Another Fork in the Road- Milan, NY

I've had this place on the short list for some time now, it is a bit out of our way somewhere near the middle of nowhere in Northern Dutchess County. It is about two miles off of the Taconic and about a mile from the famous fork in the road (literally, there is a giant fork in a patch of land at a fork in the road) and would be easy to miss as it is a simple blue building. Inside it is small, but well appointed with a sort of an upscale/rustic look. 

We looked over the menus (it was dinner) and we decided we weren't in the mood for duck or rabbit or any of the other interesting entrees so we both ordered burgers. Teresa got a plain one at twelve bucks, with a salad on the side, and I got mine with bacon and cheddar cheese and fries on the side for fifteen bucks. The burgers were very good, just a tad overcooked from the medium I ordered, and juicy. They were served up on a toasted bagel with a roasted tomato and some greens. The fries were excellent. 

Service was good, food was very good, quaint ambiance, a bit out of the way, but worth it. Stop by sometime.

Zinburger- Paramus, N

Hand-cut fries

Zinburger has taken that iconic American classic, the burger, and made it all grown-up with sophisticated taste and a bit of class served up in a slightly upscale setting and featuring a wide selection of wines, without going over the top. Yes, they are a bit pricey compared to burger joints, but I don't really think one can compare them to a burger joint. Zinburger is to burger joints as Morton's is to Ponderosa. Well, maybe Morton's is fancier, but you get the analogy.

We stopped by the Paramus location early on a Wednesday and the place was not crowded. It has an upscale, yet slightly casual feel to it. The service was excellent, friendly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. Nia took good care of us. 

The Ringer

I ordered the Ringer which had jalapeño jack cheese, bacon, a spicy onion ring, and a big of hot sauce on a brioche bun. I ordered it medium and it came out a perfect medium with just the right amount of seasoning. The burger was juicy, but not greasy, and had no aftertaste. In short, it was delicious and worth every penny of the eleven bucks it cost. 

Teresa got the classic Zinburger at ten bucks and it had a mild Spanish cheese, onions grilled in wine, and lettuce on a brioche bun. It came exactly the medium-well that she'd ordered and she said it was delicious. 

We shared an order of fries, five bucks, and a salted caramel shake, six bucks. The fries were great and the shake amazing. 

Zinburger

Overall, really good food with excellent service and nice ambiance. We'll be back. 

East Coast Burger Company- Ridgewood, NJ

Patty Melt

In a word, amazing, but that may just be an understatement. East Coast Burger Company in Ridgewood, New Jersey takes the concept of Five Guys and Shake Shack and elevates it to a new level with fresh local beef cooked perfectly. After our friend Danielle told me we had to try them, I put them on my short list. 

I ordered the Maytag and applewood bacon burger shown below for  $7.25 and added fries for another three bucks. The burger was amazing with plenty of that great blue cheese and an ample supply of bacon. The fries were just right with that crispy exterior and a nice soft interior. They have bottles of malt vinegar on the tables and that added the perfect touch.

Maytag Burger with fries

Teresa got the Patty Melt on potato bread at $6.25 and she said that she would order it again when we come back. Add in a soda and a delightful blueberry ice cream cone and the whole tab came to $23.00. 

You have got to try this place. Oh, they also serve lobster rolls wherein they use a whole lobster for each order. From what I've heard they are great. 

Putnam House- Bethel, Connecticut

Sirloin Burger

The Putnam House in Bethel Connecticut is one of those neat colonial American restaurants, the building dates back to 1852 and was once a hotel near the train station. It reminds me of some other places we've been before in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. 

I decided to go with the sirloin burger at $9.25 (add .50 each for the bacon and gorgonzola cheese). I ordered it medium and it came out a perfect medium with plenty of cheese and bacon. It was quite good indeed. Teresa had the cheddar sliders at the $9.75 and they were good, but a tad undercooked for her. She didn't specify a doneness, one usually assumes sliders will be overdone, so it wasn't the restaurant's fault the they were a perfect medium. The fries that came with both were hot, fresh, and tasty. 

