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Road Trip: The Jigger Shop

yellow and green awning covers an outdoor dining space among the trees

I don’t spend a lot of time in Lebanon County. Especially working in the opposite direction, my trips to Berks County’s western neighbor are few and far between.

But we recently found ourselves in the Lebanon area with enough time to pay a visit to Mt. Gretna, and its famous ice cream parlor.

Mt. Gretna feels like a different world. It’s a secluded, quiet getaway. Except at the Jigger Shop.

Part old-time soda fountain, part fast-food restaurant, the Jigger Shop was packed with people on the Wednesday afternoon when we visited.

posters advertising performances at the Gretna Playhouse

The place has its own unique vibe  – part old-time soda fountain, part 1950s drive-in. Everything is ordered at one of the counters, ice cream to the left, food to the right.

We didn’t bother with the food (the hamburgers and fries looked rather generic from what we could see) and instead went right to the ice cream line.

At the front is counter seating for about half a dozen,

For my first time, the only real option is a namesake jigger.

large sundae in glass cup with chocolate syrup and crushed Oreos

I don’t know what came first, the name of the sundae or the name of the shop, but either way, it’s a great choice because the jigger is legit.

One of the things that makes the Jigger shop unique is that everything is made one at a time so we got to watch the construction process.

It started with scoops of French vanilla ice cream. Then came the chocolate syrup. After pouring it on top, our server took the wrong side of a spoon and used it to spread the chocolate around the glass. It was then topped with a heaping pile of whipped marshmallow, flattened on top so it could hold a spoonful of jigger nuts.

prep area for an ice cream parlor

Essentially, the jigger is a CMP sundae (chocolate, marshmallow, peanuts) with vanilla ice cream, though the jigger nuts are a little different. I think I caught hints of hazelnut and cocoa.

In any case, it was delicious. I’m not a big marshmallow fan, but I enjoyed it here. Honestly, and this may be sacrilege, but I could have done without the jigger nuts.

Julie’s sundae was more intricate and even more entertaining to watch make. The strawberry shortcake sundae started with a little bit of milk on the bottom (optional) followed by slices of shortcake. Next came three scoops of vanilla ice cream. That was topped with strawberry syrup, which was then covered in a mound of whipped cream. The whole thing was topped off with strawberries sliced to order.

oval metal bowl with an ice cream sundae topped with whipped cream and strawberries

It took a good five minutes to build, the anticipation building as I stood there with my ice cream, waiting for Julie.

Eating it took a little longer, but that’s because Julie was taking time to enjoy every bite. The shortcake had absorbed the milk and a little bit of the ice cream, making it sweet and a little wet. There was a lot more whipped cream than ice cream, but both were very good.

Like mine, it was a big hit.

Mt. Gretna is a resort of sorts so the prices are a little higher than a lot of places around here. For our two sundaes, the total was more than $15. But we also didn’t need to eat a real dinner afterward so I guess it worked out in our favor.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Jigger Shop is one of Lebanon County’s coolest (pun intended) destinations.

It’s a destination in and of itself, a unique place that’s worth visiting at least once, especially if you find yourself in the neighborhood.

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plate with stewed chicken, potatoes and yellow rice and beans
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Review: El Morro Cafe – CLOSED

exterior of el morro cafe in West Reading

Editor’s Note: El Morro Cafe is now closed. Takkii Ramen occupied the space for several years. It will soon be home to a new restaurant, Drunken Chicken.

In February, Julie and I had our first chance to visit Reading’s Old San Juan Cafe for a taste of Puerto Rico.

We loved the simple little counter-service restaurant in the old Outlet District.

So when, just a few weeks later, it was announced that Old San Juan would be expanding into West Reading, we got more than a little excited.

On our walks through town, we kept tabs on the progress at the corner of Sixth and Reading Avenues until the grand opening celebration in mid-May.

Two months later, we made our first visit to the brand new El Morro Cafe.

counter at a restaurant with a wooden box and the word "eat" inside

The setup is much the same with entrees and sides sitting in warming dishes at the order counter. Steph, El Morro’s manager, was more than happy to help us overcome our ignorance of the options.

