CHEFS DISH

Describe your restaurant’s neighborhood for us. How does the character of the restaurant reflect it?
Sixty2 on Wharf's neighborhood is eclectic, diverse and funky with a great neighborly charm to it. Everyone is very supportive of each other and you get this sense that everyone is looking out for each other.

Does your customer base change in the spring and summer months at all — either in who they are or in how they behave
at mealtime?
We've only been open for 4 months and we haven't seen what happens in the warmer months here so I can't really say how our customer base will change. Right now, however, we have a great following with the locals from Salem, Marblehead and Swampscott.

What are you most excited to cook this spring and summer?
This summer, I'm in love with this lamb dish that's on our menu. It's grilled lamb steak over roasted eggplant and tomato confit with a chickpea and preserved lemon vinaigrette. It's really bold and has a bit of Greek, Italian and Spanish influence...all the essential flavors of the Mediterranean. I'm also looking forward to red snapper cooked in coconut milk with tomatoes, cilantro and chile peppers. This one screams summer, plus it's a nod to my Brazilian roots which I don't usually play up in my cooking.

What are your favorite warm-weather ingredients?
I love the abundance of fruits and vegetables in the summer. Everything is just so fresh and beautiful that you barely want to cook it so as not to kill that freshness. Specifically, I love to cook with native corn, tomatoes, melons, cucumbers and herbs.

Is running the restaurant different in any way in warmer months?
Refer back to question #2!!