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Review: Yellow House Hotel

Green sign hanging from a metal pole with yellow letters that read "Yellow House Hotel Inn & Restaurant" and "1801" with a pineapple

In August 2014, we made our first trip to Emily’s. We’ve been there twice more since then and never had a bad meal.

So when we had a chance to visit Emily’s sister restaurant, the Yellow House Hotel, we had high expectations.

Yellow House is a small village at the crossroads of Routes 562 (Boyertown Pike) and 662 just north of Douglassville. The hotel came first, built in 1801, and the community took its name from the distinctive yellow building.

menu cover with a drawing of a wooden sign that reads "Yellow House Hotel Bed and Breakfast since 1801"

The Yellow House Hotel doesn’t look very yellow anymore. In the fading afternoon sun, it looked cream or off-white. A painting inside the door showed the building with a more vibrant coat of paint.

Inside our dining room (there were at least three distinct rooms), the 215-year-old hotel has a distinct 18th century feel. Two large crystal chandeliers hung above the tables. Gold-framed mirrors hung on the white walls. And every table had a candle burning beneath a small beaded shade.

While the sun was still shining, the room was brightened by the light coming through the front windows. By the time dinner arrived, the sun had begun to fade, and the room held a more dim glow.

As we looked over the menu, both Julie and I were eyeing up the barbecued spare ribs. Lucky for us, Yellow House Hotel offers a rib sampler for an appetizer.

long white plate with a half rack of ribs slathered in sauce with a handful of sweet potato fries

The rack had six perfectly sized, fall-off-the-bone spare ribs glazed in a tangy barbecue sauce. Like the entree, the ribs were served with a side of sweet potato fries. I’m not sure how much more food comes with an entree, but if this were dinner, I would have left satisfied.

salad topped with ranch dressing and croutons

After our ribs, we still had a starter salad to bridge the gap until our dinner arrived. It was a basic salad, though it was lacking onions, my favorite part of any starter salad.

basket with two dinner rolls and two bran muffins

While we were enjoying our starters, our waiter dropped off a basket with two rolls and two fresh muffins. The rolls were exceptionally soft, and the spiced miniature muffins were excellent.

Choosing an entree wasn’t easy. Yellow House had a robust menu with a lot of delicious-sounding options. In the end, I couldn’t resist the sound of the prime pork tenderloin.

pork tenderloin atop a bed of wild rice topped with mango chutney

The pork was coated in jerk seasoning and served with mango chutney over a bed of rice pilaf.

The jerk seasoning was what sold me on the pork, and I wasn’t disappointed. The meat was tender with a flavorful crust of seasoned salt and spices.

I loved the pork, but the pilaf was a little boring until mixed with the mango chutney. Mango makes everything better, and the soft bites made for sweet flavor bursts.

A side of snap peas, the vegetable of the day, was also on the plate. There wasn’t much to them, but I really didn’t need much after the ribs and the pork.

The restaurant had two entree specials for the weekend, including the brie, asparagus and fig stuffed chicken.

stuffed chicken atop a bed of mashed potatoes with snap peas in a cream sauce

Served atop a bed of whipped potatoes (Julie’s choice of side), the plate was covered in spring onion cream sauce. The chicken was good, but it was the sauce that made this dish so enjoyable. It blended so well with everything on the plate, especially the sweet filling.

We would have loved to have tried to dessert (we heard our waiter run off the list to the table next to us, and everything sounded amazing), but we both were stuffed after finishing our plates.

Our total for the evening was $55, right in line with what we spent for our meal at Emily’s two years ago.

We had certain expectations going in to our meal at Yellow House Hotel, and we were not disappointed. The hotel has a different vibe than its sister restaurant — it felt a little older without the added ambiance of additional creekside outdoor seating.

But the food was everything that we had hoped it would be. And that’s what really matters.

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

Yellow House Hotel
6743 Boyertown Pk
Douglassville, PA 19518

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Back Forty Bar & Grill – CLOSED

sign hanging from a lamp post that reads "Back Forty Bar & Grill"

The Back Forty Bar & Grill is now closed. The restaurant closed for ‘vacation’ in the summer of 2017, but never reopened.

The year 2014 was a tough one for diners in western Berks County. Both of Stouchsburg’s two restaurants, Risser’s Family Restaurant and the Black Dog Cafe, shut their doors for good.

It took more than a year, but both locations are once again thriving. Risser’s is now the Blue Star Family Restaurant. (Editor’s Note: Blue Star closed after the writing of this blog). And in August, 2015, the Black Dog was transformed into the Back Forty Bar & Grill.

While the Blue Star sits right along busy Route 422, Back Forty is located in the heart of the village of Stouchsburg. An oversized sign points passersby to the restaurant from the highway. It’s easy to find, but it can be a little challenging crossing Main Street to get to the restaurant and its parking lot.

metal pig made out of old painted license plates hanging on a wall

The place is divided in two, one room is the dining room, the other is the bar (with a few extra seats for overflow). Pigs and chickens are stenciled on to the multi-colored chairs around every table. A license plate sculpture depicts a pig on one of the walls.

All of these depictions are a reminder of the restaurant’s promise: to use locally sourced proteins whenever possible. That means farm-to-fork meats in many of Back Forty’s signature dishes.

bowl of chili topped with sour cream and shredded yellow and white cheddar

One of those dishes is the Back Forty Farmhouse Chili. The chili includes two meats: smoked pork and cubed steak, and it’s topped off with cheddar and sour cream.

