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Review: Firefly Cafe – CLOSED

sign hanging from a building that shows a tree at sunset with yellow dots and words that read "Firefly Cafe"

Editor’s Note: Firefly Cafe is now closed. The restaurant’s last day was in July 2025. The owners plan to continue their business as Firefly Forest Bakehouse, a vegan bakery, serving at farmers markets and pop-up locations in the area, but the physical location in Boyertown is closed.

For all the great diversity in Berks County’s restaurant scene, there is always room to grow. The key is opening a restaurant that is different, that isn’t serving the same food as the place down the street.

Find the right niche and serve great food and drinks, and the eatery is likely to be a success.

A vegan/vegetarian cafe in downtown Boyertown? Now that’s a niche.

Open since April, the Firefly Cafe is a place unlike any other in the county.

order counter in front of a tv displaying a fireplace

Specializing in breakfast and lunch, it’s one of just a handful of meatless restaurants in the region (along with places like Chen Vegetarian House in West Reading and the iCreate Cafe in Pottstown).

In addition to its normal hours, Firefly opens up for dinner service on Fridays and Saturdays. That’s when we made our trek eastward for a taste.

Two warm fireplaces greeted us inside. One, a large video screen above the restrooms. The second, a faux fireplace, one of the smallest I have ever seen, was sitting near our table giving off a charming glow.

There was one couple leaving with a to-go package when we arrived with a few more groups coming and going during the 45 minutes we spent at the cafe.

space heater fireplace beneath an end table at Firefly Cafe

Our table was by one of the front windows where we could enjoy the nightscapes of Boyertown. Our server – one of the owners – dropped off a pair of menus and some infused water (cucumber for me, orange for Julie) and told us she would take our orders at the counter when we were ready.

I had perused the menu before we arrived so I was feeling good about my decision – the vegan pulled pork sandwich.

jackfruit bbq sandwich on a plate with salad and a cup of yellow dressing

What’s a vegan pulled pork sandwich? Well it looks a lot like the real thing, but jackfruit (a fruit in the fig family, according to the always-reliable Wikipedia) takes the place of the meat. It was topped by vegan tri-color slaw (carrots and cabbage in a plant-based cream).

It was a delicious recreation. The barbecued jackfruit made for a much sweeter sandwich, but the phenomenal multi-grain roll helped balance it out. The slaw was great, adding more flavor with a crunchy texture.

Could you tell it wasn’t meat? Yes. Did I care? No.

All dinners come with a side of greens and choice of house-made dressings. I went with the carrot ginger.

It was a light, chunky dressing with lots of carrots and pinch of ginger. Easily one of the best salad dressings that I’ve tried in my Berks County Eats adventure.

plate of vegan lasagna with greens and a cup of vinaigrette

For her meal, Julie went for the vegan lasagna, whole wheat noodles with tomato sauce, vegetables and vegan cheese.

Again, it wasn’t the same as eating true Italian lasagna, but it was enjoyable. Among the vegetables inside were carrots and olives. The tomato sauce was definitely fresh. The vegan cheese was tasty. And it had a nice crumbly top layer that added texture to the dish.

And it was surprisingly filling for a meatless dish.

On her side of greens, Julie opted for the lemon miso-tahini dressing. It had a vibrant citrus flavor and was much creamier than mine (thanks to the tahini). It was another winning creation.

We felt so good about having eaten a health-conscious meal that we skipped the dessert (though chia pudding is about as guiltless as you can get) so our final total was right around $25.

The Firefly Cafe is different from anything else in Berks County, and that’s a great thing.

And whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, omnivore or carnivore, it’s definitely worth trying.

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

Firefly Café
12 N. Reading Ave
Boyertown, PA 19512

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Review: Pizza Como USA

sign that says "Pizza Como USA and the Vineyard with a picture of grapes

In the little borough of Temple, there are two long-running restaurants across the street from each other.

On one side, there is Schell’s, complete with its Dairy Swirl dessert bar and 27-hole miniature golf.

On the other side is Pizza Como, and its comparatively blasé exterior.

I’ve had more hamburger barbecues than I can count across the street at Schell’s. And there have been many times that I’ve looked over at Pizza Como and thought, “I wonder if they’re any good.”

Pizza Como must be good or it wouldn’t be there…44 years after it opened.

order counter at Pizza Como USA in Temple, PA

We pulled in on a Friday night. The parking lot isn’t very big to begin with, but with so many cars, it felt even smaller. (Tip: don’t make your first visit on a Friday night before a home Muhlenberg football game).

