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Sofrito Gastro Pub – CLOSED

Editor’s Note: Sofrito Gastro Pub is now closed. The restaurant and bar closed at the end of summer 2019.

America is a place that is defined by its neighborhoods.

Our country is nothing more than a string of communities that have been knitted together over time.

Friendships were forged in the neighborhood bars and restaurants. There was at least one in every town; sometimes, one on every corner. Long before Applebee’s usurped the name, a neighborhood bar and grill was the place that truly helped define a community.

The rise of housing developments and shopping centers helped lead to the decline of the traditional neighborhood. And today it seems like more friendships exist through social media than in our towns.

The one place where the word neighborhood still means something is in our cities, and Reading is no exception.

One of the most recognizable of the city’s neighborhoods is the Centre Park Historic District, a mix of Victorian mansions, quaint row homes and the beautiful open space for which the neighborhood takes its name: Centre Park.

The neighborhood is a true treasure for the city, one with a personality all to its own. And inside this neighborhood is a restaurant that perfectly complements its surroundings.

stucco building with a sign that reads "Sofrito Gastro Pub"

Sofrito Gastro Pub sits on the corner of Douglas and Thorn Streets, just a short walk west from Centre Park. The front of the building looks more like the adobe homes of the American southwest than the stone mansions of Centre Park.

Inside, the best way to describe Sofrito is eclectic chic. The barroom is adorned with beer signs and flat screens. To the left of our table was a large swine statue that read “Sofrito Pig Roast.”

Our table was pushed against a support pillar, and on the other side, the Bryan Betts Group was serenading patrons with their smooth jazz sounds.

When the weather’s warm, diners can take the party to the outside deck, where a large mural of city’s history adorns one of the large outer walls.

Sofrito’s menu is as eclectic as the atmosphere, drawing inspiration from across the Caribbean islands and Latin America, with a few American favorites thrown in.

close-up photo of french fries

We started with a half basket of fresh-cut fries (a steal at just $2.00), still glistening from their bath in the deep fryer.

close-up of salad greens and vegetables tossed in oil

My entree also came with my choice of starter salad. I opted for Sofrito’s original creation, the Centre Park Urban Salad, a spring mix with Spanish olives and red peppers tossed in a rosemary garlic and brown sugar vinaigrette (which I found also makes an excellent dipping sauce for the fries). It was a hefty salad to start, and before I could finish it, my main course was on the table.

plate with mofonogo, beans, rice, and chicharones

And for my main course, I chose mofongo al pilon. Mofongo is a Puerto Rican specialty of mashed plantains, in this case mixed with onions, garlic and cilantro and topped with chunks of fried pork and served with black beans and the brightest yellow rice I have ever seen.

The cilantro really came through in the mofongo, which was much heavier and more filling than I had expected. The pork was fried to a golden brown and was very good, though a couple pieces were a little too fatty for my taste. Overall though, it was excellent in both presentation and taste.

plate with quesadilla, beans, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa

My wife opted for the chicken mango quesadillas. The chicken had a nice char from the grill, which mixed well with the sweetness of the mango. Add in the locally made tortilla and gooey cheese, and it was an awesome dish, one that was big enough to also enjoy for lunch the next day.

Sofrito’s motto is “Tu sabes!” which, according to Google Translate, means “You know!” Judging by the full tables and bar stools, it’s safe to say that a lot of people know about Sofrito’s great food, unique atmosphere and reasonable prices (less than $25 for our meal).

It’s a true neighborhood gem, one that adds to the unique character of Reading’s Centre Park district. But more importantly, it’s a great place to enjoy a great meal.

Tu sabes!

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

Sofrito Gastro Pub
220 Douglass St
Reading, PA 19601

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Hong Thanh – MOVED

Editor’s Note: Hong Thanh has moved. The restaurant is now located at 22 N. 6th Street in downtown Reading and renamed Lang Restaurant. The former Hong Thanh is now home to Masa Hibachi & Sushi.

When you think of Berks County cuisine, what do you think of?

Many probably think of a bowl of chicken pot pie, a platter of schnitz und knepp or other Pennsylvania Dutch specialty.

Others may think of homemade pasta, a south-of-the-border recipe or barbecue chicken.

One thing I have learned since starting Berks County Eats is that we are blessed with amazing variety when it comes to dining options.