Cheddar Sliders

Overall, good food at reasonable prices, warm, nostalgic ambiance and good service.

Smashburger- Ramsey, NJ

New Jersey Burger

This has been on the short list for some time now and today was the day to try Smashburger. Now at first glance one might think "Five Guys rip-off," but after trying them I found that they are different, and perhaps better. They are definitely competing against Five Guys, as well as Jake's Wayback, In-and-out, Steak and Shake, and more and doing a good job of it.  The Smashburger chain has over five hundred locations, was started in Denver Colorado by Tom Ryan. 

The Ramsey staff was friendly and helpful, and the restaurant was clean and bright. I ordered the New Jersey Burger, they have a regional burger in every market, which had bacon, blue cheese, grilled onions and onion straws on an onion roll. I got the regular which weighed in at 1/3 of a pound instead of the 1/2 pound large. The regular was a perfect size for an amazing burger. The meat was very good and the combination of ingredients went well together. Teresa ordered a regular cheeseburger which came with onions and she was quite pleased. 

We shared an order of sweet potato fries, some of the best I've tasted, and we also shared a shake. Actually we didn't have to share as they split the shake into two glasses for us which was a nice touch. 

Overall, we spent twenty bucks for two burgers, some sweet potato fires and a milk shake and we left full. The service was excellent and the restaurant clean. We'll be back a few times and so should you. 

P.T.'s Olde Fashioned Grill- Wilmington, NC

P.T.'s Olde Fashioned Grill is a small chain, six locations in Wilmington and one coming up in Greensboro. As we were headed to a Wilmington Sharks game, the one we ate at was the one on 17th Street.

Everyone there was friendly, and helpful. They have a unique method of ordering. There's a pad on which you circle what you want, and the toppings and the counter processes the order. They bring the food to the table, along with the order sheet. This probably cuts down on mistakes on both ends.

I got the half-pounder at $8.39 with pepper jack, pickles, jalapeños, ketchup and mustard. I added bacon for another half a buck. The burger was very good with a nice char on the outside and some moistness inside.  What I liked was that they seasoned it with salt, pepper, lemon pepper and garlic as it cooked, giving the burger some flavor. One of the best burgers in Wilmington. Oh, and the fries were good too, nice and crispy with some seasoning on them. 

The rest of our party enjoyed their meals as well. My grandson had a black bean burger and he loved it. My wife got chicken strips and she liked them. Overall, good service, clean restaurant, very good food and reasonable prices. I'll be headed back.

Crew Restaurant Bar, Poughkeepsie, NY

And here's another place I've driven past for years. Actually I've parked in front of it several times as it is located next to Half-Time Beverage Store on Rt 9, one of my favorite places to buy beer. From the outside I'd always thought it was a small bar and didn't give it much thought. I decided to look it up online and found that it was quite well rated, and they'd won a few Hudson Valley Magazine 'Best of' awards. I think the category was soup.

Inside it was much nicer than I'd imagined. There is a bar in front and another section where you sit at a counter and can watch the chefs at work, tables and booths on the side. We got there at about five-thirty on a Saturday evening and it wasn't too crowded, but by the time we left almost all of the seats were taken. I did notice that the noise level was rising while we were there, so if you go at a peak time be prepared for some noise, and some crowding. 

The dinner menu is a bit pricey, the top items being in the mid-thirties, but there are some interesting offerings such as; duck breast, steak frites, a few pasta dishes and more. I was bouncing between the duck and the burger. 

I finally decided on the burger with jack cheese. The meat was Pat La Frieda's blend (a top quality meat purveyor in Jersey), grilled with fries, salad, coleslaw, a pickle and your choice of cheese for $16, I chose pepper jack. That's a bit high for a burger, but look at the photo above and see what came with it. I gave Teresa most of the salad, and some of the cole slaw because I was full. 

