The Greek Cafe revisited.

Falafel

We stopped by The Greek Cafe in Middletown, NY, I've reviewed them before, and I got some cool pictures of the food. I just thought I'd share them. By the way, the seafood was delicious.  

Lemon Potatoes

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.

Doghouse Gourmet Burgers, Downingtown, Pa.

Doghouse Gourmet Burgers in Downingtown, Pennsylvania is an interesting set-up. It is small with a few tables and stools running along the side, but mirrors make it look a bit larger. They have a fairly good beer selection and their specialty is burgers and dogs. All of their specialty selections are named after dogs and they call the children's burgers puppies. Cute and catchy. 

I ordered the Angus burger with bacon and blue cheese and got it as a combo with a small drink and onion rings. Teresa got the Angus without cheese and she had the garlic fries and drink combo. My son-in-law had the Whippet, a turkey burger. My grandson had a hot dog and my daughter got a black bean burger. 

You order at the counter, pay and take a seat. When the food is done (less than 10 minutes) they bring it to you. There is a condiment bar (very clean by the way) with pickles and hot banana peppers. 

The burgers were good, not great, and I think they started out frozen so I wouldn't really call them gourmet. The default temperature is medium, but I'd call it more medium well. The fries were good and the rings were large and sweet. 

On the way out I looked over the counter and saw that the burgers are grilled and the grills were positioned at a slight angle, probably to allow the grease to run off. That's why they weren't greasy at all. 

Overall impression, not bad. Would we go back? Sure. They have a website for more information.

Perkins, Newburgh, NY

The Perkins in Newburgh is clean and bright with good service. I've been there a few times and what I like is the N'Awlans Eggs Benedict. It has shrimp, grilled chicken, sausage and a mildly spicy Hollandaise sauce. It comes with fruit and choice of potatoes (I like the breakfast potatoes) for about nine bucks. 

Cheeseboy, Palisades Mall, Nyack, NY

Here's a brilliant idea if ever I saw one. I hope it works out well because whoever came up with this is a genius. What it is is total simplicity making comfort food. They make grilled cheese sandwiches, many varieties thereof, and tomato soup out of a mall kiosk. 

I had the special of the month, featured above, which is an Italian sandwich for five bucks. Grilled cheese, basil, pepperoni and tomatoes on Italian bread. The whole thing is done in a press (not a panini press as there are no grooves) so the grease goes away. Good sandwich. Next time I'll try the soup too.

Like I said, sheer genius. Maybe I'll open a peanut butter and jelly restaurant, but it's probably been done already. They have a website for information, menu and locations, as well as philosophy and philanthropy. 

Lakeview House, Newburgh, NY

One of the fun things about  travelling to visit the grandchildren is that we  discover some interesting places and have some great food. Sometimes we don't have to travel far to find a treasure,  like the Lakeview House on Orange Lake in Newburgh, just a few miles from our back door.

We've been meaning to stop for quite a while and I've heard rave reviews of the duck, but we just never got around to it. That all changed when were there with a few friends to celebrate the retirement of one of them and the meal was the gift of her financial consultant. A free meal with old friends (we've known them for over thirty years) at a nice restaurant that I've wanted to try? Perfect.

The inside has a warm sort of 1940's feel to it with plenty of wood, tin ceilings, and windows overlooking the lake. There is a patio as well for warm weather dining. I recommend the Lake Room if you are there at sunset. They do have a large beer and wine selection, but most of the beers are lagers or German beers (sadly no IPA, stouts other than Guinness or porters). The waitress kept bringing me samples of a few beers to get me to find one I liked, but I stuck with water. I do like the fact that she tried though. In fact the whole restaurant was accommodating as one of our party has food allergies and they prepared his dish exactly as he asked. Another asked for her dish done a bit different for dietary reasons and they did so.

I started with the escargot au Provence. Sorry, no picture since I forgot I had the camera with me. The snails were cooked in butter, garlic, parsley, parmesan and some type of wine or vermouth that added a delightful flavor note. That was followed by a small salad with gorgonzola and balsamic vinaigrette. For the entree I had the Long Island duck shown above. It was a half duck with a crispy crust and juicy meat. The sauce changes daily and that day they had an apple sauce which was quite good. I must say that the duck lived up to its reputation. I also ordered desert, something I rarely do but since most of the table got something I followed suit by ordering the chocolate creme brûlée. Quite delicious, but very rich. 