We felt bad as a small line formed behind us, but we made our decisions and grabbed one of the handful of tables in the “dining room” off to the left side of the restaurant.

Our meals were delivered to our seats, with the plates looking very much the same as they did at the city location. Mine featured a mountain of rice — we both ordered yellow instead of white this time — and a pile of fried pork (chicharon).

plate with fried pork with rice and beans

The tender meat was covered in a thick fried outer skin with excellent flavor and texture. Black beans were sprinkled in with the yellow rice, and while I enjoyed it, it was just too much for me to handle both the rice and the meat (and I wasn’t going to let any of the meat go to waste).

If I have one complaint, it’s that the plastic cutlery wasn’t strong enough to cut through the hard fried shell around the meat.

Julie enjoyed her stewed chicken from Old San Juan so much that she ordered the same thing at El Morro.

plate with stewed chicken, potatoes and yellow rice and beans

The dark meat chicken (her request), along with the chunks of potatoes and carrots, absorbed a lot of flavor from the broth. It’s hard to pick out the spice(s) that make it so good, but it is definitely worth a try.

Each meal also includes a choice of salad. And, just like in the city, I went with a boring side salad while Julie had an excellent potato salad. It still had the bell peppers mixed in, but wasn’t as creamy. Instead, it ate almost like a mashed potato.

What’s most amazing about El Morro is that even with two drinks, our total bill was less than $20. I can’t remember the last time we ate dinner for less than that outside of a quick-service restaurant.

Not only is El Morro Cafe a great extension of Old San Juan Cafe, it fills a much-needed niche for Puerto Rican food in Reading’s western suburbs.

The fact that we can walk to it from our house is just an added bonus.

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Fair
Price: Very Reasonable

El Morro Cafe
36 N. Sixth Ave
West Reading, PA 19611

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Photo of an ice cream sandwich with vanilla ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies
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Review: Sweet Ride Ice Cream

round sign with a picture of an ice cream cone and the words "Sweet Ride Ice Cream"

When Sweet Ride Ice Cream announced it was opening its first permanent location in West Reading earlier this year, it was a big deal.

Sweet Ride built a reputation as an ice cream company on the go, first as a bicycle-powered cart, then as a full mobile ice cream parlor.

A brick-and-mortar location was a huge step, but I knew they were doing it right when I saw a Facebook post about its 1946 soda fountain.

small old-fashioned food cart painted white in the back of a dining room with black tables and chairs

The public has responded in a big way, too. The little shop along Penn Avenue seems to always have a crowd, and Berks County Eats readers recommended it more than any other ice cream parlor in the county.

So of course, I had to give it a try.

On our visit, the menu listed 26 flavors including Coconut Almond Joy, Espresso Explosion and Bullwinkle (vanilla with thick fudge and mini peanut butter cups). The flavors come from Nelson’s Ice Cream in Royersford, who have been in the ice cream business since 1935.

two black wet erase boards with ice cream flavors written out in multiple colors

Can’t decide what you want? Sweet Ride offers a four-flavor flight.

The ice cream parlor offers more than just cones and cups. Visitors can enjoy an old-fashioned malt, ice cream soda or float.

For me, there was only one option: the ice cream cookie sandwich.

two chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream in the middle

I chose the French vanilla ice cream to be the “meat” between the two fresh chocolate chip cookies. It was heavenly.

The cookies were soft, too soft to pick up and eat like a sandwich, but perfect for shoveling spoonfuls of cookie and ice cream. The French vanilla was delicious and the perfect, simple compliment to the chocolatey cookies. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Julie opted to build her own sundae with banana peanut butter chip ice cream as the base and pretzels and peanut butter sauce on top.

ice cream sundae in old fashioned glass cup with caramel and pretzels on top

It’s a combination of three of her favorite things so she couldn’t help but love it. I was surprised by how much the banana was able to come through, and despite the fact that I am not a big peanut butter fan, I even enjoyed the taste that I was allowed to have.

The only negative was that they forgot the whipped cream and cherry on top, though Julie was too busy enjoying the sundae to notice until she saw someone else’s fully constructed sundae.

