curly girl's Profile
Restaurant Suggestions - Doylestown - Willow Grove Area
Thanks for the reminder, Dave. Haven't been to Augusto's in a few years. They used to have really good crab cakes. Last time we were there, they offered complimentary after dinner drinks. My husband had Sambuca which they lit and I had Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur. Nice touch.
Ristorante Castello Blue Bell
Reporting back after our dinner at Ristorante Castello. At present, there are two dinner seatings on weekends - 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. We arrived for our 6 p.m. reservation for four people and advised that the other two guests were unfortunately running late. They seated us promptly and said it would not be a problem. Our waiter offered to open our wine and brought us bread while we waited for the other couple. Once all guests were seated, we ordered our apps - Roasted Artichokes with tomato, garlic and oil and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms. Both were excellent. Entrees ordered were Lobster Ravioli with shrimp and scallops in Aurora Sauce; Hazelnut Ravioli with Shrimp and a Frangelico Sauce, Tilapia and a special for the evening, Chilean Sea Bass with fennel and mango sauce. All were prepared perfectly and were delicious. Entree sizes are not huge, just enough if you are ordering along with apps and dessert. A selection of desserts was offered after dinner and we left just prior to the arrival of the 8:30 seating. In addition to the indoor tables, they also have a porch area which is covered. Seating times for that area are 7:00 and 9 p.m. All tables were full while we were there and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals. Our waiter, Paul, did advise that they would be starting renovations shortly to add a bar area (in anticipation of their liquor license) and additional seating, which would allow for more reservation times on weekends.
Ristorante Castello Blue Bell
Thank you both for your prompt reply to my post. My brother and sister-in-law are taking us there tomorrow night as a "thank you". They went to the old Lansdale location several times before they moved to Blue Bell. Will let you know how we make out. I will stay away from the Pappardelle Bolognese, per Barry's recommendation. I love that dish at Mina Cucina. Hopefully the wait staff will not be as stuffy tomorrow night. Chow.
Ristorante Castello Blue Bell
Any chowhounds been to Ristorante Castello recently? We planned to go tomorrow evening. The menu looks very interesting - just wondered if anyone out there was willing to share recent experiences. Saw a few posts on here, but nothing really recent. Thanks in advance for your always appreciated reviews.
Where to buy affordable pile of demitasse spoons for party?
Not sure if they are truly "demitasse" spoons, but I found some really nice small spoons - about 1/3 the size of a teaspoon - at IKEA in Plymouth Meeting.
Conshohocken’s 401 Diner
Hot off the press - Grand Re-Opening of 401 Diner is this Saturday. I wish them well and hope their customers will cut them a break if they're not 100% right out of the box. Hard to find too many restaurants that don't have a few glitches during their first few weeks of opening.
Conshohocken’s 401 Diner
That seems a little harsh, foodiecritic14. I admire The 401 for taking a step back to regroup. The reviews on the Chow as well as on other sites are mostly favorable. They mention some pretty standard issues for new restaurants, but nothing that can't be fixed. I for one hope they are able to resolve the issues and re-open soon as a well-oiled machine.
Conshohocken’s 401 Diner
Thanks for the detailed and honest reviews mookleknuck and LafayetteHill. Sounds like I should wait a bit before trying the new place. As far as the noise level, my husband and I find that problem in many of the new restaurants whose decor is heavy on the hard wood - especially wood furniture, and flooring. Hopefully they will add some type of sound absorbing material on the walls or ceilings. Too many hard surfaces with nowhere for the sound to go. Refreshing that the owner is visiting the tables and seems receptive to constructive criticism. I wish them well.
Who Serves Beef Wellington?
Hi Gwendolen - did some research for you and found that The Whip Tavern in Coatesville, PA serves Beef Wellington the fourth weekend of every month (which by looking at the calender, should be this weekend) Check the dinner menu on their website and scroll down to the weekend specials at the bottom. They have a different featured special for each weekend of the month. www.thewhiptavern.com I have never eaten at The Whip, but it's definitely on my list. Reviews for their food are very good and the rest of their menu selections sound wonderful. Would love to see a review from you if you do venture out that way. There are a few others I found, but they are in North Jersey, which may be too far for you.
Recent Visit to Coyote Crossing...never again
You certainly did have a bad restaurant experience, Cook. I agree with Ambler Girl. If kids are misbehaving in a restaurant, it is up to the parents to intervene. I am appalled at how parents are these days feeling their kids can do anything they want in public. Not sure if they just don't care or if the parenting books they read about disciplining without spankings or yelling make them feel their kids are just having fun and not bothering anyone else. Who knows. It goes all the way up to teens and young adults. IMO that's why there are so many rude teenagers around these days. Ever go to Doylestown's First Friday events? Teens are all over the sidewalks, do not move for you to get past and use foul language. If I was their parents, I would be so embarrassed. As far as the food and service at Coyote Crossing, we used to go to the Conshohocken restaurant a few years back. Our first two experiences were pleasant - lovely outdoor garden setting. Then each time we went we seemed to get "stuck" with the same bad male server who never got our orders right, took way too long to bring us our food and just seemed to not care about how we were treated as guests of the restaurant. Therefore, we have not been back for some time. I receive Groupons from Coyote Crossing and other offers on Facebook, which obviously means they are lacking in customers. Dear Mr. Manager, hopefully you will read the comments on this post and take action to correct them asap or I predict that your restaurants are not long for this world.