It was a hearty chili, but not too spicy (the vegetarian Dragged through the Garden Chili was advertised as the hotter option). It was still a very enjoyable start to the meal.

plate with a slice of bread and a cup of whipped butter

Also enjoyable was the bread and house made garlic butter. Normally, I don’t talk about the bread and rolls at restaurants (and the bread, here was thicker and heavier than I would have cared for), but the garlic butter was just too good to ignore. It was packed with herbs, a little salt and plenty of garlic. And I loved it.

While I enjoyed my chili, Julie’s meal came with a house salad with “fresh spring greens, hand-picked garden vegetables and house made croutons.” The salad was good, but we both agreed that whatever ranch dressing they were using had a salty taste to it that we didn’t care for.

When it came time for the main courses, our waitress apologized to me. I had ordered the pappardelle pasta and asked to add chicken, but she had forgot to add the chicken to our order.

pappardelle pasta topped with thin sliced peppers and kale

The pappardelle can be served as a vegetarian dish, and that’s how mine started. The pasta was tossed in brown butter and sage with kale, green and yellow peppers, and yellow squash. It was very good, though the brown butter settled to the bottom of the bowl, not sticking very well to any of the ingredients.

three pieces of grilled chicken

My chicken appeared a short time later (I had more than half of my pasta left). It was coated in herbs and grilled perfectly. It had lots of flavor, but I felt like it didn’t blend as well with my pasta. Maybe it was because it hadn’t been tossed together; or maybe because both the pasta and the chicken were flavorful on their own. Either way, I enjoyed them more as two separate dishes.

Being St. Patrick’s Day weekend, all of the restaurant’s specials were take-offs on Irish dishes, like the smoked pulled pork and brisket shepherd’s pie that excited Julie.

bowl of shepherd's pie overflowing with mashd potatoes with a small piece of beer bread

This was one hearty meal. The bowl was overflowing with potatoes and gravy. It was packed with pork and brisket, with peas and carrots. But it was also very wet, soup-like at times thanks to a generous amount of gravy hiding beneath of the top layer of potatoes.

It was also hard to get used to the pulled pork and brisket. Eating them with gravy and mashed potatoes is very different than eating them with a sweet barbecue sauce, which is how we usually find both of those meats.

Neither of our meals left us with room for dessert, but we had a lot of family with us, and between the eight of us, we figured there were enough mouths to manage an order of the chocolate raspberry truffle tortes.

four small slices of chocolate layer cake topped with raspberry sauce with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

The tortes consisted of layers of chocolate cake, mousse and ganache, topped with raspberry puree and served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

It was a heavenly dessert. All of the chocolate layers were incredible, especially the ganache. The raspberry was highly concentrated and gave a jolt of sweetness. It really did taste like you were biting into a rich chocolate truffle.

Everyone was in agreement that this was the best part of the meal.

The dessert was $9, but as the waitress said, “you get what you pay for.” The rest of our meal — two entrees and a cup of chili — was around $40.

While we ate, all of the tables in the dining room filled up around us. It’s clear that Back Forty has already become a very popular place in the seven months since it opened.

Stouchsburg has its two restaurants back, and it looks like that’s how it’s going to stay.

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Pretzel Revolution and Creamery – CLOSED

window with a logo in the glass showing a pretzel and ice cream cone

Editor’s Note: Pretzel Revolution & Creamery closed on December 31, 2016.

Last fall, when Berks County Eats visited Blind Hartman’s Tavern, a new sign was going up across the street, announcing the arrival of Pretzel Revolution and Creamery to Route 12 just north of Reading.

It was exciting news. Years ago, long before Berks County Eats came into existence, I made a couple visits to the original Pretzel Revolution in Kutztown and fell in love with the savory, greasy stuffed pretzels.

Though the new location serves the same recipe pretzels, it is serving a very different clientele. The Kutztown location is open until 3 a.m. three nights a week. On Route 12, it closes at 8 p.m. daily.

hand-painted mural of pretzels interlocking inside Pretzel Revolution

On our visit, the main dining room, with three booths along the wall, was empty. But the private room behind the counter was packed with a Brownies troop and their moms.

Bringing in ice cream and making it a family-friendly experience was the right move for a location that doesn’t have 9,000 college students in its backyard.

If you’re looking for a meal, Pretzel Revolution has seven flavors of stuffed pretzels to fill you up: Buffalo chicken, chicken bacon ranch, ham and cheese, Italian, pizza, pretzel, and steak and cheese. There are also traditional pretzels (though even these come in six varieties, like garlic, sesame or banana Nutella cinnamon). French fries stand as the only hot food item that isn’t a pretzel.

Julie and I both opted for a stuffed pretzel and fries combo meal. I went with a pizza pretzel; she opted for a steak and cheese.

stuffed pretzel, cut in half, to show mozzarella cheese and pepperoni

The pizza pretzel is stuffed with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. The pretzels are wrapped so that they have one layer of dough on the bottom and two on the top.