Still, if you asked me what I think of when I think of Berks County cuisine, a Vietnamese sauté probably would not have been very high on my list.

strip mall restaurant with a sign above the door that reads "Hong Thanh Contemporary Vietnamese Cuisine"

From the outside, Hong Thanh looks very much like many area Asian restaurants. Its location – a strip mall inside the Broadcasting Square Shopping Center in Spring Township – doesn’t allow for much of an exterior. A large silhouette of a mystical-looking woman adorns one of three tinted windows.

Past the large statue that stands guard inside the doors, the dining room opens up. A bright yellow booth seat runs the length of the far wall. Across the room, small tables for two are raised above the dining room.

The menus are small, but the items on them are varied. For those looking for the familiar, Hong Thanh offers a variety of lo mein, fried rice and beef, chicken and pork stir-fry.

steak stir fry with onions and a side salad

But my eye never made it past the first of the “specialties” items: sautéed onions, garlic and French butter. The dish comes with your choice of three meats, and though I consider myself to be an adventurous eater, I was not feeling adventurous enough to try the squid. Instead, I added the cubed filet mignon, and was glad I did.

The meat was extremely tender and had soaked up a lot of the flavor from the French butter sauce, which was sweet and a little salty from the addition of soy sauce, making the filet extra juicy as well. The dish is served with a cup of lime-based dipping sauce which worked with the flavors of the dish to create a sweet and sour dynamic that took it to another level.

Rather than serving as a bed for the meat, a scoop of white rice was served in a side bowl. Instead, the plate was filled out with the addition of a simple lettuce and tomato salad that went well with both the dipping sauce and the French butter.

curry stir fry

The other item I wanted to try was a lemongrass and curry stir-fry. Thankfully, that was the item that caught my wife’s attention. The stir-fry also included coconut, peanuts and choice of meat (in this case, pork) and was served with lo mein noodles.

The noodles were angel-hair thin and created a delicious tangled web atop the plate. The stir-fry itself was a sweet and spicy combination, with the curry coming through strong. The addition of the lemongrass also helped make this a little more authentic than the “Americanized” stir fries that feature broccoli and similar vegetables.

slice of apple pie with a cup of vanilla ginger ice cream

After our meals, we had just enough room for dessert, a slice of Vietnamese banana cake served with a small scoop of ginger ice cream.

The dessert was more pie than cake, with large chunks of bananas sandwiching a layer of thick cream, surrounded by a moist crust. The ginger ice cream, one of several homemade ice cream options, added some spice to go along with the sweet cake. The two pieces were enjoyable together, but could also stand individually.

For $45, we enjoyed a meal that went outside of our traditional comfort zone and forced us to experience new flavors.

Though Hong Thanh has only been at its current location since late 2012, the business has been serving Berks County for nearly 30 years, an eternity in the restaurant business.

Vietnamese cuisine will probably never become synonymous with Greater Reading, but Hong Thanh serves as a reminder that Berks County’s food scene is rich with diversity.

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Review: Chef Alan’s American Bistro – CLOSED

Entrance to restaurant with illuminated sign above that reads "Chef Alan's American Bistro" with a drawing of a palm tree

Editor’s Note: After 35 years in West Reading, Chef Alan’s closed in December 2022 with the retirement of Chef Alan Rutter. The space was then home to Legacy Cigar Lounge before that business closed in 2025.

Berks County has experienced an amazing culinary renaissance in recent years.

New restaurants have arrived, bringing new ideas to compliment the area’s old favorites.

Nowhere is that more evident than along Penn Avenue in West Reading.

The town’s main street has seen an incredible resurgence over the past decade as storefronts have filled up with boutiques, shops and, of course, restaurants.

But in order to build West Reading into what it has become, West Reading had to have anchors in place to build around.

Chef Alan’s American Bistro is one of those anchors.

For two-and-a-half decades, Chef Alan’s has helped anchor West Reading’s downtown. The business has gone through many changes during that time, including the opening (and subsequent closing) of a second location in the Fairgrounds Square Mall.

Even the West Reading location has gone through several changes in the past 25 years, most notably the loss of a large amount of banquet space, where I had attended numerous receptions and events over the years.

Somehow, though, I had never actually sat down to a full dinner in Chef Alan’s dining room.

The room is dimly lit, with single lamps hanging above each table. The lamp shades are the same deep shade of purple, part of Chef Alan’s odd color palette that includes yellow walls with purple window trim and purple napkins.