Our total came to $10 for the two of us. The service was good and relatively fast. As everything is built one at a time, I got mine just a minute or so before Julie’s arrived at our table.

Sweet Ride has done a great job of building on their success and making the new store a true extension of what they were already doing. The store is modern, but with a definite call back to the heyday of the neighborhood ice cream parlor.

That’s why so many people are already listing it among their favorites.

BCE Rating
Ice Cream: Excellent
Service: Good
Ambiance: Very Good
Price: Reasonable

Sweet Rice Ice Cream
542 Penn Ave
West Reading, PA 19611

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Review: The Bridge Inn

sign with red letters that reads "The Bridge Inn Pleasantville

“We need to go there sometime.”

Both Julie and I say those words often as we drive past restaurants in our travels in and around Berks County.

In the past few weeks, we have said that often about The Bridge Inn in Pleasantville as we drove Route 73 on our way to and from Boyertown.

Finally, after saying it enough, we made a trip to the Oley Valley with the Bridge Inn as our destination.

The Bridge Inn has the feel of a great dive (I use the term lovingly). You can sense the character of the building — and hear it with every step across the wooden floor.

plush gray antique sofa sits inside the entrance of the Bridge Inn Pleasantville

We chose to sit at one of the three random booths in a narrow room along the front of the building. On one side we could watch traffic breeze by on Route 73. On the opposite wall, an even more random antique couch sat empty. And at the far end of the room hung a floor-to-ceiling drape for those times when this room is closed off to the bar on the other side.

The menu is deep with bar food and beyond. Burgers and sandwich options are plentiful and there is a half-page of seafood options, as well as steaks, chicken, veal and pasta.

A few of the options stood out for originality, one of them being the tequila fettuccine.

white plate with wide noodles tossed with spinach, onions, peppers and chicken

The pasta is tossed in jalapeno lime sauce with spinach, onion, peppers, cilantro and choice of chicken or shrimp (I went with chicken).

It was a hefty bowl, for sure. Specks of red and green popped against the dull-colored cream sauce and chicken breast slivers.

And it packed a decent punch. It wasn’t an overwhelming heat, but it was impossible to miss the jalapeno that lingered after every bite. The peppers and cilantro gave it some freshness, too.

side plate of onion rings

I finished a little more than half of it before I couldn’t take another bite. Not because I didn’t want more, but because the portion was too large, especially with a side order of onion rings to eat as well.

There really isn’t a side order that goes with this dish (other choices included fries, potato filling, mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed mushrooms) so onion rings were just what I was craving most among the available options.

They were fine, if a little greasy. But I certainly didn’t need them. I probably would have been happier with a starter salad and no sides.

Julie may have actually had more food than I did as her “Bridge Chicken” dinner came with two sides.

crock with chicken smothered in cheese and tomatoes next to a plate with a baked potato and a small dish with corner nuggets

The Bridge Chicken is sautéed with tomatoes, garlic, feta cheese, spinach and bacon with Dijon cream sauce. You could really taste the Dijon mustard, and it paired well with the smoky flavor of the bacon.

It was a unique mix of flavors, a deconstructed chicken sandwich of sorts. And Julie really enjoyed it.

For her sides, she chose a baked potato and corn nuggets. The corn nuggets were average, but she really enjoyed the baked potato, which was covered in coarse salt. Already a fan of potato skins, Julie was excited to have the extra salt on them.

She, too, took home nearly half of her chicken so our $42 was stretched into a few more meals.

There was a lot to like about the Bridge Inn, and judging from the crowd in the dining room, plenty of others thought so, too.

And now that we’ve been there, “we need to go there” is now  “I’m glad we finally went.”

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: Fair
Price: Reasonable

The Bridge Inn
3 Covered Bridge Rd
Oley, PA 19547

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Review: Lori’s Candy Station

pink awning with the words "Lori's Candy Station" over the doorway of a narrow building

“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” All Dorothy Gale had to do was repeat those words and click her heels to be rescued from Oz and returned to her aunt and uncle’s farm.