If I had sliced the top off, you would have never known that it was a pretzel and not a pizza. It was a little too saucy, but the pretzel was so good that it made up for it.

stuffed pretzel cut in half to show cheesesteak filling

Mine was good, but I was envious of Julie’s steak and cheese pretzel. It was packed with steak meat and just a little cheese. It worked really well with the pretzel, especially the salt on top.

order of fries sitting on top of aluminum foil

The fries arrived a few minutes into our meal, piping hot after their bath in the fryer. The thick, fresh-cut beauties were delicious, though Julie and I probably would have been fine sharing a single order with as filling as the pretzels were.

It is called Pretzel Revolution and Creamery, so we couldn’t leave without dessert.

This is the only place in Berks County, that I know of, that is serving Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream. And Pretzel Revolution has two freezers full of the famous frozen dessert.

cone of orange vanilla ice cream

My choice was the orange vanilla sundae, orange sherbet swirled with vanilla ice cream. On an 80-degree day that felt more like summer than mid-March, it was a refreshing, summery treat.

cone of chocolate and marshmallow ice cream

Julie, meanwhile, was enjoying a scoop of mallo cup, a chocolatey treat with marshmallow and coconut shavings. I’m not much for coconut, but I would have eaten all of her ice cream if she had let me.

Two pretzels, two orders of fries, two fountain sodas and two ice cream cones later, and we were as stuffed as the pretzels. And all of that food only cost us a little more than $25.

Pretzel Revolution and Creamery takes the brand in a new direction, and that’s not a bad thing. The franchise location stands on its own as a kid-approved, family-friendly place to grab lunch or dinner.

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Sofrito Mohnton – CLOSED

sofrito-mohnton-sign

Editor’s Note: Sofrito Mohnton and the original Sofrito in Reading are both closed. The Mohnton space is now home to Casa Cortes Mexican Grill.

Two years ago, I visited the ill-fated Maniaci’s Italian Bistro.

The restaurant had gained fame after appearing on Restaurant: Impossible in 2013. But one year later, just a few short weeks after my visit, Maniaci’s closed for good.

My review of Maniaci’s is the most-read review in the history of Berks County Eats, continuing to receive hits every day.

While Maniaci’s was buzzworthy for all the wrong reasons, a new restaurant has taken over the space and created a buzz all its own.

Sofrito Mohnton opened in the spot in February. The restaurant is the second location for the Chef Hector Ruiz, who runs Sofrito Gastro Pub on Douglass Street in Reading.

East Wyomissing Avenue is a long way from Douglass Street, but the new location tries its best to capture the vibe of the original.

sofrito-mohnton-1
IMG_3433

The walls have been painted in a bright reddish-pink, replacing the dull grays and greens. The shelves are more sparsely populated with just a handful of stylized martini glasses replacing the potted plants and herb jars that Chef Robert Irvine had decorated Maniaci’s with.

sofrito-mohnton-3
IMG_3435

It’s a more polished look than the eclectic Douglass Street location, but while it falls a little short on ambiance, the menu includes all of the Sofrito’s favorites plus a few items you’ll only find in Mohnton.

One of the carry-overs is the Centre Park Urban Salad, a spring mix with tomatoes, purple onions, Spanish olives and roasted red peppers with a rosemary garlic and brown sugar vinaigrette.

sofrito-mohnton-urban-salad

The Urban Salad is my favorite starter at Sofrito. I usually prefer creamy dressings, but I love the sweetness that comes through from the brown sugar in the vinaigrette. Onions were scant, and I would have liked to have seen a few more of those, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Among the additions to the menu is the picadillo stuffed poblano pepper.

sofrito-mohnton-stuffed-poblano-pepper

The pepper was stuffed with ground beef, potatoes, onions and cheese with ranchera sauce, cotija cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top.

Poblanos are mild peppers, but it had a little bit of a kick on the back end. The pepper wasn’t stuffed evenly so some bites had more ground beef, others more potato. Eventually, I just mixed everything on my plate including the rice and beans.

The yellow rice and black beans are another hallmark of Sofrito. The addition of vegetables like celery, carrots and onions add more depth and color and ensure the rice and beans are not just an afterthought.

sofrito-mohnton-crabcake-sandwich

Another carry-over to the new restaurant is the plantain-encrusted crab cake sandwich. Though we have visited the original Sofrito multiple times, Julie had never tried the crab cake until our meal in Mohnton.

The fried plantains provided a nice change from a traditional crab cake, giving it a little sweeter crust. The cake was also meaty with very little filler, making it rich and filling. The ciabatta bread that it was served on held up well, but the crab cake fell apart easily so it was hard to eat as an actual sandwich.

Finally there are the fresh-cut fries. A must-have accompaniment for any meal at Sofrito, the fries are among the best in Berks. And Sofrito Mohnton has the same slightly crispy, golden brown treats as the original.

Like the original, the prices at Sofrito Mohnton are very reasonable. We spent just shy of $25 for the two of us (including one iced tea).

Sofrito Mohnton is a worthy second act for the celebrated Reading restaurant. Just as importantly, it’s a great addition to the dining scene south of the city.

And for a location that has an infamous history, it’s a restaurant poised to create a positive future.

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Review: Old San Juan Cafe

mural with a Puerto Rican flag and an island scene on the wall of Old San Juan Cafe in Reading

Reading is a constantly changing city.

Abandoned factories tell the story of the once-thriving industrial era. Bumpy crossings serve as reminders of the days when railroads were king. And we’re just a generation removed from when Reading was the outlet capital of the world.