The Local - new cafe in Souderton
Sorry to hear about your Brunch experience, scoutlouise. I do know that there was a glowing article about The Local in last week's Souderton Independent. That could have been one of the reasons they were swamped on Sunday and also why they had run out of some of the entree choices. I have been to The Local several times for lunch and have had a great experience each time I went. Their outdoor patio alongside the train tracks is so relaxing for lunch when the weather is nice. I am sure they would appreciate a second chance to impress you with their brunch.
Buffalo wings worth consuming??
If you want great wings - lots of different flavors, including Italian Parmesan - try The Harleysville Hotel in Harleysville, PA. Local bar with great food, great beer and wine prices, as well as wings, nachos and other bar food. Little far from Philly, but just two miles above the Lansdale Exit of the N.E. Turnpike Extension if you feel like a drive in the country one day.
BEST fast food experience I ever had. I give it five out of five waffle fries.
Very refreshing to hear. I love Chik-Fil-A. Have only been to the Montgomery Mall and Quakertown locations, but will check out the Warrington one the next time I am down that way. After several recent experiences with Aramark at Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies game, I would say they need some lessons from the Chik-Fil-A team. The employees there are not motivated to move you thru the line fast in any way, shape or form. I stood in line for ice cream and a pretzel for 40 minutes. There were three people serving the ice cream as well as two taking the money. Several people waiting in line with me also commented on the incredibly slow service. We had the same experience while getting hot dogs and drinks before the game. The $5.00 hot dogs looked and tasted like they had been prepared hours earlier. The service was really slow and not friendly at all. All of the Aramark fast food locations at the Phillies ball park look dirty and unorganized. When you are paying ridiculous prices and just want to get back to your seats to watch the game this is unacceptable. No wonder so many people bring their own food and drinks along to the game. Thank goodness for places like Chik-Fil-A. Wouldn't it be great if they had locations at Citizens Park.
jules thin crust pizza
I totally agree with you Bacchus 101. I enjoyed the "pizza" and they do have lots of topping choices for you including several that are vegetarian. The flatbread pizza is served on a large wooden board. The Doylestown location is on a corner at the south end of town and they have nice outdoor tables with umbrellas for dining al fresco on warm, sunny days. They seem to be very green - cans for trash and separate cans for recycling, which pleased me. I have only been once, but will definitely try again the next time I am in Doylestown at lunchtime.
Doylestown - Rehearsal Dinner
Have been to Villa Barolo and enjoyed our meal. They do have private rooms available. In addition to the great suggestions above, I would also recommend M.O.M.'s - Maxwell's on Main. The owners are really nice guys and if you went in to personally meet with them, I am sure they could come up with a special menu/price for your rehearsal dinner.
Driving to Perkasie from NYC, where to eat??
LOL - ages 3 and 6 are quite young to already be ice cream connoisseurs. We do tend to spoil our children nowadays. When ours were young, we took them to Tanner's Dairies in Richboro. Still love to go back there when I'm visiting in Bucks County. So many happy memories of eating ice cream and watching the cows in the field. Hope to get out to the new Wrightstown Ow Wow Cow sometime soon. Also found Maize Crab Cake with Vanilla Corn Sauce recipe on philly burbs. May attempt to duplicate just the sauce and buy Capt Chucky's Crab Cakes to go with.
Driving to Perkasie from NYC, where to eat??
Great tip again JKB - went there recently and had Grapefruit Ice Cream with chocolate covered lemon peel mixed in. Sounds weird but it was so good that I have been craving it ever since. They also just opened another store in Carousel Village on 413 in Wrightstown. Both are a bit of a drive for us, but may need to work it in while we are out on the motorcycle.
Driving to Perkasie from NYC, where to eat??
Thanks for the info JohnnyKBar. Do they only have the tasting menu available or can you just order an entree? The $30 is similar to the $34 Prix Fixe three-course dinners that Fayette Grille in Conshy has. Always love it there too. Will try to get to Maize before the Crab Cakes disappear. Perkasie is only 20 minutes from us and with the BYOB, dinner should not be too costly.
Driving to Perkasie from NYC, where to eat??
Great recommendations, cwdonald. Since I read the recent article on Maize on phillyburbs, they are now on the top of my list of places to try. The crab cakes with vanilla corn sauce sounds amazing. We also enjoy Washington House and the theater. As far as the Doylestown area - we tried Villa Barolo in Warrington last night and the food was very good. Really nice dining room and large menu with lots of daily specials also.