For me, it means a 20-minute drive along Route 422 from Wyomissing to Robesonia.

And no trip home is complete without a stop at Lori’s Candy Station and a specialty shake.

three stainless steel milkshake cups upside down on a counter

It’s a true taste of home for me. You see, Lori is my mom, and I invented the secret milkshake menu.

It started a few years ago when she started with a new ice cream wholesaler, JAS (Just About Sinful), who also own Ice Cream World in Allentown). The new supplier meant new flavors and new flavor combinations.

My go-to is a mango shake. It’s a scoop of mango water ice with vanilla ice cream, blended up for a thick, brain freeze-inducing treat.

The mango ice is naturally sweet and the vanilla helps tone it down just enough. It works with just about any flavor of Italian ice (except vanilla, that would just be weird), but give me the mango every time.

two milkshakes in styrofoam cups with the lids off, one with chocolate the other with vanilla and mango

Julie also has her own milkshake creation that she likes to call the chocolate covered strawberry – dips of strawberry and death by chocolate ice cream.

Death by chocolate ice cream is a monster of itself. It consists of chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips and brownie chunks. Blended with the strawberry ice cream, it really does give the flavor of a chocolate covered strawberry, only more refreshing and less messy.

If you order it, make sure you get a straw and a spoon. With death by chocolate ice cream, there is always a few bits of brownie waiting at the bottom of the cup.

man and woman take a selfie holding milkshake containers

But you don’t have to mix and match to get a great milkshake. Salty caramel, mint chocolate chip, cookie dough and teaberry are all delectable on their own.

We had mediums — in my younger day, I would take down the 32 oz. large, but not anymore — and they were more than enough, and just $7 for the pair.

Other treats at the little shop include waffle cones dipped in chocolate, floats, chocolate-covered bananas, and some of the most decadent ice cream cakes you will find anywhere.

tray of chocolate-covered caramel discs - milk and dark chocolate - topped with sea salt

And we can’t forget about the famous homemade chocolates.

Made from soft ice cream and the best mix-ins, the ice cream cakes from JAS are available for special order with at least a week’s advance notice.

Yes, I’m biased. But I will always love going to Lori’s Candy Station for a milkshake. They’re just like mom used to make.

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paper plate filled with a variety of bbq - pulled pork, smoked sausage and fried okra
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Review: Backwoods Brothers Authentic Texas Cuisine

American flag flies next to a window with a decal that reads "Backwoods Brothers" with an image of a steer

Downtown Hamburg has never been a real culinary destination.

It’s a quaint downtown, but for dining, options have always been slim. You’ve got a bar, a diner, a Chinese restaurant, two ice cream shops and pizza.

Good food for sure, but nothing truly unique.

Then in January, a very different restaurant came to town: Backwoods Brothers Authentic Texas Cuisine.

Texas-style barbecue in Hamburg? I’m in.

There’s nothing fancy about Backwoods Brothers. The dining room is pretty plain with counter seating leftover from the diner that once occupied the spot.

maroon wall with a variety of crosses hanging from it

The maroon walls are mostly unadorned. One wall just has the restaurant’s logo. A trio of Reading Royals hockey sticks sit above a window. And behind the counter, a collection of folk art crosses from the American southwest.

Backwoods Brothers’ menu isn’t fancy either. Written on a chalkboard, it’s easy to follow: pick a meat, make it a combo or enjoy it on a sandwich (just don’t ask for ribs on your sandwich).

At the tables, paper towel rolls sit in for napkins, and dinner is served on paper plates with a pack of disposable utensils.

For my dinner, I wanted to try as much as possible so I ordered a two meat combo with pork, sausage and fried okra.

styrofoam plate with smoked sausage, pulled pork and hush puppies

At the table were three squeeze bottles of barbecue sauce: original, honey BBQ and hot. The original is a tangy, vinegar-based sauce. It was good, but the honey BBQ was more my speed. It was a little tangy, but had that sweet flavor that I love with for a good sweet and savory barbecue dinner.

I was warned about the hot sauce, made with real hot peppers. I had just a taste with my pulled pork. I actually loved it, but I could feel the heat from just a few drops and didn’t dare try any more.