The brand names are gone, but the Outlet District continues to evolve, with small independent stores and restaurants to cater to locals, not out-of-state bus trips.

And among the empty buildings are thriving businesses, like the Old San Juan Cafe.

Old San Juan Cafe is located along North Ninth Street in the heart of the Outlet District. There is no off-street parking for the Cafe, so we grabbed a space across the street under the shadow of one of the old outlet buildings. Signs for long-forgotten stores like the Designer Bags Outlet and Cape Craftsmen still adorn the abandoned building.

Another sign advertised, “TOP OF THE ROC, An American Dining House.”

awning above a doorway with a photo of food and words that read "Old San Juan Cafe"

Though the outlet is silent, the street still bustles with activity, highlighted by the seemingly endless stream of customers coming and going through Old San Juan.

Neither Julie nor I had any idea what to expect going into Old San Juan for the first time. The interior was bright, with simple, but beautiful murals covering the walls.

mural inside Old San Juan Cafe depicting a rural scene with a blue house in the middle of a field

They depicted scenes from Puerto Rico — one side the vibrant beaches, the other a small hut in rural farmland.

In front of us was the order counter, where a steady line had developed and would remain throughout our dinner.

food on a warming table inside Old San Juan Cafe

Steam plates behind the counter were filled with delicious looking goods. Our biggest concern was a potential language barrier, with us not knowing what we were looking at on the other side of the glass.

We were thankful that the woman behind the counter not only spoke English, but was patient enough with us to give us the full rundown of everything available, from the tripe to the sonocho to beef stew.

food on a warming table inside Old San Juan Cafe

The two of us each picked out an entree and paid at the register before grabbing a table. I think we were both surprised to find so much seating inside the narrow building, ample room to have housed everyone who came in for takeout during our brief stay.

I have eaten at a number of Latin American restaurants for Berks County Eats, but never one that exclusively serves Puerto Rican dishes and was excited to try my roast pork (pernil).

roast pork with white rice from Old San Juan Cafe

When we were at the counter, there was only a sliver of pork left so the woman who was helping us went back and grabbed a fresh batch from the kitchen. It was outstanding.

The meat was so tender, slow-cooked to fall off the bone (most of the meats appeared to be bone-in). It was hard to pinpoint exactly what made it so good. There was no sauce, and no one flavor that stood out. It seemed so simple, but it was among the best pork that I have tried.

All of the entrees are served with a side of rice and beans. The white rice is placed on the plate with the entree while the beans were served in a cup on the side.

beans in a cup from Old San Juan Cafe

I was surprised to find that potatoes are featured in Puerto Rican style beans. The small cubes had been sitting in the sauce for so long that they now looked like sweet potatoes, taking on the same orange hue as the sauce.

Mixed together with the rice, it was an excellent side. It wasn’t spicy as far as heat, but there was enough spices mixed in to give it a great flavor.

stewed chicken with white rice from Old San Juan Cafe

Julie opted for one of the saucier entrees, the stewed chicken. The juice had soaked through the chicken skin to the bone, ensuring flavorful and tender bites throughout.

She had a thigh and a leg and cleaned the meat off of both, savoring every bite.

In addition to the meat and sides, our meals were served with a choice of salad. For me, it was a simple lettuce and tomato.

cup of potato salad from Old San Juan Cafe

For Julie, it was potato salad, one of the best that she has ever tried. It was extra creamy, with a flavorful potato (not a simple baking potato) as the base. She also enjoyed the addition of the green peppers to the mix, something she’s never found in any other potato salad.

plate with plantains from Old San Juan Cafe in Reading, Pa

Though we really didn’t need any more food, both of us have a weakness for plantains so we got a small plate with five pieces of the fried fruit. Though they would have made a nice end to the meal, neither of us could wait to eat them so they were gone long before the rest of our food.

While we both finished off our meats, we ended up taking home quite a bit of rice and beans, as well as about half of her cup of potato salad.

One of the great things about a place like Old San Juan is that not having waiters and waitresses allows them to charge lower prices. Our total dinner bill was less than $20.

This trip was the first time that Julie had been to the Outlet District since she was a child, when her grandmother used to take her on shopping trips. It brought back a flood of memories for her.

sign that reads "Bienvenidos Old San Juan Cafe" with an image of a coqui on a leaf painted to look like the flag of Puerto Rico

Future memories in the neighborhood won’t be made in large shopping centers. They’ll be made in little places like Old San Juan Cafe.

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

Old San Juan Cafe
808 N. 9th St
Reading, PA 19604

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It’s Just Barbecue (The Pink Pig) – CLOSED

a wooden sign with handpainted letters reads "BBQ Open"

Editor’s Note: It’s Just Barbecue is now closed. The restaurant’s last day of business was September 29, 2019. The family announced in a Facebook post that they are stepping away after 12 years in business. A new business, Brothers’ Barbecue, operates in the space.

For the last two years, I’ve been teased with tastes of It’s Just Barbecue and the restaurant’s signature sauces.

We’ve sampled their pulled pork at Iron Chef competitions at Wilson and Hamburg (including the 2015 event where pit master Jeff Stumpf competed in the live cook-off). Every time, we say that we need to try it.

So finally, on an unseasonably warm Saturday, we decided to make the drive north on Route 61, a few miles over the county line to Deer Lake for the full experience.

