b"YOUR LOCAL CPA FIRM 100 percent. And going TAX SEASON IS QUICKLY against the book includ-edmakingthedecision APPROACHING not to offer delivery. But forSabatino,thatwas adeliberatebusiness decision.Iliketokeepthe quality of food very high. Im not an average-sized pizzeriaits 695 square feet of usable space and I can only make eight pies 16-inches at a time. A lot of places can do 12 pies We offer contactless at a time. Its very hard tax services! tokeepthatflowgo-ing and not let the ovenContactless meetings & fee estimates cool down. I have to getContactless document intake the pickups ready. AndContactless tax return filing whenthepandemicar- Matt's mom, Elaine Thornberry, works the register and Call us today to set up your virtual tax meeting! Nelson Couto, CPA, CFP and Anthony DeFranco, CPA,rived,Sabatinocreated bakes desserts like apple turnovers, chocolate cookies, CFP, MS (Taxation)Partners; Couto DeFranco, P.A.awindowinfrontofand Toll House squares. the doorway that would COUTO DEFRANCO, P.A. safelyservethesteady CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS & ADVISORS lineofcustomerswhodloyallytrekthat night I gave Sab a call and he told out for his food. I just put my wholeme about it, said Matt. It was fate.Offices in South Orange & West Orange life into this for a year and a half andWhen the two of them went to look 973.378.3300coutodefranco.com this virus came and was about to wipeat the space, they learned that a Papa out my business, he says. We wereJohns Pizza had begun a major remod-doingeverypossiblethingtomakeeling on the space, but then decided to customers feel safe and comfortable. pull out of the project. We caught it For the next chapter of his career,in the middle of the project, says Sa-Sabatino wanted to team up with Mattbatino. But we were able to have a say Thornberry, his friend and colleague.in putting the kitchen together. Matt The two had worked closely togetherand I looked at each other and said, atboth3 WestinBaskingRidgeasYeah, were going to make this work. well as the highly-rated restaurant atAnd I also realized thatbesides True the Morris County Golf Club in Mor- Salvage Cafethere was no spot for ristown.OriginallyfromMendham,somebody to get breakfast on that side Mattworkedassous-chefundertheof town or just a bite to eat before get-clubs executive chef Adam Plitt. Plittting on the train.is a seasoned industry star who previ- Similartotheconstructionand ously worked as the chef de cuisine atpreparationforthepizzeria,Valley Le Bernardin, one of only seven res- Street Eatery came together extremely taurantsinNew Yorkawardedthreefast. From the first time we walked in, Michelin stars.it took about a month and a half, says We built a relationship and I re- Sabatino. member one day saying to Matt thatAccording to Matt, the menu was we were going to open up somethingactuallytheeasypart.SabandI together,saysSabatino.Initially,just talked about food for hours. We the two looked into the space at 181bounced ideas off each other and just MaplewoodAvenueformerlyoc- created, says Matt. I say one thing cupied by Sprout, the salad and soupand he says another and then the next eatery that closed its doors in 2020. Ithing you know we have a crazy sand-wanted to put a pastaria in there, butwich. The menu came together really it didnt work out, he says. quick. One night we just kind of went In late fall 2021, Sabatino noticedover ideas of what makes sandwiches construction was taking place inside thegood and what we want to do. Obvi-former Taras Deli. [By coincidence],ously, theres still new stuff to come, 16/ matters magazine / winter 2022"