Bethlehem restaurant that launched amid pandemic celebrates 1 year with Musikfest

Bethlehem restaurant that launched amid pandemic celebrates 1 year with Musikfest

By Megan Frank

August 13, 2021

A Bethlehem food truck took on a bold endeavor during the pandemic — launching a restaurant. 

Now, Randevoo is celebrating its first full year as a business on Main Street. Owner and chef Zach Umstead hopes its presence at Musikfest will inspire new customers to try a bite. 

The 32-year-old Nazareth-area native has traveled around the world, and his menu is a mash-up of Asian, Peruvian and American dishes.

“Randevoo is a collection of all of my travels,” Umstead said. “One of my favorite things on the menu are the grilled short rib skewers with peanut sauce and green onions. They melt in your mouth.”

The restaurant is tucked inside the Moravian Book Shop next to Lost Tavern Brewing. Umstead says teaming up with the brewer helped with business during the pandemic.

While Umstead’s focus shifted to the restaurant over the last year, he broke out the food truck for Musikfest. He says it’s helped with advertising. 

“Having the food truck on Main Street has been like a billboard with us being tucked in the bookstore,” he said. 

He’s also tried to grow a following online.

“We advertise a lot through social media and we’ve been doing a little DoorDash too,” Umstead said.

He admits labor shortages are a constant worry.

“We’re hiring front of the house, back of the house — even for someone to run the food truck,” Umstead said.

He says customers enjoy his homemade menu, such as his very own sweet chili sauce.

“It all starts with Fresno peppers out of my garden,” said Umstead. 

The menu has a mix of global dishes and more local selections, like corn fritters.

“We get all the corn off of (Route) 512 at Twin Maple Farms,” Umstead said. “He picks me all of the corn the night before. Then we shuck it the next day and turn it all into fritters. We top it with a Pennsylvania maple brown butter dipping sauce.” 

He’s greeted new customers during Musikfest, like Alyssa Hofer of Easton.

“We ordered the pork belly lo mein and the pork dumplings,” Hofer said. “Super flavorful, very fresh.”

First-time visitor Dana Vlasics of Nazareth also enjoyed her experience.

“The fried chicken is excellent,” Vlasics said. “We came in here because of the rain and it was actually like a bonus that they were in here.”

Umstead hopes Musikfest fans will return even after the festival ends Sunday. 

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