The unique colors echo the bistro’s unique menu. Like the town, it is a blend of old and new. There are standard items like chicken Parmigiana, build-your-own burgers and steaks and chops. But there are plenty of unique dishes as well, including the grilled salmon BALT (bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato) and eight individual pizza creations.

bowl of brothy Italian wedding soup

My meal began with an old favorite: Italian wedding soup. The tiny meatballs packed a lot of flavor and the chunks of chicken breast were a welcome addition. Though the broth was a little on the salty side, it was a very good cup of soup, just a teaser of things to come.

biscuit topped with chicken gravy, chicken breast meat, cliced carrots, peas and herbs

Chicken and biscuits is a dish you would see on a diner menu, not something you would expect from a chef, but this was unlike any chicken and biscuits I had before.

First, the presentation was beautiful, with peas, shredded carrots and parsley sprinkled atop two halves of a flaky biscuit and a perfectly seared chicken breast.

What looked like standard chicken gravy was a rich sauce. The addition of mushrooms to the sauce gives it a unique flavor, a creamy broth crossed with Marsala for a completely unique flavor combination.

small bowl with whipped mashed potatoes

Every element worked together to create a harmonious flavor. Add on a side of garlic mashed potatoes, which looked more like a bowl of soft ice cream, and it made up one of the best dishes I have tasted on my journey across Berks County.

open-faced sandwich with crabmeat on a plate with a side of fries

Across the table from me,  my wife enjoyed the crabby seawich-Chef Alan’s take on the classic crab cake sandwich served on wheat bread with cheddar cheese. The best part though, were the bistro fries, which we sprinkled with sea salt and the peppercorn medley that were available on the table.

plate with a slice of berry cake drizzled with raspberry syrup

Somehow we also managed to force dessert. After forcing our waitress to hold the dessert tray a little longer than we probably should have, we opted for a slice of lemon berry cake. The white cake was loaded with blueberries with a layer of lemon cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. Four dollops of whipped cream sat in the corners of the plate, which was drizzled with strawberry sauce.

The sauce was very sweet, which played well against the lemon cream. Together they made for an amazing dessert, one that we had no problem finishing after our big meals.

Top to bottom, my meal at Chef Alan’s was one of the best I have had since starting Berks County Eats. I did miss having a starter salad, but the addition of the $2 soup helped make up for it. In all, we spent about $35 for our meals and shared dessert.

After heading outside, I took a look down Penn Avenue – there are restaurants to the left, restaurants to the right and restaurants right across the street.

As West Reading’s reputation continues to grow and new restaurants continue to pop up, it’s good to know that Chef Alan’s will continue to be one of the cornerstones.

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

Chef Alan’s Restaurant and Bar
525 Penn Ave
West Reading, PA 19611

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Toscana 52 Pappa al Pomodoro
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Road Trip: Toscana 52

Berks County Eats crosses the county line to bring you some of the best dining both near and far. This edition takes us 70 miles east of Reading to Bensalem, PA.

There is no such thing as Italian cuisine.

Let me rephrase that. There is no one Italian cuisine.

The flavors of Italy are as varied as any other country. Rome, Venice, Naples and Milan all have their own foods, unique to their regions.

Most restaurants have adopted bits and pieces of each to create their menus—a little from the north, a hint of the south and a bit of the coasts thrown in—and call it Italian.

But at Toscana 52 in Bensalem, they’re taking a different approach, highlighting the cuisine of a different city each week with its 52 menu.

Bensalem, Pennsylvania is not exactly a foodie paradise. The redundantly named Street Road, the township’s main thoroughfare, is lined with chain restaurants and fast food joints.

But just a short drive north of the Turnpike is a unique eatery that doesn’t fit in with the rest.

The interior is rustic Italian, like so many other restaurants. A large family table sits in the middle of the rustic dining room, a wooden pergola offering a hint of privacy to those who put themselves on display.

But the food is what makes Toscana different. The main menu offers five unique Crudo, or raw, dishes, Italian-style sushi plates with tuna, shrimp, oysters, clams or crab meat. Favorites like spaghetti, rigatoni and gnocchi are joined with non-Italian toppings like chilled mango salsa and wasabi cream.

menu insert highlighting foods from Florence, Italy

Then there is the 52 menu, a weekly journey across the European continent. The menu features not only entrees, but appetizers and regional wines from the featured city. Featured cities include Chianti, Napoli (Naples) and Florence.

I don’t know how often menus repeat, but on both of my trips to Toscana (10 months apart), the weekly menu featured the food of Florence, Italy.

cup of tomato soup with chunks of Italian bread and herbs

My trip to Florence began with a cup of Papa al Pomodoro, a tomato soup thickened by chucks of Italian bread that are mixed in. The beautifully presented bowl, topped with diced onions and chopped basil, harkens back to old world tradition. Before the advent of packaged croutons, chunks of bread were often added to soups to add thickness and substance.

