Princeton’s Mistral Boosts Mall Food at KOP Starting Today

Celebrated Princeton, NJ chef Scott Anderson’s Mistral makes its debut today in the King of Prussia mall. It’s part of the mall management’s concerted efforts to break away from greasy food court notions of what constitutes mall food — beyond Mistral, other recent announcements like like Australian-via-New York cafe Bluestone certainly help to angle the suburban Philly mall as something of an eating destination.

Anderson, a four-time James Beard award semi-finalist, opened Mistral with business partner Stephen Distler in 2013. It came as a more casual counterpart to the pair’s highly praised fine dining destination Elements, also in Princeton. Both of Anderson’s previous restaurants have received stamps of approval from both the Inquirer’s Craig LaBan, and the New York Times.

The KOP Mistral — the first expansion for the restaurant — subscribes to the same ethos as its parent: it’s focused on locally-sourced food; American cuisine but with eyes to culinary traditions that have hit it off in the States. The first menu (see it below) suggests that Japanese elements figure a little more strongly at KOP’s Mistral.

Craig Polignano, a former co-worker of Anderson’s at another New Jersey fine dining destination, Whitehouse Station’sf Ryland Inn, is in as chef de cuisine at the new Mistral, while Anderson (presumably not on site too regularly) will act as executive chef, just like the Princeton restaurant.

Fittingly for its mega-mall location, Mistral is taking up a sizable chunk of space: it seats 111, and will add a 48-seat outdoor patio in warmer months. The bright, airy space doesn’t feel mall-like at all, it’s sleek with plenty of wood and whitewashed materials, although the parking lot view does ultimately act as a reminder of the suburban location — peep a few interior shots below.

Grid View

STATUS — Mistral is now open at the King of Prussia Mall (160 N Gulph Rd, King of Prussia), from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (10 p.m. Friday and Saturday). Reservations accepted.

• Mistral KOP [Official]
• KOP Mall To Get Aussie-via-NYC Cafe Bluestone [EPHL]
• Princeton Dining Destination to Open a Second Location in the King of Prussia Mall [EPHL]
• Small Plates, and a Taste of Many Cultures [NYT]
• Mistral helps put Princeton in culinary Ivy League [Philly.com]