. Orlando has opened and managers such great restaurants as Savannah Steak and Café Des Artes in Manhattan. In 2008, Orlando became the Chief Operating Officer of Antipasti in White Plains, NY. When Antipasti closed he saw an opportunity to bring the embodiment of his knowledge he had gained in thirty years of working in the industry to open his own place, back in his home state of New Jersey.

Culling all his know-how and expertise and his desire to put his own special mark on a warm and friendly place with great food he has opened Meritage Bistro and Wine Bar. Orlando selected the name Meritage because it is Meritage is a blend of the words "merit" and "heritage" which is how Orlando views the cuisine the restaurant prepares. Only the highest qualities meritorious of ingredients are fused with the heritage of "American cuisines.

So…Meritage Bistro has the same high standards for its food quality and presentation, service to its guests!

For more information, please visit their website at the following link: http://www.meritagebistro.com
Contact them  at: 201-497-0026

(C) Copyright 2010 - Goldcoast Restaurants International, LLC info@meritagebistro.com
Meritage - American Bistro Westwood, Avenue Northern, New Jersey 07675

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