Everyone orders at the counter before taking a seat (or taking their food home) and waiting for dinner to arrive. It’s not an overly complicated menu: pizzas, sandwiches and a few simple Italian dinners are the only options.

bar seating opening up to the kitchen at Pizza Como USA in Temple, PA

Julie and I both ordered a slice and a side – her a salad, me an order of garlic parsley fries.

My slice of choice was the classic pepperoni. It wasn’t a big slice, but it was big enough with my side of fries. And it was ultra thin crust, some of the thinnest I have seen around the county.

slice of pepperoni pizza from Pizza Como USA in Temple, PA

There was something else different about it, something with the sauce that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. But I will say this, it was a darn good slice of pizza.

The fries were a whole other beast. As the guy at the counter said on our way out, “I could smell the garlic all the way out here.”

basket of fries topped with garlic and parmesan cheese from Pizza Como USA in Temple, PA

No complaints from me. I wouldn’t have ordered them if I didn’t love garlic. I don’t remember much parsley, but I certainly remember the garlic. I was glad to have it, too, because the fries themselves weren’t much to speak of.

slice of Hawaiian pizza with thin ham and crushed pineapple from Pizza Como USA in Temple, PA

Julie went with a slice of Hawaiian pizza – ham and pineapple. Like mine it was on the smaller side, with a thin crust, and very good. There was definitely no skimping on toppings, either.

salad with slices of ham and cheese from Pizza Como USA in Temple, PA

Her Italian salad – ham, provolone and black olives made it an Italian – was good. Though I think she regretted skipping a second slice in favor of the salad.

Add on a pair of Kutztown Sodas (they also have A-Treat for all you fans out there) and our final total was still less than $15.

One complaint that I have to put out there: one of the employees was wearing flip-flops. Open-toed shoes are a definite no-no, especially for staff that spends time behind the counter as this person did. It’s a safety hazard, plain and simple.

Seeing that was the only black mark on what would have been an outstanding introduction to Pizza Como.

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

Pizza Como & The Vineyard
4600 5th Street Hwy
Temple, PA 19450

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Review: Windsor Inn at Shillington

Lighted sign for the Windsor Inn Restaurant & Tavern with the words "Thursday Pasta Night"

The best meals are always the unexpected ones.

I had zero idea of what I was going to get last week when Julie and I visited the Windsor Inn at Shillington.

The only thing that I knew was that the owner’s daughter, Rachel, reached out to me over a year ago to come in and review the restaurant.

Fifteen months later, we were finally there. Better late than never.

corner fireplace with two mantles filled with antique cameras

I’m not going to lie. The inside is a little dive-y. We walked through the bar to a tired looking dining room. On the yellow walls were photographs from when the building was a doctor’s office in the 1950s. Behind me was a fireplace, it’s mantle lined with vintage cameras.

table for four beneath a quilted wall hanging

It wasn’t a busy night; there was only one other couple in the dining room and a handful of customers sitting at the bar when we arrived. Our waitress was doing double-duty, handling orders in both rooms with help from an assistant.

The waitress also happened to be Rachel, and she was more than happy to talk to us about the food: how it’s locally sourced whenever possible, how they make a different pasta in-house every day, and how they had in-season peaches for their martinis and margaritas.

peach margarita in glass with red sugar around the rim

The last one caught Julie’s attention. She nursed her peach margarita throughout the meal, leaving nothing but a little peach pulp at the end.

The name “Windsor Inn” certainly doesn’t scream Italian the way others do, but the menu certainly gave it away. Cioppino (mixed seafood simmered with tomato and wine) and carciofi (veal sautéed with artichokes, dried tomatoes, dill and cream) were among the unpronounceable dishes for a man with Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.

I also found out I have been pronouncing gnocchi wrong all my life. Apparently it’s not NOH-chee, it’s NYOK-ee. Who knew?

two meatballs covered in red sauce with fresh parsley leaves on top

We started our meal with something easy to pronounce: gigantic Windsor meatballs.

They were certainly big — gigantic is stretching it a little — but they were delicious. There is nothing like a homemade meatball from a real Italian kitchen. The hand-formed meatballs had plenty of nooks and crannies to grab the sauce that was just as good. What little sauce was left, I made sure to soak up with some bread so it didn’t go to waste.

two small metal bowls - one with grated Parmesan cheese, the other with red pepper flkes

Along with the meatballs came the optional Parmesan cheese and red pepper, the latter being made in-house. Our waitress warned me that because it was freshly made, it would be stronger than a typical red pepper. I ignored her warning and quickly found out she was right. Tread lightly with the pepper. It’s fantastic, but it is hot.

We were happy to have ordered the meatballs because the courses were slower to arrive because so many things were made from scratch and everything was beautifully prepared. Even the salads were crafted, not made.