My favorite thing on the plate was the sausage. It was spiced just right and smoked to perfection. It didn’t need any sauce, but I thought it was even better with a few squirts of honey BBQ.

The pork was good. Real smoky with only a little bit of fat. It wasn’t “pulled” to the point of being stringy slivers of meat, and was instead served in meaty chunks. I enjoyed it.

Finally there was the fried okra. If you’ve never had okra before, it’s hard to describe the vegetable’s taste. But I love it. And I could have eaten the slightly salty fried okra bites all day.

styrofoam plate with sliced brisket and a styrofoam cup of mac and cheese

Julie wasn’t quite as hungry as me so she only went with one meat — beef brisket — and a side of mac and cheese.

The brisket was sliced thin and piled high. It was tender but still required a knife to cut. You could see and taste the rub along the outer edges of every piece.

Her mac and cheese was creamy, and to her delight, seasoned well with pepper. It was just the way she likes her macaroni.

Portions were not overwhelming, but we definitely got plenty of food for our $26, and we left plenty full.

Backwoods Brothers holds true to its Texas-style roots, delivering a unique style of barbecue and sauce that you won’t find at other Berks County joints.

And they are certainly delivering something that Hamburg has never seen before.

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: Very Reasonable

Backwoods Brothers Authentic Texas Cuisine
272 S. Fourth St
Hamburg, PA 19526

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Review: Basin Street Hotel

historic hotel painted blue with a sign over the veranda that reads "Basin Street Hotel"

Kutztown will always have a special place in my heart.

I don’t make it back there as often as I would like since graduating from KU in 2013. When it’s time for blogging, I try to time my visits so school’s not in session.

It’s not that I have anything against college students, but the summer months (and winter break) are slower times for many of the local restaurants. That means less crowds, shorter waits, and better service.

That’s why Julie and I waited until a Thursday night in June to pay a visit to the Basin Street Hotel. Two months from now, when class is back in session, I wouldn’t suggest going anywhere in town on a Thirsty Thursday night.

floral wallpapered wall with historic photos of the Basin Street Hotel

But the Hotel was calm and quiet when we arrived. Only one other booth was taken, though there were a few people hanging at the bar and a couple enjoying dinner outside on the cloudy evening.

During my time in Kutztown, I had never visited Basin Street. It’s almost on the wrong side of the tracks for college students, facing out to the train station and the Allentown and Auburn Railroad line.

Restaurants and inns have been operating on the location at the corner of Main and Willow Streets (ironically, there is no Basin Street) for more than 100 years, and the hotel maintains a certain old-time charm inside with high wooden booths, decorative ceiling tiles and historic photos of Basin Street and the town.

The only thing I really knew about Basin Street before arriving is that they are known for their wings, or at least, that’s what they tout on Twitter and Facebook so I knew where our meal was starting.

plate of wings in sauce with celery and ranch dressing at Basin Street Hotel

There are 22 flavors to choose from on the menu ranging from standard hot, mild and BBQ to original creations like the red pepper parm and drunken varieties.

We went with two of the more original flavors: enchilada and spicy lime.

The enchilada wings were tossed in oil and taco seasoning. Unfortunately, much of it ran off the wings so I had to continually dip it in the run-off on the plate to get that Mexican flavor I was looking for. It took some work, but I got. I just wish it had been stronger.

On the spicy lime, I got spice and very little lime. It was basically Buffalo sauce with a little after taste of citrus. (Unless I was accidently given hot wings and just imagined the lime). For Buffalo wings, they were really good.

The wings were also very meaty and filling, definitely more than we needed when we saw the size of our dinner.

Basin Street’s menu is all pub food: apps, salads, burgers and sandwiches. There are no entrees, no meals. But that’s OK. There are more than 40 burgers, wraps and sandwiches to choose from on the robust menu.

Pittsburgh-style sandwich with fries and coleslaw atop roast beef from Basin Street Hotel

On the “Collegiate Corner” part of the menu, all of the sandwiches were given KU-themed names, like the Golden Bear.