There’s nothing fancy about the place. If not for the bright pink pig-shaped smoker out front, the restaurant is nearly invisible, set on the back side of the building facing away from traffic.

a smoker in the shape of a pink pig sits along Route 61 in Orwigsburg

The pig is so recognizable that most people know the restaurant as the Pink Pig.

Inside, it’s much of the same. Pigs of varying shapes and sizes can be found wherever there is a ledge. Trophies from their barbecue competitions and the Hamburg Iron Chef fill in the bare spots.

After ordering at the counter, most people take their meals to go because the dining room consists of just six wooden picnic tables.

several pig collectibles sit on a counter along with two trophies at the Pink Pig

While a steady stream of customers poured in while we were there, we were the first (and for a long time, only) ones to grab a table and enjoy our meal in the restaurant.

The menu doesn’t offer much in the way of variety — it fits on a tri-folded sheet of ordinary paper — but what It’s Just Barbecue lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

What I really wanted to try was their ribs, but they were already sold out for the day (like any great barbecue restaurant, the meats are slow-cooked for hours in the smoker so when an item is gone, it’s gone).

tray with a a boat of beef brisket, a cup of cinnamon apples, a cup of baked beans, and a small cup of barbecue sauce

Thankfully everything else was still available so I went with a beef brisket platter with baked beans and cinnamon apples on the side.

The brisket is simply outstanding. Though it was pulled apart, you could still see the distinct pink smoke rings, a sign of well-prepared barbecue. And from the first time my fork touched it, the meat fell apart.

Even without the sauce, the meat was juicy and flavorful. The tables all had a bottle of the original house barbecue sauce (which I found to be too sweet for my tastes), I doused my brisket in a full cup of hot and sweet sauce that had just the right amount of after-burn.

The baked beans, like those at any good barbecue joint, are cooked with a little bit of leftover meat. There was just a little bit of pulled pork in mine, and I found myself wanting a little bit more.

The cinnamon apples were also very good, so much so that I was scraping the bottom for the extra syrup that remained when the apples were gone.

tray with a styrofoam container with a smoked chicken sandwich and a bowl of chili topped with shredded cheddar

Julie’s meal was a little bit lighter than my own. She went with a smoked chicken breast sandwich and a side order of chili.

The chicken, like the brisket, was delicious on its own. It really captured the flavor from the smoker. After pouring on some honey barbecue sauce and closing the bun, it made for an excellent sandwich.

Her chili was a little lacking so she added some of that same honey barbecue sauce to it to give it a little more flavor. I would have probably done the same thing with the hot and sweet sauce if I had ordered the chili; it just needed a little something more.

But it’s hard to complain when the barbecue was as perfect as you will find. The price was great too, with our two meals (plus a couple bottles of iced tea) coming in at just over $25.

It’s Just Barbecue is worth the drive for any lover of smoked meats.

It’s a restaurant that truly lives up to its name.

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Review: Dans at Green Hills

black leather menu cover with gold colored text reading "Dans at Green Hills"

For all the wonderful restaurants that Berks County offers, there are very few that can be called “fine dining.”

Sure, there are places that offer higher cuisine than others, but fine dining is more than steak entrees or table linens.

It’s a true experience that encompasses the menu, the atmosphere and the service. One restaurant that has earned a reputation for its fine dining is Dans at Green Hills.

Dans (there is no apostrophe) began in 1989 as one of the city’s only fine dining establishments, serving patrons from the small cellarette at the east end of Penn Street.

A new ownership group took over in 2006, and in 2012, they purchased the Green Hills Inn along Route 10 south of the city, creating the new Dans at Green Hills inside the 200-year-old building.

historic-looking dining area with a fireplace, round tables covered in white tablecloths, and wooden chairs at Dans at Green Hills

Like many restaurants in historic buildings, the dining area is spread across multiple rooms. The walls in ours had a hint of green in the soft light. Flames crackled in the stone fireplace, giving off some much-needed warmth on a cold January evening.

The tables were draped in white linen with black napkins and preset with wine glasses at every setting (the wine and mixed drink list is extensive, and many diners arrived with drinks in hand, having stopped at the bar on their way in).

white plate with floral design and a small piece of crostini

Our meal started with a little taste, compliments of the chef. Julie and I were each brought a tiny crostini topped with sharp cheddar, basil pesto and walnut.

It seemed so simple, but the two bites that mine lasted were incredible. The cheddar was spread thin like butter and was perfectly sharp. The pesto had that nice sweet basil flavor, and the walnut was just the right flavor and texture to top it off. It was a great little tease for what was to come.

bowl of potato soup topped with leeks and croutons

We both started our meals with a bowl of soup. I opted for the daily special, a potato and leek soup garnished with bacon, pesto and croutons. This is how potato soup should always be. It was thick and creamy with an undertone of sweet and salty.

bowl of sweet potato soup with a dollop of cream on top

Julie, meanwhile, was enjoying the sweet potato soup. With a dollop of whipped cream in the middle and add-ins like apples, pretzel dust and sunflower seeds, it was both familiar and unexpected, but wholly delicious. Sweeter than most soups, but not too sweet that you would confuse it with dessert.

Our options for entrees were equally exciting: steaks, filets, duck breasts, scallops — all of the dishes typically associated with fine dining.