Salads usually don’t make it into my reviews because more often than not, it’s nothing more than mixed greens with a cup of Kraft dressing. That’s not the case here. The restaurant was serving three homemade salad dressings so Julie and I each got to try a different one. I chose raspberry herb for mine; Julie chose garlic dill for hers.

salad with creamy dressing

I really like creamy salad dressings. The garlic dill was certainly that, having the consistency of a good ranch dressing but with the very distinct flavors of garlic and dill mixing together beautifully.

salad with vinaigrette dressing

My raspberry herb was also very enjoyable: a little puckery and a little sweet with fresh raspberries scattered throughout.

By this point, we were very excited to see our main courses, both of which were daily specials and highly recommended by our waitress and rightly so.

plate with a piece of stuffed eggplant topped with shaved ham and a side of flat pasta with red sauce

The stuffed eggplant, my choice for the night, was a beauty of a dish. It was almost a shame that I had to ruin it by digging in. The eggplant was stuffed with ricotta and peppers and topped with prosciutto. On the side was fresh made pasta with the house tomato sauce.

I absolutely loved it. The eggplant was cooked so it was perfectly tender. The ricotta and the prosciutto played extremely well together. And the pasta was delicious. Even the portion was perfect. While it looked small on the plate, it was just the right amount to be filling.

bowl with gnocchi and shrimp in a wine sauce

Julie’s bowl wasn’t quite as nice to look at, but it sure tasted good. She went with the shrimp and gnocchi. Julie likened it more to a gumbo than your expected pasta dish, with everything tossed in a nice broth-like sauce. It was a heartier meal than my own, but Julie managed to finish it.

Neither of us were really hungry for dessert, but I had overheard the dessert options when they were read to the other table and upon hearing the words “flaming peaches” I knew we would be getting dessert no matter what.

plate of pound cake topped with peaches and whipped cream and a rum sauce that has been lit on fire

It was a few minutes before the dish arrive: pound cake topped with mascarpone cheese and fresh peaches in Bacardi rum (with whipped cream and a cherry on top, of course), aflame upon delivery to our table.

Like two kids with trick candles on their birthday cake, we struggled to blow out the flames and dig in. Once we did get to it, it was good to the last drop. The pound cake had absorbed the melting cheese (and a lot of rum). The peaches were warm, sweet and melt-in-your-mouth good. I have absolutely no regrets about ordering it.

Even our final bill didn’t leave us with any regrets. It was about $65 for the two of us, three courses with two drinks (one non-alcoholic). I’ll gladly pay that for quality food.

The Windsor Inn at Shillington provided one of the most memorable meals of the past year for me. Before we left, we got a frequent customer card.

For every $15 you spend, you get a stamp. Five stamps equals $10 off your next meal. We’re three-fifths of the way there.

I plan to fill out that card sooner than later.

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

Windsor Inn at Shillington
38 W. Lancaster Ave
Shillington, PA 19607

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tray covered in checkered tablecloth with a bowl of barbecue, a pulled pork sandwich and a side of tots
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Review: Station House Grille

Building with off-white siding with a backlit sign out front reading "Station House Grille"

With hundreds of restaurants spread out across 866 square miles, it’s going to take time to visit them all. Among those are many restaurants that have been on my short list since the blog started that, for one reason or another, I just haven’t been able to make it to.

One of those restaurants is the Station House Grille. I’ve sampled their food on multiple occasions, mostly at Iron Chef competitions.

Every time we see them at an event, our response is the same, “We need to go there.”

This has been going on for more than two years. We tried visiting once before, not realizing that they close early on Saturdays (6 p.m., compared to 8 p.m. on weeknights).

sign on a door that reads "Welcome to Station House Grille"

Finally, last week, the stars aligned and the timing was right. On a Wednesday evening with nothing else going on, we made the drive to Tuckerton.

The Station House Grille sits along Tuckerton Road, just west of Route 61, in what looks like someone’s two-story house.

Parking is limited and so is seating – the dining area consists of just four round tables that seat up to four.

We ordered at the counter before moving to the small dining room to wait for our meals to arrive.

The menu is certainly unique among Berks County restaurants: tater tots, pulled pork, sliders and gourmet grilled cheese are among the menu highlights.

I went for a pork tater bowl: an order of tots topped with pulled pork, barbecue sauce and cheese.

tray lined with checkered paper with a beef sandwich, a bowl of pulled por topped with cheese and bbq sauce and a dish of loaded tater tots

The Station House Grille definitely knows how to do pulled pork, and they chose the perfect sauce to complement this dish. It was sweet, tangy and thick, covering everything.