The Golden Bear is Basin Street’s take on a Primanti Brothers sandwich – roast beef with coleslaw and French fries served on top of the meat.

This is a sandwich that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Separately, it’s average fries, good roast beef and tasty slaw, but together, it was a hearty, enjoyable sandwich.

From being between the hot roast beef and fries, the coleslaw warmed up quick so there was never a cold bite. The fries got a little soggy, but the thick French bread roll held up deliciously well. I probably shouldn’t have finished the whole thing, but I did anyway.

Julie went with something a little bit different as well, the turkey French dip.

turkey sandwich with a cup of au jus and a bag of Martin's potato chips from Basin Street Hotel

French dip sandwiches, as you probably know, are generally made with roast beef and served with a cup of au jus (light gravy) on the side. The turkey French dip just substituted the meat on the sandwich and in the gravy.

It was a nice change of pace. Julie especially enjoyed it with the Provolone cheese she ordered on top. She also finished off everything on her plate, except a few chips that she left in the bag to take home.

The only downside to visiting Kutztown in the summer months is that a lot of the restaurants are running with short staffs. There was only one guy working as both server and bartender, and while he did well at taking our orders and bringing our food, we had to go up to the bar to get and pay our $30 check.

I’m sure there aren’t many nights when the Basin Street Hotel is as quiet as it was for our visit. But that’s why we went when we did.

I like to enjoy Kutztown – and its restaurants – at its best.

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Fair
Ambiance: Good
Price: Reasonable

Basin Street Hotel
42 E. Main St
Kutztown, PA 19530

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Gatsby’s at Sunnybrook Ballroom

sign above a covered entryway reads "Gatsby's"

Editor’s Note – Gatsby’s at the Sunnybrook Ballroom closed in September 2019 but reopened in early 2024 under new ownership. The concept is similar but the experience may vary from the post below.

It’s not often that I have dinner with international travel writers.

Through my day job, I had a unique opportunity to enjoy dinner at the recently opened Gatsby’s at the Sunnybrook Ballroom. There I joined Dan, a co-worker of mine, and Isabel, an award-winning travel writer from Ireland.

Of course I had to blog about this experience.

dimly lit dining room pre-set with white plates, wine glasses and black napkins

The Gulati family, who also operate Stokesay Castle here in Reading, took over the management of the historic property along High Street in Pottstown late last year, renovating the restaurant and turning it into Gatsby’s.

With a 1920s theme, Gatsby’s harkens back to the ballroom’s glory days, when the biggest acts in music began packing the house.

concert posters featuring big band acts like Jimmy Dorsey and Duke Ellington

Vintage posters hang on the walls of the hallway, with names like Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey and Duke Ellington all promoting shows at Sunnybrook.

The wait staff are dressed in their best throwback attire, with striped shirts and suspenders for both the guys and gals.

Our waiter tried to push us on Gatsby’s cocktails, crafted by world-renowned mixologist Brian Van Flandern.

He was unsuccessful in persuading any of us, but it did earn him a new nickname from Isabel, Hunter Van Potts.

French onion soup with cheese bubbling over the side of the crock

This was always going to be a three-course meal for me, and it began with some of the best French onion soup that I have tried anywhere.

Gruyere cheese bubbled over the rim of the crock, served atop a wooden serving plate in what was a beautiful presentation. It tasted as good as it looked. The broth had plenty of onion slivers, making it feel light and hearty at the same time.

My soup made me even more excited for the main course, the most exotic item on the menu: wild boar.

I had to wait just an extra minute after it was delivered. On his first day as a waiter (he had been working more than a month as a bartender), Hunter couldn’t tell the difference between my wild boar and Dan’s veal chop. After calling in for backup, it was confirmed that our entrees had been switched.

two wild boar shanks on a bed of mashed potatoes with carrots and green beans

There was no confusion over Isabel’s 12 oz. New York Strip Steak with au poivre sauce. She raved about it, though she could only finish a little more than half (the rest went home with Dan, supposedly as a treat for his dog, Parker, but I can’t confirm who actually ate it).