I had a hard time deciding, but the description of the New York strip steak had the magic words, “truffle butter.”

New York strip steak on a bed of potatoes and broccoli rabe, topped with truffle butter

For me, there is nothing better than a perfectly prepared steak with a smattering of rich truffle butter. Mixed with the creamy, sweet and earthy concoction, the steak just melted away. Every bite was savory and smooth.

The steak was served atop a bed of rutabaga Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and broccoli rabe with a balsamic glaze that seemed like enough food for a meal of its own. The potato and rutabaga mixture was superb. Yukon Gold potatoes are naturally sweeter and the rutabagas add a rich flavor of their own. This was counter-balanced perfectly by the more bitter broccoli rabe.

A good rack of lamb was too tempting for Julie to pass up. The Dijon-encrusted ribs were served on a bed of autumn ratatouille with rosemary reduction.

rack of lamb atop a bed of cubed potatoes with a side of green beans

Dijon is not one of my favorite flavors, but it works really well with the fatty lamb. The rosemary reduction also helped cut through the distinct mustard flavor, creating a meal that hit on several flavor notes.

The autumn ratatouille was also delightful, consisting of several types of squash with potatoes and tomatoes. It just tasted fresh, with the natural flavors all shining above the sauce.

At this point, neither of us had room for dessert, but we decided to force it anyway. And instead of sharing (which would have been the sensible thing), we each got our own treat to end the meal.

cup of bread pudding topped with berries and vanilla ice cream

Julie really wanted to try the chocolate bread pudding. Bread pudding can be rich on its own, but this was even richer with chunks of Godiva dark chocolate and a dollop of caramel ice cream on top. It was a dessert both heavenly and sinful.

cup of apple crisp topped with ice cream and drizzled with caramel

I had my heart set on the warm apple crisp topped with caramel ice cream. The base was mixed with granola for more crunch (and granola makes it healthy, right?). I found the sauce with the apples was almost too sweet, and I had to use the ice cream to help cut through it. I still managed to clear my plate, however.

Three courses as Dans is a great way to celebrate a special occasion. We were celebrating Julie’s birthday so we had no problem splurging. But with a price tag that came to nearly $150 (that includes the tip for our attentive server who was never far away), we probably won’t be going back until we have another milestone to celebrate.

Dans at Green Hills lived up to its title as a fine dining restaurant. We enjoyed one of the best meals we have had in more than 100 stops around Berks County.

The food, the service, the ambiance. It was everything a fine dining restaurant is supposed to be.

BCE Rating
Food: Excellent
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Excellent
Price: A Little Pricey

Dans at Green Hills
2444 Morgantown Rd
Reading, PA 19607

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Haag’s Hotel – CLOSED

Open sign hangs in front of a second sign that reads "Haag's Open Daily Bar Food"

Editor’s Note: Haag’s Hotel closed in December 2017. The space has not had a restaurant since.

If you don’t live in northwestern Berks County, you may not think of Shartlesville as much of a destination.

But between the miniature village at Roadside America and the demolition derbies and rodeos at Mountain Springs Arena, thousands of people visit the village every year.

For many of those passing through, it means a meal at one of Berks County’s oldest restaurants: Haag’s Hotel.

The business, which has operated in its current building since 1915, is located in the middle of the village at the corner of Main (Old Route 22) and Third Streets. If you’re coming from the south along Wolf Creek Rd, you can’t miss the twin hex signs and “HAAG’S” scrawled across the roof.

Haag’s property is extensive, and includes seven hotel rooms, a large banquet hall, full dining room and a separate bar. It also includes a collection of at least 200 ducks.

diorama of ducks on a pond in front of a painted background

The ducks are everywhere. Stuffed. Wooden. Plastic. Rubber. From the moment you walk through the door, you can’t escape them. They’re on the wall. They’re on the window sills. There are even wicker napkin holders shaped like ducks on every table.

At one end of the room is the duck pond, a great mural of a mountain stream at twilight. In front of it is a waterfall, flanked by a flock of ducks (plus a mother goose with gosling and a rubber frog) perched on the rocks.

Oddly enough, there are no ducks on the menu.

Instead, Haag’s offers “classic dishes to satisfy the hardiest appetite,” according to its menu, which features Pennsylvania Dutch-inspired dishes and American comfort food.

That Pennsylvania Dutch influence is found in unexpected places. The pierogis are one example.

fried pierogis with a cup of butter for dipping

While most pierogis are filled with mashed potatoes and cheese, I have never before found some that are filled with Dutch potato filling.

The two main ingredients in potato filling are mashed potatoes and onions, and with the addition of some cheddar cheese, the result was not that far off from a traditional pierogi. I double- and triple-dipped mine into the garlic sauce of garlic butter on the side.

The pierogis would have been better if they had just spent another 30 seconds in the fryer. The filling in the middle was still a little cold, especially the cheese. But the flavor was spot-on.

I struggled to select a main course until my eyes found the Haag’s Dutch Burger. Less a sandwich and more of a monster, the Dutch burger consists of a meatloaf patty that is surrounded in potato filling, then breaded and deep-fried.

burger deep fried inside dough with a side of fries

You’d be hard-pressed to find anything more Dutchy than a deep-fried ball of meat and potatoes. Somehow I was able to pick up this creation and eat it as a burger, ladling more gravy on with every bite.