That burger was good, darn good, just a step below life changing. I ordered it medium, and it came a perfect medium with no grease. Clean, fresh taste with no aftertaste. It was a burger where you just feel good after eating it, not heavy and bloated. The fries were crisp, hot and good. The cole slaw was home made and fresh and the salad had a very nice vinaigrette dressing. 

Teresa got the Club Salad which was a fairly large salad with chicken, bacon and cheese for $10. I took a taste and it was good.

Overall, good food, nice ambiance (if a bit noisy) and excellent service. We'll go back again sometime. 

Gilded Otter, New Paltz, NY

Three Pines IPA

The best way to describe the Gilded Otter is to have you imagine what would happen if you built a brewpub around your brew tanks (clean shiny ones) so that no matter where you are, you can see the tanks. The concept works well here as on one side of the tanks is a large, warm bar and the other two sides are dining are. They have a second floor, more of a loft, looking down on the tanks. While it does have elements of what I call 'early modern brewpub' it is very tastefully done with plenty of wood and windows overlooking the Gunks. Oh, and some nice photographs and artwork as well.

Fried cheese curds

We went with another couple on a Thursday evening and it wasn't as crowded as the weekends. We were brought menus and asked what we wanted to drink. I ordered the beer special of the day, the IPA and my friend Dan got a blueberry beer. The IPA was good with a fresh clean taste, but I would have liked it a bit hoppier. I did have another. The blueberry beer, not my thing, had blueberries floating in it.

Calamari

We decided on two appetizers to share, the calamari and the fried cheese curds. Both were good and both came with two sauces. I was tempted to get the mussels but I'll try them the next time.

Dan had the Jambalaya and I decided on the Brewmaster burger with blue cheese and bacon. My burger was good, but nothing spectacular. The fries however were excellent. Teresa and Kathy both ordered the fish and chips, a large cod loin on a bed of fries. I took a taste and they were crisp on the outside, yet moist and tender on the inside.

Fish and chips

Overall I was fairly impressed with the beer, the food and the service. 

Temptations Everyday Gourmet, Porters Neck, Wilmington, NC

Temptations Everyday Gourmet has two locations. One is on Oleander, near the Mall, and the other is in Porter's Neck. We went to the one in Porter's Neck. Inside it is a cute place with a whole wall of wine to choose from, tables and an exposed kitchen. We were seated and looked over the menus (I already knew what I wanted as we picked up a menu one night passing by).

Rachel ordered the chicken pot pie, shown on top, which was more of a thick chicken soup with a pastry puff on top. It was good, but a bit heavy on the rosemary. Teresa got a chicken salad and a bowl of onion soup. I ordered the Pimento burger with onion soup as my side. 

The Pimento burger I got was really good, one of the best in the Wilmington area. The pimento was plentiful and wonderful. The only thing missing was a strip or two of bacon, and I probably could have added it. I ordered it cooked medium and that's exactly how it came, a perfect medium. The onion soup was delicious. 

We finished it off with a classic creme broulee. The portion was just right for the three of us to share after a filling lunch. 

Overall, good food at reasonable prices (all of this was about $44 including three coffees), excellent service and a warm atmosphere. I'd recommend you try them.

Murphy's Grand Irish Pub, Alexandria, VA

Murphy's Grand Irish Pub in Alexandria is a classic Irish pub. You know, the kind you can find almost anywhere in the world and when you find it you'll feel at home. It reminded me of a pub in Dublin where I knocked back a few pints. We stopped there because we found a coupon in a travel guide when we went to Alexandria offering 'buy one entree, get a second free'. That seemed like a nice idea, accompanied by the fact that two of the restaurants I wanted to eat at were closed between lunch and dinner.

