To restaurateur Kevin Trimarchi, carving out special time as a father with his sons is a highlight of his week.
“We’re just starting to make memories,” he says of Jaxson, 5, and Arie, 3. “I’m an avid golfer and my oldest son is getting into golf. I’m looking forward to the many golf trips and outings we will have as they get older.”
Trimarchi, the busy founder of TriState Restaurant Group, plans his weeks to maximize time with his kids. “I make it a point to be home every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights,” he says. “I feed them dinner and put them to bed. I try to be off on Sundays to have a full family day.”
This family-friendly focus can be seen in his restaurants. At 22 West Bar and Grill in Bridgewater, he notes, “We’re definitely family-first.” In addition to the warm environment and children’s menu, Trimarchi says every Sunday a child can eat free with each adult entrée purchased.
22 West is also a great place to celebrate dads—on Father’s Day or any day—and give them time off from grilling. What makes the meat at 22 West stand out is its house seasoning, Trimarchi notes. “Our burgers, steak and chicken are seasoned with it,” he says. “It’s got a good balance of both spice and sweetness and brings out the extra flavor in the meat.”
Check out their calendar and come out for an event—like Triple T Tuesdays for tacos, tequila and trivia, or catch craft beer and burgers and Music Bingo on Thursdays—and enjoy some one-on-one fun with Dad.
Trimarchi, who was born and raised in Bridgewater, is an active part of the community. You can catch his food truck, which rotates between three different concepts—burgers, fried chicken and hot dogs—around the area. His latest venture, a “new pancake / coffee place,” is slated to open soon in Raritan.
At home, Trimarchi, like many fathers, gravitates toward the grill. “I love to be outside, grilling steaks, burgers or chicken or smoking ribs on the smoker,” he says. “I love the smell of charcoal, the smell of grilled burgers.”
The biggest mistake people make when grilling is thinking the meat is not done and then overcooking it, he notes. “I tell people that it’s always better to undercook the meat and put it back on the grill for an extra couple of seconds or a few minutes to get it to the right temperature, because you can’t go backwards.”
Besides grilling with your father, nothing says “Dad Day” like spending the afternoon together watching the Somerset Patriots play. 22 West and Epic Cookies, which is also owned by Trimarchi, are Patriots Stadium partners; look for their fried chicken and cookies at the concessions.
Even better: Bring Dad to 22 West prior to the game. “Have a meal and ask our manager for vouchers for free tickets to the game,” Trimarchi says. Now, that’s a home run.
Visit tristaterestaurantgroup.com to learn more about 22 West Bar and Grill as well as Trimarchi’s other restaurants, like Epic Cookies.