The soup itself is naturally sweet, and thin enough that the bread is not an unwelcome addition. The addition of the fresh herbs and onions adds more flavor to an already delicious dish.

plate of gnocchi topped with cream sauce and shaved paremsan

Then came the gnudi.

Gnudi is “nude ravioli,” essentially all the filling for ravioli lumped together into dumplings without the pasta casing. Ricotta, spinach and Parmigiano cheese were rolled together and topped with a butter-sage cream sauce.

The meal is very rich. Without the pasta to tone it down, all of the ingredients have a chance to come through. The sauce is thick and creamy, but the gnudi soaks it up and absorbs all that rich flavor.

It’s a truly special dish that I have yet to find on any other menu.

strawberries in a light custard

And of course, no meal is complete without dessert. A simple strawberries and cream was the perfect ending to the meal. Ripe strawberries smothered in a semi-tart cream balanced perfectly for an (almost) guilt-free dessert.

You could spend thousands of dollars to take a tour of the Old World, but I got to experience a three-course tour of Italy for about $30.

In some ways, Toscana is not much different than any other Italian restaurant: serving favorites from across Italy in a rustic dining room here in America.

But Toscana is different. And if you find yourself driving east through Bucks County, just know that  a tour of Italy is closer than you think.

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Photo Blog: Wilson Iron Chef 2014

Wilson Iron Chef

On April 6, 2014 the Wilson Education Foundation hosted its first Iron Chef competition in the gym at Wilson High School. The event, which saw chefs from three local restaurants compete in the Iron Chef battle, was a huge success. More than 500 hungry patrons came to watch the competition and sample items from more than 40 food industry vendors, including restaurants, caterers, bakeries, dairies and farms.

Sublime Cupcakes - Oreo Cupcake

At an event like this, I couldn’t help but start with dessert. Sublime Cupcakes in Wyomissing offered chocolate cupcakes with Oreo icing. This was, hands down, one of the best cupcakes I have ever tried. It was like a triple-stuffed Oreo, rich in chocolate and extra creamy.

Mexican Spicy Brownie - Well Dressed Cake

West Reading’s The Well Dressed Cake countered with a selection of brownies, including this Mexican Spiced Brownie. It was certainly chocolaty, but not nearly as a spicy as I was expecting, with just the faintest hint of chili peppers coming through.

Chocolate Cupcake Raspberry and Sugar Cookie - Sweet Addictions

Sweet Addictions Bake Shop in Reading also brought some tasty desserts, including a very sparkly sugar cookie and a chocolate cupcake with raspberry frosting. The cupcake was a delicious dark chocolate, but the icing provided only a hint of raspberry, not nearly as strong as the flavor in Sublime’s offering.

Sweet Ride Ice Cream 2
Tomato and Pepper Salad - Russo

Sweet Ride Ice Cream was another of the many dessert vendors at the event, serving four flavors out of their cart. The freezer was turned up a little too high, but once the ice cream softened a bit, the mint chocolate chip and vanilla scoops that I tried were good and creamy.

There were also plenty of appetizers to go around, including this tomato salad from Russo Market in Wyomissing. Chunks of mozzarella with sliced tomatoes, peppers and onions – my four favorite salad ingredients mixed together without that annoying lettuce.

Lobster Bisque - ViVa

Viva in Wyomissing brought along small shot-glass sized samples of its Lobster Bisque. Seafood is not my thing, but if you are a lobster lover, you would probably love this.

Sandwich - Mays

Mays Sandwich Shop in West Lawn brought along a few of its classic subs, including this ham and cheese.

Organic Beef - Meadow Mountain

Meadow Mountain Farm in Robesonia brought some of its organic, grass-feed beef meatballs. Unfortunately, the meatballs were cold, and the sauce didn’t do them any favors.

Pizza Filo with Cream - Paulos

Paolo’s on Lancaster Avenue brought along a main course and dessert. The pizza had cooled off and dried out by the time I got some, but was good enough to make me want to go and try a fresh slice.

Meatballs Sausage - Salinos

An abundance of Italian vendors included Salino’s, who offered both meatballs and Italian sausage in a very tasty marinara sauce.

Meatballs - Mamas

But the best of the bunch came from Mama’s Pizza in Sinking Spring and Wyomissing. Besides handing out half slices of some really good pizza, Mama’s served homemade meatballs in their marinara sauce. This was as good as any meatball I have tasted, completely unexpected from a strip mall pizza place.