The visit to Murphy's turned out to be a good idea. First of all it was very hot outside and the air conditioning cooled us off right away. Second there were several large screen TVs all turned to the Olympic women's soccer finals with the USA in, a rematch against Japan for the loss in the World Cup. Can there be a better place to watch a football match (soccer game) than an Irish pub? I can't think of any and the cheering during the game added that much more atmosphere. 

I ordered the Murphy Burger at $7.75. It was quite good with Canadian bacon (the proper Irish method is to use rashers, but they are hard to find here in the US and the concept is similar), provolone cheese melted and slightly charred on a fresh sesame bun. It came with fried potato disks. Teresa ordered the Reuben at $9.50. It had lean corned beef that was still moist and flavorful with the right amount of sauerkraut and cheese. Good food at reasonable prices. 

The service was good, Kim was very attentive and helpful, and they have a fairly good beer selection. I stuck with a Guinness for the first round (it is an Irish place) and found it to be served more like one might find in Ireland being slightly warmer than American tastes. My second was a Smithwich's.

Rye House, Union Square, NYC

We were down in the City for the day and met our son at Union Square where he works for one of the local farms, local to us that is. I left it up to Mark as to where to eat since he knows the area. I said I wanted a nice place, American Cuisine with a good beer selection. He led us a block down the street to The Rye House.

Inside the restaurant is full of wood and has a certain warmth to it. The front is dedicated to the bar and has some high-tops to sit at, that's where we sat. In the back is an ample dining room. The bar is well stocked and they have some quite nice Scotch whisky listed, as well as a fine selection of beers. Mark and I both got a pint of Ruination IPA.

We all got burgers. I added blue cheese and bacon to mine, Teresa got hers without cheese and Mark had bacon and cheddar. The base price is $12.00 and the additions drove the price of mine up to   $15.50. Bear in mind, this is Manhattan so the price is not at all unreasonable.

It was quite nice and it was the medium that I ordered. The meat was of good quality, the bacon crisp, the cheese melted just so, the bun fresh and the fries hot and crispy. The burger wasn't huge, I'd guess it to be about six ounces.

Overall, a nice place in the city for something to eat, or a drink. 

Triumph Brewing Company, New Hope, Pa

Before I start I have to say that I went to a brew pub and I didn't try the beer. I know that sounds a bit odd, but it's because I had a little over a hundred more miles to drive. I did look at the offerings and there was a bitters that looked interesting, as well as a stout. Next time I'll pick up a growler and try it when I get home. I did try the food though, so I'll tell you about that.

After looking over the menus we decided. I got the brewery burger, shown here at $13.00. It is a half-pounder on a fresh roll with bacon and cheddar cheese and a chipotle mayo on the side. I ordered it medium and it was medium. Teresa got a grilled cheese sandwich and black bean soup at $9.00. She said the sandwich was greasy, but she ate it all. I'm not sure what cheese they used.

Our server was good, but once she realized we were drinking only water she wasn't all that attentive. The food did come in about ten minutes of ordering though. I have a feeling the place can get busy, and loud, at night. The decor is what I call modern neo-classical brewpub. Two floors, open space, stage, large bar in the center, wood, windows, blackboard menu of the beers including ABV, etc.

Food was good, service okay, prices okay, beer . . . I don't know yet. I'd go back. There are two other locations, one in Philly and another in Princeton, NJ. They have a website for more information.

The Fireplace Restaurant, Ramsey, NJ

I have passed this place hundreds of times. Sometimes I wondered what it was like and wanted to stop but Route 17 was busy and by the time I could get into the right lane I was already past it. Other times I'd already eaten. Well, today I made the effort to be in the proper lane and we stopped by. I'm glad we did.

Remember those restaurants on the side of the road before the Clown, the King and the red-headed girl with the pigtails took over? Well, that's what The Fireplace Restaurant is. This place isn't a retro burger place like so many companies are trying to create, this is the real thing like it used to be. It was started in the late fifties by an FBI agent and his family. 

