The restaurant now occupies a former engine-repair shop, and the owners decided to retain vestiges of the space's past when they began renovations.
(Staten Island Advance/Virginia N. Sherry)STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - TOMPKINSVILLE - "I'm not a chef," Kurron Mangin said modestly. But he loves to cook, and it is he who created the extensive menu for Against Da' Grill (ADG), the Van Duzer Street restaurant and take-out shop that, next month, will celebrate its first anniversary at this location.
"The idea is to bring fresh food that's a little different to the neighborhood, and so far, so good," said Mangin last week, taking a short break from the kitchen.
"I never worked in a restaurant, but I grew up in a single-parent family, so I've always been into cooking," he said. "Sometimes people have a gift, and I think that's what happened with me, and cooking. It's just there, and it shines through when you need it."
His penchant fits with the restaurant's philosophy, which is proclaimed in capital letters on the front page of its bright yellow-and-black menu: "Our mission is to provide everyone with great tasting food, using unique and creative cooking with you in mind."
Kurron Mangin created the restaurant's extensive menu.
(Staten Island Advance/Virginia N. Sherry)BUSY TAKE-OUT
"We were very busy today, and had a lot of deliveries," said Melissa Figueroa of St. George, one of the owners, along with Mangin and Vincent Lima of Dongan Hills. That made sense: It was post-snowstorm, Jan. 12, with some Staten Islanders home-bound, either by necessity or choice.
She agreed to check the computer, and report the day's most popular take-out items: Incredible Chicken (grilled chicken breast, crisp turkey bacon, mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet onion sauce in a garlic-herb wrap at $6.75), and signature half-pound, hand-pressed, Black Angus beef burgers, served with lettuce, tomato, and red onions ($5.75, or $6.75 with beef or turkey bacon).
More extravagant burgers (ranging from $7 to $7.75) include Caribbean Jack (jerk-rubbed, topped with grilled pineapple and pepper Jack cheese, and drizzled with cucumber sauce), and Money in the Bank (Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and Russian dressing).
HISTORY
Against Da’ Grill burst onto the North Shore scene in 2008, in a smaller place, nearby on Montgomery Avenue.
"We've come a long way," said Mangin, explaining that the original menu included only about 25 items, with limited breakfast offerings because of the kitchen's tiny size.
"Now, the kitchen is three times larger, and we have enough room to do big breakfasts," Ms. Figueroa noted.
In addition to eggs and omelettes, the breakfast menu – served all day – features corned beef hash with home fries; salmon and grits; French toast; hotcakes and waffles; and a variety of egg wraps, including healthy Power Protein, four egg whites with grilled chicken on a multi-grain wrap.
There's a lot more than breakfast items on the menu: Sandwiches, salads, an extensive list of wraps, grilled or fried North Atlantic salmon and tilapia, and personal-sized meat loaves, made with beef or turkey, and topped with a sweet-spicy red sauce.
Daily soups, made from scratch, have recently included meatball tortellini and chicken noodle. The hearty daily special, for $10 or less, goes by the name "What's in the Pot?" and "can be anything, from vegetable lasagna to pot roast," Mangin said with a smile.
Among the desserts, one stand-out is banana pudding.
"This is Melissa's special recipe, and it starts with her home-made custard," said Mangin. If you have a sweet-tooth, you can also try ADG's cheesecake, red velvet cake, and chocolate cake.
If a first-time customer walked in, and asked for a recommendation from the menu, what would it be?
"The fire-grilled skirt steak, or BBQ chicken," Mangin said without hesitation. The steak, prepared Brazilian-style, is "first marinated and then rubbed with our spices." The chicken comes hickory-smoked, or sweet and tangy.
HOME-GROWN
Mangin, born in Stapleton and raised on Staten Island, hails from an old Staten Island family, with roots in the Sandy Ground section of Rossville.
"I know a lot of people, and it's worked out so far," he said, describing the pulse of the business. "The neighborhood is definitely supporting us."
Against Da' Grill is now occupying a former engine-repair shop, and Mangin and his colleagues decided to retain vestiges of the space's past as they began renovations. Mangin pointed out the original raised loading-dock at the front entrance; the old hoist, untouched, on the dining-room ceiling; and the see-through iron grate, also in the dining room, covering the space where engines were moved to the basement for repair. "We kept some of the imperfections," he said, without apology.
At least one devoted customer hated the lengthy renovation period.
"I was aggravated," admitted Jason Shearin of Clifton, who frequented the smaller ADG on Montgomery Street, and impatiently waited for the new digs to open. We found him last week, enjoying an abundant plate at ADG's counter, ordered as his own personal special: A combo of steak, salmon, and jerk chicken, served over rice, with bright green steamed broccoli and melted cheese.
UP NEXT
ADG seats about 30 people, at tables and the L-shaped counter toward the rear of the space. When warm weather arrives, a few short months from now, the back yard, under renovation, will provide additional seating, music, and "a nice ambiance," Margin noted.
His hope is that ADG will earn a reputation as a "must-go" place, particularly for Islanders looking for a unique spot to entertain friends visiting from elsewhere.
"We deliver as far away as Dongan Hills on the East Shore, and Port Richmond on the North," he added.
Against Da' Grill, located on Van Duzer Street in Tompkinsville, celebrates its first anniversary in this location next month.
(Staten Island Advance/Virginia N. Sherry)Against Da' Grill
60 Van Duzer St.
718-442-3433
8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday
$10 minimum order for delivery (anywhere on North Shore to Port Richmond and on the East Shore to Dongan Hills)