Vic Sushi in Spring House
Thinking about that Girls Night Out - plan is to hit Vic Sushi for several yummy rolls - no cucumber included, have a few glasses of wine with dinner and then head to the movies to see Horrible Bosses.
Vic Sushi in Spring House
Please tell DH that I will eat all of the avocado in the rolls he orders and trade my cucumber as I hate the stuff. Haven't been to Vic Sushi in quite some time. My husband isn't into sushi at all. May have to schedule a girls night out and bring along a few bottles of wine. I do love their food and the presentation and service can't be beat.
Inn at St Peter's...what a pleasant surprise!!
Thanks for the great review ilovesummer and also the second review from Bacchus101. Have been to St Peter's Bakery several times for lunch and the Friday evening pizza dinners. The inn always looked inviting, but I had read mixed reviews prior to these two new comments. While visiting the bakery on a recent Saturday afternoon, I had also heard some nice live music coming from the inn's outdoor porch area. I love the setting and will plan to go once the current heat wave cools off a bit.
Collegeville Bakery & Deli - Ridge Pike, Collegeville, PA
Thanks ilovesummer - Happy 4th to you too. Have tried Skippack Italian Market hoagies twice now. They are very good. We usually get our hoagies and cheese steaks at Brothers in Harleysville. It's so convenient and they make their own rolls. Will try Skippack Italian Market again sometime this Summer.
Collegeville Bakery & Deli - Ridge Pike, Collegeville, PA
Oh BTW - When I went to the bakery today, I did not notice anything but a nice, clean bakery/deli atmosphere with friendly personnel. I believe the bakery may have changed hands, but can't say for sure. In any event, all seemed good to me.
Collegeville Bakery & Deli - Ridge Pike, Collegeville, PA
Hello again ilovesummer. I was at the bakery next to Enterprise Rentals. I can see how they get confused. That's one of the reasons why I ordered rolls, so I could go there and check them out. The rolls smell awesome. I had them in a hot car today while running errands and they smelled like they were still baking. Can't wait to try them tomorrow.
Zake's for Dinner....WOW
Hi ilovesummer. We seem to go in the same dining circles at times. Tried Zake's for the first time about a month ago. Four of us had a table on the front porch and all of our appetizers, entrees and shared desserts were wonderful. On the list to make a return trip very soon.
Collegeville Bakery & Deli - Ridge Pike, Collegeville, PA
My neighbor and I stopped by the Collegeville Bakery today to pick up football rolls for my July 4th Pulled Pork & Meatball sandwiches. While there, I also picked up homemade pasta, sauce, Tiramisu and my new favorite soda - San Pellegrino Limonata - a tart soda with 18% real lemon juice. Haven't tried their hoagies yet, but have to say that the manager and bakery personnel were very friendly. I will definitely be back to try more of their Italian goodies. The bakery also carries a nice selection of cold soda, Pizzelles and other baked goods. (Note: The Collegeville Italian Deli is directly across the street from the bakery - they are not affiliated, nor does the deli use rolls from the bakery)
Outdoor Dining Suggestions.....Montco/Bucks County
@RC51Mike - Definitely did not mean for any CHOWS to ignore the baked goods - just trying to let people know that it is not JUST a bakery. That you can enjoy breakfast and lunch there too, as well as pizza on Friday evenings. I went to Phoenixville Farmer's Market yesterday for the first time. Lots of great vendors. Believe it or not, it was the first time I was ever in the town. Really nice atmosphere and lots of restaurant choices. Will put it on my list to head back to for lunch or dinner one evening.
Outdoor Dining Suggestions.....Montco/Bucks County
Love all of gaffk's choices, but one of my all-time favorite outdoor dining venues which is a little further out (Chester County) but well worth the drive, especially on a nice day, is St. Peter's Bakery in St Peters (Elverson) PA. Ignore the "bakery" in the name. Melanie has wonderful soups, sandwiches and salads and on Friday evenings she also has pizza and live music. Several outdoor tables with umbrellas are available for your dining pleasure. Be sure to bring wine along as it's BYOB. BTW - the outdoor deck overlooks a boulder field with a creek and mini-waterfalls as well as tall trees. On a breezy day, it is just magical. Those more adventurous diners should bring sneakers along for climbing the boulders before or after your meal. Have fun!!
Fun in Phoenixville - dinner then coffee and musci
Thanks for the info jujuthomas. It seems with Irish food that you either like it or you don't. Since I'm from the UK, I happen to like the food at Molly Maguires. Have only been to the Lansdale location, but plan to head to Phoenixville sometime this Summer and the outdoor deck sounds like a good spot for cocktails before dinner. I have a Groupon for Pepperoncini's. I have been to their Conshy location and the food is really good. Sounds like a week night or early evening would be best due to the parking issue. New Hope and Doylestown are the same way. Not enough parking for all of the restaurants in town.