You place your order at the counter, pay them, and wait a few minutes. Your order is handed to you on a tray and you find a seat. Simple and pretty quick. 

We ordered three cheeseburgers, a combo of fries and rings and a vanilla shake. The total? Fourteen bucks. The burgers were good, not phenomenal, but good. You can tell they're either flame broiled of car-grilled because you can taste it.  The shake was nice with just the right amount of thickness. The rings were okay and the fries were a tad undercooked. You could tell the fries and rings were frozen, but they were good quality. 

There are three sections to the restaurant. The burger counter (they offer a lot of other things too), the pizza counter upstairs, and the breakfast counter in the back that was closed when we were there.

The bottom line is that you really should stop by and taste a bit of Americana past at its best. They're better than any fast food place (except for a Five Guy's or a Jake's) and comparably priced. They have a website for directions, menu and all that stuff.

Jake's Wayback Burgers, Thorndale, PA

Jake's Wayback Burgers is a burger chain started in Delaware back in 1991 and they are beginning to spread throughout the Pennsylvania area. I spotted one in Willow Grove awhile back and it looked interesting, but on the wrong side of the road to stop. When one opened in Thorndale I decided to see what they are all about.

Inside the restaurant has a nice warm feel to it with a burgundy and tan motif. Looking at the menu there are a few choices beyond the traditional burgers such as; chicken, salads, garden burgers, turkey burgers, chili and hot dogs. Oh, and they have milk shakes in quite a few flavors. 

I ordered the regular cheeseburger (a two patty burger) at five bucks with ketchup, mustard and pickles. I like them simple. I made it a combo with large fries and a drink for $2.99 more. We got a kid combo, burger, fries and drink for two bucks for the grandson and added a shake too. The burger was quite delicious. It reminded me of an old fashioned grilled counter burger, just like the first one I ever had. It was not greasy and it tasted fresh. The fries were very good, but needed seasoning. That was easily fixed with a little salt from the shaker on the table.

The way it works is that you place your order and pay, they ask you for your name instead of giving you a number, and you take a seat. When your order is done they bring the order to you and even clean your table for you.

The big danger here is to compare them to Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Okay, I guess I have to. I would put the fries a step above Five Guys and the burger on a par with them. The edge goes to Jake's for the greater variety of offerings for my non-burger friends. The only down side is they don't have peanuts to eat while you wait. I will definitely be visiting this Jake's again, and when I see one along the road I will make it a point to stop. They have a website for locations and menu.

We stopped at the Willow Grove location and were not as satisfied. The fries tasted like common frozen fries, not fresh cut, and the meat seemed bland. They may vary from location to location so I'd be careful. 

Sly Fox Brewery and Eatery , Phoenixville, PA.

Pennsylvania is full of good brew pubs and I like brewpubs. They have everything a guy could ask for, beer and burgers and sometimes both the beer and the burgers are very good, like Front Street Brewery in Wilmington. Sometimes they are not, such as Capitol City in DC where both are not too good. My daughter and son-in-law had been to Sly Fox before and said it was good, plus we had a dining coupon, so off we went.

We had the Imperial IPA and it was quite tasty with a nice happiness to it, but not overpowering. We sampled the two bitters, but stuck to the Imperial for the refills. The bitters were good, but the Imperial was excellent. 

The dining coupon was for two appetizers and four entrees (sandwiched and burgers included). We ordered the chicken fingers, Buffalo style and the Nachos for appetizers. The chicken came out quite spicy, juicy and the portion was big. The nachos were ample, but there was nowhere near enough cheese on them.

Brian and I each had the Birchrun Black and Blue Burger at $9.00. It had cajun seasonings, plenty of blue cheese and came on a brioche roll. We both ordered them medium and they  were much closer to well-done. Teresa got the Swedesford Burger with sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese. She ordered it medium well and it was well-done. The burgers were good and flavorful, but a bit dry as they were overcooked. The cajun spices did add a mild heat and the roll was fresh. They both came with fries and they were good.