It was a lot heavier than I expected, “hardy” as Haag’s would describe it. I really enjoyed the filling, but the meatloaf was lost inside of it. I could have pulled it apart and ate it like a meal, but then I may as well have ordered it as a platter.

With my Dutch burger, I got two sides: French fries and dried corn. The fries were good, but like our pierogis, they could have used a little more time in the fryer. Another minute would have crisped them up nicely. Instead, they were still flavorful, but a little floppy.

The dried corn was not at all what I was expecting. Dried corn normally has a sweet flavor that is amazing when baked. This dried corn was bathed in vinegar. Maybe some old Dutchies like it sour, but I was not a fan.

two pieces of fried chicken with noodles and corn in sauce

Julie’s entree was the ultimate in American comfort food: fried chicken. Haag’s version features a “secret blend of breading” that was heavy on the pepper, but quite enjoyable.

On the side, Julie also got the dried corn (and had the same reaction as me) and chicken pot pie. The pot pie was done in true Dutch style with chunks of potatoes and dough (plus a little celery and carrots) mixed in with the chicken. It can’t compare to a good pot pie dinner from your local fire company or church, but it was a nice side dish.

The two of us managed to finish off a lot of food for just a little more than $25. Haag’s initially gained fame for its family-style dining, which is still offered for $18 per person, if you and your party can agree on three entrees to share.

Haag’s has a long and storied history that dates back more than a century. The menu may have been updated since 1915 (and a few more ducks have been added to the dining room), but it still provides familiar meals to those living in and traveling through Shartlesville.

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Blue Star Family Restaurant – CLOSED

menu cover for Blue Star Family Restaurant

Editor’s Note: Blue Star Family Restaurant is now closed. The dining car from the restaurant has been moved to a campground near Williamsport, PA.

We never went out to eat a lot when I was a kid. But when we did, it was usually to Risser’s Family Restaurant in Stouchsburg.

It was always a favorite, a good diner with plenty of food at reasonable prices. And I absolutely loved their Pennsylvania Dutch specials.

When Risser’s closed in the wake of owner Ernie Risser’s death, it left much of western Berks and eastern Lebanon Counties looking for a place to go.

But the restaurant was reborn in late 2015, and the new Blue Star Family Restaurant is trying to create its own loyal following.

The restaurant’s name harkens back to the 1950s when the Blue Star Diner first opened in the spot, decades before Ernie Risser took it over. More than the name has changed, though, as the restaurant has undergone a significant overhaul under the new ownership.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the wall mural that canvasses one side of the dining room. The images of Pennsylvania Dutchmen and Dutchwomen, horses and buggies is as vibrant as ever, though a row of booths have been added where the dining room was once all tables.

The mural seems out-of-place now. The menu is no longer filled with Pennsylvania Dutch favorites (it’s unlikely that you’ll find stuffed pig stomach on the specials either). And the wall-mounted televisions are in stark contrast to the depictions of simple farm life.

salad bar with greens and dressings

One of the highlights of the old Risser’s was the expansive soup and salad bar. The current version has been scaled back. Gone is the soft ice cream machine (yes, that was part of the soup and salad bar). Two soups are offered daily instead of six. And while the ever-popular hot bacon dressing is no longer on the salad bar, it is still available by request.

salad with ranch dressing and a cup of beef vegetables oup

I filled a bowl of beef vegetable soup and made a simple salad for the side. The soup was good, but a little too brothy with only a few small pieces of beef.

salad with ranch dressing

Julie grabbed a wider variety for her salad: mixed greens, bacon bits, hard-boiled egg, cheese and ranch dressing with applesauce and red skin potato salad on the side. The potato salad was the one thing that Julie could point to and say she didn’t enjoy as much as Risser’s. It was creamier than what the old restaurant served and not done in the Pennsylvania Dutch style.

Though the PA Dutch dinners are gone, the menu remains expansive with sandwiches, burgers, paninis, seafood entrees, comfort food dinners , pasta and a section of sautéed dishes.

chicken and spaghetti in a cream sauce with a piece of garlic bread

That’s where I found the chicken Milano: chicken breast with roasted peppers, artichoke hearts and spinach in lemon garlic wine sauce over pasta.

I’ve had similar dishes at other restaurants and this was as good as any of them. The sauce wasn’t thick, but it soaked into everything, especially the chicken, giving the whole dish a hint of citrus and the familiar taste of garlic.

Along with the salad bar, my dinner came with one side. My choices were a baked potato, mashed potatoes, French fries, sweet potato fries, potato pancakes, corn nuggets or mac and cheese. None of them really go with pasta (and quite frankly, the soup and salad bar was enough because I took more than one-quarter of my meal home). I just went with the baked potato because it was first on the list.

baked potato wrapped in foil with two plastic cups of whipped butter

Baked potatoes are not normally a go-to for me when dining out, and I was reminded why. The potatoes rely too much on add-ins for their flavor. I would have loved some chives and bacon. All I got was two little cups of butter and one cup of sour cream to spread on my foil-wrapped potato that was slightly undercooked. Next time I’ll try the fries.

open face roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes all covered in beef gravy

On the other side of the table, Julie was enjoying a tower of roast beef on her open-faced sandwich. Partnered with mashed potatoes and loaded with gravy, it looked like Risser’s (the fact that it was served on a plate from the old restaurant, with its distinctive brown trim, probably helped).

