The Dish: 30 East Main
Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard
Pictured from left are Christina Raines, promotion manager; Chef Christian Magbag; and Michelle Gooding, general manager.
30 East Main features broiled salmon paired with a side of macaroni and cheese with crumpled bacon and sauteed green beans.
Vanna Weaver
Chef Christian Magbag presents his popular dish of chicken and waffles, made with cornmeal-blend waffles, hand-breaded chicken breast and maple-Tabasco syrup.
A bumper sticker for 30 East Main Restaurant in Uniontown sports the tagline: “Restaurant by Day, Entertainment by Night.”
And that, said Michelle Gooding, general manager, neatly sums up the restaurant’s offerings and philosophy.
Area philanthropist Joe Hardy opened the restaurant’s current incarnation in fall 2011, and since then, 30 East Main has provided high-quality, affordable dishes to the Uniontown community.
Beyond that, 30 East Main is a place to gather for bourbon tastings, karaoke, and Tapas & ‘Tinis Night on Thursdays, featuring $5 small plates and $5 martinis.
Meanwhile, banquet facilities accommodate guests for a variety of events from professional gatherings to wedding showers and birthday parties.
According to Christina Raines, an events and promotion manager from Key West who was hired last month at the restaurant, she is passionate about not just good food, but good times, too, and wants perfection in both.
“I love throwing parties,” said Raines. “I love to be able to work with people and take some of the stress off of event planning. Just tell me what you want, and I can make it happen.”
The restaurant is also proud to employ the culinary talents of Chef Christian Magbag, who said he draws inspiration from comfort foods, and adds complexity to his dishes with unexpected ingredients. One popular dish is his chicken and waffles, made with cornmeal-blend waffles, hand-breaded chicken breast and maple-Tabasco syrup. Another hit is the Cuban sandwich, with barbequed pulled pork, ham, pickles and Swiss cheese on a hoagie bun. Stop in on a Friday and enjoy the Cuban with a side of crab mac and cheese for $5, as part of their lunch special.
The staff said Chef Magbag is a wonder to watch at 30 East Main.
“He gets very creative,” said Raines. “It’s fun to just watch him. I’ll go to him and ask what he wants to do for dinner specials that week, and he’ll walk around — you can just see him thinking. I’ll follow behind him, and he’ll just randomly spit out ideas. It’s great because listening to his ideas are one thing, but then when the menu comes together, it’s just amazing. Just delicious.”
Raines and Magbag also collaborate on personalized banquet menus that fit the event’s theme and budget.
“We want to meet a client’s particular needs,” said Gooding. “We have menus that are more refined, and we also have banquet menus that are very cost-effective, that a family group would able to select from. Christian can take what they’re trying to do, whether its themed or not, and provide them with a unique meal, or comfort food. It just depends on what they’re looking for.”
The restaurant is similarly flexible with its regular menu, catering to the needs and dietary requirements of its patrons. Just let them know if you have dietary restrictions, such as a gluten allergy, and they’ll accommodate it. They even offer a gluten-free vodka.
For Uniontown professionals, 30 East Main provides zippy dining for short weekday lunch breaks. Call ahead with your order, and they’ll set up a table and have the food started — or finished — by the time you get there. Orders can also be faxed, carried out, or delivered. And when the workday is over, unwind with happy hour specials from 5-7 p.m.
Like many of Joe Hardy’s projects, 30 East Main celebrates our area’s unique history. Hardy commissioned large, colorful paintings by artist Burton Morris for the restaurant, which capture the life and work of two more important Uniontown figures, Robert E. Eberly and Frank Lloyd Wright.
These men, said Hardy’s executive assistant, Chris Manges, “are two people that Mr. Hardy wants to imitate in giving back to the community. And the point of 30 East Main, ultimately, is to give back to the community.”
To provide something for his neighbors to enjoy.”