For my grandson we ordered the children's chicken fingers with fries, milk and ice cream. His portions were large and even though he is a champion eater at two years of age, half of his food came home with us. 

Speaking of takeout, they have cans, growlers and 22 oz bottles of selected beers for sale. The bottom line? 

• Prices good
• Beer very good
• Food okay to very good
• Service good

They have a website for more information. 

Burger Boyz Revisited

I went here a while back and said that it was good, but nothing special. Since then one of my regular readers suggested a few times that I stop and try them again. Noting that the earlier review is one of my most read posts, I decided to do it.

They have moved to a new location on Route 17K and share a building with Planet Wings, an establishment that makes, you guessed it, chicken wings. When I looked at the menu it seemed they have pared it down a bit and that may be a good thing as they were trying to do too much before. The new menu reminded me of Five Guys, as did the boxes of potatoes piled near the windows.

I decided to go simple and ordered the cheeseburger with tomato, pickles, ketchup and mustard. I ordered fries and there was a choice between curly fries and fresh cut fries. I opted for the fresh cut version. It was $8.49 for the burger and fries, tax included. I think the prices went up since I was last there.

The burger was good. It was juicy, but not greasy and tasted fresh. I could tell it was grilled and they pressed it down on the grill to get a nice char on the meat. The roll was soft and fresh. The fries were good also, but they could have been crisper. They were a bit soggy. There were plenty of them and two people could share an order with no problem.

As I was taking the pictures the guy behind the counter was staring at me, but he didn't say anything. Nobody ever does. Oh, and inside I saw who voted them one of the best burgers in the Hudson Valley. It was Hudson Valley Magazine. Mystery solved.

Bottom line? Good burger, okay fries. Stop in if you're nearby.

Beacon Falls Cafe, a perfect burger.

I have been ranting quite a bit lately about ordering a burger cooked medium and getting it closer to well-done so I thought it would be appropriate to praise a restaurant that gets it right  consistently, especially  since there are so darn few that do. 

This magnificant picture is of the burger special I got today at one of my favorite places, The Beacon Falls Cafe. This beauty is a half-pound of top quality Angus beef with a mountain of blue cheese, several strips of bacon, tons of roasted hot peppers, red onion, lettuce and tomato on a fresh bun. The list of ingredients is a mouthful and the burger itself was a handful. No, make that two hands full. When the waitress dropped it off I was wondering how in the Dickens I was going to pick it up, but I managed.

Now here's the best part. When I bit into it, the outside had a nice crust while the inside of the burger had a sweet pink cast to it. That pink extended throughout the interior of the entire burger. It was cooked to a perfect medium. Teresa ordered her burger cooked medium-well and the color was perfect too with a slight pinkish cast. Both were juicy and full of flavor.

In my burger the blue cheese slightly mellowed the heat of the hot peppers, but I did break into a sweat from the heat. The flavors of the ingredients all worked in concert to make this one of the best burgers I've ever had. I went through two napkins wiping the delicious juices from my face. The fries were delightful, crisp and hot, with a hint of seasoning on them. Unfortunately, I left quite a few behind on the plate since that massive burger filled me up.

Beacon Falls Cafe is a favorite of mine, I've reviewed them before. Go over and see them, tell Bob I sent you. Whatever you order, it will be good, but I strongly recommend a burger. They also have a good beer selection and I had a Red Wagon IPA from Fire Island Beer Company that was hoppy, yet smooth. If you go during Happy Hour (3 to 6) there are a few $3.00 pints. 

Sweet Lorraine's at Peddler's Village, New Hope, PA

In our quest to find good places to eat, we like to try different places so we stopped off at Peddler's Village, a shopping area in New Hope, PA, for something different. Looking around we saw Sweet Lorraine's Cafe next to the Golden Plough Bed and Breakfast and decided to stop in. 