Pulled Pork with Honey BBQ - Pink Pig

Another highlight was the pulled pork from It’s Just Barbecue (aka The Pink Pig) in Deer Lake, Schuylkill County. The pulled pork was really tender, but what really sealed it was the honey barbecue sauce that was perfectly sweet.

Asiago Chicken - Penn Werner

The Penn Werner Hotel, which was represented in the Iron Chef competition, itself, also served up samples in the vendor area. This asiago chicken was one of the best dishes I sampled. The chicken was fresh and the sauce was perfectly creamy.

Shepherd's Pie - West Lawn Methodist

This was the biggest surprise of the day. The West Lawn United Methodist Church has a program called West Lawn Wednesdays where they serve homemade dinner to the community. The shepherd’s pie they brought to the Iron Chef was simple, but amazing. Beef, potatoes and gravy were the only ingredients, but I would put this up against any area restaurant.

People's Choice 2

Inside the auxiliary gym, five restaurants vied for the title of People’s Choice. Each one had to use the “secret ingredient” to create a unique dish. And the event organizers picked an ingredient that screams Berks County: pretzels.

People's Choice

The Hitching Post, h2o Kitchens, Galen Hall, Deer Lake Pub & Restaurant and GNA Ristorante all mixed the salty snack into their dishes. While GNA appealed to the sweet tooth with a chocolate covered pretzel tiramisu. The rest all did a take on crab dip, either as a dip or inside a stuffed pretzel. We gave our votes to Galen Hall, but it was h2o and GNA that finished in the top two, earning them places in next year’s Iron Chef competition.

Iron Chef Stage

That led to the main event, the Iron Chef competition. The three competitors were Chef David Shefter, Penn Werner Hotel; Chef Felix Maietta; ViVa; and Chef Joseph Church, Jimmie Kramer’s Peanut Bar.

Iron Chef 2

The secret ingredients for the competition were center-cut pork loin, chayote squash and half-blood oranges, challenging the chefs to come up with ways to include these three unique ingredients. When the final votes were tallied, it was Chef David Shefter of the Penn Werner Hotel taking home the top prize with his Mexican rub pork roast, served with arugula salad and vegetable latke.

Chef Shefter will return in 2015 to defend his crown against the People’s Choice winners.

And I will be there “eating up” every moment.

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Sausage with potato filling covered in gravy from the Deitsch Eck
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Review: Deitsch Eck

There are places in Berks County that seem lost in time.

There are farms that have passed through generations; homes that have stood for centuries; and back country roads littered with horse-drawn buggies.

The same holds true for Berks County restaurants. There are taverns that have witnessed history and local spots that work to preserve it.

The Deitsch Eck fits both descriptions.

Lenhartsville is a tiny hamlet in the northern reaches of Berks County. The town’s main thoroughfare, Penn Street, is a full 30-minute drive from its namesake in Reading.

Beginning in the 1700s, what is now the Deitsch Eck (“German Corner” in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect). was a tavern serving weary travelers along the road. That tradition carried into the early 20th century, when Penn Street became part of US-22. Today, Interstate-78 passes just north of the town, with Route 143 connecting the Eck with the highway.

Hex sign painter Johnny Ott owned and operated the restaurant beginning in the 1930s. With many examples of his work that adorn the main dining room (not to mention the large portrait of the artist that hangs on the wall), his presence can still be felt today.

The Eck is more than a restaurant, though. It’s also a tourist trap. In the back of the building is a Pennsylvania Dutch gift shop, offering a full array of tchotchkes, including magnets, key chains, cookbooks, replica birth certificates and every other “Dutchy” thing you could imagine.

Much like the restaurant itself, the menu is largely a throwback to a bygone era as well, offering simple meals like meatloaf, ham, liver and onions, and scrapple.

small dish with a variety of fried appetizers

I decided to start my meal with the fritter sampler, a taste of three of Deitsch Eck’s fried appetizers: apple fritters, corn fritters and potato fritters, all served with packets of honey for dipping.

The apple fritters were dusted with powdered sugar, tasting like a cross between a funnel cake and a McDonald’s apple pie. The potato “fritters” were more like a potato pancake, delicious, but would have been better with a bowl of applesauce. The corn fritters were more deep-fried goodness.

plate with sliced sausage and mashed potatoes covered in gravy

For the main course, I opted for an order of fresh sausage, butchered at the neighboring Peters Bros. meat market.  The sausage was sliced down the middle and grilled flat, giving it a little nicer presentation. The meat did not have a lot of added spices, but was still very flavorful.

slice of shoofly pie

For dessert, I went with a Pennsylvania Dutch classic: shoofly pie. It was a little different from a traditional shoofly (I think I tasted a hint of honey), and was a little dry on top, but was still very enjoyable.