Beneath the mound of meat, cheese and sauce were the tater tots, which had now fallen apart. That meant just about every bite had a little bit of fried potato. And that can’t be bad, right?

Julie decided to separate her meat and her taters, getting a shredded beef sandwich and an order of loaded tots.

round metal table with four wooden chairs by a window

The sandwich featured balsamic shredded beef, onion straws and horseradish sauce on a Kaiser roll. The horseradish sauce added flavor. But it was mild, not overpowering like it can sometimes be.

She really enjoyed it, just as she did the loaded tater bites. Cheddar cheese sauce, bacon, chives and sour cream topped the mound of tots. I’m not a fan of cheese sauce. I would have rather had plain (they call them ‘naked’) tots. But Julie loved it so listen to her, not me.

Our total bill was around $20 (including a pair of bottled drinks). It was a fair price for a good little meal.

The Station House definitely has the feel of a neighborhood sandwich shop, but they take that idea in a different direction with their unique menu.

If you’re tired of the same old places along 61 or the 5th Street Highway, it’s definitely worth making the turn into Tuckerton to this little gem.

I’m glad we finally did.

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

Station House Grille
157 Tuckerton Rd
Reading, PA 19605

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Review: Bernville Eagle Hotel

sign hanging from a brick building that reads "Eagle Hotel Food and Drink since 1869"

I love the character in historic inns and hotels, the places that have been serving food and drinks since the roads were dirt and transportation was four-legged.

Every small town and village had one, and many of them are still going. The Stony Run Inn, subject of last week’s blog, is one of those places.

This week, we paid a visit to another historic hotel, one that has been at the heart of Bernville since 1869.

That’s when the Eagle Hotel opened along Main Street in the little borough (now the only borough) in northwestern Berks County.

Yards Brewing Company sign hangs behind a clean wooden bar

Nearly 150 years later, it’s still a gathering place where locals grab drinks and dinner six nights a week (closed on Sundays). Though I’m sure patrons in the late 19th century weren’t ordering from a Caribbean-inspired menu like the hotel offers today.

There is no separation between restaurant and barroom. The single dining room features a large center bar with tables lining the perimeter. The sound of crashing billiards balls echoed out of the back room.

The menu is mostly bar food, but there is a small selection of entrees (plus a few weekly specials). And everything is reasonably priced. Only two menu items cost more than $20, the full rack of ribs and my choice, the Cuban coffee crusted flat iron steak.

Round plate with maroon edging filled with rice, beans, plantains and chicken

Served with plantains and a side of rice and beans, the steak was buried beneath a mound of onions and peppers.

It certainly wasn’t the largest steak that I have ever had, but it was flavorful. I’m not a coffee drinker, but the coffee crust was subtle while adding a crisp char to the outside. I love sautéed onions and roasted peppers so I had no qualms about digging in.

The rice and beans were good, but nothing compared to the more authentic Latin American restaurants that you find closer to the city. And there was certainly nothing to complain about with the portion size.

I’m a sucker for plantains so I was going to love them no matter what.

clear salad plate topped with lettuce, onions, a cup of ranch dressing and a dinner roll

My meal was also served with a starter salad and roll. While the salad was nothing to speak of (spring mix with onions, cherry tomatoes, cheese and a cup of dressing), the roll was very enjoyable – soft and buttery.

Julie wasn’t quite hungry enough for the full rack of ribs, but she thought she could handle the half rack.

plate of ribs served atop a bed of fries, topped with pineapple with a side cups of beans and coleslaw

The ribs were also given a little twist with chipotle barbecue sauce and diced mango on top. It was a little disappointing to find the mango was not reduced into the sauce. Ribs are not conducive to toppings so most of the mango fell off with every bone that was picked out. There was also just a little kick from the chipotle, but not too much.

We both enjoyed the fries. They’re the fresh-cut, skin-on kind. That’s the way I love my fries.

The meal was also served with baked beans and slaw. The beans were OK, but nothing special. And she wasn’t a fan of the slaw which she found to be all cabbage and little slaw.

My brother and sister-in-law were along for the visit, and the four of us all had good meals. It wasn’t remarkable, but it was certainly quality bar food. For our four meals (plus drinks – one beer, one sangria and one iced tea), it came to $86 so right around $20 per person for what were some hefty portions on everything.

The Eagle Hotel is your typical local bar and restaurant. The emphasis is clearly on the bar, but you can still enjoy a good, hearty meal, just as people have been doing for a century-and-a-half.

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

Bernville Eagle Hotel
301 N. Main St
Bernville, PA 19506

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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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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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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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