Looking for a dining hall that can handle every element of your special event with that hometown touch?

Dean Anthony’s is here to help.

Not only can the Jim Thorpe establishment take care of nearly every detail for your reception, they can make up a great plate of food for a Friday night dinner that you will never forget.

Owners Jeff and Maria Broadt revitalized the closed banquet hall after having a chat with the old owners, who Jeff had known for over 25 years.

“We were just talking one day, and he said it was a shame that somebody wasn’t doing something with that place, so we decided, why not give it a shot? A year later after we remodeled the entire location, we opened back up for banquets. Now, we’re branching into dinners on Friday night, open to the public,” Broadt said.

The key to Dean Anthony’s success, Broadt said, is to focus on the customer and build the perfect event around their budget without compromising on quality.

“It’s our willingness to customize your event for you. We don’t have a set price list, so when people come in, we ask them what they want, and we price accordingly for them. Tell me what you want, and we’ll build the event around you. Our food is always fresh; we don’t buy frozen things from food services and thaw them out and cook them. Everything’s done here, fresh.”

That top- quality food can span from the latest haute cuisine to old hometown favorites, thanks to the expertise of Chef Bart Defillipo.

Defillipo cut his teeth in the Manhattan restaurant scene over 25 years ago, specializing in Northern Italian and French cuisine, though Broadt says that the chef can make just about anything.

“We do eclectic food, along with homestyle food that’s more indigenous to this area,” Defillipo said. “Everything here is made fresh, hardly anything even comes from a can. We even make fresh mozzarella from curd.”

That fresh cheese is a hallmark of Dean Anthony’s and their mozzarella with grilled eggplant and tomato salad appetizer, a fan favorite of customers.

And nowadays, you don’t even need to host a banquet to get a taste, as Dean Anthony’s has opened their doors for casual dining on Fridays.

“We start dinners on Friday night at $10.95. We don’t look at it as an income venue, we look at it as an opportunity to showcase our food to the community. So, if you’re not attending a banquet, at least you get to come in and try our food, get some wings, have a drink at the bar,” Broadt said.

And that option to highlight some great dishes for the public at large is what lets Defillipo and his crew shine.

“You’ve got to understand something — you work in a restaurant, you work in a banquet hall, you do the same thing. But, every day, you get to create something different. The specials you put on show your creativity — you take what you have, and you create something new,” Defillipo said.

And if you do have a wedding to host, Dean Anthony’s is more than willing to accommodate, with Maria Broadt handling just about every detail to make the hall perfect for your big day.

“I talk to the bride to get a feel for what they want as far as the colors of the napkins and tablecloths, and the dessert tables. Sometimes, the colors of the desserts are actually coordinated with the events we have,” she said.

The Broadts’ son Matthew even pitches in with the restaurant, and he must be doing a good job, as his father says he is “the best cleaner in the world.”

The success of Dean Anthony’s is a thanks to a strong crew, Broadt said.

“My staff is everything. I wouldn’t be anything without the staff,” he said. “From the chef all the way down to the dishwasher, they’re all important. Our wait staff, I’d put them up against anybody.”

Broadt said that the 4,000-square-foot dining hall can fit up to 200 guests, and the style of the event is completely up to the customer. Again, there’s no need to worry about budget limitations, because Dean Anthony’s has something for everyone — whether you’re celebrating a wedding or just enjoying a simple Friday night date.

“We feel like Jim Thorpe as a community needs a place like this. I like to be able to offer services to everybody,” Broadt said.

Soft Shell Crab with Sweet Chili Pepper Sauce

From Chef Bart Defillipo of Dean Anthony’s in Jim Thorpe.

2 soft shell crabs, cleaned

2 cups milk

½ cup flour

½ cup cornstarch

Pinch of salt, pepper and paprika

Sweet chili pepper sauce

8 sweet chili peppers, sliced

¾ cup water

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ tablespoon garlic powder

1 clove garlic, minced

½ stalk of scallion, sliced

1 carrot, julienne

1 pepper, julienne

½ cup broccoli florets

Dash of chicken stock

Dash of teriyaki sauce

For the sweet chili pepper sauce: Place the sliced chili peppers in a jar. Combine the water, vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan, heat and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Remove from heat, add garlic. Pour the liquid over the peppers, adding additional water to cover if necessary.

Cap the jar and allow the peppers to cool in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Drain the water from the mixture, maintaining some of the brine. Puree the mix, along with a few tablespoons of brine, in a food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.

For the crab: Combine the milk, flour, cornstarch and seasonings, mixing until it reaches a pancake batter consistency.

Add a dash of milk to think the mixture if necessary. Coat the cleaned crabs in the mixture. Fry the crabs in oil heated to 350 degrees, until coating is golden and crab shell is red.

For the stir-ins: Saute the minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables and saute, moving constantly to prevent burning, for about two minutes.

Add the chili sauce, a dash of chicken stock and teriyaki to taste. Saute the vegetables until they reach an al dente consistency.

Plate the crab, top with sauce and vegetables and serve.