The boar was again beautifully presented with garlic mashed potatoes, a bundle of seasonal vegetables and a purple flower for garnish.

Wild boar ribs are leaner than a traditional pork rib and necessitate a knife and fork. It was delicious, tender and cooked to perfection.

It was even better with the peppercorn sauce. Though some bites were a little heavy on the pepper, I thoroughly enjoyed the mild heat of the sauce as it added depth to the game meat.

The sauce came in handy with the potatoes, which were just a little dry, and with the carrots and beans that came bound in an edible tie.

Though not the largest portion on the menu, I would definitely recommend giving the wild boar a try. Especially because it left just enough room for dessert.

tiramisu crepe drizzled with coffee dust and chocolate syrup

Gatsby’s has one of the most unique dessert menus that I have seen. There are three flambés, but after that, everything is crepes.

Two years ago, I reviewed Taste of Crepes in West Reading, the place that kindled my love of the French specialty. Gatsby’s reignited that love with its tiramisu crepe.

Filled with coffee mascarpone and topped with chocolate sauce and cocoa powder, heavenly is the only way to describe it. The crepe was light and airy, and the filling and toppings gave it that distinct tiramisu flavor. I loved it. And even though I was getting full, I had to finish every bite.

Tiramisu, along with strawberry mascarpone and chocolate raspberry, is one of three signature crepes. In addition, the restaurant offers a build-your-own option with 10 fillings and 10 toppings to choose from.

The total for my three courses was about $50, and around $200 for the three of us with tip.

two men and a woman pose for a photo inside a restaurant

When our meal was over, Isabel cornered Hunter and asked him for more information on the history of the Sunnybrook. He spoke about Pottstown’s heyday and how his grandparents used to spend their Friday nights in the ballroom.

Sunnybrook Ballroom may never be what it once was. But Gatsby’s may help bring the site into a new heyday.

It certainly earned high marks with me.

And it earned high marks from our Irish judge as well.

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Review: WOW Wagon

food truck with the words "Wow Wagon" on the side

One of my favorite events every year is the Garden Party at the Reading Hospital.

In addition to benefitting a great cause, the organizers always bring in some of the best in local eats. This year, they brought in some of the area’s best food trucks, including Gourmand, the Potato Coop, Scott’s Hot Spot and the Gilbertsville-based WOW Wagon.

Julie and I made our way through the sea of people, trying to decide where to go. The WOW Wagon was at the end of the row, and with no line, it was an easy choice for two people who were ready to eat.

white pizza topped with roasted red peppers and broccoli

I first tried the WOW Wagon a year ago at the VF Outlet Center Food Truck Festival. That day’s menu featured artisan pizzas, like the white pizza with broccoli, green peppers and sun-dried tomatoes that I got to enjoy.

But the menu is ever-changing, and at the Garden Party, there were no pizzas to be had.

Instead, they offered a six-item, limited menu that included an item called Pig Dippers that sounded too good to pass up.

deep fried bacon in pancake batter

The fair food-inspired treats featured candied maple bacon, rolled in funnel cake batter and deep-fried (topped with obligatory powdered sugar).

Pig Dippers are also sometimes referred to simply as cholesterol. Delicious cholesterol.

Biting into one is a truly unique taste experience. First, you have that familiar funnel cake flavor. Then you get the bacon, with strong maple overtones. It’s a sweet and savory explosion. Together, it was almost reminiscent of breakfast.

They came in orders of two. I thought when I finished that I would need something else to eat. I didn’t. I felt great after eating one. The second one was almost too much, too heavy (but I finished it anyway).

lobster roll atop a hot dog roll

Also on the menu during our visit was something completely different: lobster rolls.

The New England specialty was meaty and delicious. The roll was overstuffed with chunks of lobster meat and one lone slice of lettuce to add a bit of crunch.

It wasn’t quite like getting a fresh lobster roll in Maine, but it was darn good for Pennsylvania.

During the Garden Party, all purchases are made in tickets, but our total worked out to be around $20 (this did not include drinks, which had to be purchased from another stand).

The WOW Wagon definitely brought a wow factor to its items on this day.

