Review: It's all about the bacon at this Italian-American breakfast, lunch restaurant

Lucie Regensdorf
·3 min read

The Hudson River Valley in New York state is home to a world-renowned college for aspiring chefs: the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. I grew up in that area and visited that college often to eat in the celebrated restaurant where students honed their skills.

I heard about Cochón Café in Stuart from some friends who had dined there. So I looked it up and learned that the chef-owner is from my hometown of Poughkeepsie and is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. I had to find out what brought him to The Treasure Coast.

The word cochón means pig in French. Thus, it was not surprising when our waiter asked for our drink order, he suggested we start with a side of bacon. What a great idea!

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At Cochon Cafe in Stuart, a sign reads, 'We dance in this kitchen.' Chef Joseph Syngjellari dances by singularly preparing all of the food with skill and to order.
At Cochon Cafe in Stuart, a sign reads, 'We dance in this kitchen.' Chef Joseph Syngjellari dances by singularly preparing all of the food with skill and to order.

The restaurant has gray walls with red accents and art. One entire wall is painted red with a silhouette of a very large chubby pig. Black tables and chairs provide table and high-top seating. Stools at the counter allow you to belly up to the bar where busy Chef Joseph Syngjellari makes magic in his open kitchen. A sign above pronounces, “We dance in this kitchen.” And dance, he did, singularly preparing all of the food with skill and to order.

The menu concentrates on breakfast, brunch and lunch items with an Italian-American flair. Examples of starters are Seaside waffle potatoes, Mediterranean plate, and meatballs and ricotta. Brunch items include pancakes, waffles, Greek omelet, chicken and waffles (which looked amazing), and steak and eggs. Flatbreads, sandwiches and pasta are dishes for lunch.

I tried not to make eye contact with the cochón on the wall as we ate the side of bacon. Thick slices of delectable bacon were glazed, sweet and salty. The back of my throat detected a little heat and pepper. We couldn’t stop eating them.

At Cochon Cafe in Stuart, the loaded cochón omelet had a soft, creamy texture and each bite contained sausage, bacon and cheese.
At Cochon Cafe in Stuart, the loaded cochón omelet had a soft, creamy texture and each bite contained sausage, bacon and cheese.

The strawberry stuffed French toast ($16) was one friend’s order. Thick slices of buttery brioche bread were dipped in batter, griddled and filled with layers of cream cheese, strawberries and preserves. The French toast was perfectly fluffy and just sweet enough. The side of hash browns topped with onions was flavorful.

Another friend ordered the loaded cochón omelette ($19), which was, in fact, loaded with bacon, sausage and cheddar cheese. The omelet had a soft and creamy texture, and every bite contained meat and cheese. The lime crema drizzled on top was bright and tangy. She absolutely loved it.

My husband chose the cochón skillet ($18), which was a palate-pleasing array of sausage, bacon, house potatoes and scrambled eggs all in one bowl. This is the kind of breakfast he wishes I would make for him, but I can’t. The eggs were light, the meats were delicious, and the hash brown potatoes completed the dish.

At Cochon Cafe in Stuart, the cochón skillet was a palate-pleasing array of sausage, bacon, house potatoes and scrambled eggs all in one bowl.
At Cochon Cafe in Stuart, the cochón skillet was a palate-pleasing array of sausage, bacon, house potatoes and scrambled eggs all in one bowl.

I ordered the Ultimate Philly ($16). Marinated beef, sauteed onions and pepper jack cheese were piled in a toasted hoagie roll. The tender pieces of meat were infused with spices. I would have liked more onions and melted cheese, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I also liked the thin French fries, which were lightly salted and tender.

So what brought Chef Syngjellari from Poughkeepsie to the Treasure Coast? Family, weather and the small-town feel. He said he loves it here. And he loves to cook. That’s obvious.

The chef and his wife, Gigi, are carrying on the hometown ambience we all love with their friendly restaurant and delicious fusion of dishes. Just don’t make eye contact with the cochón.

Cochón Café

Lucie Regensdorf dines anonymously at the expense of TCPalm for #WhatToDoIn772. Contact her at Lucie@theloveofcooking.com

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Restaurant review: Cochon Cafe in Stuart serves Italian-American