It was an enjoyable old-fashioned meal in a quaint old-fashioned place. For $20, I got three courses of food and a crash course in Pennsylvania Dutch culture.

Whether you are hex sign aficionado or just looking for a good, simple meal, consider taking the short drive north to the Deitsch Eck.

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

Deitsch Eck
87 Penn St
Lenhartsville, PA 19534

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CLOSED: Klinger’s On Carsonia

segment of a mural depicting a young boy running toward a carnival

Editor’s Note: Klinger’s on Carsonia was sold in 2023 before returning to the Klinger’s family in 2024. It is now known as the Carsonia Park Grill & Bar.

For someone who doesn’t drink, I have spent a lot of time in bars.

Over the years I have spent many an evening at local watering holes, mostly competing in trivia games or dealing myself in to poker games.

Monday night sports trivia was the reason I first went to Klinger’s on Carsonia about two years ago. In the time since, I have tried most of their 15 flavors of wings and eaten more French fries than I can count, but it took those two years to finally convince my wife to join me for a real dinner at the restaurant in Pennside.

The bar is the first thing you see when you walk through the door. About 15 seats wrap around its three sides with seven flat screen TVs shining down atop the patrons on the stools. High-top tables flank the bar to the left with just a handful of four- and six-person low-tops set along the far wall.

The second thing you see is the Carsonia Park mural. Closed in 1950, Carsonia Park is but a distant memory, surviving only in old postcards and stories from Reading’s old-timers.

But on the wall of Klinger’s, the park lives on. The 50-year-old mural depicts a beautiful summer day at the park, with excited men, women and children walking in the shadow of the rides.

Though Klinger’s is clearly a bar first, the mural helps add class to the restaurant, making a place you could enjoy a family dinner.

plate of pulled pork with a side cup of beans

Klinger’s menu is dominated by bar food staples: burgers, wings, fried food and sandwiches. But there are some surprising options as well like the create-your-own mac and cheese, fish tacos and my choice, Cuban pork.

Served with black beans and rice, the Cuban pork stands out from the more traditional menu items. A heaping helping of shredded pork, seasoned in “Cuban” spices. I don’t know enough about Cuban cuisine to tell you exactly what those spices are, but there were hints of garlic, salt, pepper and (perhaps) a bit of cinnamon.

Though the dishes look the same, do not confuse this for the pulled pork you would get at a barbecue joint. The pork is served dry without any type of sauce, and the salt and spices used in the meat dry it out further. I mixed in the black beans to give the meat a little moisture, but it really doesn’t need it.

burger topped with blue cheese and bacon with a side of fries

Sticking to the more traditional menu options, my wife opted for the black and bleu burger, one of nine burger options on the menu.

The burger came dressed with bleu cheese and bacon, a tasty mix that is a little out of the norm. The crispy bacon added a crunch to the juicy burger.

Our meals, like most on the menu, were about $10.00 each, though I did have to pay an extra $2.00 for my starter salad.

Klinger’s is much more than a bar, and they serve so much more than bar food. As much as I enjoy a good night of trivia, it’s the food that will keep bringing me back.

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

Klinger’s on Carsonia
721 Carsonia Ave
Reading, PA 19606

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sign that reads V&S Sandwiches
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Review: V&S Sandwiches

retro neon sign that reads "V&S Sandwiches Italian Steak Pizza"

“u no u luv it. lol :-)”

That’s the tagline pasted on the homemade posters throughout V&S Sandwiches on Lancaster Avenue, one poster promoting the shop’s chili cheese fries, another advertising hamburger and chicken sliders, limit 125 per order.

There is a lot of love to go round at the many V&S locations scattered throughout Greater Reading. Hot and cold sandwiches, salads and pizzas that have made V&S one of the most popular restaurant chains in Berks County.

A neon sign hangs high in front of the Lancaster Avenue location, beckoning diners to try the shop’s Italians, steaks and pizzas. The retro-looking sign fits perfectly in front of a restaurant that is very much a time capsule, itself.

Red picnic benches sit atop sheets of Astroturf in front of the building. Inside, a large sign reminds patrons of the restaurant’s cash-only policy, another leftover from a bygone era of dining.