Everyone else had a great meal. Teresa had the red snapper, a few people had stuffed flounder and one had a pasta dish. The overall consensus was very positive. Nice atmosphere, good view, excellent service, very good food at moderate prices (average entree $20 to $25). We will be back again soon, and probably often. 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. 

Panda House, Danbury CT.

We tried The Panda House in Danbury a few years ago and found it to be good, but not stellar enough to have gone back right away. Today we were debating where to eat and decided to give them another try. We were there at half past four on a Saturday, so they weren't crowded, but they started to fill up as we ate.

     

I'd forgotten that they were a Japanese and Chinese restaurant so I concentrated on the Japanese part of the menu and I ordered the sushi appetizer at $8.95 and there were four nice pieces on the plate; tuna, salmon, shrimp and yellowtail. It took a while to get to the table, and I saw the sushi chef working away, so it must have been fresh. My salad (lettuce with a sort of spicy russian-like dressing) and the miso soup came before the sushi. The miso soup had seaweed, tofu and I think a fish base to it, too much of it actually, and it wasn't that good, and it was a bit smelly. The sushi was tasty though. 

Teresa got the Moo Shu Pork at $9.50 and I ordered the Shrimp Tempura at $17.95, which came with the salad and soup mentioned above. Yes, the prices are a bit high. I tasted the Moo Shu Pork and it was good, as was my tempura. The shrimp tasted fresh and there were sweet potatoes, beans, an onion ring and a carrot in the mix as well. The batter was right and they were fried just right. 

My overall impression is that the food is good, for the most part, the service was okay and the prices are a bit high. Will we go back? Yeah, but we won't be rushing. They have a website for more information. 

Chicago Uno, Wappingers Falls, NY

I need to add a place to my list of restaurants that know how to properly cook a burger,  Chicago Uno on Route 9 in Wappingers Falls. 

Above and below please note the 'Bring Home the Bacon' burger with hot pepper cheese and bacon on a challah roll. What you can't see is the center of the burger which was a dark pink. That's right, a perfectly cooked medium burger. Teresa had the Firecracker Chicken sandwich which she said was okay. 
  

Unos started in Chicago on East Ohio Street about sixty-five years ago serving deep dish pizza. They have grown to over 160 locations, some of them franchised and if you like deep dish pizza, and you're not in Chicago, Unos is the place to get it. The one in Wappingers is franchised by Banta Restaurants and sits on the old Steak and Stein location. They try to buy locally as much as they can.

Unos a nice place to get a bite to eat and they have a respectable beer selection as well. They even have their own Uno Amber, which has a nice clean taste. Happy hour specials include some cheap appetizers too. The inside has a nice warm look to it  and is decorated with pictures of Chicago, memorabilia, and TVs in the bar area. 

Hacienda, Goshen, NY

We've been here a few times before and liked it. One of those times was on May5th for Teresa's birthday, also Cinqo de Mayo which is the Mexican equivalent of Saint Patrick's Day. That would be the day to stay away as they are extremely crowded, unless you want to wait. Today at four in the afternoon wasn't a problem since even though the parking lot had quite a few cars, they weren't that crowded inside. I think there were a few people in a room upstairs for a private party.

Outside it looks like a large house that has been converted to a restaurant. Inside the decorations are bright and colorful with designs on the chairs. We were seated and given water and nachos with salsa, a salsa that started out medium and the more you eat the hotter it becomes. We looked over the menu and I ordered the Camarones diablo. Teresa got the enchiladas suizo. While we waited for our food the waiter brought us each a small quesadilla which was quite nice. 

My shrimp tasted fresh and the sauce was slightly spicy with some sautéed onions in it. The re-fried beans were okay and the rice not bad (I don't usually eat rice so it must have been okay for me to have finished half of it).

Overall, the service is good, prices average to a bit high, and the food is fairly good. As we ate we decided that we liked Cafe Maya in Fishkill better. I know that some people will disagree with that, but that's our opinion.

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.

Scotch Eggs recipe

I saw this on the Food Channel, I think it was Chopped, and thought it was interesting. Hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage, breaded and deep fried. What can be wrong with that?

It is real simple to make too. Just hard-boil four eggs, let them chill and peel them. Coat with flour and wrap them with breakfast sausage. Next you flour again, dip in egg and bread crumbs. Fry at 350 for about ten minutes, until golden brown. Eat them hot, warm or cold. A little spicy mustard is all you need.

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.