I don’t know that my heart could take another order of Pig Dippers, but I will definitely keep an eye out for the WOW Wagon at future events.

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: N/A
Price: Reasonable

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prime rib on a dark blue plate with a cup of au jus and a side of steak fries
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Review: Giannotti’s Country Manor

round table with a blue umbrella on the patio of Giannotti's Country Manor

Two weeks ago we visited Giannotti’s Italian Kitchen in Robesonia. It was an alright meal, but we were certainly hoping for something better.

(Editor’s Note: Giannotti’s in Robesonia closed in 2017).

I always feel guilty about writing less-than-stellar reviews because that’s not why I write these blogs. I know that there are items on the menu that I would love, but I can only write about what I ate and the experience that I had.

On the same weekend that I visited my old hometown, I made a visit to another Giannotti family establishment: Giannotti’s Country Manor.

Giannotti’s Country Manor is just a short drive north of the city along Route 12, right next to Chatty’s, another restaurant that we’ve visited, and almost across the street from the original Muddy’s location.

pitcher and glass of iced tea

It was a beautiful Friday night so we decided to enjoy our meal out on the patio. The dining rooms were empty as it seemed everyone who came in either grabbed a seat at the bar or took their meal outside.

The traffic on Route 12 wasn’t too loud to bother us. The only time that we wished to be inside was when a guy pulled up in a bright yellow, 1930s-era pickup truck that was spitting exhaust across the patio.

One thing that’s clear right away is that Giannotti’s Country Manor is not an Italian restaurant. Sure there are a few pasta dishes and pizzas, but the menu highlighted their steaks and seafood.

basket of bread from Giannotti's Country Manor

While we waited for our meals, the first thing to arrive was our bread basket, a nice sized loaf of Italian bread. It was excellent. I always appreciate good bread before the meal, especially on a night when we were both extra hungry.

salad with a cup of ranch dressing

Both of our meals came with starter salads, but we could have easily done without them. A pair of cherry tomatoes, some croutons and a little bit of red onion were the only additions to the lettuce.

I had a hard time making a decision for my entree, but finally settled on Giannotti’s “often imitated, never duplicated” prime rib (which is only available Thursday through Sunday).

green plate with prime rib and a cup of au jus with a pink plate of steak fries and yellow dish of applesauce

The prime rib is available in two sizes – 16-ounce and the King size 24 ounce. I wasn’t feeling very regal so I stuck with the one-pounder.

It looked massive compared to the cup of au jus that shared the plate. It was also really moist, to the point where the plate was wet all around.

I sliced off my first piece and dipped it in the au jus, and have to say that it tasted better than it looked. It was on par with a good French dip sandwich. Not the best prime rib I have ever eaten, but solid.

My only problem was that there was just so much of it. Even without touching the fatty chunks, there was a half-pound of meat on the plate.

Plus all entrees come with two sides so I had a plate of steak fries and a cup of applesauce to get through as well. At this point the salad seemed completely unnecessary.

The steak fries were good, but nothing special. I’m guessing they’re not homemade, but I still made them disappear.

Normally I wouldn’t even mention applesauce when I get it, but I really enjoyed it here. It had a sweeter, almost caramel flavor to it that was better than the typical side.

lobster tail split in half with steak fries

While I went turf with my dinner, Julie went surf with hers, ordering the 8-ounce lobster tail, the smallest of the three sizes available.

Julie reminded me that she had lobster on the beach in Malibu once. This wasn’t the same, but she enjoyed it for what it was: a seafood dish served in the hills of Berks County.

Neither of us had any thoughts of dessert when we were finished. We were more concerned with divvying out what we were taking home with us.

The bill for the day came in at around $50 for the two of us (the lobster is market price so it could be more or less on any given day).

Giannotti’s Country Manor had its share of really good and okay items. That’s to be expected at a restaurant that has such a large menu.

The trick is to find something you enjoy. Because the only thing that matters is whether you enjoyed it.

BCE Rating
Food: Fair
Service: Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: Reasonable

Giannotti’s Country Manor
3118 Pricetown Road
Fleetwood, PA 19522

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