During peak hours, V&S operates more like a New York City deli, with customers taking a number and waiting to be called just to place their order. Be ready when your number is called as indecisiveness can back up the line quickly.

Though there are about two dozen sandwiches to choose from, my eyes never left the “specials” board. The steak special is a simple sandwich: steak, sauce, onions and peppers (the cheesesteak special is available for an extra $0.10).

close up photo of a steak sandwich covered in sauce

Delivered on a cafeteria tray, the steak special looks less like a sandwich, and more like a pile of steak meat. The roll is stuffed so full that it is nearly impossible to close.

The onions and peppers are mixed in with the steak, but the thick sauce is heaped on afterward. Some bites are heavy on the sauce, others are lacking, but all are delicious.

The meat is very flavorful on its own, not like the frozen steaks you would pick up at the grocery store. I also caught the hint of a banana pepper or two mixed in, adding just a kick of sweet heat.

It was only after I finished that I noticed the puddle that had formed on the table, the combination of a soft roll and a thin paper plate having done very little to dam the flow of grease.

closeup photo of fries

Of course no sandwich lunch is complete without an order of fries. The small bag holds a deceptively large amount of the fast food staples.

Compared to a chain like Subway, V&S is a steal. The steak special costs right around $3.50—that for a sandwich that is longer than a standard six-inch with twice the meat. For our two sandwiches, a shared order of fries and two drinks, our bill was right around $13.00.

receipt with the words "u no u luv it lol" printed on it

And there again, printed on my receipt: “u no u luv it. lol”

It’s true. I do love it.

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

V&S Sandwich Shop
1621 Lancaster Ave
Reading, PA 19607

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Maniaci’s Italian Bistro – CLOSED

five chairs in front of a large wooden table

UPDATE: Maniaci’s Italian Bistro is now CLOSED. The announcement of the closing was made on the same day this post went live in March 2014, and the restaurant closed less than three weeks later. The space is currently home to La Casa Del Rincon which opened in 2026.

One year ago, a Berks County restaurant became famous.

Maybe infamous is a better word.

On March 10, 2013, Maniaci’s Italian Bistro in Mohnton was featured on an episode of Restaurant: Impossible on the Food Network.

The premise of the show is pretty simple: a sinking restaurant, desperate for help, calls on Chef Robert Irvine to remake the restaurant and its menu. After a few days of hard work, crammed into 60 minutes via the magic of television, the restaurant celebrates its grand re-opening with a brand new look and better food.

When Robert Irvine arrived in Mohnton, Maniaci’s was a sinking business, having lost money for three years, according to the owners. New competition had arrived when Mangia Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria opened just a stone’s throw away.

And like most, the episode ended with revelations and a newfound commitment to the business.

One year later, my wife and I made our first visit to the Bistro.

Driving along East Wyomissing Boulevard, it’s easy to overlook Maniaci’s. The strip mall that houses the restaurant sits back from the street, and the only signage visible in the evening twilight was a large Miller Lite banner hanging above the take-out entrance.

Inside, Maniaci’s is much smaller than it appeared on television. Seating is very limited, 11 tables plus the family-style table that connects the two storefronts that make up the dining room. But on a Wednesday night in March, it didn’t seem to matter as only one other party of two was in the dining room.

interior of Maniaci's Italian bistro

How it appeared on the show

shelves lined with pots and flowers

Maniaci’s one year later

With no hostess or waitress in sight, we sat ourselves at a table in the middle of the room. The room looked exactly as it had on the show, the shelves lined with potted plants and jars of pasta, arranged exactly as Robert Irvine had left them.

photo of a restaurant menu with several items crossed out

The menus we were handed looked cheap in contrast to the elegant decor. Printed on a double-sided sheet of paper, the menu had several appetizers crossed out with a black Sharpie.

two half loaves of bread on a wooden paddle with a bottle of oil

Our meal started with two small loaves of bread, served warm atop a wooden cutting board, a nice touch that made it feel like we were getting something more than a basket of bread. A hefty salad followed before our main dishes arrived.

Not knowing which dishes were inspired by Robert Irvine, I opted for the involtini, a mix of spinach, red peppers and ricotta rolled in pasta. Unlike a ravioli, where the filling is completely engrossed in the pasta, involtini looks more like sushi, with one thin strand of pasta banding the filling together in the center.

pinwheel pasta with meatball halves

The dish was beautifully presented, with halved meatballs serving as spacers in between the six pieces. I was excited to try it, expecting to be wowed by the flavor combination before me. I wanted to taste the heat of the fire-roasted peppers, the creaminess of the ricotta and the spices from the meatballs. Instead it was all masked by the tart taste of balsamic vinegar, which was liberally used in the sauce. It was good, but I went in hoping for great.