I went with the Fireworks Burger at $11. It had havarti cheese, jalapeños, peppers, bacon, lettuce and tomato with fresh made chips. I ordered it medium and there was a bit of pink in the middle so it was closer to medium than I've been getting lately. The burger was good with a nice flavor and the combinations of ingredients added some good notes. 

Teresa had the quesidilla shown here at $10 and there was plenty. She said the salsa was a bit bland and I agreed, but the guacamole was good. 

We had water with the meals, but they did have a good beer selection. Service was excellent and there was a nice ambiance. Overall a good experience. Nothing amazing, but good food at reasonable prices. They have a website for more informations. 

The Wherehouse, Newburgh, NY

Hot Spot Burger

I've heard a lot of good things about the Wherehouse in Newburgh, some from a nice Greek writer named Anonymous who has commented here, so it's been on my short list for some time now. Well, today we were coming back from Fishkill and decided to swing through Newburgh to check it out.

The restaurant is on the South part of Liberty Street, just a short block from Broadway, near Washington's Headquarters. The neighborhood is an area that is a few blocks from the booming restaurant row on the waterfront and right near where a couple of entrepreneurs are building a brewery. Inside the place is not too big, but warm with old album covers hanging on the brick walls, plenty of wood and a neat looking bar with quite a few tap handles. We were told to sit where we wanted and took a table near the window so I had better light for the pictures and we could keep an eye on the car.

The menu was extensive with plenty of good choices but there was a separate menu for the burgers and that's what I came for. There were two full pages of interesting choices. I decided on the Socrates, grilled kalmata olives and feta cheese, medium. Teresa debated between the Chicago Fire and the Hot Spot. The Hot Spot burger, shown above with hot peppers on it, was her choice and she ordered it medium well. I also got a Saranac Ginger Ale. 

Socrates Burger

When the burgers came they looked good. You can see what I mean by the pictures, they did a nice presentation. I tasted mine and it was very good, but much closer to well done than the medium I ordered. That said, it was still a delicious burger with plenty of flavor and it wasn't dry at all. The grilled olives and the feta cheese gave a nice flavor to the burger and complimented the beef. No ketchup was needed. I tasted Teresa's and it was good too, if not a bit busy with all of the flavors going on. There was a heat coming from the peppers, but tolerable without overpowering the burger. She said that the next time we go she wanted to try a regular burger and I agreed. I'll try a simple bacon cheeseburger. I didn't like the fries all that much as they were cut too large and were more like fried potato wedges, but that's more a matter of personal taste. I'll have to ask about other options and see if a side salad or mac and cheese can take the place of the fries.

The bottom line? Very good food, good service, nice ambiance and fair prices. The burgers were a shade under ten bucks each. When you're in Newburgh, skip the waterfront and head a couple of blocks uptown for a good burger. They have a website for information and you can Facebook them too.

Mahoney's Irish Pub and Steakhouse, Poughkeepsie, NY

Emmett Mahoney's Irish Pub and Steakhouse in Poughkeepsie is located in the old train station, right next to the new train station, near the waterfront. I've heard about it for a while and we almost went there once. It turned out it was around Saint Patrick's Day and there was a parade so the place was mobbed so we didn't. Well, today we stopped.

I didn't get much of a look inside since it was such a nice day that we decided to eat on the patio. We were given menus and the waiter went to get us the water we wanted. When he returned we ordered. I got the Celtic burger at $10.95 which had Irish cheddar cheese and rasher (Irish bacon) with fries and slaw. I ordered it medium and guess what? It was well done, but it was a juicy and flavorful well-done so I let it go. Dry well-done and it would have gone back. The rasher gave a nice flavor and the fries were crispy. Teresa ordered the Jack Daniels Panini at $11.95 which was made from a tender cut of steak and was quite good.

Overall the food was good, service was good and the prices reasonable. Stop by and give them a try. They have a website for information.