It was true diner food done really well. The thin slices of beef were good, the gravy was flavorful and filling. The only thing I could say negatively about it was that the “real mashed potatoes” seemed a little too much like everyone else’s. It lacked that special something you expect from homemade versions.

On this occasion, we were dining with Julie’s family, her mom, dad, aunt and uncle. The dish that got the most attention around the table was macaroni and cheese, ordered by both her mother and aunt.

mac and cheese with melted cheddar on top

The mac and cheese was a special for the day and was definitely homemade. The noodles were tossed in creamy white American then doused in a pile of bright yellow cheddar. Everyone who tasted it raved about it and said they would get it if it was available next time.

One thing I can say for certain is that we all got our money’s worth. Julie and I spent less than $25 for our two meals (plus an iced tea for me).

The Blue Star Family Restaurant is not Risser’s. It’s a new restaurant doing things its own way.

That’s not a bad thing. And judging by the full parking lot when we arrived and when we left, I’d say a lot of people agree.

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Review: Jumbo China Buffet – RENAMED

lettering above a strip mall restaurant reads "Jumbo China Buffet"

Editor’s Note: Jumbo China Buffet is now Regal Buffet. 

We all have our guilty pleasures in life. As a food blogger, my guilty pleasures revolve around meals that most food bloggers would be ashamed to eat.

One of my guilty pleasures is the Jumbo China Buffet along the 5th Street Highway near Fairgrounds Square Mall.

The buffet is the largest buffet of any kind in Berks County with 10 stations to navigate and what looks like enough seating for a few hundred people.

Buffets of any kind are hit or miss. If you go when it’s not busy, you risk food that sits for a while. So unlike a sit-down restaurant where the service should be better during off-peak hours, you want to visit a buffet at its busiest.

I went with a friend of mine on a Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, and it was definitely busy.

warming tables with noodles and chicken dishes at Jumbo China Buffet

Jumbo Buffet tries to be everything to everyone. In addition to the Asian staples, they offer a wide range of American comfort food. There’s a carving station with fresh-cooked sausage and ham. And plenty of hot bar items including fried chicken, pizza, and fries. I’ve never tried any of these items myself, but I always see people filling their plates with them.

in the back of the buffet area is the hibachi, where you can create your own stir-fry from a selection of seafood, meats, vegetables and lo mein.

I have a system when I go to Jumbo: three trips to the buffet, twice for dinner and once for dessert. And I always end up with similar plates from one trip to the next.

plate with yellow rice, broccoli and chicken from Jumbo China Buffet

Fried rice and chicken with broccoli are my two staples for the first plate. These are two items that are always done right when I go. The rice is always bright yellow and has just enough vegetables (a few peas and some onions) that I can convince myself that it’s good for me. Same with the chicken and broccoli. While it’s doused in a tasty soy sauce that has no nutritional value, it has white meat and vegetables so it can’t be all bad.

From there, I’ll build out with whatever looks interesting. On this trip, that was a pork dumpling and a little chicken in garlic sauce. The dumplings are always their best when they are first delivered. With no sauce to soak in, they don’t hold as well on the hot bar as other items. But when they’re fresh, they are delicious, especially with a little drizzle of ginger sauce to help them go down.

The chicken in garlic sauce is very much like the chicken and broccoli but with the addition of more vegetables (the occasional carrot or onion) and a stronger taste of garlic. And I can never have enough garlic.

plate with general's chicken, sweet and sour chicken, fried plantains and an egg roll from Jumbo China Buffet

Plate number two begins with the classic General Tso’s chicken. Jumbo’s version is a little hotter than others, but it’s not overbearing. There’s plenty of sweetness to help cut through the heat. And it’s always a popular item so you know it will be fresh every time.

Adding to my second plate, I opted for sweet and sour chicken, a vegetable egg roll and the very non-Chinese dish of fried plantains.

The sweet and sour chicken is always good, but not much different than any others you’ll find throughout the county. It’s the same lightly breaded, fried chicken pieces and the same red sauce. Similarly, the egg roll isn’t much different than anywhere else. Like the dumplings, it’s always better when it’s fresh out of the kitchen.

The plantains don’t fit with the rest of the meal, but I didn’t care. I love plantains and I’ll grab some off any buffet that has them.

cup of chocolate and vanilla soft serve with a banana in strawberry sauce

After two trips to the hot bar, I venture up for dessert. I tend to connect with my inner child when I go to Jumbo because dessert always includes soft serve ice cream. It’s always vanilla and chocolate mix for me.  I also found banana with strawberry syrup on the dessert bar so I added that to my plate. It’s not fancy, but I like bananas and I like strawberry syrup so I went for it.

sugary donut from Jumbo China Buffet

Dessert includes one last item, the guiltiest of pleasures, the fried donut. The fried piece of dough, rolled in sugar, is something I look forward to on every trip. These treats just melt in your mouth. I always make sure it’s the last thing I taste before I walk out the door.

The great thing about the buffet is that it’s quick and cheap. We were in and out of the restaurant in about a half-hour, spending $15 per person for a hefty meal.

It’s not glamorous or fancy, but Jumbo China Buffet will always be one of my favorites, even if I feel a little guilty about it.

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

Jumbo China Buffet
3252 N. 5th Street Hwy
Reading, PA 19605

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