My wife opted for the Roman Delight: penne pasta tossed with chicken, peppers, spinach and olive oil. It was a good dish, but one that would have been better at home in a dinner, with thin strips of chicken that fit better in a chicken cheesesteak than a traditional Italian dinner.

green plate with pasta topped with peppers and onions

Roman Delight as served on Restaurant: Impossible

plate of pasta topped with spinach

Roman Delight, back on the menu one year later

It was only after our meal that I went back and re-watched Restaurant: Impossible, where I discovered that Roman Delight was a staple of the old menu, one that Robert Irvine had rejected for using processed chicken with no flavor.

We certainly were not unhappy with our meal at Maniaci’s, but there was a sense of disappointment after we finished our dinner. With noticeably smaller portion sizes than at their next-door neighbor, I was left wanting more, both in terms of flavor and my appetite.

When one of the most respected chefs in the world takes the time to help save your business, I expect a little more for my money.

What I got was an average meal that I could have had at any of the dozens of Italian restaurants in Berks County.

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Mangia Mohnton
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Review: Mangia Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria – CLOSED

Mangia Mohnton

Editor’s Note: Maniga is now closed. The restaurant’s last day was March 8, 2026. The family continues to operate Cafe Folino with locations in Wyomissing and Temple. The location is now home to The Sunny Bistro.

Mangia!

In Italian, the word literally means “Eat!” In English, it is the perfect name for an Italian restaurant.

As I have crisscrossed Berks County, I am always looking for something different. A quirky restaurant, an odd menu item or anything else that makes a place stand out above the countless dining options in Greater Reading.

When Mangia first opened in the former location of the Mohnton Navy Yard Galley in 2010, it was very much like any other Italian restaurant in the area: delicious pasta dishes served in heaping portions, pizzas streaming through the ovens and out the door for take-out, an assortment of wraps and sandwiches and a dining room full of happy patrons.

While exceedingly popular, Mangia lacked that certain something to make it truly unique.

But the restaurant found its signature dish, one that you won’t find anywhere else in Berks County and beyond, with the introduction of the Pasta al Parmigiano Reggiano.

More than a menu item, Pasta al Parmigiano Reggiano is a dinner experience.

After the rest of our dinner party received their meals, my meal, or at least the elements of it, appeared tableside.

A pan with pasta and red sauce simmered atop a burner next to what looks like a giant wooden bowl. This bowl is actually an 80-pound wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Do not confuse this with the grated parmesan you buy in shakers at the grocery store. The cheese, according to Mangia owner Joe Folino who prepares the dish, costs about $20 per pound.

large wheel of cheese on a cart

The top of the cheese is carved out to make a bowl-like structure, with shavings from the wheel in the center. Folino then takes a ladle full of grappa (an Italian liquor), heats it over the fire from the burner until it catches fire and pours it into the cheese, melting the shavings.

man pouring flaming wine into a large wheel of cheese

From there, the pasta and sauce are dumped into the Parmigiano Reggiano and tossed until the cheese is blended with sauce and coated on the fettuccini.

man scooping a plate of spaghetti into a wheel of cheese

The result is a pasta unlike any other I have tasted. The cheese has a very sharp flavor, with the natural age coming through, giving it almost a smokiness. The red sauce does help to temper the cheese a bit, but its own flavors become lost.

spaghetti topped with a light red sauce

Your choice of meat can be added to the dish, though it is served on the side rather than tossed in the mixture so as not to corrupt the natural flavors of the cheese wheel. My side of sausage turned out to be a perfect addition, adding depth and texture to an already inspired dish.

The dish, combined with either an appetizer or dessert, would probably have been enough for two people to share, but I have never been one for sharing, and our waitress was shocked to find that I had finished it and wasn’t going to be taking any home with me.

While you may need a big appetite, you don’t need a big wallet to enjoy the tableside show. The Pasta al Parmigiano Romano only costs about $16, with an additional cost for the meat. If you manage to make it through the meal wanting more, order an encore of bananas flambé, also created at your table, or try one of the other dessert options like tiramisu, cannoli or a chocolate lava cake.

After a one-of-a-kind Italian dining experience, there is only one thing left to say:

Mangia!

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

Mangia Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria
322 E. Wyomissing Ave
Mohnton, PA 19540

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